I hope you read that title in the tune of the Bette Midler song that I’m borrowing it from…anyway, I have a new stitching friend, another fabulous Australian crafter, Jan, who was my partner in the F-R-I-E-N-D-S Swap. The idea was to send an item (or two or three) that represented each letter of the word “friends” to a new swap/blog/internet friend that you were matched up with. Psst….in case you couldn’t tell, I made a great match! ;->

This is what I received this week from Jan:

Lovely gift wrapping with a handmade tag on each one…(My birthday came a few days early!)

And all the lovely loot…

F is for Fat Quarter Bag in green batik (made from the free Buttercup Bag pattern) and Fabric. I don’t think Jan knew how much I’ve been coveting the Emperor’s Garden “Day in the Country” fabric (the pink one) that is not available in the states, so I was elated to see a piece of that! She also included a floral fabric of the Waratah Flower that grows in the bush of New South Wales. The card she sent also had this same waratah flowers on it. Like no flower I’ve ever seen!

R is for Reading, she sent me a collection of bookmarks and a Reusable tote from the library she works for. We share a love of reading.

I is for Indulgence (the chocolate!) and a Inspiration in the form of the Prints Charming bird panel (I love bird designs!) And it’s in aqua, one of my favorite colors!

E is for Easy Peasy Stitching Purse…again in the lovely A Day in the Country fabric! My little ginghers scissors will fit perfectly in there. This is going directly into my hand sewing/embroidery bag that get’s taken along everywhere!

N is for your Nose, she made a green batik tissue cozy for my new purse (above!) and sent a lovely lace trimmed soft cotton hanky. I must have commented about my sinus problems here sometime or she just has a sixth sense and knows I go nowhere without my tissues!

D is for Drink coasters made with a fun flip-flop fabric, which she told me are called jandals in New Zealand (See I even learned a few things with thise gift!) and S is for Scarf, and absolutely lovely, soft, delicious, GREEN, fun and funky scarf that its’ far too warm to enjoy right now but will be an everyday staple of my wardrobe this Winter!

See, didn’t she do well?

This is what I sent to Jan:

A Fat Quarter of Novelty Notions Fabric…Red Ric-Rac tied with a Red Ribbon…Inspiration and Ideas in an Iowa-born quilting publication (It’s published less than five miles from my house!)…Mary Engelbriet Recipe for Friendship charm pack…Extra Notions for use with her new pincushion…a Dress Form Doll Quilt…and a Sweet Slice Pincushion...
This was so much fun, and I feel I have a new long distance friend for life…

you, Jan, oh so much!