as you give, so shall you receive

I love doing these secret santa swaps, it's so much fun putting together a parcel for someone and even better, someone is doing the same thing just for you. This is the second one of these I've done this year and the novelty still hasn't worn off yet. Maybe it's the spurious excuse to go shopping? It's almost guilt free - after all it's for someone else. So long as you can avoid not slipping too much stuff for yourself into the basket that is!
So what did I receive? Well, from the contents of my parcel I can say my SS stalked me well and truly.
See that pattern? that's the Pacific NW shawl I've been eyeing up for months and look screaming red loony boony! (aka Lane Borgosesia). I'd completely forgotten that I'd said some while back I dreamed of making a bright red shawl.

There's some gardener's handcream to try and rescue my poor mitts as I can't keep out of the garden and some more sock yarn. Opal Peacock, lovely :) Then to complete the list, some pretty stitch markers in wait for it, Aquarian stones. My birthstones, how cool is that?! I can chuck away my scraps of wool and use something pretty for once.
What is missing from the photo? Well, that would be the summer fruits chocolate that disappeared almost as soon as I unwrapped everything. The munchkin did what he does best and munched!
When I said I had been stalked, I wasn't wrong! So, who do I have to thank for this? the lovely Mamma-Mia from the AY Knitting Forums. Thanks again.

and here's what I chose for Lindamay. My own dyed yarn, a pencil with a sheep on the end (so cute, just couldn't resist it). Some white Regia sock yarn and some Kool-Aid to dye it with and my little touch of summer,
beach buttons.