CRAZIES GIFT

When we had our Southerncrosscrazies Retreat here the week before last, I was both surprised and delighted one morning when the girls presented me with a gift of a beautiful collection of needlework accessories. 

 It was a thank you gift from Faye, Alison, Joy and Arlene for hosting the Retreat at my place. First there was this absolutely stunning box, covered with the loveliest marine blue fabrics and featuring the most exquisite embroidery.

 The girls had managed to liaise about the gift through emails - remember they are living hundreds of kms apart! They chose colours and themes and worked independently on the separate items. What amazing teamwork!

 Inside the box there was this precious little needlebook.

 It came with  felt pages, plus a holder for a needlethreader - which Joy had noticed I needed!

 Then there was this very special scissor fob, with lovely beaded dangles.....

 It also featured this beautiful embroidery with threads and ribbons.

 Finally there was this big pincushion, with one of Arlene's grand beetles perched on top!! I think a CD was used to provide a firm base.

 I was quite overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness - especially as just before they gave it to me, I had been "tricked" into saying I was not really fond of those colours!!!

 But really, I never met a colour I did not like - and any colour looks great when it is in good company, and teaming this aqua blue with these lovely warm pinks, mauves, and oranges is just perfect.

 Don't you just love the beetle? Because Arlene had a definite aversion to cockroaches, and stamped on any of them that ventured near her foot, we decided this was a cockroach in drag/bling!!!

Thank you so much to Alison, Faye, Joy and Arlene - this will really cement my memories of a very happy week spent creatively with you all here on Norfolk Island.