Who doesn’t like finding personal mail in their mailbox? Nobody I know, that’s for sure! It’s become a rare commodity, so much so that many postal services are going broke. I’m happy to report that we bloggers are doing our part, one wonderful note, card or parcel at a time.
Through my blogging community and Craft-it-Forward projects, I’ve received numerous goodies in the mail. Last week was no exception. Catja, over at Gjeometry let me squeak into her pay if forward list, even though I was number six and the cut off was five. You can read a bit more about it on her blog. (Thanks once again, Catja).
Look what arrived in the mail.
Catja sent me this beautifully sewn, dual-toned apron sporting three large pockets and several tabs for holding tools. The body of the apron is an incredibly soft rayon tweed with a subtle pattern, a cross between herringbone and check. The face of the apron is a sturdy, floral canvas, trimmed in brown. I *love* it!
Catja included a thoughtful note written on a card embedded with annual and perennial seeds. I’ll be able to keep the card, and slip out the seed insert for planting next spring. What a treasure.
Bloomin’ Flower Card
The spoiling didn’t stop there. She also sent a volume of essays called The Roots of My Obsession: Thirty Great Gardeners Reveal Why They Garden. I can’t wait to dive in. Here’s a quote:
There’s a mystery at the heart of gardening: Why would any sane person spend hours on hands and knees, courting aching joints and a ruined back, just to raise a bunch of plants? He simple answer, of course, is that gardening is an obsession that cannot be conquered or abandoned, only indulged. The richer, more complex and more human answer can be found in the pages of The Roots of My Obsession.
I see joyful reading ahead.
Personal essays on why we garden
On the subject of spoiling, our resident felines received a treat as well. It seems, Catja’s mom is also crafty. She knit this wooly purple octopus for the kitties. It arrived with a small opening for cat nip, with a length of yarn attached to sew it closed. Our catnip plant is just now dying back for the winter. I pinched off a few of the leaves for their new toy. Here’s a shot of Mighty Mouse checking it out.
Tiny octopus
Mighty Mouse loves the new toy
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Catja, for your thoughtfulness. I admire your style, your grace and your creativity.
You can check out Catja’s blog at Gjeometry. Her kitty features prominently in most of her posts. Here are a few of my favorites:
Gardening Nirvana 
What a wonderfully pleasurable post that would have been Alys 🙂 I did not know about ‘crafting forward’ at all before I saw it mentioned in your blog a while back when my computer was being extremely troublesome… I always meant to go back and find out more [it crashed while I was on your blog twice that particular day] but then it slipped my mind and I am still none the wiser – but it does look like fun!
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Oh dear…I hope my site isn’t contagious!? 😉
How are your computer woes these days? We’ve had spotty connections for a week and a half now.
Craft it forward also referred to by some as pay it forward, is the concept of offering to create something for the first five people who respond. Each of those five, in turn, offering to make something for their first five and so on. Boomdeeadda did it and I’m in the process of finishing mine (my list slipped from 5 to 7) I have two more to go.
Let me find the original link and I’ll put it in a comment.
As for the post: yes! Absolutely wonderful!
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I’ve learnt that if I reboot every hour I can mostly stay okay – sometimes it just runs so slowly that the site will ‘time out’ before it gets loaded…. we are still waiting for the good sales to start – maybe they won’t – who knows!
I think the crafting forward idea is wonderful – thank you for the full explanation. Interestingly I was thinking of doing something for the 150th follower to my blog – I was going to do it for the 100th but I went from 80-something to 125 seemingly overnight and missed that opportunity – or I may wait for the 200th 🙂
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Hurray for you. I’m still waiting for that magic 200 mark as well. My numbers appear to have increased because they suddenly included my Twitter followers and my Facebook followers, even though they aren’t necessarily readers.
I love the idea of a give away when you hit your numbers. Great idea!
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Oh, so I didn’t just become immensely popular for no particular reason then 😦 I think half the WP followers don’t read my blog either – so who is? I know it’s you and Boomdee – maybe I’ll just make you gals something when the magic number appears 🙂
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I know for a fact that others read your blog. You can see in the numbers who clicks. Many more people read than comment, so by all means keep it up.
xox
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Quite right! I’ve had a read and see it has all been wonderful stuff – I am so sorry to have missed out on the fun – it must have been happening when little black and shiny was having tantrums constantly.
My girls are encouraging me to wait for the Christmas sales for a new black and shiny – which indicates they are maybe conspiring on Xmas presents 🙂 Love my girls!
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Ohhhhhh! Well then. Christmas, here she comes. 🙂
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Wow! That’s gotta be annoying, but if it works, it works. I know in the States there are certain times of the year they suggest buying electronics. You might even be able to get something refurbished with a one year warranty, cheaper than a new one. Just a thought.
Here is the Craft it Forward link (which also links back to the description): https://gardeningnirvana.com/2013/02/06/craft-it-forward-did-i-say-five/
Boomdeeadda did her five back to back, all gorgeous. You can search on her site as well as Catja’s. Fun, fun, fun! And right up your alley.
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What fun! Gifts, gardens, you and then Mouse too! Isn’t that gift just sooooo you? Such a stylish garden girl you are ! Catja has a really great eye for picking out fabrics that seem to go perfectly with the project. It looks like a ‘Liberty Of London’ motif on it…do you know them? They are an English company, selling coveted scarves, beautiful books and things in their own custom fabrics which they sell also. Here’s the link, http://www.liberty.co.uk/fcp/departmenthome/dept/fabrics
Ha, looks like Mouse climbed out of a chimney or something 😀 I just love that guy, very sweet to send along something for your furry pals. I’ve been saving all my paper egg cartoons for months with the intent of making my own paper, some with seeds, so that clever card just gave me a new idea. Will you have to tear it into small pieces and spread it out or just lay it in one spot? The Craft it forward sure was a lot of fun, should we do it again next year?
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Oh look at that! Thanks for including the link. I’m not familiar with them, though happy to be now. What gorgeous fabrics. Isn’t it interesting how one company can have so many lovely things, and others absolutely nothing you want or like? That happens to me frequently in fabric stores, unlike the brilliant Britex in SF. W’e’ll have to add that to our next SF outing.
I would love to hook up a camera to Mouse, that is for sure. I have a photo of him looking like he stuck his head in a hole. Crazy!
I would love another round of Craft it Forward, and I think we may have interested Pauline. I’ve completed six out of seven, but still need to blog about one of them. Waiting for that spare time to materialize. Darker, colder days ahead and Halloween is behind me, so no excuses now.
I love the idea of making seed embedded cards. I’ve never know how. I’ll have to learn from the blog I know you’re going to write, and then give it a try.
Yippee!!!
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Aw, I’m so pleased everything arrived to you safe and sound. And I’m super-thrilled that you like the gifts! And that the cats like the catnip toy. Kitty goes CRAZY over his. And the apron fits and looks snazzy on you! I chose these colors all on purpose because I figured any other colour combo would begin to look tired after one use with grass and dirt stains but here, it’ll not show any stains.
Thank you also for your wonderful tribute to my blog! I feel all famous! LOL. Enjoy everything Alys and I’m so delighted to have met you through the Blogosphere.
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Catja the colors are perfect! You’re right, too, they won’t show the dirt, and dirt there will be. It’s so soft on one side, durable on the other and nicely trimmed. You’ve done an excellent job. I’m amazed that you’ve been sewing for such a short period of time.
All four of our cats love catnip as well. One cat in particular (Lindy) goes nuts. The others like it but not to the extent that she does. It has a pleasant smell, catnip. I’ve seen it used in herbal tea blends as well.
I’m delighted to have met you, too!
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N’aw, thanks Alys! I still feel very much a beginner but am excited at how far I’ve come. I interfaced the pockets but not the apron fabric (didn’t want it to be stiff so it could hug the body) but therefore, I’m not sure how it will wash together. May have to use cold with no dryer. Happy Gardening!
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I wash many things in cold water and hang dry, so that won’t be a problem at all.
I’ve sewn for years, and must say this is well constructed, beautifully planned and lovely. Pat yourself on the back…or ask Kitty to do it for you. 🙂
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I love getting “snail mail” too! There is something about seeing someone’s handwriting that I love (I feel like you can tell a lot about someone from it!)
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You’re so right! Handwriting is part of the thrill, though I hate my own writing and try to type anything I possibly can. I should go back to handwriting my notes!
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Hi Alys. I have that book and really enjoyed it and I’m sure you will too. There are some really inspirational gardeners in there! Cheers Sarah : o )
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Sarah, how cool that you’ve read this book. I put it in the car this afternoon, so I can read passages when I’m waiting in the cue at my son’s school. I try to grab moments of reading when and where I can.
Cheers to you, too, spring gardener!
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