Thursday, September 24, 2009

the kindness of strangers

Last week I posted a photo of all my new and mostly Shepherd's Bush stash. I acquired most of it through trades and kind donations with a few eBay deals tossed in. I mentioned that I'm still looking for the Wool Gatherer as I would love to have both the boy and girl hanging together. A very, very kind lady named Maria who leaves in Florida (she reads blogs but does not have one) sent me an email saying she had one and she will never stitch it as her tastes have changed and would I like to have it. Of course I jumped on it and offered something for it. She turned me down and offered up yet another kit! On Saturday I received an email saying a package was on the way to me and I should have it by Wednesday. Sure enough there was a HUGE package waiting for me when I got home from work last night. And this was the contents! Not including the Wool Gatherer, Maria included another full SB kit and rest of the wonderful charts above. She just said in her note that she enjoyed them and hoped I would also. And of course I will! :-)

Now I will probably never meet Maria and I will always remain, despite emails and such, a complete stranger to her but she took time and effort to send me these things. I am always blown away by the kindness of my stitching friends and the people I have "met" through my blogging. These people who are for all intents and purposes, strangers. And I find at the end of the day, it makes me want to be a better stitching friend also. So thanks Maria for taking the time to think of me and to send me these wonderful things. Not only have you made my day, week, month! you have made me a better person and I hope I can only reach out to someone else by paying forward your kindness to me. :-)

Here is my progress on the Great Pumpkin Conspiracy. I did pull some variegated floss out of my stash and swapped out a few DMCs. So I'm hoping a few more things will pop.

20 comments:

Unknown said...

That was so nice of her! It is wonderful how stitchers become close in the spirit of friendship even though they may never meet. Enjoy your new stash!

ohiofarmgirl said...

I think I call that paying it forward. How luck you are..enjoy. Dianntha

Peg said...

That was quite a nice surprise you got there. Enjoy each of them as I see alot of really nice charts and you are a fast stitcher we will see some finished real soon I bet. Your progress is looking really great can't wait to see it finished.

Sharlotte said...

Wow ,lucky you! My problem with that would be I'd end up starting a little bit of each! You must be on cloud 9 today!

Anna van Schurman said...

Conspiracy looks great! What a stash haul too. Very nice of Maria.

And thanks for using "intents and purposes" properly. When people say "intensive purposes" it drives me nuts!

Natasha said...

There are some very sweet and giving stitchers out there in blog land. That was extremly sweet of Maria to send you all those extras :)

Happy Stitching!!
Natasha

Carmen said...

That was so nice of María, lovely gifts!, is nice meet kind people, the put sweetness and joy in life.

Patricia Lessell said...

You are just so lucky. I love SB again - used to when I first started stitching about 12 years ago. I have become addicted again. Happy Stitching Love Patti xxx

mainely stitching said...

Stitchers can just be so incredibly wonderful. Yay for you! :D

Kielrain said...

Sttichers really are the best people. How wonderfully nice of her! And lucky you. :)


I am loving your Pumpkin Conspiracy.... I am sure I will enjoy watching your progess.

Deb said...

What a wonderful surprise to come home to. It is amazing that strangers can be so kind. I know that you'll get a lot of happy hours stitching all those wonderful things! Pumpkin Conspiracy is looking great so far!

Peggy Lee said...

Such a sweet gesture! Bless her heart! I too am an avid reader of MANY blogs but don't have one of my own...YET. I hope to start one in a month or so. I'm waiting for a lull in the action.

Tommye said...

Stitching friends are the best. And I have no doubt that you will find a way to PIF.

Mia said...

The blogging world holds some amazing people.

Jess & Lilo

Theresa said...

Such a great surprise and it was so very kind of Maria!!!

I love those colors of your WIP!!!!! It is absolutely beautiful!!!!

Michelle said...

Love your pumpkin piece! I am always astounded by the generosity of stitchers - what a lovely set of patterns she's sent you!

Alice said...

I also feel blessed having met so many kind people through my own blog. Maria could not have bestowed her kindness on a more motivated stitcher as yourself. We look forward to seeing all your new projects taking shape.
Alice

Margaret said...

That's just so cool! Stitching friends are the greatest, aren't they? I love your progress on the pumpkin conspiracy!

Cindy said...

Awesome mail day!! Stitchers are the absolute best :)

Sandra said...

How kind of Maria, I hope she is reading all these comments and basking in her generosity. Glad you got your Wool Gatherer, I can see a peek of a Barrick chart at the back too, I wonder what that is?