For the love of Karma

I'm still gobsmacked about what arrived in the post for me yesterday.

Here's the dilly:
A few weeks ago I was using the time that I should have spent knitting...or cutting out fabric...surfing etsy, when I found these lovely gocco prints on linen:

I saw the boy version first and thoughts of making baskets like the wee basket that I made for my munchkin, only this time make the baskets for "clean" and "dirty" facecloths. Then I noticed that the same seller had girl prints. I snatched up some of those too. Then I noticed that the seller had a blog and thought I would check it out, since we all know how much of a snowball effect there is when it comes to surfing the 'net and one link leads to another, and another, and another...well, you get the picture.

Jodie's blog, Ric Rac, is a beautiful blog full of fabulous stuffies that she designs and makes. And each stuffie has a sweet story to go with it. The day that I stumbled on her blog she commented that she was notified that she was being featured in a magazine that was not available in her homeland of Australia, and was asking if someone in the US would be so kind to mail her a copy. Which is funny, cause the magazine she was inquiring about, I had actually spotted and leafed through earlier that day (we get pretty much every single American magazine here in Canada)! No one had left a comment yet, and since I had that very issue/magazine in my hands a few hours before reading that post, I thought I would offer my services. I really didn't think much of it, as it was not out of my way, and I completely and totally understand wanting to have a copy of a newspaper/magazine/some form of media that is showcasing your work to add to your portfolio (when I was in Nylon magazine, I bought 3 copies and begged a friend who conveniently worked in the magazine section of Chapters to save me any left overs when they had to take it off the shelves...they throw them out anyways!).

Anyhoo, long story short (or longer, depending on how you look at it), I sent Jodie a copy of the magazine, happy to be able to help out a fellow blogger/crafter/entrepreneur, without expecting anything other than an email to say she got it safe and sound. I had completely forgotten about all this...until yesterday. When I discovered a package in my mailbox. It was from Jodie! I couldn't open it then and there, as I had to get to the bank before they closed and so I stuffed the package into my tote bag and off I went. The wee one has been going through a majorly fussy stage (ok, he has developed quite the temper and has learned about the art of temper tantrums), so I forgot about the package (due to "Mommy brain") 'til much later when the little terror took a very late nap and I was searching for my pink Sharpie. I was completely astonished as to what that package held for me!

Patterns to make my very own stuffies!

Kits to make these adorable ornaments

A set of notecards that feature her handmade stuffies

Some wonderful trim and a handmade keychain!

I feel real guilty and almost like I shouldn't accept this! This was way too generous of Jodie! All I did was send her a magazine! When she had asked me for my mailing address so that she could send me something in gratitude, I was thinking maybe she was going to send a beautiful handmade card - since a written thank you note/card sent the old school, snail mail way just seems to be a thing of the past. But to be sent all this? W-O-W-O!!

I can't wait to make all these, and am already planning on making a hot pink and black tea set to use as decoration in my sewing closet. I have a few friends that have little girls and think that in a year or so I'll be able to make them their very own fabric tea sets!

I forget the seller's name and etsy shop, but I've been admiring and planning on buying some fabric made by her, and so it was even more of a surprise and major delight to get a spool full of trim made by the exact seller whose work I've been marveling at! I have so many ideas as to what to do with this trim swimming 'round the ol' noggin, but am waiting for the right one to pop up and be worthy of such cuteness.

I also love the other trim that Jodie sent, since I seem to hoard all things measuring tape related. I can honestly say that I own at least 10 measuring tapes (don't ask why) and for some reason whenever I make a trip over to Dressew I always end up with a few more in my basket. Very OCD of me.

Anyways, I'm going to go ooh and ahh over my new goodies again. I just wanted to share the absolute niceness of a complete stranger, and the wonderful surprise I received for doing a good deed. I guess it really does pay to be nice and help out others, cause one day something wonderful and completely unexpected will happen in return!