Loads of swaps to show you...and a blessed weekend (LONG POST)

I've been one lucky gal lately.  In the last week I have received 3 swap packages!  The first one is from Cindy at Cindi's Country Corner...she was my partner in Kendra's  candle hugger swap.  Cindi wrote me ahead of time to explain that she doesn't sew, but that didn't make her swap box less fun to open, because she purchased these LOVELY goodies for me to enjoy.  I adore the pineapples!  Cindi also included a wonderful wool sheep candle hugger, small wooden candle holder with a prim flicker light, and star candle plate with a pip berry/star candle ring and some sweet little magnets with a bee hive and willow tree on them, wrapped up in homespun fabric.  Cindi included a sweet note as well.  Don't you just love all she included!  THANK YOU CINDI!

My next swap was from Kathie over at Beyond the Storybook.  Kathie is a fellow central New York State gal, and we keep saying we need to get together - and we will!  She lives only a short drive from our son, Scott's, house.  Kathie was one of my partners in the What's the Buzz Swap I recently held on my blog.  I ended up with two partners for this swap, because an uneven number signed up and I have certainly been blessed!  Kathie made a wonderful bee doll just for me!  Isn't it adorable? She also included a pair of garden gloves (can never have too many of those, as I always leave them some place and then can't find them-haha), a pot holder and some seeds packets, clipped together with an adorable flower clip.  I'm not sure how she knew, but she picked some of my favorite flowers! To finish off the package, Kathie included a purple candle, wrapped up so prettily!  Thank you so much Kathie for joining the swap.  I'm glad we got to be partners and love all the goodies you sent me!

A little bit after lunchtime, the mailman came a'knocking on my door with a huge box!  It was my swap package from Sandi at The Primitive Skate.  Sandi was my other partner in my What's The Buzz Swap and she literally spoiled me rotten!  She is such a talented artist, I can't wait to show you all the wonderful creations she made just for me!   Now, nearly everything that Sandi enclosed was wrapped in lovely green tissue paper and tied with some adorable green/white string.  The rest of my goodies were placed in nice little bags tied with the same green and white string, all of them included a little handwritten note telling me about the item, which was a special touch.   Everything looked so nice I hated to open it, but you can bet I tore into the wrapping with glee.....so....for starters...here is one group of goodies Sandi included.

Some yummy smelling tarts, a beautiful journal, a wooden sign that Sandi designed, cut out and painted herself, an adorable handmade beeskep and a cute bumblebee!  I already hung the Welcome sign on the small porch off the carriage room.

Sandi painted these books with prim tags - what an awesome idea!  She paints so well and I just love them!  One of them is hanging in my kitchen and the other in on the wall in my hallway.  Sandi included several bags of salt dough ornie bowl fillers - beehive and bees, crows and pineapples, and some adorable chicken and sheep which you will see in the next picture.  She made some sweet prim strawberries as well.

 

As if those goodies weren't enough, now for the big things Sandi included....the ADORABLE (big) lady bug (now hanging on my front porch) and the sweet wooden crow, which Sandi also designed!  See the bowl fillers too?

Sandi's salt dough ornies are so detailed.  If you don't have any of them yet, you have to hop on over to her blog....she gave me so many and I love them all!

Sandi - I can't begin to tell you how blessed I feel by all the goodies you included in your box, and I thank you so much for joining my swap.  You have been so generous and I love everything you sent me.

I've got so many new goodies to decorate with!  Thank you everyone!








This past weekend we took a little time away from the world and attended a religious retreat at Notre Dame retreat house in Canandaigua, NY.  We were lucky enough to be able to have our sons and their wives come along too.  We had a great weekend full of inspiration, good food and fun.  The weather was beautiful...in the 80s...so we spent our spare time walking around the grounds and sitting in the large gazebo overlooking the lake.  It was nice to get away from the tv, cell phones, and millions of chores there are to do at home.  I think we all came home renewed and blessed by our time together.  They fed our souls as well as our bodies with great talks and awesome food!

Scott & Steph

Drew & Maria

Speaking of food, it's time to go fix some dinner for the Mister, as he winds his way home.  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. 

And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You.

Psalm 39: 7

Blessings!