Mel is one of my oldest friends: not granny old, ‘the old are like gold’ kind. We’ve known each other for 23 years and she’s easy to buy Christmas presents for because we like so many of the same things. In the summer I became smitten with the embroidered pocket mirrors from Snapdragon’s Garden and when Jane posted about her new camper van bottle openers a squeal of delight escaped my lips. The perfect gift for my dear friend Mel who is restoring an old camper with her dad. A purple camper van just like this. 
I nearly popped with excitement when it arrived: the van was custom made using vintage fabric leftover from my bridesmaids’ dresses. I couldn’t wait until Christmas to hand it over and Mel’s delight was as I anticipated; the lump in my throat when she said how much she loved it took me by surprise though. It’s true ‘the joy is in the giving‘ and there’s nothing that beats the giving of gifts when they’re unexpected. I thoroughly recommend springing Christmas presents on people in October!
Of course I also delight in being the recipient of gifts and did my own happy skippy dance around the kitchen recently when I won a £50 voucher to spend at the Natural Collection. What luck that I spotted the Ooffoo recipe competition the afternoon of the closing date and that I’d made something using spinach from my allotment that week. My quick and easy spinach and aubergine lasagne was beaten hands down by Gem‘s dieters delight vegan chocolate truffles but that’s fine – who would ever choose spinach over chocolate in the real world? Huge huggy thanks to those who did.
I spent my win on Christmas presents and my favourite gift recommendation is this brilliant energy efficient penguin torch (no batteries required – you squeeze his wing to charge him up). I bought a couple for the little people in our life but would gladly flash him about the campsite myself he’s so cool!
So many skips and smiles in my house this month and an unexpected gift too. Thanks again Ann, you’re too kind and your cat pouch has pride of place on my kitchen notice board 😮 
Nip it in the bud 
Those bottle openers and mirrors are a real novelty, love the designs.
Apart from being fun to look at, that torch is fun to use too isn’t it, we’ve got the wind up ones, I want a wind up radio!!!
Congrats on your win – that’s fabulous news; I’m going to check out your yummy recipe now. I love spinach (though not as much as kale!) and you’re right – that penguin torch is exceptionally cute 🙂
Ann – I love them all and had to be really disciplined to only buy a mirror (justified because my mirror of 17 years broke when I stood on it – that’ll teach me to be tidier!) And parting with the torch to give to my nephew as intended was not easy either ;o)
Mrs G – I’ll post the recipe here tomorrow and your beetroot and chocolate muffins that I made on Thursday with the last of my shrivelly allotment beets. Have you tried Kale crisps?
I can still hear you skipping!
Well done!
I love Snapdragon creation too and got a ladybug badge a while ago.
what a lovely blog. I found you through MangoCheeks’ blog, which is another beautiful one which I am so happy to have found. I am fairly recent to blogging and have just discovered this route into lots of great blogs about cooking, books and crafting. I’ll be back!
country mouse xx
MC – skip skip skip
country mouse – thanks for popping by and saying ‘hello’.
Will you be treating yourself to a knitted swimsuit this year then ;o)