I often get money for occasions, and I don’t mind at all. I usually have a running list in my  head of what I’d like to buy, so gifts of money are always appreciated. This past Christmas was no exception, I was given some money by my father-in-law.

I can’t count the times I’ve used money I’ve been given towards sewing, but this time I decided I’d buy something that would be well-remembered. I knew exactly what I wanted. A very good friend of mine makes the most beautiful scarves and accessories. I’ve loved one of her scarves for years – the RoseOnie Scarf.

Isn’t this stunning? This image is taken from Valerie’s Etsy store. Oh, I love this scarf and have since she first made it. Valerie says ‘I designed this scarf in memory of my amazing mother. She loved Gardening and Roses. This Rose Garden is for her, for the inspiration she had and continues to impress on my life.’ You can see this scarf along with the many other beautiful accessories Valerie makes here.

I didn’t want to stop with just the scarf though. I wanted a set of her hand warmers to go with it. I thought about the ivory ones, but then thought I also have a black scarf that they could match, so went with black hand warmers with ivory roses.

Again, this image is taken from Valerie’s Etsy store. I must admit, I felt so pretty wearing these gorgeous custom made-for-me items. This was one of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten! For years to come, I’ll wear these and remember the generosity of my family, and a friendship I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy since my 20s.

Just a day after I received these from Valerie, I was at a work-related conference, and you know I had my beautiful new scarf and hand warmers on. I had so many comments on how beautiful they are. Thank you, Valerie!

Happy creating!