Ornament Exchange Results

I shared here what ornaments I was gifting in the exchanges that I was participating in this year. In this post, I'm showing what I received in each exchange.

Game rules

We played a fun game at my neighbor's ornament exchange. The photo shows you the rules of dice game that we played. When all the gifts are unwrapped, the gift in your lap was yours. The game was a hoot! There were wonderful ornaments. It was fun to see who see who would steal for a snowman and who would steal for a santa. I had my heart set on a wonderful free standing lace bell that I stole with every available chance.  But, it didn't end up on my lap when the last present was unwrapped.

Instead, I received a beautiful cross stitched "Merry Christmas." The wrapped box was beautiful and the maker is someone that I have admired for years. For a number of years, she taught a block of the month (BOM) at a local quilt shop of a pattern that she designed. I always appreciated her "done is better than perfect" mantra.

Blue butterflies

The butterfly that I made for this ornament exchange went home with someone who told me the butterfly had a significant meaning. She didn't go into more detail. Throughout the unwrapping of ornaments, if she had a chance to steal, she kept stealing the butterfly which tickled me! At the end of the get together, she asked me if she could pay me to make her a blue butterfly. I sensed the butterfly reminded of her mom who died last Spring. She was super close to her mom so I agreed to stitch a blue butterfly. . .BUT, at no charge. I figure gift giving, even though it is the prime season now, really should happen all year long. I told her she could either pay it forward or help me out in the future.

In the original butterfly, I didn't make too many changes in the thread selection from what was suggested. Don't laugh, but it took me about three days and three tries to come up with a thread selection for her request that I liked. I have a selection of blue thread; but, wouldn't you know it, I didn't quite have enough to get the shading to work. This was a good color exercise for me. I did calculate how long it took me to make the final butterfly. . .about an hour and a half for one!

Items from two of the ornament exchanges

I still have some adjustments to make so that the outline stitching really does fall around the outline. I found that using two layers of cut away stabilizer hooped with one piece the "grain" going horizontal and the other piece going vertical along with two layers of tear away stabilizer improved the results.

Contents of the online ornament exchange

The snowman came from the All Club Christmas party gift/ornament exchange at Quilting Delights. It isn't an ornament; but, rather a charger for your mobile device. It is cute! At the party, we were welcomed with a dessert buffet, and themed decorated tables. In addition to the ornament, we each receive a little gift! My gift was a quilting mystery book which will be a fun read. Thanks, Thea and Robin for putting together such a fun party!

The package arrived from the online exchange. It came from a lady in Ohio who has five children and three grandchildren with one on the way! Her favorite Bible verse is from Philippians--"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." The snowman tin contains a chocolate chip cookie. The ornament is really heavy and feels like it is ceramic but it looks like it is wood! The candies were a great cushion to protect the ornament. It all came in a bubble mailer which was a great idea. This activity was a fun way to get to know about someone else!

This weekend, we will put up the tree. I'm waiting for a few more purchases to arrive and I've a few small purchases left to "procure." I've written our Christmas message and the packages that needed to travel have been sent. Last Sunday, I wrapped packages which are now waiting to be placed under the tree. B and I have determined the Christmas menu and I've written our annual holiday message which will go out in the holiday cards in the next couple of days. Today, our youngest grand, J and I are baking a batch of cookies that are J friendly. (Dairy doesn't agree with her.) The holiday is approaching and youngest daughter is arriving on Tuesday. The time with family and dear friends will be over way too fast for me; but that is my favorite part of the holiday.