More on the Best Birthday Ever!
I was going to start out with the gifts that arrived first, but I just realized as I was uploading photos that I didn’t get a photo of the first gift that arrived, which was all those great fiber samples that Cathy brought to SnB last week. I’m feeling rather exhausted after the pre-dawn drive to the airport this morning so I’m going to beg off of showing you a photo of those. Plus, I figure you’ll get to see them once I’ve spun them up… But, a lack of picture by no means is due to a lack of enjoying and appreciating the gift, okay??? Okay!
On Thursday afternoon I had a suprise doorbell ring and the slightly protective and extra sensitive due to another dog sleeping in her house Emma gave alert. I was surprised as I wasn’t expecting anything that I knew of. Imagine my surprise when I looked at the postmark and it read Utah! The wonderful and generous Margene sent me a birthday package!
A wonderful colorway of Opal which I haven’t seen before, but are perfect colors for me! I have an army of t-shirts that will go well with those socks and jeans! Those adorable candies are from a Salt Lake City candy shop and are those creamy mint candies - yum! That stick-like thing on the right, is a great smelling cuticle stick from her sister who makes bath products. It was perfect timing because I was just bemoaning my need to get my fingers out of winter mode so I can spin up some of the silk hankies in my fiber stash without snagging the silk and a couple days of use has me almost ready. The scent is lemon lavender which is perfect as I love anything with a citrus element!
Okay, I’m somewhat out of order here, but that bigger lime green bag in this photo was one of my gifts from my mom and it was the first one she bought for me upon arriving; the rest of the items in the photo are the latest gifts to be recieved. Thursday morning we were lounging in the living room talking away and knitting and mom was going on about how she wanted a flat bottomed bag that would stand up. She was explaining how she has been knitting out of a paper grocery sack, but would like something a little longer lasting and better looking. I jumped to my feet and said, “I have the perfect bag for you!” And we jumped in my car and headed to this great local outdoor store, Jax, and mom bought two for herself, the Small and the XSmall version and she got me the Small.
A few weeks ago Sansablog had shown off her bag to us at SnB and at least Snow and I fell in love. There are pockets of varying sizes around the entire inside and the tote bag will zip shut, but has a double zipper so if you need to say keep cats out of your knitting you can just mostly make the zippers meet. One of my favorite “features” is the absence of *any* velcro! It is just the zipper for the top and that is the only yarn-catching thing on the whole bag! There is even a loop with a clip for keeping keys relatively easy to find. I also find the pockets on the sides on the inside of the bag are perfect for water bottles, travel coffee mugs, or single balls of yarn.
Well, I had been so excited about it that Sansablog and Snow got together and bought me one too! LOL! They chose the other green, Mist, for me. I had been thinking I really liked the size of Mom’s smaller one and given my penchant for accessory and small project knitting I was really starting to think I needed that size too. So, I went and exchanged the second green bag for a smaller one (in Marine) and then with the left over $10 I added in a “Half Cube” from Eagle Creek that has stripes in both the lime and the marine. I figure I can fit a sock project in it and then theoretically it can go in either Moutainsmith bag along with another project and I won’t have to worry about yarns from multiple projects getting tangled!
I’m realizing this has gotten to be a relatively lengthy post as it is so I think I shall sign off for now and perhaps go take a nap… I’ll leave you with a glimpse inside of the lime bag complete with mom’s feather and fan afghan that I need to weave ends into and send off to a friend of hers. I’ll revist mom’s afghan at a later date when I’ve completed the finishing work on it.
The bags are fabulous! I might need to check into one for myself.
Comment by margene — 4/18/2006 @ 3:13 pm
What great bags. I do so love a good, functional bag. I’ll have to stop at Jax next time I’m down.
Comment by Stephanie — 4/18/2006 @ 3:27 pm
Ooooh, I’m so glad the mist bag could be traded in suitably for something you wanted just as much. Hoooray! (I need to get myself out to Jax and get the small in Marine before they run out, but I never seem to get it done!)
Comment by Snow — 4/18/2006 @ 3:28 pm
Heh, after Snow talked up the Small earlier, I picked one up at eBags… I’m such a sucker for bags!
Comment by Chris — 4/18/2006 @ 6:07 pm
1. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
2. I’m insanely jealous of that big bag. I have Bag Envy(tm).
3. I may be moving to Loveland. :)
Comment by eliza — 4/18/2006 @ 6:36 pm
Belated happy birthday! Your tea outing looked like a blast.
Nice bags - I’m always looking for good ones. Seems like it’s something perpetually on my personal wishlist, right up there with stitch holders and tape measures. Can you tell I’m a multi-project knitter?
Comment by terby — 4/18/2006 @ 10:22 pm
Ooooh, great bags and great presents! Happy birthday again! It’s very nice of you to do your Mom’s finishing work for her. You’re such a wonderful daughter. :)
Comment by Lizzy B — 4/19/2006 @ 6:57 am
I love your bags. you can never have too many.
Comment by hillary — 4/19/2006 @ 7:08 am