number 16

please do not judge me when I tell you how long I waited to unravel the surprise ball. because, look at it. I mean really. prettiest. ball. ever. color so bright you can practically taste it. gina (surprise ball maker extraordinaire) kindly sent one my way and once I received it, here's what I did: I tucked it away someplace safe. and I did not touch it for two years. I KNOW. people, do not judge. I could not help myself. I was saving it for a rainy day, I was waiting for emergency circumstances. ultimately, I was forced to put it on the list. according to gina, I am not the only one. there have been others-- all of them reluctant to unravel, all of them women. I don't know what that says about us.

anyway.

but one bleak january day I broke down and I'll tell you, I could not have picked a better day.



you know what the hardest part was? breaking that seal.



in case you're wondering, this is how the surprise ball works: you unravel it. and as you unravel it, sweet little vintage trinkets are revealed. no one was more excited about than this than ava, designated unraveler.



once the paper confetti came spilling out, the party was totally on. then came the paper balloons, brilliantly buried in layer after layer of crepe paper, flattened and ready to blow up.



I may or may not have squealed when I first saw the vintage swimming goggles.



actually, I'm pretty sure there was squealing.



lots and lots of squealing.



dear baby crayon, I love you.



and little bluebird candle holder, I will probably have to bake a special cake. just for you.



the end would have been devastating had we not been so taken with the sweet old jacob's ladder toy we found at the center.



truth be told, it was the pile of leftover crepe paper that sort of stole my heart. it sat on my desk for weeks and weeks afterwards. I could not bear to throw it away.



one of a kind vintage trinkets from all over the world. swoon worthy, yes? we are in love with every last little thing. and we are still fighting over stuff. though the vintage goggles are mine. THEY'RE MINE. gina, we thank you. a thousand times over, we thank you. your awesomeness cannot adequately be put into words.

(number 16 off the list and you can find gina's extraordinary surprise balls over at kiosk)