Day 9--9 Days of Easter Swap

The last day brings an adorable pin from my dear friend Monique--

It's made of rick rack and I just love it!  Monique doesn't have a blog which is too bad because I'd love for you to see all the creative things she does. I am lucky to call her "friend."

I also got a sweet bag of notions from Wanda as a hostess gift:

What a lovely way to end the week!  Thank you to all of my swapper friends. I hope you had as much fun as I did!!!  HAPPY EASTER!!!

Day 6---9 Days of Easter Swap

Again, my camera is broken. So I am borrowing this photo from Wanda of the THE RAT'S PAJAMAS. 

Wanda made us these sweet little safety pin baskets! I got a lavender one and each one had a sweet little chocolate bunny in it.  I'll give you three guesses (and the first two don't count) as to what happened to that chocolate bunny.    (wink)


There is no Day 7 because poor Lisa had pneumonia and had to drop out.

Day 5---9 Days of Easter Swap

Michelle and Ashley of the Tattered Quilt Cottage created our Day 5 treasure:

I am borrowing this photo from Wendy because she got a much better photo of this gem than I did.  I love chenille chicks and this little sweetie sits in a basket made from an tart tin.  So cute!!! Noodlebug was fasinated by all the details. Especially the little egg sitting next to the chick. (He is studying eggs and egg-laying animals in preschool this month)

Thank you to Michelle and Ashley for this sweet little basket!!!

Day 4---9 Days of Easter Swap

Look what my brilliant friend Kim made for Day 4!!!

My photo is horrible but it is a wee little chick on a wee little wooden spool with a flag that says Joy.  I love it!  It is so sweet! And a great way to use a baby food jar!

Day 3-- 9 Days of Easter Swap

I was Day 3.  My camera is missing so I am borrowing these photos from Michelle.

Noodlebug helped me stamp all the tags:

My friend Monique inspired me with a daffodil project.  I made these little daffodil shaped drawstring bags that would be perfect for keeping jewelry or small notions in.

Thanks for posting the photos, Michelle!


I am also finally up to date on my reading of SIMPLE ABUNDANCE. I am really really enjoying this daily inspirational journal. It has gotten me thinking about my personal style.  One of the exercises in the book is to start pulling out photos of things that speak to you. I just saw this cake in the latest Williams-Sonoma catalog and realized that it is the perfect cake for me. Not only is it chocolate but it looks like a pot of pansies!!!  Except for the price tag, this would be the perfect birthday cake for me.  (and my birthday is only a month away!) 

(photo borrowed from and owned by WilliamsSonoma)

Lovely!

Day 2---9 Days of Easter Swap

I am missing my photo of Day 1 so I'll have to go back and do that one later. You can see Wendy's post of #1 here.  I made a little gift bag for everyone and put some Spring-like clothespins and an egg that I hope each participant will embellish and post at a later date.

For now....

This package comes from Wendy at THE FROG PALACE

Isn't that the sweetest egg?  I love the colors!  Thank you, Wendy!!!!

Vintage ABC Swap

My friend Kim makes WONDERFUL tags and cards and is a part of a tag swapping group on Yahoo.  She found out about a wonderful swap and convinced me to join in the fun. 26 tag swappers got together and each took a letter of the alphabet. I was Miss I.  For each tag, we tried to incorporate lots of things beginning with our letter from color to flower to virtue.  Our wonderful coordinator is going to bind the cards into an ABC book when everyone finishes.  Almost all the cards have been sent in and I am so excited about the sneak peeks that have been shared. 

I forgot to take a photo of my card. If you look closely, you can see it in the second row from the top. It is the INDIGO card!  I made up this sentence and created my card around it:  "The Imperial Infant had an Imaginative Idea about an Insect."  Hopefully, everyone will like it. I promise to post photos when I get the finished product. So exciting!!!

Want to Play?

It has been far too long since I have participated in a swap. This one looks great!!!

Sign up here.

Meet Ellen

I would like you to meet my swap partner Ellen from Big Red EP. Ellen is a red-headed photography buff and she is my partner for the Favorite Things Swap. I started working on her package this past weekend and I'm trying to find little things I think she would like. It's really fun. It has been so long since I have participated in a swap!!!

I had a nice weekend with the family. Tried to catch up on housecleaning and I even managed to see Harry Potter 6 which was great! There never seems to be enough time to get it all done. I have to admit I have let housecleaning slip since Noodlebug was born. Along with other things like exercise. However, I have decided not to feel guilty. At the end of my life, will I regret that my house wasn't cleaner or that I wasn't a size 6 or that I didn't spend enough time with Noodlebug. I know which one I'm gonna choose.

Favorite Things Swap

I have decided to ease my way back into the wonderful world of swaps!!! This fun little gem pairs you up with a partner to whom you will send three of your favorite things. Sounds easy, huh? And fun!!!! Go here for details. Hurry! Signups end this Friday, July 3rd.

Hippity Hop Easter Swap Days 8-11

First of all, thank you to everyone for your kind thoughts and wishes. I go to see the doctor tomorrow and she'll go over all the test results with me. I am keeping my fingers crossed that bed rest is not in my future but I'll do whatever is necessary to take care of my little guy.

In the meantime, I thought I better post the rest of the wonderful goodies I received in the Hippity Hop Easter Swap!!!

DAY EIGHT
This lovely hanging was done by Stephanie Ann Rojas. The colors are so great!!!


DAY NINE
Miss Dolly made this sweet little box!


DAY TEN
The fabulous Scrappy Jessi made this cute little collection of cards. Each one has something sweet on it.


DAY ELEVEN
And the grand finale was this sweet little basket by Bristol Snider!


Thank you so much to all the ladies for the wonderful goodies. And thanks to Heather Bluhm for hosting this massive swap!!! I'd love to do another!

Hippity Hop Easter Swap Day 7

Carol Campbell of Sassafras and Lulu created this wonderful hanging that I immediately placed on my front door! It's adorable!!! Thank you, Carol!

(photo borrowed from Scrappy Jessi..again...until I get my camera working)

Hippity Hop Easter Swap Day Six

Michelle from Life on this Good Day made me the most wonderful soldered pendant with a handstitched bunny! I am borrowing the photo of one side of the pendant from Scrappy Jessi. The other photo is from Michelle. I got the one with the bunny! It's just wonderful!!! Thank you, Michelle!!!

Hippity Hop Easter Swap Day Five

Look at this adorable box that I got to open today! Isn't it sweet? This little treasure was made by Jennifer at A Charming Life.

(Photo borrowed from the fabulous Scrappy Jessi)

Hippity Hop Easter Swap Day Four

Look at what I got from Nola! Isn't it wonderful? She created a mini-paperbag scrapbook for our fourth Easter surprise. I'm going to save it for Baby's first Easter next year.

Thank you, Nola!!!!

Hippity Hop Easter Swap Day Three

I just opened my day three package and it is so cute!!! Teresa of Plum Water Cottage made us the sweetest papier-mache glittered bunnies! I'll try to post a photo later. Thanks Teresa!

(Photo borrowed from Michele at On This Good Day)

Hippity Hop Easter Swap Day Two

I got to make the gift for Day Two (today!) and decided to do a little two-sided charm. I'm having trouble with the camera so I am borrowing this image from Scrappy Jessi!

Hippity Hop Easter Swap Day One

I got to open my first Hippity Hop package yesterday and boy was it a good one!!! The incredibly talented Cathy from Tadpoles and Teacups made a papier-mache bunny from a vintage chocolate mold. Doesn't he look good enough to eat? I just love it!!! Thank you so much, Cathy!!!

(my picture didn't turn out very well so I am borrowing Cathy's photo)

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. I was sick with a bad cold over the holidays but still had a good time. Spent lots of time with my mom and we even started working on my baby registry which was fun!

I really enjoyed catching up on everyone's blogs. Sounds like a good time was had by all. I know I swore I wouldn't do any more swaps for awhile but I couldn't resist Heather's Hippity Hop Easter Swap.



In this swap, you will get paired with a group of ten people. Then, you will create an artsy Easter item that you will send ten of to your group. You will receive nine different items in return. I so enjoyed seeing the 12 Days of Christmas swap items so I think this will be fun. And I have some extra time to get it done. Head over to Heather's blog for more information.

I know 2008 is going to be a momentous year for me and I can't wait to see what happens!

October Swap Goodies

Well, I was FINALLY able to upload photos of all the swap goodness I received in October.

First of all, I received this wonderful assortment from Cheryl, my partner in the Black Cat/Pumpkin swap. Aren't the pumpkins sweet? And she even put a mini Toulouse in there for me!



Then, I got my first Trick or Treat Swap package from Mica! So many wonderful goodies! And I love the fabric hanging. Isn't it sweet? She even has a cat on my trick or treat bag!



My other Trick or Treat Swap partner, Cathy, sent me this wonderful package that arrived on Halloween! The pumpkin is made from a gourd that she grew!!!!




And last but definitely not least, my Sweet Goodness partner, Cheryl, sent me an unbelievable amount of wonderful goodies. The Boo-Eek garland is so wonderful and I love the little plaque! (it got a little abuse in route to my house so I need to reglue that adorable chain)






Thank you to all my swap partners for giving me such a wonderful October!!!