Valentine Swap--To Sandy from Me

For Sandy's Valentine swap, I read over her blog and business to try to figure what she likes and what colors she may like.  She was into needlework things....her site has the colors of pink and brown...and she likes cats...so, I made her this needlebook.  Oh, and it has the required "heart on it" that the swap rules stipulated. 

Yes, other than tracing a cat head from someone, this is my own design and idea (I'm working on another one to sell in my Etsy shop). 

She sounded like she liked it...hope you do too. 

Valentine Swap--To Me from Sandy

Well, today is February 14th, and I could open my swap item.  It came all the way from Sandy in Australia.  She was also the hostess of the swap.  We were to make something; it had to have a heart on it; and we could open the item from our partner on February 14th. 

Sandy made me this beautiful heart ornament.  It has variegated thread stitching on the front and pretty pink toile on the back. 

I like how she put the bird on the front, then the toile on the back has birds and birdcages.  Just lovely!  Thank you so much, Sandy, for hostessing this and for my pretty, pretty ornament.

Spoolie Swap--Part 2--From Me

The spoolie I gave to Amy in Joanne's (from Vintage Dragonfly) Valentine spoolie swap was great fun to make. 

I took a vintage wooden spool and covered the center with pretty pink and white patterned paper, painted other areas of the spool white, and added lots of glitter.

I found the darling wee vintage porcelain girl at an antique mall.  I thought she was just perfect for the top of this spool.  Since she had a purple flower and not a pink one, I added lavender elements as well as pink to the whole thing. 

The flourish behind her is a cupcake liner that I folded, fanned out, and tipped in glitter.  I had some pretty lavender lace from which I hung little purple-pink shiny hearts.  I poked a hole in the tops of the hearts and tied them onto the lavender lace with green embroidery floss.  The green matches the green on the little porcelain girl. 

This has been a very fun swap.  What a unique idea to make these!  Thank you again to Amy for being my swap partner, to Lynn for the inspiration behind the swap, and to Joanne for hostessing the swap.

Spoolie Swap--Part 1--From Amy

I participated in Vintage Dragonfly's Valentine Spoolie Swap.  I had no idea what a spoolie was going into this, but Joanne directed us to an Etsy shop, Trash to Treasure, and Lynn's spoolie creations.  They are embellished thread spools with a mixed media flourish at the top. These were the inspiration behind the swap.  My partner was Amy of Ruby Moon Art.  She sent me a wonderful spoolie!

 

It is beautiful no matter how you look at it.  She also included a little pad of paper and some heart rubber stamps. 

I love the festive yet vintage look of it. 

The vintage trim with "Dream" on the end was a great touch.  Thank you so much, Amy!

Sweet, Simple Swap

I just joined a Valentine swap...it is sweet and simple. All we have to do is making something for our swap partner with a heart on it. Easy peasy. Click HERE for all the details. Thursday the 10th is the last day to sign up if you are interested.

Thank you, Lee!

I received my altered Altoid tin full of buttons--all with a fall theme--as part of the 2012 Fall in Love with Buttons Swap hosted by Laurie at Button Floozies. 

Lee was my partner, and she sent a beautifully embellished tin full of pretty fall themed buttons. 

I just love the porcelain one on the top and the large shell one inside not to mention the many others she included.  I'm delighted that she was able to find so many with a fall theme. 

Needless to say, I'm delighted!  Thank you, Lee!

Fall Button Swap

Here are pictures of what I made and gave to my partner, Lee, in the Button Floozies fall button swap.  I am assuming Lee has received her package by now, so I decided it was time to post.  We were supposed to decorate a standard-sized Altoid tin and include at least 40 buttons--all with a fall theme of some sort.

It was fun finding the buttons...and it certainly helped discovering a huge bin of buttons at a flea market last month to paw through.  I bought the pretty paper and owl sticker (couldn't resist the sparkle!) at Hobby Lobby and otherwise used bits and pieces of things that I had around the house.

I ended up putting over 50 buttons in the tin and tied the tin together just to make sure it didn't open in transit.  Hope Lee liked it.  Thank you, Laurie, for hostessing this.  It was a great deal of fun.

Prize Ribbon from Marian

Just a follow-up on the prize ribbon swap hosted by Creative Wings Boutique...my swap partner was Marian of Maid Marian Made.  This was the ribbon she made for me. 

Wow!  I love the colors and using the vintage gelatin mould was a great idea.  Thank you, Marian!

Fall Button Swap

Laurie at Button Floozies is hostessing a fall themed button swap.  Head on over for all the details!

Prize Ribbon Swap

I participated in the Creative Wings Boutique prize ribbon swap.  My swap partner was Marian of Maid Marian Made.  This is the prize ribbon that I made for Marian.  I tried to give it a shabby chic/Parisian look...with plenty of sparkle, of course, in the colors of ivory, light pink, and light blue. It's hard to make anything without sparkle! 

 

I have never made a prize ribbon before, so this was a new venture for me.  I wired the pink rhinestone brooch on with a loop on the back so that Marian may hang it up if she wishes.  Hope you like it! Also, thank you to Tabitha for being the hostess for this swap.

Matchbox Swap--From my Partner

It was a delight to receive my decorated matchbox from my partner, Oliva (check out her blog), in the Vintage Dragonfly "Partner's Choice" swap on Flicker.  Talk about sugar sweetness!  What a beautiful box filled with such pretty things! 

She did a wonderful job decorating it in colors I love and filling it with beautiful creative bits including some gorgeous beads, a vintage earring, a pretty shimmery doily, and a little crystal drawer pull (I think my favorite thing!)--just to name a few. 

She also included some lovely earrings.  Every thing was wrapped so nicely. 

Don't you just like all the pink?  Thank you SO much, Oliva! 

Vintage Petite Jar Spring Swap--From Me

In the Something Special Vintage Petite Jar Spring Swap here is what I sent to my partner, Karen, of Karen's Monday Musings.  I took the glass jar and decoupaged music paper on it then some vintage bird papers. 

I had some tiles so spelled out "Bird" and "Song" on the sides as well.  On the bottom I put a label from an old crochet yarn ball. 

I made a "nest" on the top with coordinating silk flowers, buds,  and colored yarn to the vintage bird papers and included a little bird sitting in the nest.  She wasn't quite "pink" enough, so I added a little blush to her belly to pink her up.

I tied lace and color coodinating yarn to around the jar and, of course, had to add a little pin for bling.

Inside I just put in as many vintage bits that could fit and hope that the glass things didn't break in transit. 

This was fun to create and assemble.  I hope you like it!

Vintage Petite Jar Spring Swap Pictures from Partner

I joined the Something Special Vintage Petite Jar Spring Swap.  We were to take a small glass canning jar, embellish it, and fill it with fun bits.  My partner was Karen of Karen's Monday Musings.  She was a fabulous swap partner.  How nice it is to have someone who communicates well and who you know will follow through!  This swap was sort of a challenge for me.  I had to think outside of my comfort zone and work with paper and glue...which is what I usually don't do.  Here is what Karen sent to me:

Well, the jar Karen embellished is adorable. 

I love the little birdhouse and the "M" scrabble piece on the back.  

Inside were all sorts of adorable vintage and inspiration pieces for future creative projects. 

I love the rooster, little birds, vintage papers, little book, that pretty hand-painted button...well, everything!

Everything was wrapped so sweetly.  Thank you so much, Karen, and thank you Michele for hostessing this.

Yes, Another Swap

I've decided to join one other swap this spring...couldn't resist this one either.  It is hosted by Michele (notice the other one "l" Michele here) at Something Special.  We are to decorate a vintage canning jar then fill it with goodies--mostly vintage.  Head on over to her blog for all the details.

Spring Needlebook Swap

This sounds like such a fun swap.  Laurie at Button Floozies is hostessing a swap where we are to make a spring-themed needlebook.  I've never done something like this before, but I've been researching needlebooks and have some great ideas.  Now if I can just get that idea made into a needlebook!  Go ahead over to her blog for all the details and to sign up.

Tag Book and Box Swap

Jean at Lilac Lane Livery hostessed a tag book swap.  We had to make a pretty box and place inside a tag book.  My partner was the very talented ValeryAnn of It's an Alien Life.  ValeryAnn cracked her wrist during a fall, and I was amazed and pleased that she still held up her end of the deal and came through with creating a book and box despite this.  Many thanks and kudos to you, dear swap partner! She did a wonderful job creating a box and book in pinks and roses and with plenty of tea prints.  I just love it.

Didn't she do a fabulous job?  She included everything I like and enjoy.  Thank you SO much, ValeryAnn!  Below are pictures of what I sent to her.  Jean was very sweet to help me out in showing me what a tag book was.  I sort of guessed on putting it together.  I had bits and pieces of vintage things that I included to give the box and tags interest and texture including buttons, labels, feathers, stamps, lace, etc.  Enjoy!

Thank you also, Jean, for hostessing this fun swap!



What I sent to Deb

 
This is what I sent off to Deb (Garage Sale Gal) in the Bloggerette Sorority Summertime Matchbox Swap.  Deb likes yellow and pink, so I made her a box with those colors (and some sparkles, of course!).

Inside I put lots of vintage bits and tried to keep in mind her favorite colors of yellow and pink-- including a pretty doily with small yellow and pink flowers, golden vintage thread, some metal stars, a string of pearls, and a house-shaped tea strainer.

I added some vintage paper bits, a round container of glass beads including little fish beads, and a mini salt shaker with sea glass in it from Maine.

I also put in a little box filled with pretty buttons (including an ice cream cone button) and baubles with summer colors and themes.

Deb was a great partner, and this was certainly a fun swap.