Swap goodies...

We are well and truly back into our normal routine and school life around here.  I actually can't believe we have been back at school for two weeks (only 8 more to go until the end of the school year, eek!)

A few new things have happened with Emma, she did really well in her dance exams which I posted about a while back and because she did well she now dances an extra day the dance school's performance group which she loves.  She also started at Cub Scouts and this weekend had her investment ceremony and her very first camp. 

At the end of the holidays I got together with my good friends and we had our little swap which we do every school holidays as a special treat for ourselves.  This swap had guidelines like the others we have done.  

The guidelines were:

• a minimum of 3 gifts
• one gift had to be handmade
• one gift had to be for sewing/crafting
• one gift that our partner would love

My partner was my lovely friend Suzy and she loves red so most of my gifts are based around that.  Here is what I gave her.

For her sewing present I made this cute little sewing kit along with a pincushion and a felt needle holder.

I added a little hand made clay birdie decoration.

Suzy has some big single coloured chevron cushions in her house so I thought I would make her this smaller cushion (it's 16") to go along with them.  I sewed Chenille Tape along the zig zags for that fluffy, frayed look. I have to say that I love this cushion so I think some more will be coming!

And then I added a box of chocolates and  a set of little serving dishes, in red of course.

All together my little package for my Suzy looked like this.  

It is always so nice to do these swaps with my friends, I really love putting them together, thinking about what they would love. 

I have already started writing a list of ideas for Christmas presents for these special friends, we always give something hand made and it needs to be special.  I'll share some of my Pinterest favourites soon.