Hag Swag and Paying it Forward Project!

I see a priority box at my door as I pull into my driveway after a long day at work. Could this be the gum paste sea shells that I ordered for wedding cupcakes? Nope, even better, Hag Swag! YES! My wonderful and talented friend, “one vintage hag” at Vintage Village Antique and More has finished her Pay It Forward project to me and two other lucky bloggers who were first to comment on her Pay It Forward blog. One vintage hag had promised the first three bloggers to comment would receive an item created especially for us by her. You didn’t have to tell me twice, I was off to the races…or to her blog and left a comment and became one of the first of three.

I mentioned in one of my previous blog postings how much I love “bloggie swag,” these wonderful little unexpected snail mail boxes that just show up at your door. Truly simple pleasures for the giver and the givee, so much so that I will be sending a monthly bloggie swag package to anyone who has left a comment on my blog each month. (Any comments left in May will also go into the blog hat and I will pull out a commenter and send them a box with blog swag in it.) Back to my package, I couldn’t wait to open it and keeping with the rules of the game, I immediately snapped a picture for posterity.

What’s inside, Kota? He can hardly wait. I recognize the red handmade paper I used in the bloggie swag I sent one vintage hag. Could that be the smell you recognize? I think Kota smells the toastie dog scent of Sebastian, one vintage hag's puppy, because he is wagging his tail and burying his nose in the box. Amid the packing peanuts and the red paper I pull out a huge, “road trip” binder made just for ME!

How did one vintage hag know that just two weeks ago, I had just dumped my old, falling apart binder that I use when I road trip? I never told a soul. She is so clever. As much as I love technology, I tend to be a little old school with some things…my road trip binder is one of those tools. I like to keep my maps and restaurant coupons handy. I always travel with a small magnet to test “real brass”, a high powered pocket magnifier so these old eyes can read hallmarks on jewelry, and a small pocket knife to pry open stuck treasures. All of these things will fit in the pockets and the case that is inside my new road trip binder with enough room to spare to tuck in my favorite guide, Schroders Antiques.

What really makes this special is all of the work that one vintage hag went through to make this “MY” binder. It is full of my sea shore, diving, let’s get wet things with great big letters spelling out SPLASH and Sea Witch! Miz Hag, you apologize in your letter that you are not very crafty. Not true. You are not only crafty but you have insight into what every road tripper should have…a traveling binder. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. This is a wonderful piece of “hag swag” that I will treasure.

In keeping with the Pay It Forward Tradition, the first three bloggers (folks who have a blog) to comment on this posting will be my pay it forwards and I will make something especially for each of you. Thanks one vintage hag for starting this wonderful posting tradition.