In awe of generosity

Nothing lifts the spirits quite like pressies. And gloriously wonderful pressies? All the better.

I got to work on Monday, and a lovely little box from Australia was waiting for me. When I opened it, I saw this:

Gorgeous cardstock and ribbon and art -- all just the wrapping for a handmade gift from Nora.

It's worth restating that I only know Nora from this here webberblog. And that a gift from her on the occasion of "Just Because" is truly something spectacular.

So, I stared at this stunning wrapping, and I was torn. Should I open it and then try to re-assemble it to take pictures for the blog? Or should I wait until I could take photos to open it? If I waited, it could be days before the conditions were right to take a picture. If I didn't, I would surely spoil the beauty of the presentation for posting here.

I tried to peek inside to see if I could spy the inner goods and make a decision that way. No luck. I couldn't see a thing. Hmm.

And I realized another way the blog impacts my life: There are situations like this where I can't open the presents from the lovely people I know because of the blog, because of the blog! Crap.

I put the whole thing away, despite my burning curiosity. And, wouldn't you know, yesterday was totally grey and not suitable for taking photos.

So, I tell you what. When the sun came out this morning, this gift was the first thing I thought of.

Behold the amazing handmade stitch markers:

Aren't they beautiful?

And there are so many of them!

I can't believe Nora sat there patiently bending wire and stringing beads and making these beautiful creations, and now they're mine! It really made my day. And I can't wait to use them! (Believe me, they'll be out on display as lovely things to look at in the meantime.)

Thank you so much, Nora! Your kindness and thoughtfulness are a beautiful part of the world wide web. People like you and Kristy are inspirations.

Being kind and generous out of the blue is so cool. It's totally the new black.

RAK

Today's lesson is on Random Acts of Kindness. I think we can all learn a little something here.

Frequent commenter, spearheader of Knit a Square for Grandmother Purl, and all-around nice person Kristy just sent me this Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn:


And these stitch markers... that she made.


Aren't they beautiful? Doesn't that little flower bead just kick it right over?

She said it was just a little something since I'd just had Debacle Week and all.

Who is that nice? She is, apparently.

Here's a very important piece of information: I only know Kristy from the blogging. We "met" via the world wide web when I was the first one to send in squares for the Gramma Purl project. Ever since then, despite many serious crises befalling her and her family, she has never ceased to come by my blog and leave a comment that is kind and supportive.

Oh, yeah. And then she sent gifts.

People. Seriously. Come on. If everyone in the world were as thoughtful as she is, the world would be a lovely place indeed.

Thank you, Kristy, for the beautiful gifts and the online support. And for reminding us all that, no matter what we may have going on, we can always do something kind for someone.

(Hey! Guess who's getting a thank you card?)

The Glorious Haul from NYC: Part I

BEADS?!

I made some stitch markers while I was in New York. There. I said it. Now you know. So, whether this makes Hobby 99 or not is inconsequential. What's important here is that I told you, and now you won't be surprised or confused (surfused? conprised?) when I show you the photos. Angry, maybe. But not surfused.

(Non-knitters: In knitting, stitch markers are used to flag a particular place in your knitting. You slide them on to your knitting needle between stitches, and they serve as a signal for something or another. For example, you're knitting along, la la la, and when you get to the stitch marker, you might change to a different kind of stitch or realize you're at the end of a round of knitting or something. Anyhoo, the markers can be as simple as a small plastic circle, or as elaborate as a circle with things dangling off of it. You know. For fun!)

My lovely sister-in-law (SIL) and brother live right down the street from a bead store. Who cares, right? I don't bead. I don't even wear jewelry, so what does it matter to me?

Well. Here's what I think happened:

1. The other day, Nora over at Black Dog Knits posted a photo of some stitch markers she'd made.
   
2. This image snuck its way into a wrinkle in my brain.
3. That wrinkle in my brain was activated the moment I arrived in NYC, causing me to blurt out to my SIL, "I want to make stitch markers while I'm here!" (This was just part of the blurt. The rest of it had to do with fabric and yarn and tasty Thanksgiving treats, but that's for another post.)
   
4. My SIL shopped with me at the cute little bead store.
   
5. Google sent me to Wormspit and Sheep in the City for detailed instructions.
6. My SIL jumped in with her mad jewelry-making skills and tools, and then...
   

I made some stitch markers.


How about that sparkly donut bead there at the bottom? It's particularly cute and disco-like in person.

The bead store only had three toggles (those pre-made sturdy circle things that are on the top there). So for the second set of markers, I had to make my own circle things out of sterling silver wire. (I think it was 20 gauge, if that means anything to anyone.)

Sure. I could've wrapped the wire around something to form a true circle shape, but then I would've been giving in to Perfectionism and the idea that I should be more like a machine, and that's just tantamount to doing The Man's bidding, and who wants that?

(Ha HA! See what I did there? Crappy worksmanship = political resistance. Woo hoo!)

Anyway, if you look at the blue ones (not too closely), they don't really look handmade. Those there with the flowers? You can really see it: Hand. Made.

I haven't tested them out yet to make sure they don't snag or eat yarn while they're on knitting needles. At this juncture, I'm afraid to admit, their sole purpose may just be to juke the stats and make it seem like I really have 99 hobbies. (My favorite TV show The Wire has taught me many things. "Juking the stats" is but one of them.)

But, I kid. I may give them away as gifts. Or I may use them myself. After all, who doesn't need a cute little reminder every now and then that it's time to do something different?

This concludes Part I of The Glorious Haul from NYC. Parts II and III will include gleeful tales of fabrics and yarns. Here's a teaser: