the year past, the year to come

Coincidentally, both my final exchange to Cathy and my first exchange to Su (for the Seasonal Exchange group) arrived on the same day. So you finally get some stitching photos! I know Chiloe said she likes pictures of Arden even more than of stitching, but not everyone may feel that way.

For Cathy, I tried to make her a collection of smalls. Cathy, like me, has fairly eclectic tastes and I had fun choosing designs willy-nilly from my stash. This final exchange is a kit released by The Sampler Girl last winter (with a lot of extra details on the inside). I also whipped up a wee matching fob so Cathy’s scissors would not get jealous of her needles & pins.

The inside of the needlebook would not be nearly as pretty as it is if it were not for the generosity of Sonya, who sent that wonderful quilt-style cotton, and of Anne, who sent the gorgeous assortment of pins.

For the upcoming year of exchanging with Su, I considered and rejected a number of ideas until I saw the work of a local crafter who makes twig/vine baskets and wreaths. I know that Su likes small things, and I’ve always loved her sense of humor. Although most of the gorgeous exchanges and gifts that she receives are very feminine and elegant, I hoped she would enjoy my spin on things, with a quirky prim look. I have to admit, I really (really) worried that she’d open the box and think, “Oh no! These are so ugly!” but she assures me that she really does like it.

The ornaments are Harvest Bird by Ewe and I and Friends (which kept twisting to the side when I photographed the wreath, thus an additional picture of it), Quaker Snail by Aury (freebie available here), and Plenty and Grace, which contains elements taken from Sampler Folk by Kathy Barrick-Dieter and from Plenty and Grace by Primitive Traditions (from the publication, A Most Noble Pursuit). I had so much fun making this exchange – I’m already looking forward to the winter ornaments!

Thanks for the comments on my short (angry) post yesterday. As for my legality here in the Netherlands, I’ve been legal all along, but the government has been changing laws in an attempt to homogenize the society. Unlike Canada, which is known as a patchwork of different peoples and cultures (a sentiment I’ve always really admired), the Netherlands seems to be going for a rather heavy-handed American ‘melting pot’ effect in which we foreigners must constantly prove our willingness to adapt to the society we’ve chosen to live in. I certainly understand the need to speak the language of the country in which one lives, but I’m weary of being treated literally like a second class citizen. But anyway … it’s over till the next time and the woman who conducted the interview really was very nice.