01 August 2007

Gift Therapy

My pen pal Cindy and I have been corresponding for many years - around 7 or 8. She lives in Pennsylvania, I live in Canberra. We occasionally even chat on the phone (remember those things?). About 6 years ago we started to send each other packages of pressies, often with each item wrapped up. We started to realise that when we were feeling crabby, or depressed, or angry, or sick, or generally fed up with our lot, opening a little present from our stash really helped. So the concept of 'Gift Therapy' was born.

Since that time I've made many Gift Therapy boxes for friends and family who are going through stressful times - marriage breakups, serious health problems, loss of homes in fires, and so on. I also make them for birthdays sometimes. They are always well received - often with tears - and the recipients do find them helpful and therapeutic during the bad days.

I've started to write a book about Gift Therapy, along with ideas for pressies to make, inexpensive things to include, silly and fun presents, and so on. One day I'll get it done.... !

Cindy and I still swap pressies once a year, generally around our birthdays. This one arrived for me yesterday, and although my birthday isn't until next month, I thought - bugger it, I've had such a dreadful month, I could really do with some Cindy Gift Therapy!

TWO American knitting mags (Creative Knitting, and Knit 1), a ball of what's almost definitely yarn, a few select and yummy choccies, a cute frog card, and a nicely-written article from a magazine about growing up...

Inside the pink bag - a ball of Caron 'Felt It' yarn - aren't they gorgeous colours? I think I might try one of Olivia's little felted pods with this.

Thank you Cindy! xxxxxooooo!! This was just what I needed :D

I went hunting at Cooly Court Salvo's yesterday, and found THIS. For $3. Happy serendipity dance! Just what Dotter needs!


In knitting knews - Mariah's second sleeve is this far along :


And my Toe Up Opal Socks are finally finished. Ta dah!


The spiral rib pattern is effective, although I was heartily sick of it by the end. The second sock (left) is a bit too long in the foot section, which is stupid of me, as being toe-up I could easily have tried it on while knitting and checked for the length. Duh.

Finally, Jenny's Shawl is now available on my CafePress shop, on a variety of things. Enjoy!

6 comments:

  1. Oh gift therapy is great. I sent one off yesterday and am impatiently waiting for its recipient to get it!

    You got a lovely one. I don't blame you for opening it early.

    the socks look great!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Agree with Bells - gift therapy is fab. How nice to still have a penpal and to send stuff to each other! I have good intentions always of writing letters but never seem to get to it!
    I think that yarn will make a great pod!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like to include stamped postcards in my get-well baskets. Wrap up a bundle of three or so with instructions to send them to someone who could use a nice surprise. (Everyone likes getting mail, even just a note to say, "Hi. I was thinking of you.") And I like to use calendar pages for wrapping paper. All those pretty pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great idea, Roxie, about the calendar pages used for wrapping paper - love it!

    Cindy from Pennsylvania here - and per my private email sent to JeJune yesterday - so happy to hear you were "balled over" (pun intended) by the gift paccie.

    Enjoy the mags and yarn. I thought the yarn colors suggested a summery sorbet (or a raspberry and orange creamsicle), it being summer here and I have sweets on the brain.

    Ciao for now!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love giving gifts, especially for "just because" and now it's got an actual name, I like it even more! I try and give stuff that I know the recipient wouldnt buy themselves. (although, strangely, I hate being around when they open it)

    Writing letters seems to be such a dying art - I am very guilty because I spend my days (at work) writing on the computer, and at home emailing/blogging too, and its an iterative process - write, delete, cut and paste - that I am really bad at writing with a pen start-to-finish now! I make mistakes on birthday cards! So its great to hear that you're keeping it up.

    Love that yarn, such fresh colours, can't wait to see how it comes up.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love surprise gifts. I actually like putting them together and imagining what would make someone feel special. Everyone needs to be told they are special once in a while.

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Printfriendly