Serendipity with a tea towel

The other week, my friend Ann texted to say that she'd been invited to tea and was asked to wear a "tea party hat." Did I have any idea where she could get one? Ann is also my Bible study leader on Thursday mornings, so I told her I had several and would take them to class for her to check out that week. She liked the rose-colored wide-brimmed hat and said it would be perfect with the outfit she planned to wear. Now that was certainly no big deal to me, and I imagine many of you, too, have loaned hats and all sorts of tea wares over the years. Ann said the tea was lovely, and when she returned the hat, she mentioned that she had tucked something in the bag with it. Probably a thank-you note, I thought. Only later that day did I remember what she'd said and looked inside the bag to discover this charming tea towel she stitched for me! Did you notice how perfectly it matches my new Sadler mug from the Salvation Army?

I love a handmade gift so much, and I was just so touched that Ann would make this for me. I knew from her Facebook posts that she has one of those fancy embroidery machines that she uses to make darling clothes for her young grandchildren, but I don't guess I realized she also made goodies like this.

And those colors! I don't believe we've ever had an occasion to talk about our favorite colors, so I'm a bit mystified that she chose a color palette featuring my favorites. What a great gift!