A Life Overflowing...

On our Christian Artisans list (link at right), we have been having a fun exchange based on hot drinks such as cocoa, coffee and tea. It's a round robin exchange and is not secret. So I am gifting to Judy, Judy is gifting to someone else and Linda (who is blogless) gifted to me.

The first photo shows one of those cool tea cups that has an infuser to hold loose tea and a lid so it can properly steep (my English friend Lily would be pleased, "real tea must be covered" she always told us!) and also keep warm in the cup later. The tea is wild berries and blossoms and I am interested in trying it, I have not used loose tea since I was a girl at my Grandma's house.

The second photo shows the soaps that Linda sent me and I think she made them herself. There are a few vegan ones and some glycerines. I love the glycerin one that looks like pink and purple stained glass. It is peppermint scented! That one is mine, all mine! LOL

The third photo shows everything...a bag of wool (I don't know what kind, I need to find out), a bag of what appears to be silk...it's white and I can dye it, which I have never done before, but silk usually dyes beautifully! Funny thing is that I have a silk hanky (a form of fiber, not a handkerchief) that is in beautiful jewel tones. I've had it twelve years. I want to spin it and I was thinking I would get more yarn if I plied it with something else...Maybe I will dye this silk and use it as the ply! That would be fun. First I have to learn how to dye and spin silk! LOL

We filled out a form with our likes and interests and I wrote that I like Scottish shortbread as a treat with tea. Well, I didn't tell her but Walker's is my favorite. It reminds me of when I spent a week at Atholl Palace for my birthday in June 1994 (a gift from the aforementioned Lily in England). It was an awesome trip. Every morning when they made the beds they placed a packet of Walker's on your pillow! If you click on the different tabs for info at that site, you will see different photos of this area which was AWESOME! I would love to go back now with a digital SLR and photograph it. I would LOVE to live in Scotland! This was in Pitlochry, Scotland and we took day trips from there to Glamis Castle (pronounced Glarms) where the Queen Mum grew up. I have a Glamis Castle rose, which is white, in my yard. We also went to Lochgoilhead where I saw sheep, drove around Loch Lomond and nearly died from a passionate desire to photograph all the beauty I saw as my friend drove us past in her car, afraid to park on the side of the road so I could take pictures! LOL I spent a half day in Edinburgh which is a fascinating city. One day I hope to take my hubby to Scotland so we can photograph and he can fly fish in the home of fly fishing!

Okay, back to California...I also received some Ghiradelli chocolates, some devotional books and some beautiful hand made stitch markers in sizes S, M, L...those can be seen in the next photo! I love all the markers! They look like they were made just for me...Linda, did you make these?! I think I got everything. There was so much, I hope I didn't leave it out.

Thank you Linda!!! This really made my day and I truly appreciate all the effort you took to find things for me and to share from yourself! :o)