Amour Swap - What I Sent

This was the Amour Valentine Swap package I sent to Bryanna. There were a few more little things in there, but I didn't get pictures of everything. She requested lavender as her color, so I used as much as I could in making the boxes and valentines. I included some thrifted heart jewelry and a little owl & pearl sweater keeper (because Bryanna mentioned she liked owls) along with a little kewpie figurine holding a "home sweet home" sign since Bryanna had recently moved to a new home. I love kewpies and thought I had seen some kewpie dolls in one of her older blog pictures.

Since Bryanna likes Alice in Wonderland, I made a little collage using images from one of my old books. It's kinda funky and different, not my usual style, but I was trying to be brave and experimental.

I also put a little valentine mouse by Jennifer Murphy (for Seasons of Cannon Falls) because it was just so adorable. Some glittered, feathered birds also made it in there, along with some vintage chenille pipe cleaners in luscious aqua and lavender in case she wants to do some crafting. There were some little bags of crafting bits, like porcelain doll faces and little flower stems.

I'm just happy the box FINALLY MADE IT TO HER!!!!

There was a huge glitch in the mailing process. I mailed my box on January 28, Priority shipping, with delivery confirmation. It arrived in Fayetteville, Arkansas on February 1 - with the wrong address. Two numbers had been transposed when Cathy gave me Bryanna's address and I hadn't verified with Bryanna before I mailed it. Mistake #1. Then, when I hadn't heard anything from Bryanna after a week, instead of emailing her and asking about it, I started telling myself she must have received it and hated everything in it. Talk about paranoid! Mistake #2. When Bryanna emailed me inquiring about when she might expect the package, I realized something was amiss. I had received her amazing box previously, so I checked the return address and discovered the aforementioned address mistake. I called the post office 800 number to find out what was up and they simply reported it as "Undeliverable as addressed." They told me it would be returned to me, but they couldn't tell me where it was. It had been over a week and it should have made it back to me. I filed a claim to open an investigation. The post office was to call me back within 2 days. After 2 days, no call. I called again. Sarah at the 800 number was condescending and almost rude when she told me that the day I initially reported the problem didn't count, and I would have to actually wait 4 days to expect a call. Mistake #3 - I should have gone up the supervisor ladder at that time. Four days later, no call. Finally on Thursday when I reached Lisa at the 800 number, she was very concerned and apologetic and gave me the consumer complaint number. When I reached Stephanie at that number, she was able to contact the Fayetteville post office, where my package was still sitting after all this time, and get it forwarded on to Bryanna WITHIN HOURS! I love Stephanie. It took my 2 - 3 day package over two weeks to get to her. I'm just so glad it did - I felt like a swap partner failure.

I think I'll use UPS next time.

Trashy Friends

One Gal's Trash is having a cool give away! Help her reach her goal for 500 followers on her 50th birthday and enter her giveaway too. The keys above are only part of her prize. She is one of my favorite bloggers, always sharing the best thrifted finds and funny stories. http://onegalstrash.blogspot.com/

Crafty Pod, I love you!

I recently won this amazing book from http://craftypod.com. Diane Gilliand (aka Sister Diane) generously hosted a give away of this mixed-media, fairytale picture book that is truly magical. I'm not sure I have the skills to make many of the projects featured, but it's very inspirational and challenging. Diane has also been featured in a book I recently checked out from the library called "1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse" by Garth Johnson. I only wish there were instructions for some of the projects. Most are really works of art, but some are definitely do-able.


Crafty Pod features lots of podcasts, tutorials and great blog advice. Check it out!

Finished and Mailed

Whew! I finally finished my Valentine swap package and mailed it off to Bryanna. She requested pastels as her color choice, with lavender being a favorite. She's also a fan of Alice in Wonderland, so I tried to incorporate Alice as a theme. I had fun using a color I don't usually work with and really enjoyed hunting for little treasures to put in the boxes I decorated. I'm looking forward to receiving my package from Bryanna, as she's a wonderful artist and I just love her blog. Check it out: http://www.thecanaryscupcake.blogspot.com/

I need to start posting more! I've won a giveaway from Craftypod ( www.craftypod.com) that I want to show, and I've recently purchased some fun stuff from Etsy I'd like to share. More posting in 2010! I have a goal to have a giveaway too!

Heartfelt

I made these tussies for a Valentine swap last year. I'm so excited about getting started on my crafting for this year's swap. I've got some ideas, but I need to wait until my partner is assigned so I can make everything to her taste and color. When Lori and I wandered the antique shops last week, I was looking for smalls and sewing/crafting items. I found a few things, but I need to go back and really dig around for some "romantic" items for the Valentine theme.

I finally got all the Christmas decorations and supplies put away. It's been so cold I don't really want to keep going up in the storage area so I worked quickly! There's still so many boxes to go through since the move. With all the painting and remodeling going on, it's better to just leave things packed. At least that's what I say until I try to find something.

I'm hoping I don't get called in to work this week so I can really get focused on making things. After all, that is my new year's resolution: get organized and get busy!

New Year, New Swap!

I've signed up for a Valentine swap! I've been so busy and distracted this year with the sale of our house and moving into the new project that I've not been crafting as much as I'd like. I had lots of orders for crowns and wands, so that satisfied my creative urges but I'm ready to try a little something else in between. Go check out Cathy's blog to see if there are any openings left (I posted her button on the right.)

I've been working on organizing my craft room and the addition of a full wall of Ikea cubbies has helped quite a bit. I was pleasantly surprised when my husband volunteered to go pick up the huge Expedit unit. It has five cubbies up and five across - lots of storage. I could easily fill another one, but I'm trying to keep the non-essentials packed up and upstairs so I have some room to move around.

This is my new year's resolution: Get organized and get busy making stuff!

Neighbor Envy

The picture above is from my neighbor Debbie's home. You must visit her blog www.oldblushatelier.blogspot.com. She has the most amazing home, decorated in such elegance and beautiful colors that I can't believe my pitiful little place is just around the bend from hers. When we moved here, I was worried I'd never know the neighbors, since our houses are spaced so widely. It's very rural. Luckily, Debbie's mom and dad are our closest neighbors and came over to introduce themselves right away. They are just the kind of neighbors everyone needs. When I discovered Vi's daughter was Debbie, who is a friend of my best friend Lori, I was thrilled. I had heard about her lovely home, and how nice she was. When Lori told me Debbie was having a tag sale, I got to go over and meet her and her darling husband Alan. They couldn't have been nicer and showed me inside their amazing home. It is my dream home. It is far too elegant for our lifestyle, but it is my dream home. Debbie has such an eye for color and detail, and Alan has done work that is to die for. I hope I can learn from her and when I can finally decorate this humble little house of mine, some of her taste rubs off on me!

I didn't even put up a tree this year, so no holiday pics from me yet. Our house is just not ready for photos! I did put up a little vignette on my dresser of bottle brush trees and some vintage ornaments I received from Laurie (Magpie Ethel) last year. It makes me smile before I turn off the lights every night. Merry Christmas everyone!