bunting | The Contented Crafter

This was hand delivered by our smiling Postie this morning

‘Ooooh! Look Siddy,” I cooed, pulling him off the happy Postie whom he was trying to lick to death, ‘you’ve got mail!”

I knew what was in it as our friend Claire had said she was sending something to Siddy especially for Christmas. Orlando waited patiently for the opening, not at all miffed that the gift was not for him.

Once opened the package revealed this rather cute wee Christmas doggie bag

and inside, rather more than I was expecting 🙂 I’m pretty sure I’ve seen the pretty pink star bunting before somewhere in Claire’s blog, I liked it very much and had no clue it was destined for me. I am a very happy Contented Crafter, this gorgeous star bunting made from the most deliciously soft yarn will end up in the revamped art room eventually – you will see it again!

Siddy and his gift

Oooooh! Siddy’s Christmas flower, made from some magical thing that makes petals – and packed full of colourful, tiny bells for stamens [apologies for the blurry shot- sigh!]

And Siddy wearing his Christmas flower which, alas, due to his extreme hirsuteness is difficult to see, but can be heard – he tinkles like Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer and is quite pleased with himself!

Siddy and I send a big hug to our friend Claire of MollieandClaire who made this lovely package and sent it off whilst coping with an awful water event in her house. If you like crochet and knitting and such like pop over – have a look at the waistcoat she is making her dad for Christmas – it is pretty fabulous!!

Thank you Claire – this is the most lovely and thoughtful gift and has begun our Christmas season most happily!

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The same happy postie also bought another package with her – it contains this huge ‘Tree of Life’ wall hanging. I thought it might go in my new, revamped art room – but it is too fabulous and is going into my living room on my ‘faux wall’ – I shall find something else for the art room!

The art room is coming along extremely slowly due to a million interruptions, all of the most welcome kind – like assisting YD in her move to a new and exciting chapter of her life and old friends coming to stay and all the other stuff that takes up time at this wonderful season of the year. Tomorrow is curtain making day!!

Thanks for coming by today, I’m so happy that you did! 🙂

In my last post I shared the story of this, the ‘Dangler of International Happiness’

Many comments focused on the extraordinary gifts that we receive from each other within our blogging communities. Yes we receive all kinds of happy mail from fellow bloggers, gifts expected and unexpected. Random Acts of Kindness that make a smile appear or maybe even a tear drop or two. But even more precious is the friendship, understanding and positive support shared when times are hard, hearts are opened and just the smallest thoughtful word can make a big difference.

I have read posts that have questioned the reality of relationships made within the world of bloggers, claiming that we can invent ourselves to be quite other than we are, claiming that we can’t quite trust who or what is on the end of any comment, that we only present ourselves in our best possible light.

I disagree.

When over a period of time we read posts, comment and interact, the truth will out. Those who claim absolute positivity and living in the light may begin to grumble and blame. Those who build themselves up as debonair and exciting, may soon become repetitious, egoistic and boring. Those who interact simply to gain more followers for their own blog soon stop coming by and that is okay. Those who claim no particular talent or ability may reveal a huge heart, a deeper philosophy, and a better – or alternative – way.

In short we bloggers are not a stupid lot – we can see beneath any veneer, we can sift and sort, follow and unfollow. Still, I agree on this one aspect. We do mostly present the best of ourselves and that, it seems to me, is perfectly okay. What a wonderful chance to celebrate our perfections rather than our imperfections.

I sure don’t want you all peering into my kitchen on any morning before I’ve had my mug of steaming hot coffee and I’m pretty sure you don’t want me peering at you before you have finished your wake up/get up routine whatever it may be. I’m all for let’s keep this as us at our best – or at least us at presentable!

Most of the blogs I follow closely and interact with are blogs written by very real people, people with whom I may never stand in the same room and give a warm hug of greeting to, but still are people with whom I feel and experience a very real connection and sense of friendship.

Having said all that, this is also a forum where we dare sometimes to show ourselves at less than our best. There are times when life gets too much, life is hard and we are battered and bruised and in need of comfort. This is us in the raw. This is the stuff of real life. And this allows us to be there for each other in a way that is uplifting and encouraging and often inspirational.

Writing posts about raw emotions or big life problems takes courage. Reading through responses reveals the light that shines within a real, living community. I know I have some readers who find posts of this ilk not okay – for their own very good reasons I am sure. There’s a little part of me that is sad for them that they feel this way, but still I must, and do, respect their stance. Those people do not interact on my blog when I write a more personal post. And I see that I also choose not to interact with a blog when the topic or the over-arching feeling of a post doesn’t sit well with me. We all have our boundaries.

But when a fellow blogger reveals they are upset, or ill or in emotional pain and we stay and read and allow ourselves to still the judgement and stay open and strive to feel empathy instead, when we offer words of understanding and support and even practical help if we can – then the blogging world becomes something other. We create a global and spiritual reality that is based on empathy, understanding and love. We wish to reach out, we say ‘I hear you’ in a hundred different ways and we offer support any way we can.

The world needs this, the earth needs this, we as human beings need this. It counteracts the darkness of materialism and consumerism and corpocracy and greed. Those things get all the press. But here we are doing the real work of being human. And there are an awful lot of us!

This is my blogging experience, this is the community that has built around my blog and which I value more than I can say. I have been the recipient of a great out-pouring of love and acceptance and pure delight over the past year or so and with this last delightful event still fresh in my mind I want to spread the love a bit more.

Here is what I am doing and I invite you to join in the fun and let’s see what we can make happen.

There are two Random Acts of Kindness going on, you can take part in one or other or both – or none if now is not the right time. Whatever you decide is absolutely fine!

RAK #1 The Road to Serendipity home to ‘two middle-aged, penniless hippies’ has recently finished enclosing their ‘Sanctuary’, a fenced and netted garden where Fran and Steve are growing their ‘futures’ from seeds and cuttings whilst fending off the advances of quolls and possums [and Earl] who are intent on eating or destroying everything as fast as they can. My friend Dr Snail [The Snail of Happiness] and I have unilaterally decided that this garden requires BUNTING. You get to make a piece [or more than one if you like] and Fran and Steve will find somewhere within their Sanctuary to string and hang it. Just make sure there is a 4 cm [11/2″ ] hem for threading the hanging rope through – and it would be good if it was sturdy, weather proof type material involved. This is the first Fran and Steve will know about this dastardly plan – but we are quite sure they will love the opportunity to add into their sanctuary a myriad of brightly coloured, shimmering, waving fun infused bunting!

Your offering can be any shape, any size, any colour, any hardy outdoor fabric or recycled stuff. Just make sure it has that threading venue available.

Fran also belatedly threw into the mix a request for beer bottle caps as she wishes to make a beer bottle cap dangler. They can be used 🙂 That is such a cool Aussie idea!

RAK #2 Marlene at Insearchofitall is a senior citizen living with Bells Palsy, which means she cannot get out and about as much as she used to and she has days when her energy is low. Despite this Marlene has recently moved into her new forever home and has been hard at work turning what might have been described as a pigs ear into a silk purse. Marlene has a china cabinet and loves keepsakes. I am going to [possibly make and] send Marlene a small New Zealand icon. Would you care to [possibly make and] send her something that will represent you to her so that every time her eyes fall upon your gift, she thinks of you. Wouldn’t that be the grandest thing!