In My Mail

My mailbox was on overload over Christmas.  I’m trying to get caught up on the packages and get blog posts written about them.  The next two posts will likely be longer ones…and I’m hoping I get them right.  I had opened a couple of the boxes when the kids were home and then the boxes got put in the laundry room (you know the place where everyone throws everything)..I’m so hoping the right contents stayed in the right boxes and the right cards stayed in the right box.

This first one I know I have right.  There was no card and no return address.  Look at all the great fabrics.  I’m putting these aside with my greens I’m collecting for Bonnie Hunter’s quilt Emerald City.

They were packaged so neatly and nicely.  THANKS SO MUCH!!  I will treasure these.

The next package came from AnnDee…goodies for the kids and goodies for me.

Check out all the things for the kids.  They love calculators..and calendars.

The kids were thrilled with the calendars.  I told them they could all pick one out.  Then they went through and found everyone’s birthday and wrote them in on the calendar.  They had so much fun.  It’s great practice for them to learn which month comes first and numeric order to find the right days, then great practice on spelling each other’s name.  This filled about an hour and they all took them home.
The fabrics were awesome…just look.
I pulled a few of the florals for my Floribunda quilt.  I forgot to mention I was saving florals for that quilt.

My favorite grouping of fabric was the middle and right side bundle.  Check them out.  They are Kaffe fabrics.  Oh my.  I’m getting enough of them now, I really do need to come up with a quilt idea.  I’d really like it to be my own design….Hmm.
AnnDee also sent a for the charity postage fund.  YAHOO!!!  That’s awesome.
The kids and I were so spoiled by box.  Thanks so much.

Check out the next box that came from Martha….the kids were thrilled with the box.  I have a couple girls that love sorting.  Martha’s box was great for that.  See the big bag on the left.  It’s filled to the brim with envelopes, cards, wrapping paper and stickers.  They adore sorting that all out.  I’ll give them that when they are playing office and tell them that it’s a job a secretary would have to do at her office job.  It’s so fun.

I’m adding the gloves to my stash for when the kids forget gloves and the shirt is going in my collection.  Thanks so much Martha.  Your kindness is appreciated.

The next set of goodies came from Linda…so many fun things.  She said she cleaned out her stationary drawer and collected scraps for me.  How FUN!
I added this to the things that Martha had sent and will the kiddos sort them out when they are playing office.

There were so many scraps.

I have to stop and tell you a little story here.  Earlier in the evening I was chatting via text messages with my friend Jean.  She is the one who did the food quilt with me.  Well she said she was going to switch up and make a new design on novelty quilts and was thinking a snowball pattern.  I told her I had novelty prints that I save but rarely use so if there was something she was looking for, I’d happily share.  She asked me if I have any “Ford” fabric.  I didn’t think I had but honestly didn’t know.  It’s been awhile since I was in that tote of fabric.  I said we could look if she came by.

Well, I signed off from the text messaging as I needed to write a blog post.  It was this very post I was writing.  Well look what was in Linda’s box.  Car fabric.

Was there a chance there was “Ford” fabric???  ….YES there was!!  Oh Linda…thanks so much.  You are going to make Jean’s day!!!  You already made mine.  It’s one of those little moments that you can only wonder if it’s beyond coincidence.  
Thanks so much Linda!!

I found nothing in the next box to give me a clue of who it was from….

This was a box of everything and anything that I’m going to completely sort out when the childcare kiddos are here.  They are going to LOVE this box.

I have a “junk” box that I put all sorts of “odd” things in that they can craft with or use.  It’s amazing what they come up with.

One day over break they put on a play and made this “Santa” costume for one of the little boys.

The kids just adore goodies like the stuff in this box.

This little craft I’ll save out for one day when there’s a kid that’s last to leave who needs a little pick me up.  I’ll send it home with them.

Crowns…and thank you cards.  I’m saving the thank you cards.  I went through so many this year!!

This wooden top will be the talk of the morning.  All of them will want to see if they can spin it.  I’ll get the little timer out and we’ll see who can spin it the longest.  We love making things into games.  How fun.
Clothes Pins??  YES.  I’m thrilled. I’m going to put them in and easy access container for the kiddos.  They are always stealing mine.  They use them with blankets to “make dresses”.  I should have bought them some of their own a long time ago.  Now I don’t have to.
I haven’t been to the bottom of the box yet.  I skimmed the top and already found all sorts of things I know the kids and I will get some great use out of.  Thanks so much.  The kids are going to love digging in this box!!

Thanks everyone for thinking of me and the kids.  We love your gift boxes.  You always seem to know just what to send us.