Gosh, I've said it so many times before...when life throws you a curve ball you can count on the kindness of kindred spirits to set things straight. In blogland I have made so many amazing friends over the years, but if I were to split hairs...(and Aaron can vouch for this)...and have to pick one friend to live right next door to me...it would have to be Laurie Romanaggi aka
Magpie Ethel.
A little about Laurie...she has the GREATEST collections upon collections upon collections of vintage, cute, quirky and just plain wonderful stuff! You MUST check out her Collection Challenge!!! Ahhh!! If you are a vintage lover you will be smiling so hard it will hurt! (it's along her left side bar) I've known Laurie ever since I started blogging! And I've been collectiong her incredible holiday
creations for just about as long.
So, being that she is only my fantasy neighbor, yesterday I did not receive a knock on my door from her. No, distance forced Laurie to employ the mailman for her mission of goodwill. A box arrived with a return address that said Magpie Ethel!! And not a little box either. Upon opening I found a vintage card with the most sweet, kind, and generous words. After reading about all that we lost in Hurricane Sandy. And seeing that we no longer had our prized white tree covered in pastel vintage trinkets and treasures...Laurie took it upon herself to gather together a collection of Holiday goodness that could only come from the ultimate Magpie! And all of this...she sent to me and Aaron!
I was crying like a baby as I opened each ornament. So many memories came flooding back. The years of collecting. Finding THE perfect balls in antique shops up and down the Jersey shore over the past 18 years.
These are just perfection! Oh the heart fluttering that goes hand in hand with holding a teeny tiny aqua glass bell.
And this flocked star ornament truly touched me. It is so similar to one of my very favorites that is now gone.
Ohhh and this candy cane! Laurie included two of these! One in pink and green as well! Adore adore adore!
I know this is just stuff...but we collectors hold these things so near and dear. Each item holds a little bit of life in it. They're infused with memories and good times. We remember the thrill of the hunt and the magical the afternoons exploring new towns, new antique shops, lunches with friends...or even hunting things down on ebay...or receiving them as gifts from friends or in blog swaps.
Well, theres something even more special attached to a box like this. A box that arrives out of the blue from someone who loves stuff just as much or even more than you do. You know how much went into culling together this magic. It came straight from the heart and has touched our hearts so so deeply. And come next holiday season each of these pieces with hang on our new tree...and we'll build new memories.
Just thought I'd share this with all of you!
xo, Jenny
