NNC Birthday Exchange 2011

I participated again in the NNC Birthday Exchange for 2011!

This year my partner is Diane from USA!

The gift arrived last week and I patiently waited for my birthday (today 21st July!) to open it. I was soooo patient :) And my patience really paid off! Everything in the gift box was beautiful. And Diane packed up items in pink and black! It's like a pink-black-oriental theme thing which she put together for me.

Anyways enough yapping and on to the pictures!

My birthday card and a packet of sakura stickers! Lovely!

And Diane has such beautiful handwriting. Exactly how I'd always wanted my handwriting to be actually. *sigh*

Pink and black mini bows!

Furry yarn!

What did I tell you about the pairing of black and pink :)

Size 12 perle cotton.

I think Diane used the same thread for her handiwork to me, as well as the pink and black bows.

These recipe books were the first things that I pulled out of the box.

One's a book on Cajun cooking and the other is a collection of dishes from the south. I was looking through it and it seems the Southerners love their BBQ and seafood! If I ever go there someday I shall be a fattened up pig in under 2 days! Not that I'm going to complain of course because I LOVE BBQ! :)

The main criteria for the birthday exchange is that there must be one handmade item and two other items that complements the main handmade item.

Diane had made this beautiful blackwork needlebook for me!

Of course, in black and pink. And along with the needlebook came 2 packs of needles.

Lined with some oriental design fabric.

Close-up of the blackwork. See the beadings and golden thread?

I didn't take a picture, but the sides of the needlebook was trimmed with a twine of the black, pink and gold thread. very pretty.

More blackwork! This time in the form of a scissor case and scissor fob. They're so beautiful!

Here you can see the trim I mentioned earlier. The tassel is a beautiful mix of pink, black and gold!

Close-up of the scissor case.

And I'm excited to say that I FINALLY own a pair of stork scissors. And it's probably just me, but those black markings on the scissors remind me of chinese brush painting.

Close-up of the scissor fob.

The final item was a pincushion that really made me laugh!

It sports the same 'sakura' flowers but finished as.....if I'm guessing correctly.....a 'grandma sunday hat'!!

LOL!

It even has those little bows in front and a longer ribbon at the back!

LOL!

'Grandma Sunday Hat'! It's brilliant!

Close-up of the stitching work.

Thank you so so much Diane. The gift is awesome and I appreciate all the work that has gone into it. It's really very well planned. I will attempt to match yours when I return the favour in October!

I'm still reeling from the awesomeness of the gift. The work is just amazing!

"How quaint"

LOL!!!

Happy Birthday me!