I'm hosting a swap!!!
Swap button designed by the very talented Sandy! Thank you! :-)
Several months ago, I took a "Forget Me Not Fairy" doll-making class with my friend Becky. I'd never tried such a thing before but I fell in LOVE with all the embellishments...ribbon, Dupioni silk, beads, velvet...sigh..HEAVEN! I haven't quite finished the doll yet but hopefully, it will look something like this! (Page down to the Forget Me Not Fairy.) During the class, I purchased a "Vintage Mermaid Journal" kit from the amazing and talented instructor, Barbara Willis. The kit is GLORIOUS!!!
Ever since I bought the kit, I have been picking up mermaid-inspired supplies wherever I go. This is a fabric journal so I've been drawn to beads the color of coral...ribbon with the color and texture of sea kelp...a pearl brooch...oh it just goes on and on! My imagination has been at full speed!
About the time I started buying supplies and dreaming in corals, pinks, and teals, my friend Gina and I talked about doing a swap. Inspired by all the beautiful things I was collecting, I suggested we do a Mermaid Inspired Swap. Here are pictures of the things I sent to Gina.
This is what the package looked like when she opened the box...
This is a card I made for her...
And then the goodies...
Buried underneath these goodies, was a treasure chest (cigar box) full of some more bits and baubles! :-)
I also made a little journal for Gina. I bought a journal for $1 at Michael's Crafts and then gessoed and covered it with this gorgeous wrapping paper. I was really happy with how it turned out.
Now I want to show you what Gina sent me. I was completely BLOWN AWAY with what she sent! Gina came up with WAY more inspired items that I could have ever imagined!!! In addition to some extremely creative Mermaidy treats, she also sent seashells, sea glass, and lots of other seaside inspired items. Feast your eyes on these treats...
Gina sent an amazing collections of mermaid pictures as well as seashells, sea glass, sea critters, beads, stickers, buttons, and a cone handmade from a map filled with sea sponges and kelp.
Gina also made a "mercat" ATC. Is this just fabulous?
It's all fabulous! Every last little drop! Thanks again, Gina!!!
So now that you've feasted on all this beauty, I'd like to try my hand at hosting a
Mermaid and Seaside Inspired Swap!
I've actually been hatching this idea for about two months (Gina will attest to that!), but I didn't want to start anything and have it get lost during the holidays!
The specifics of this swap will entail gathering supplies and embellishments that are Mermaid and Seaside inspired. You'll be assigned a swap partner and then the fun will begin! Ideas for items include velvety teal ribbon, coral-colored beads, pieces of real coral, glittered seashells, vintage pearls, mermaid-shaped objects...you get the idea! Also, it'd be nice if you included at least one handmade item such as a greeting card, an ATC, a covered journal, or earrings made from seashells you collected while strolling along the shores of Hookipa Beach ... anything goes!
If you'd like to participate, please leave me a comment on this post with your e-mail address and any other pertinent information you'd like to me to know, i.e., if prefer not to ship internationally, etc. I also started a Flickr group so we can all share the goodies we receive with each other! It's here.
I know there are lots of Valentine's swaps and other seasonal swaps going on out there but I just couldn't wait to throw this idea out to see what happens!
I hope you'll join in!!! I really think this will be FUN!!!! I'll keep sign ups for this swap open until Monday, January 14. I'll then match you up with a partner, give you about three weeks to hunt and gather and then mail out will be Friday, February 8.
Before I go, I'd like to say a VERY special thank you to Gina! Thank you for your support, encouragement, patience, and for asking Sandy to create a badge for this swap! And then another thank you to Sandy for coming up with such a beautiful button! You girls are the best!!!
ETA: This swap is now closed.
Michelle!!! It was my pleasure coming up with a badge for you. Your swap sounds like so much fun and I am a beach lover. I have shell collections and two rooms in my house are made to look like the beach. I would love to join but I am worried I may not have enough time to hunt for precious items. Let me look around tomorrow and I will give you a definite answer!xoxoxoSandy
Posted by: Sandy | January 07, 2008 at 08:32 PM
Hi Michelle!
Happy New Year!!
I really like the idea of this swap and would love to participate.
Posted by: Debbie | January 07, 2008 at 08:38 PM
Hi, Michelle!!! I love this idea actually I have never been to a swap such as this beautiful one so I would love to join and be matched up w/someones. Oh how cool this is! thanks for sharing w/me about the swap I really do appreciate it, I will be hunting very soon! Love Malou
Posted by: Malou | January 07, 2008 at 08:41 PM
Shhh....do you hear that sound? That's the sound of my heart breaking in two. :( WWWWaaaaahhhhhhhhh All of my "goodies" are in storage. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE host another swap in the summer!! We have to have moved into a house by then...this is torture. :(
Posted by: Julie Prichard | January 07, 2008 at 09:04 PM
Yay for You- Thank you so kindly for the huge plug and again for my goodies, which I think are truly the most beautiful I've seen. I cannot wait to join in, and now I will blog about this again soon. PS- I cannot take credit for the map cone, that was a pay-it-forward from Dale of Sea Dream Studio. xoxox Sista! or Seester, I guess. We don't have any accent here in the Midwest. LOL
Posted by: Gina Smith | January 07, 2008 at 09:05 PM
Hi Michelle,
Count me in! I've always wanted to try a swap. I've got a couple of weeks, right?!
Posted by: Andrea Forgnone | January 07, 2008 at 09:33 PM
What a spectacular theme for a swap! Count me in! I'm a Piscean, after all :)
Posted by: Lilli | January 07, 2008 at 10:18 PM
Ohhh yeah! I am so in on this. Mermaids are my muse. As Gina Smith can attest to. What gorgeous, gorgeous goodies above! I would love to suggest maybe later in the year, we circle back around and maybe share or swap something we have made with the goodies?? Just a thought...It might be fun to at least see some of the wonderful things created with these goodies. I guess we can post them to the flicker group though - duh. Sorry, thinking too much while I am writing. Heidi :)
Posted by: Heidi Eberle | January 08, 2008 at 12:28 AM
wow everything is so beautiful!!!
what a great idea!!
i can't join im in 6 swaps so far. having surgery later this month,
bummed this is a beautiful swap. i cant wait to see what everyone creates!
jessi
Posted by: jessi nagy | January 08, 2008 at 04:48 AM
I'm in on this amazing swap! I couldn't resist.
Hugs!
Lisa!
Posted by: Lisa Kettell | January 08, 2008 at 06:32 AM