You win some, you lose some...

...except in the magical world of the blogosphere, where sometimes even when you lose, you win.

a box and butterfly

The Winner

I was recently lucky enough to win a competition held by Denise of Freshly Found, the prize being one of the beautiful origami boxes, which she'd made out of old record album covers. Denise is the queen of repurposed fabulousness and is always turning something old, into something new and beautiful.

I love boxes and drawers (things to keep things in - what could be better?) and was very excited to have won. Although I knew that one was on its way to me, it was a complete surprise which of all the beauties she'd made it would be. And this week, it arrived. Could it be more perfect? A Linda Ronstadt album cover made into a lovely little box for goodies. I LOVE the colours and the cover art. And the base of the box is the back of the cover with the song titles listed, including Tracks of my Tears.

Looking at this (and hearing the echoes of that song in my head) instantly transports me back to my childhood: listening to my Dad's records; sitting on the lounge floor with the album covers spread in a swirl around me; wearing the huge, but then state-of-the-art squishy-cushioned headphones with individual left and right ear volume controls, each earpiece almost the size of my whole head; feeling so grown up because I was entrusted with use of the record player and the precious collection of records, including my Dad's favourites and mine at the time, Nat King Cole and Johnny Mathis. And Linda Ronstadt, with her quintessential sound of the 70s. What a girl.

And clearly, as the picture on this cover illustrates, Linda is a girl who liked her accessories. Just like me. So I'm going to use this perfect little box for some of mine. It's just the right size for my prettiest hairbands and clips. Just right.

Thank you Denise. Thank you!

The Loser

Where would one find a giveaway that included a book, two cigar boxes full of gorgeous handmade paper bugs, and a pair of squirrel underpants, with the prize draw taking place from a boob mug? Yes, that's underpants for a squirrel, and a mug that looks like a woman's breast... you read it right! Only one place, and one person in this blogosphere that I know of who could pull that combination off with any style, and that's Linda Sue. And she did. Brilliantly.

Unfortunately, I did not win the giveaway. I believe that the underpants are now going to be gifted to a squirrel named Fatty, who lives somewhere in New York and is the friend of a friend of Linda Sue's pup, Dexter, called Buster. Buster and Fatty have been friends for a while and it makes sense that, as he is a dog and not a squirrel, Buster pass the pants onto Fatty. Dexter and Buster met through blogging, like Linda Sue and I. True story. In fact, Buster is one of the best bloggers out there. If you haven't read his blog, you should do yourself a favour and visit... He has a way with words, and is a very good artist.

Anyway, I digress. I did not win the giveaway. I was a loser. But just because Linda Sue is Linda Sue - generous and lovely - and couldn't bear to disappoint the losers, she offered us all a prize in the end. Made with her own fair hands, out of beautiful textured and patterned papers... butterflies.

Well, we know I'm not one to resist the allure of a butterfly, and so I said, "Yes please!" and Linda Sue dispatched a parcel to me with instructions to fluff wings when it arrived and the hope that they would find a good home on this side of the Atlantic. There was in fact more than just the beauty above enclosed, and the others have already taken up residence on my desk at work, where they are much admired. They flew all the way here, carrying some fresh summer lavender and a treat for my brain too, and landed safely on the same day that Denise's box arrived.

Another special mail day, courtesy of bloggy lovelies! I feel very lucky.

And Linda Sue, you always make me smile. Thank you! Not that I would love you any less if you didn't make me smile, but you do. Even when I don't feel like smiling. And I love that about you.

So, a box and a butterfly. Perfect prizes.

A winner and a loser. Perfect balance.

Perfect day.

♥