Swappy Goodness from India!!

Oh, my friends...do you remember the swap I participated in at the 6 o'clock stitch? I was lucky enough to be partnered with a lovely blogger from India, PhiPhi from ~Chez Vies~...and my package arrived a few days ago. Want to come along and see what was inside?


First, the outer envelope, carefully wrapped up in packing tape. (It is monsoon season in India, after all. So thoughtful!)


And inside that envelope...another envelope!

And inside that one, a plastic bag. (She takes her rain very seriously.)
Three layers of protection, y'all!

Ahhh...now the lovely stuff. This black fabric is GORGEOUS. It has small eyelet holes in it, and it's embroidered with gold thread.

And suddenly....an explosion of loveliness. Inside the black fabric wrapping was some lovely sheer yellow fabric, a length of lace trim, some beautiful ribbon, and two mystery envelopes.

Inside the white envelope...just about the cutest handmade card I've ever seen. Don't those googly eyes on the traditional papercraft just about kill you?

In the foreground, you can see what was inside my other mystery envelope - a handful of little notions! There are tiny round mirrors, and silk-covered washers to stick them down with, plus little lacey flowers, and...I think it's a sombrero. (Someone help me out here? What's the sombrero bead in the back?)

Here's a close-up of the lovely ribbon...can't you just picture that trimming the bodice of...something?

Ah, but inside the yellow fabric...the swap item. (I have to tell you, receiving my swap packages during this swap was humbling. Ladies, I'm sorry I didn't understand the etiquette of the swap. Packages in the future will be more...creatively stuffed! You were both so lovely to send such fabulous packages!)

Isn't that lovely? I love how she mixed the traditional Indian craft (embroidering mirrors onto fabric) with such a very modern twist.

The whole package. Thank you, PhiPhi. I loved my swap package!