First up - Secret Santa big reveal :) I know some of you STILL don't know who sent to you so here goes. Where I know people have blogged their pressies I'll add a linkie...
I sent to K
Sarah sent to Sam - Blogged here
Virginia - sent to Helen - Blogged here
Helen - sent to me! (Scroll down this post to see my goodies)
Irene - sent to Brandy - Blogged here
Sam - sent to Virginia - Blogged here
Carol - sent to Ally
Brandy - sent to Sarah - Blogged here
Ally - sent to Susie - Blogged here
I will update the list with links as/when people blog :) I've had nothing but wonderful feedback from people so happy about the thought that has been put into the gifts. Thank you everyone :)
This year was not without glitches though and it was all down to my pregnancy brain. I'm blaming that totally.
Prepare yourselves, this is a bit of a saga...
I made a bit of a boo boo (putting it politely) and gave Virginia the wrong address for Helen. I had two emails from two separate Helens on top of each other in my inbox - now - I'm not telling you this to scare anyone off taking part next year - I'm telling you this so you see how amazing two people were. Luckily "Wrong" Helen was contacted and she didn't pick the parcel up so it is currently in the postal system on it's way back to Virginia. "Right" Helen, after allowing me to grovel apologies to her, promptly called me a daft mare and made a big joke about it. Quite happy to wait for her pressie to turn up... whenever in the next century that might be...
Enter the hero of the piece. Imagine if you will, sunlight lighting up the silhouette, cape flying behind her, sunlight bouncing off her polished, celtic knot engraved armour... her blonde hair - a halo ablaze as she flies into action recreating the original gift she had created for Helen, flying around the shops to purchase the original gifts she had purchased and then getting them to Helen with a day to spare because she didn't want Helen left out. She really truly is a hero in my books. Super V! Thank you so much Virginia.
I promise next year will be a return to unruffled form, not least because I have made Craig promise to check every address before I send the emails. He had MUCH fun telling me that more emails had come in with wrong addresses. My hair is probably pure white underneath all this dye and I have zero nails left at all! Git! (I can't moan to much, he surprised me with a wonderful Christmas present. But still!)
And now - my pressie from Helen. It came beautifully wrapped in black Christmas paper and then inside wrapped again in purple tissue paper packages...
A beautiful blank journal/sketchbook, The Book of Skulls (which is crammed full of gorgeous skull-tastic art) and a teeny tiny wooden poseable doll who I have christened Bob the Bod.
And then there was this. From Virginia. A gorgeous altered journal. It's beautiful. I'm going to use it next year to actually journal my Rocking positives in 'real' format as well as blog them so I'll always have them. You know - in case of the Apocalypse and, heaven forbid we lose the internet. Isn't it lovely?
My stocking from the UKS Stocking Swap. My swap partner was Chrissie and she crammed my stocking with all these goodies. Which include gilding flakes (yay!) watercolours, brushes, metallic rub on paint, pegs to alter... just so much. I know you don't read the blog Chrissie but thank you anyway. Love it all.
Carol - sent to Ally
Brandy - sent to Sarah - Blogged here
Ally - sent to Susie - Blogged here
I will update the list with links as/when people blog :) I've had nothing but wonderful feedback from people so happy about the thought that has been put into the gifts. Thank you everyone :)
This year was not without glitches though and it was all down to my pregnancy brain. I'm blaming that totally.
Prepare yourselves, this is a bit of a saga...
I made a bit of a boo boo (putting it politely) and gave Virginia the wrong address for Helen. I had two emails from two separate Helens on top of each other in my inbox - now - I'm not telling you this to scare anyone off taking part next year - I'm telling you this so you see how amazing two people were. Luckily "Wrong" Helen was contacted and she didn't pick the parcel up so it is currently in the postal system on it's way back to Virginia. "Right" Helen, after allowing me to grovel apologies to her, promptly called me a daft mare and made a big joke about it. Quite happy to wait for her pressie to turn up... whenever in the next century that might be...
Enter the hero of the piece. Imagine if you will, sunlight lighting up the silhouette, cape flying behind her, sunlight bouncing off her polished, celtic knot engraved armour... her blonde hair - a halo ablaze as she flies into action recreating the original gift she had created for Helen, flying around the shops to purchase the original gifts she had purchased and then getting them to Helen with a day to spare because she didn't want Helen left out. She really truly is a hero in my books. Super V! Thank you so much Virginia.
I promise next year will be a return to unruffled form, not least because I have made Craig promise to check every address before I send the emails. He had MUCH fun telling me that more emails had come in with wrong addresses. My hair is probably pure white underneath all this dye and I have zero nails left at all! Git! (I can't moan to much, he surprised me with a wonderful Christmas present. But still!)
And now - my pressie from Helen. It came beautifully wrapped in black Christmas paper and then inside wrapped again in purple tissue paper packages...
A beautiful blank journal/sketchbook, The Book of Skulls (which is crammed full of gorgeous skull-tastic art) and a teeny tiny wooden poseable doll who I have christened Bob the Bod.
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| Teeny tiny Bob |
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| The excitement was just to much! |
But wait. That's not all. look at this gorgeous canvas - I love everything about it. That quote is fab, I'm totally stealing it! And that stamp is one I always admire when I see Helen use it in her work.
Thank you Helen, you couldn't have put a more 'me' present together :)
Next is the huuuuge stack of books I got from my Dad, two of my sisters and my friends.
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| Beautiful sketchbook underneath is a handmade one from my sis. |
And finally. What did Craig, my lovely Craig who had promised we were only doing token gifts again this year do? He got me the Google Nexus 7 tablet that I have been saving madly most of the year for. I was speechless. I was gob-smacked. I now have a load of Amazon vouchers I'd been saving that he's told me to spend on art books and paint (but I'm going to get the girls a couple more WII remotes as well) I officially, OFFICIALLY have the best Craigy in the whole wide World... and yup I did buy him a token (albeit rather gorgeous that I'll blog later) present.
I think I was more spoilt than the kids this year. And I loved it... although I do feel a tad guilty! Must start making stuff for next year!
Thanks for stopping by :)
