Presents!!

Yes, Christmas is a time for tricks and japes of all kinds ... and for presents too. Of course I got lots of great stuff. More than I need ... !! but then again I don't really need anything, so what are you gonna do. :-) Here's some of the stuff I got.

Chocolate! Of course, chocolate. Some from Vienna, some sent from Sweden, and some home made. :-)

Turtle stuff ... !! Whee ... ! :-D Of course I gotta get me some turtle stuff. See the drawing and the necklace? Those came in the package with the crocheted turtle and the beads in the bowl there, from my BookCrossing friend Panzeranzi in Gothenburg (we do a Christmas list kind of thing on the Scandinavian forum every year) ... on the back of the drawing it says by Vera aged 8. Aww ... ! :-) The beads are perhaps the fanciest things in this picture - scroll down ...

They're lampwork glass beads and look, they have turtles on them ... ! :-D

Handmade stuff! Check out the quilted pouch, isn't it adorable?? No prizes for guessing who made it for me. ;-) Anne Ida, my mother's really interested in that pattern, she wants to try making one for her turtle collector best friend (although she says she will never be able to do the zipper as well as you've managed here!).

Hello Kitty stuff!! Yay!! Supposedly from KAS and trilltrall, but I'm not entirely convinced that the latter's input was heard in the selection of these items ... ? ;-) (Hey James, don't you just love these?? ;-)

Elephants! A piece of artwork and a carved figurine, let's say it's stone. ;-) It came from Russia, so ooh. :-)

Jewellery. See the turtle on the little seashell? I didn't spot it at first. :-) The Egyptian cartouche supposedly has my name on it.

Calendars!! See the bottom one, from the Angels of Assisi animal shelter? I got that from my friend Vickie in Virginia, and I was so happy to get it, because when I read on the package that it contained a card and a calendar, this was exactly what I hoped the latter would be. It's all her own photos, she's really good at photographing animals.

Postcards!! This year I got postcards from four different people - or actually six, because two of the presents were from couples. :-D Last year I got two gifts with postcards in them, so awareness is definitely growing. In other news, yes, my parents did go to Egypt last month. However did you guess??

Postcards from Belgrade ... !! Of course from Calyx and N. They've just come back from spending four months there (it's N.'s home town). This was exactly what I wanted ... I've been to Belgrade, but that was before I became a Postcrosser, so I didn't buy any postcards. Been kicking myself ever since. :-D Problem solved now, so thanks, guys! :-)

To everyone who doesn't see their gift here, I'm sorry, but I just couldn't post it all! :-) I really appreciate everything I got, it was all great and I really want to say thank you so much. :-)