1st week of Christmas

This last week has found birthday merging into Christmas as I was receiving both birthday postcards as well as Christmas ones from the Big Christmas Swap (well it was called that but in the end there were 12 participants in this swap)  so here they are:

 The last of the birthday cards, top left clockwise, from Jane, Marian, and Jan

The first of the Christmas cards from top left clockwise again, Jane, Jacquie, Diana and Pascale.

A lovely package I received on Monday came from Merrill, my swap partner for the Christmas Stocking swap

As well as the gorgeous little stockings a desk calendar of Australian flowers and a little ceramic Scottie dog.

So here's what I sent Merrill.  To my amazement it only took a week from the local post office to get all the way to Melbourne!  Some of the post in this country takes a while to get anywhere so I was staggered when I got her email that she'd received it.

A spotty mug rug (was going to make a Christmassy one, but at least this can be used all year round)

I had a chance to use the Christmas lights fabrics that I couldn't cut into before

I'd also popped in a baking liner which is used as an applique mat, which always comes in handy for helping to stop the iron being marked with Bondaweb sticking to it.

I also joined the facebook page for the quilting swaps and there were some really lovely stockings to see there, but it is a closed group.