ZOMG PRETTY!!

Oh, hey. Do you want to read YET ANOTHER post about finding balance? I don’t blame you. Do you want to instead talk about LOOT? OKAY!

I won Amy Quarry‘s contest (here’s her shop), and when the package arrived yesterday I would describe my reaction as “ZOMG.” I even thought maybe I shouldn’t show it to you, because deliberately taunting people is MEAN.

Also, my camera is on the fritz. I need to replace it, but have been lazy about that, especially since the camera sometimes works. Today it works but not if I use the flash, so I brought everything out to the new dining room where there’s good light. So you can see my painting stuff in the background, and also the boxes of flooring. Artistic!

First, take a look at this dress for Elizabeth. I GASPED. Those are EMBROIDERED DESIGNS

 

Then I just kept pulling out one thing after another. I’d pull out an awesome little container with a fabric lid, and INSIDE the container would be MORE THINGS. There’s a necklace with TWO different pendants. A flower keyring made of buttons. Two magnets made out of bottlecaps. Two of those things that pinch big stacks of paper, but with pretty fabric on them instead of the usual plain black plastic. A little zippered fabric pouch. A barrette. Two ponytail holders.

 

There was also this headband, which is not in the photo above because Elizabeth wouldn’t let me take it off of her. And this is a girl who says every morning as I’m combing her rat’s nest hair, “NO ponytails! NO barrettes!”

If you have Facebook, you can join Amy Quarry’s fan page and be automatically entered for a monthly drawing of a surprise package. This month she’s doing a handbag. Do you remember the handbag she did for the Guess Swistle contests? DROOL.

This was not TECHNICALLY a pay-it-forward contest, but I’m turning it into one because I’ve been moody and crabby and it seems like a pay-it-forward contest is a cheering thing. But! You should not expect anything as good as the package I got from Amy, because GEEZ! I mean, honestly. I am only human, and I am not an artist. The package I put together will be more along the lines of “Things I find at Target while thinking of you,” and will probably include brownies and/or fudge. And then if you win, you’ll throw a contest yourself, and the prize for YOUR contest needn’t be so astonishing, either. A typical pay-it-forward prize is significantly smaller: some brownies and some trinkets, say, or a paperback and some candy.

Leave a comment on this post, ANY comment but if you freeze up in that kind of situation why don’t you tell me if I will be getting a NIECE or a NEPHEW in February? Contest will close on Sunday, September 21st, at noon U.S. Pacific time.

81 thoughts on “ZOMG PRETTY!!

  1. Pickles and Dimes

    That is a WONDERFUL package! And it came at just the right time too, no?

    I am somewhat addicted to Etsy, and have been buying those Scrabble tile pendants like a madwoman. I think I’ve bought about 5 or 6 of them in the past few months.

    That pink dress is so, so pretty. Everything in that package is pretty!

    As far as your future niece/nephew, I’m guessing a nephew.

    Reply
  2. Lawyerish

    That package is A.MAZING. If I have to pay it forward, I want it known here and now that I will never accomplish that level of awesomeness. Just so you know.

    I am going to say nephew! I feel like there’s a lot of boy-ness in the universe lately for those who are gestating.

    Reply
  3. -R-

    I think you are getting a niece. Are they finding out before the baby is born?

    I am having a boy in like 7 weeks, and I feel totally unprepared. I don’t know anything about boys! Aaaa!

    Reply
  4. Tuli

    I love opening cardboard boxes full of goodies. I am amazed at what they can spew forth. And the box you received spewed forth some AWESOME STUFF!

    I’m voting niece!

    Reply
  5. Alice

    HOLY ZOMGS! that’s AMAZING! it would probably be best if i did NOT win this upcoming contest, because i stlil haven’t Paid It Forward from shauna’s present yet. except that i am selfishly wanting your fudge ;-)

    Reply
  6. Astarte

    SWEET!!! That dress is gorgeous. Just gorgeous!

    Since I don’t have the official word yet, I’m gonna guess…. boy. Because I know it would make you so happy. :)

    Reply
  7. susan in aus

    i say niece! also, my golly gosh that package is AMAZING. sounds like you deserve it right about now.

    and now, i shall channel the random number drawer thing *places fingers to temple and furrows brow* PICK ME! PICK MEEEEEEE!

    Reply
  8. Rachael S.

    You need a neice to continue the cute girly shopping thing you’ve got going on. And you have such a cute pink embroidered dress and sweater arm leg warmer things now to pass along! I am pregnant and could totally use some brownies/fudge in the house!

    Reply
  9. Tracey

    I am habitually WRONG in my guesses of baby genders. So much so, that when I make a genuine guess, you can be ASSURED that you are NOT having that gender. Let me see if the feeling strikes me and I’ll let you know. Truly, you can bet money on the answer opposite the one I give…

    :)

    Oh yeah. A mystery box would be cool…

    Reply
  10. Trina

    OK. First time to comment on a Pay it forward contest. Mostly because I don’t have a blog. So, if I win, can I use your blog as my pay it forward?

    I hope niece so Elizabeth has an ally in the family. :) It’s hard being the only girl.

    Reply
  11. Swistle

    Joanne- Yes, her first!

    -R– Yes, they’re going to try to find out. I am VERY EXCITED TO KNOW.

    Lawyerish- It’s intimidating, isn’t it? I’m not aspiring to it. It’s too high.

    Jess Loolu- It blows ALL PIF PACKAGES OF ALL TIME out of the water. Really, it’s unfair of me to make it a PIF situation. It sets a poor precedent.

    Jodi- ME TOO. This one is awesome because it ties on with ribbon–no diggy-in parts.

    Trina- Yes!

    Reply
  12. Caitlin

    Uh-mazing. People’s creativity just blows me away.

    A healthy, bouncing, chubby baby niece to whom you can pass that dress to, for double the joy….if you can bring yourself to part with it!

    Reply
  13. kel

    So, on facebook are you swistle thistle? I was hesitant to add you as a friend because what if it wasn’t you? What if you said no? Ack! I got this horrible combo of Tessie’s Nervous Tummy and your phone anxiety just thinking about it.

    But I want to be your facebook friend, even if you don’t really know me….. :)

    Reply
  14. Missy

    That is an awesome package! (That sounded vaguely dirty, so moving on.)

    I’m pretty sure you’re getting a niece. Or maybe a nephew. Yep, for sure it’s one of those.

    Reply
  15. Bethtastic

    Is Amy still making handbags? Because she doesn’t have any on her ETSY site, and I L.O.V.E. one of the bags I found on her flickr page… Want.

    Oh, and niece. Elizabeth needs a girl in the family to play with. :D

    Reply
  16. Michelle

    Wow. Now THAT is a package. I’m truly impressed. And not at allllll jealous, I swear. But I want some brownies! I really really do. Like right this very second now unfortunately. If I go to bed, maybe I won’t anymore.

    And you’re getting a nephew! Congrats!

    Oh — so have you gone shopping yet for every stitch of clothing that might match that headband yet? :)

    Reply
  17. thefrontroom

    I’m glad you loved it so much Swistle. I love your blog so much I just wanted to pay you back somehow for all the belly laughs I get from your brilliant writing! I hope niece so Elizabeth has a girl cousin.

    Reply
  18. el-e-e

    Oh, I became a fan of Amy when I won that delicious bag. My bag!! :) I have loved carrying it around all summer. But now I am her Facebook fan, too.

    Gosh, that is a beautiful little dress!

    Reply
  19. SP

    You will get a nephew in February. I am praying the the storks are rationing out girls right now. I’m going to be an Auntie again in March and i NEEEEEED a niece.

    Reply
  20. Pyatts

    Alright, here I am de-lurking after many months of successful lurking. The promise of Swistle brownies is too much for me.
    BTW Postpartum Chocolate Chip Cookies is possibly the best recipe ever! The cookies are good too.

    Reply
  21. Heather

    I think I need the fudge. I’ve been working out with a personal trainer, using my bodybugg, and have lost 8 pounds of fat and gained 2 pounds of muscle in 4 weeks. I deserve fudge, don’t I?

    Reply
  22. Maeve's Mom

    Wow, what a wonderful package. Nothing that great ever comes in my mail (which is bills and junk mail). As for the niece vs. nephew question: I vote niece, just because there’s been a boom of baby boys around me lately, so, someone needs to have a girl.

    Reply
  23. JackeeG4glamorous

    I say nephew. I wish nephew, because everyone is having baby girls lately and because we have to continue to populate the earth than we need more boys.

    k. Now, comments on your package contents.
    AWesome! I can only imagine your daughter in that cute dress. I love a package, don’t you?

    Reply
  24. samantha jo campen

    My first response is to say boy, but it would be great if it were a girl so Elizabeth could have a girlie pal. But really, you win either way.

    I’m putting together my own PIF package and will let you know when I get around to that. Like Jess, I feel like I need to step it up a notch now!

    Reply
  25. RainyPM

    I am commenting at 3 in the morning because today is my daughter’s birthday and I got this bright idea in my head to make a barbie cake for her. Those kind where the cake is the skirt and you poke a real barbie down inside the cake so just her body is showing. It is not going well. At all. I would tell you about it but frankly, I’m just too exhausted. It was also the only cake mix in the house so I can’t even throw in the towel and make a sheet cake.

    She’s only 4 though. Maybe I can just frost the thing and say it’s an igloo.

    Reply

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