Saturday, March 22, 2008

A Package Arrives

My friend Anna is a blogger as well. She's a wonderful writer, and she blogs much more consistently than I do. I aspire to blog as well as she does, but for now I do what I can. To celebrate her 100th blog post, Anna had a contest on her blog a few weeks ago, and the prize was a fabulous bag that she'd made.

I was astonished when I read that I'd won, absolutely floored. I can't remember the last thing I won. I never win things like this. I don't win raffles, I don't win door prizes... well, not until now. I gasped so loud when I read that I'd won that my husband came into the office to be sure I hadn't hurt myself.

When I got home from work yesterday, there was a box sitting on my front porch. When I saw that it was covered in paperwork, I knew what it was. I did a little excited dance, brought it inside and borrowed my husband's pocket knife.

Duct Tape
Duct tape really does hold the world together.

Card
Cards... I love cards

Cat
This cat has it all. That collar he's wearing has a fish on it.

Wrapped
Oooooh, pretty.

That purple ribbon you see? It's this lovely textured crinkly paper tape. The magpie in me insists that I must keep it forever. It's too pretty to just recycle it.

Tied
This is the front with the top tied down...

Photobucket
...and this is the top untied and opened.

Photobucket
There's a little pouch in front.

Hey, there's something in it!

Photobucket

There's an itty bitty notebook, perfect for noting down where you stopped in a pattern, and there's also a bookmark. It's got some wool on it from a breed of sheep originating in Gotland. I read a lot, this bookmark has come to the right place.

Photobucket
Are those knitting needles?

Photobucket
Why yes, yes they are.

This yarn... I swoon before it's loveliness. Anna tells me it is dyed in Landskrona, about 50 kilometers from where she lives, by a company called Vikan (We Can). The dyelots are very small, only 1 kilo of yarn per batch. That means that there are only 4 other hanks of yarn just like this one. It's very soft and the color is semi-solid.

There's also a pair of 6 mm bamboo needles from Garnstudio. Light and warm and brightly polished, and they make me want to cast on right now.

Photobucket
Zippered pocket.

There's a small zippered pocket in the back, and the fabric the bag is lined with is a great match for the rest.

Photobucket
Adjustable strap.

Photobucket
Oh my...

It's a beautiful bag. All the little details are there, and I can't wait to pack a little knitting project into it and take it out to show it off.

Anna, thank you so very much. Your craft skills are superb, you color sense is outstanding, and your generosity is humbling.

9 comments:

SwankyKnitter said...

Gorgeous! Congrats.

iKate said...

Wow, that is absolutely STUNNING. Does it make me a bad person if I admit that I am just a little bit jealous? :shifty:

Jen said...

Amazing! :yay: You so deserve it! Anna's such a sweetheart. :)

Anonymous said...

Yay!!!!!! And goodies! Anna is such a sweetie!

Unknown said...

I'm blushing here! Thank you for your lovely post, Geeky, and for liking the bag. I'm looking forward to the sightseeing pictures! :rofl:

Again; Thank you! :kram:

essjay said...

Anna always sends the BEST packages! (We are now bookmark twinsies!!!) The bag is stunning, as is everything inside of it. You deserve to win stuff, Anree, and this was a great one to win!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh, wow, that is beautiful! :covet: And the goodies inside are wonderful! Lucky, you, Anree! Anna, you are such a doll!

I still have to do the meme, Anree...I pwomise I will. I haven't posted since you tagged me, so all is well :)

Luv ya, hunney!

Julie R. said...

Oh wow!!! Anna, once again I am standing in awe of one of your projects!

Will you be having any more contests?? :shifty:

Anonymous said...

What an amazing bag!