Santa Came Early!

I won an advent prize from Janne at Spindelmaker, and it arrived in time for Christmas!    Janne is an artist, by which I mean not only that she makes beautiful things, but also that she sees beauty even when it is hidden, and - better yet - helps me see it, too.   Her blog delights me over and over, especially her paintings and her textile creations, although she does so many things - costume and set design, jewelry, the list is endless.   Check out her etsy shop, I really love her 'girly girl bags'!   I think she's amazing, even though she and all her family seem to be elegant and pretty and talented -- the sort of thing that would normally just annoy me.  The niceness of her just keeps pulling me back.

Anyway, her package arrived today, with my little advent prize, a little mitten ornament that she knitted, and which I promptly put on my tree.    No surprise, I love it!    But the package contained more than just my prize.    She also sent one of her Christmas-greeting postcards and a note on a sweet little gift card that pictures one of her textile parrots, AND a packet of herbal tea and, another surprise, little numbered hearts, very sweet, which I've also put on my tree for the time being, although I am not sure that is where they'll stay.    For now, I will sip my tea (which is lovely and soothing at a time when I am feeling cold and damp -- I've pretty much lost my voice today!) and enjoy the view.

 Thank you Janne, again and again.