Category: swaps

This is the package that my charming swap partner Erika sent me. Isn’t it great? I don’t know how she finds the time since she works part-time as a nurse AND has two little kids, but Erika likes crafting and made some of the things she sent.

Clockwise from left:

• Patchwork coasters
• Re-usable Trader Joe’s tote bag (I love the design)
• Zipper pouch
• Yummy cinnamon almonds from Trader Joe’s
• Jelly Bellies
• A lovely teacup personalized with my initial and some of Erika’s favorite tea
• A couple of glass magnets backed with pretty papers

And no, Erika did not send me half-eaten almonds and candy. N and I were so excited about the treats that we ripped into them before I remembered to take a picture. (Oops!)

I really enjoyed participating in this swap. It’s been a lot of fun getting to know Erika. She made the coasters, zipper pouch, and magnets. Seeing her projects has made me want to dust off my sewing machine. I love the coasters she made and I’d like to try my hand at making them or some other small projects. When I was at the quilting shop picking out fabric I saw this pin cushion pattern which looks really fun.

Sadly any new projects will have to wait a while. I’m swamped at work, frighteningly behind in doing laundry, stuck in the middle of reorganizing my kitchen (after an impressive initial push I’ve sort of stalled out), AND I have my fantasy football draft on Friday that I have to study up for that. Oh, well. I know they’re all lamely bourgeois problems but at least they’re my lamely bourgeois problems.

My swap partner Erika emailed me yesterday to let me know that she had received the package I sent her. I had held off posting about it until now because I didn’t want to ruin the surprise. We were supposed to swap a few of our favorite things like the last swap I did. I didn’t want to repeat myself too much so I tried to switch it up a bit.

This is what I came up with:

Clockwise from left:

• Porcelain fish soap/sauce dish
• Tangerine lavender soap from Purple Haze Lavender farm
• Enlargements of a few of my Holga photos
• A quilted Korean pencil case
• A package of cinnamon spice pancake mix (from the local mill that was used in the movie Footloose)
• A little book of crossword puzzles (I have one myself and really like it; I got it Costco)
• Two fat quarters of cute fabrics
• A mix cd I made (with N’s help) of music that hopefully kids and adults can enjoy (Erika has two kids)
• A few lollipops from See’s Candy.

Well, that’s what I came up with. I’ve really enjoyed participating in these swaps. It was a lot of fun to get to know Erika. Check out her blog. I’ll post the details of the great package she sent me tomorrow.

Remember that favorite things swap I sign up for? I was partnered with the talented and charming Celeste of Nebula Designs. She’s a very talented knitter and spinner. I’ve enjoyed looking through her blog at her different projects; it’s crazy to think that she’s only been knitting for a couple of years. Since I picked up knitting a few years ago I’ve knitted several scarfs, a couple baby cardigans, and a felted sheep but now I’m eager to try something a bit more ambitious this fall.

Celeste send me this thoughtful and fun package with some of her favorite things:

M.C. Esher card, a copy of The Phantom of the Opera, Swedish Fish, a small moleskine notebook, and some wool yarn she spun herself.

Isn’t it gorgeous? I love the colors. (Click on the photo if you want to see it larger.) I’m not sure what I’m going to use it for yet because I want to use it for something special.

This is what I put together for her. (I forgot to take a picture before I sent it off so I snagged the picture Celeste uploaded to the swap Flickr pool. If you’re interested you can see other packages from the swap here.)

The package I sent included a few things I picked up in Koreatown when I was in Washington (candy, a little quilted purse, and a notebook with some funny Engrish on it), some b&w prints of photos I took with my Holga, a selection of my favorite candies from See’s, a jar of body butter, and a double-cd mix of some of my favorite songs (not pictured).

I had a lot of fun with this swap–so much so that when I saw on Celeste’s blog that there’s another one going on I signed up for it too. If you’re interested in participating you have until the end of today to sign up. (Sorry for the short notice!)

Have a great weekend! N and I are going to try and squeeze in a double feature tomorrow night: I’ll let you know how it goes.

Ever since I found out about blog swaps I’ve thought it would be fun to participate in one. But a lot of the swaps I’ve seen are very craft-based and have seem too time-consuming/intimidating. But the favorite things swap that Kelly is running seems very doable and fun. And who doesn’t like getting a nice surprise in the mail?

I just signed up and I’m already having fun thinking about what I’m going to include in my package. If you’re interested in participating you have until this Friday to sign up.

(Found via Ambrosia Girl.)