My Ridiculously Good Swap present.

First let me say that I don't participate in anonymous swaps. I love the idea of Secret Pal whatever-number-we-are-on in theory but I'm so scared of getting a terrible package that I just won't participate. I co-own a local yahoo group in the DFW area & we do swaps several times a year. This one I like because I know all of the participants & they know me so it's easier to buy for people. I have always had great swap partners, I have never been disappointed, and I love the ladies in my group for their thoughtfulness. Our most recent swap was the brain child of Dawn & it was SUCH a good idea & fun swap. Participants sent their pal on a "vacation" of sorts. My partner, Liz is a really really good friend of mine & she is also a liar. She told me that she had someone else & I totally bought into it the whole freaking time. You must know something about me - when we have a swap I try to figure out the list of who has who so I can limit it down to the person that has me. I love a surprise but apparently I think I'm Nancy Drew as well so I get great joy out of figuring it out. Here's the best part. Liz told me that she had Dawn. Now that I think about it, I KNOW WHO HAS DAWN. And I still didn't put it together. I think I need to go back to detective school....ANYWAY. Liz knows hords of information about me because I talk an awful lot. I was a perfect target for this vacation - BACK TO THE 80s. She handed me presents all wrapped in pink paper & in a pink fabric box & everything was numbered & I had a stack of envelopes. Whew. I'm tired just thinking about opening it, much less putting it together. I'll do my best to take you through my journey.

Planning stages envelope had a message that said:
Tasha,
Your trip will tak you to a place with no cell phones...No internet....(eek!)...No TiVO (The Horrors!!!). You are going BACK.....

Next envelope marked "You are going....."
BACK TO THE 1980s!!

Just a brief pause to say that I was sure that I was squealing at this point....

#1 - Back to a time when we wore Converse High Tops and slathered our lips with Cola flavored Gloss


#2 - And wore baseball jerseys with 3/4 length sleeves


#3 - A time where the candy was goody and not covered in dark, delicious chocolate


#4 - When the music ranged from Punk (Lotus Yarns named Punk Rock Girl)


#5 - To silly songs about turning Japanese


I know, it's so good right! But that's not all...

Packing up: But, alas, as with every trip - you have to go home again...In this case - back to the Future.

#6 - A time of candy-pooping animals (this is an inside joke, and trust me, it's freaking funny)


#7 - And the days of Knit Clinic Yarns in colors that you wish for...


I mean, ya'll - that is just ridiculously clever! I have been wanting that shirt & that kimono pattern & I've been begging with little dignity for her to dye me some pink & yellow yarn.

I case you didn't know, Liz opened her own Etsy shop to sell hand dyed yarn. It's really gorgeous, she has a great sense of color & has been shopping for the perfect base yarn - it's fabu. Go check it out. Knit Clinic Yarns

Thank you thank you thank you Liz for the gift, but mostly for making it so fun for me. You are so thoughtful & I am so lucky to have you as a friend. Even if you didn't give the best presents EVER (which you do). Lucky me!

PS - OH YEAH. And if that wasn't enough - uh, which it was, I think she was confused on the price limit, but I got one more present. She didn't get it in time to give it to me with my gift so I got it later. It's a really pretty necklace with a friendship tree on it, much like the friendship bracelets from the 80s. No clever commentary from me because, well, she didn't give me any & I suck at that. As was evidenced by the fact that I handed Jen her bag full of goodies & said "you are going to Italy" with narry a note attached. I'm not very creative I'm afraid!