packages on my doorstep:

"big birds" in lime from echino 2009, anna maria horner little folks voile in pink rose,
and anna maria horner "woodcut" in perfect from her new innocent crush line. 

i love getting things in the mail, don't you? there is something about a package on ones doorstep that elicits such giddiness which can brighten an otherwise altogether normal day. a few of them have arrived on my doorstep recently and i'm pretty sure they'll be right up your alley too.

above is some fabric i got at roughly half off from whipstitch fabrics. if it wasn't for occasional online promotions, i would have no way to continue stash building right now considering how tight of a budget we are on...thank goodness for small miracles!

i spent part of my christmas money on a few books from amazon, one of them being elizabeth hartman's "the practical guide to patchwork". it's a gorgeous volume and full of great quilting techniques and designs. my only complaint is that it features a ton of flea market fancy prints from denyse schmidt that are no longer available..cheese and crackers vern!!! (what my great grandma gert used to say to her husband vernon because she didn't swear. i'm a little less classy and tend to swear like a sailor in real life...but not here *grin*). maybe we should all start a petition for a reprint of that line, ya?! also, this gave me the idea of starting some reviews of craft books here, sans the cheese and cracker comments perhaps.

more about this hand-embroidered pillow here

and finally, something i wasn't expecting at all but am relishing (and may just be wrapped up in as i type this): a hand crocheted afghan from my great aunt karen which is going to match perfectly with the pillows i've made for my workroom...that is, if i ever manage to get a couch in here for guests as originally planned. everyone who sends wedding presents a bit late apologizes, but personally i love the thought that a gift could arrive at any moment throughout the year!