Envy

Today I received a wonderful package in the mail containing these lovely items:

Just what, pray tell, did I do to deserve such riches? I participated in a Top Chef Masters' pool on Ravelry, that's what. Prior to the start of the competition, each participant posted what item they were contributing to the pool and then that participant was randomly assigned a chef. Based on the order of the chefs winning or leaving the competition, each participant then chose what prize they wanted. The person who had the winning chef picked first, the person with the second place chef picked second...you get the idea.

My chef was Odette Fada and she was the fourth chef (out of fourteen) sent home. And while it usually isn't great to be the eleventh person to pick a prize, all the participants posted such great items that there was still good stuff when it came my turn to pick.

I chose the prize contributed by Susanna from Huntsville, Alabama and wow, did she put together a great prize pack. I received:

• a project bag in a fun chili pepper print
• Skein DK 100% superwash Merino yarn in the Envy colorway, which is a lovely turquoisy-aqua color
• a lavender lotion bar from Coyote Cove Farm
• a double bar of Icelandic chocolate (how did she know that I am fascinated by Iceland?) 
• a pair of scissors for my notions bag; and,
• a custom made friendship bracelet, which is hilarious if you happen to watch The Real Housewives of Orange County (not that I do. Ever.).

The yarn is gorgeous:

And should I share the chocolate, or squirrel it away?

Small world story: as I traded messages with Susanne regarding my address and her shipping schedule, I learned that she is currently not working due to the shutdown of the federal government (boo, hiss). She works at Marshall Space Flight Center and when I told her that Dad retired from a long career at NASA, she said that her dad had also worked for NASA, on the Saturn 5 project. How cool!

So now the fun really begins...planning how to use that luscious yarn. Today I prepared my own prize package for shipping (Three Irish Girls yarn, a project bag, a wine "sippy cup" and cocktail napkins) and I hope Jenn in Maine likes it as much as I liked mine.