Swappy Stuff

I've been horrible lately about posting pictures of my swappy stuff.  The truth is, I haven't done as much swapping this year, but I'm really starting to miss it.  I kind of overdid the swapping last fall, doing something like 11 swaps between October and Christmas, and when all the January swaps started, I purposely avoided signing up.  I did participate in the 4S Swap again though (formerly the Sweet and Simple Scrappy Swap - which I admit was kind of a mouthful) and I received this Friendship Bag (ala psiquilt) and awesome goodies from Stephanie @ the Quarter Incher. 

I owe Stephanie a huge apology though - the package came just after I got back from watching the grands in March when I was miserable with bronchitis for the 3rd time.  Her beautifully colorful package really cheered me up, but I put it away before photographing it or even thanking her.  I'm usually not so thoughtless.  I'm going to blame it on being sick. 

I absolutely love the handles on this bag.  Aren't they fun!?

And I received this cute little mini quilt from Mhairi in Australia in the Sewing with Friends swap.  This group has been swapping for more than a year now, and it's always so fun to see what others come up with.  This neat little mini has pockets, that Mhairi kindly filled with fat quarters.

And the back is almost as much fun as the front.  What cute fabrics she used!  I just love how bright they are.

And she thoughtfully put hanging corners on the back.

Thank you Stephanie and Mhairi.  I feel like a very lucky girl!

Catching Up on Swappy Stuff

With all of the December activities around here - swooning, postering, boxing, wrapping, packing and traveling - there were a lot of things left undone.  One of them was posting all the wonderful swappy stuff I received in December.

First are the four wonderful packages I received in the Trim the Tree swap.  The Trim the Tree swap is the very first swap I ever participated in on Flickr, and I look forward to it every year.  Not as many participants this year as in years past, and a slightly different format, I think meant to reduce stress on the swap mama, but just as fun as ever.  It's always so exciting to see what people come up with, and this year was no different.  Such a fun assortment of Christmas decorations.  Since I didn't put up a Christmas tree this year (as you can see from the photo - this is only a pseudo tree, put up at the last minute because I couldn't stand the lack of Christmasy atmosphere here!) these will wait until next year when I (hopefully) will decorate more.  We're staying home next year.

This adorable jingle bell snowman was from Shelly.  Isn't he cute?  So much so that I examined him carefully to see how she did it.

A giant jingle bell and a child's Christmas sock seem to figure prominently here.  I love it!  I wouldn't be surprised to see a few more of these next year.

Next is are the ornament(s) Synnove sent.  I love the little basket - it reminds me of a May basket, and will be adorable on the tree - maybe filled with Christmas treats?  The crochet heart is fun also, and might just make an appearance at Valentine's Day as well.  But honestly, I am truly jazzed by the fabric Synnove sent.  I haven't seen this one before, so it will be great fun to add to the stash.  Hope I remember it's there and use it next year.

Muriel sent this adorable Christmas pennant.  Won't this be fabulous on the tree?

Muriel also sent a little Sinterklaas, the Dutch Santa.  She explained that the Dutch celebrate this holiday on December 5.  He is super tiny, maybe 1/2 inch altogether, with another inch for the strings hanging down, but oh-so-cute!

The cute little Christmas house is from Nikki.  It is made from 30's fabric.  I love the little cowboy on the door.  Really sweet.

I also received some bee blocks.  This one is from Kat in Australia in the Sew Fun Bee.  I had asked these ladies to help me finish the blocks for my Granny Square quilt, and they really stepped up.  I have enough blocks now, I think, so all I have to do is make a quilt.  {grin}  I love the orange and aqua combination she used.  It has been a favorite since Arielle chose it for her wedding.

This block is from Cara.  I love this one.  It reminds me of a summer day.  Nice!

This package came while we were gone for Christmas.  Oddly, it required ID to retrieve it from the post office, and WH said he didn't know anyone in Indonesia so I had to go pick it up myself, which isn't always easy when you work the same hours as the post office is open.  Luckily, we had a couple of medical appointments yesterday, so I was able to get by the post office on my way to work.

Inside was this beautiful block from Henny.  I almost never sew with batiks, so this will be a unique addition to my quilt.

Henny also made me this fun little pouch. I have been wanting a pencil pouch to fit in my scripture tote, since my markers and ruler seem to escape fairly often.  This is perfect!  So thoughtful!

Here is the package I received from Kristel in the Modern Scrappy Bits Swap.  This package came all the way from Alberta, so it has a selection of things we don't have in the States, I think.

She chose an amazing selection of fabric scraps for me.  Some I have seen, but most are new to me.  I am really going to enjoy these.

And she stalked me so well that she even included one of her favorite needles after she read my rant about needles a few weeks ago.  It's a Bohin needle, which I've never seen before.  Can't wait to try it.

She also included some wool for crewel embroidery.  I used to do a lot of crewel work, but haven't done any in years, so this will be fun!

Finally, I received a fun package from Heather for the December Swap in the Sew Fun Bee.  Since there were only 11 of us, we decided to swap fun little gifts in December.  I don't know where Heather found the time to create all this - she had a baby on December 3, I think.

I love the way this little pouch coordinates so well with the one I received from Kristel.  I am planning to use them to organize the various small projects I have going on.  Zip lock bags are useful, but sooooo boring.

And I have been coveting one of these cathedral windows pinnies forever.  I love cathedral windows, but haven't tried to make one for myself yet.  Maybe now I won't have to?

Thanks everyone for brightening my holidays and making all these special goodies just for me.

Super Duper Swapping... (And Last Call for Giveaway!)

Last call for entries in the My Memories digital scrapbooking software giveaway.  If you're interested, go here to enter.  Ends tomorrow.

As I've mentioned a few times before, a week ago Saturday dawned a bout as ugly as a day can be.  Thunderstorms and heavy rain descended from the heavens as though it was the beginning of Noah's cruise.  And in the midst of it all, the poor FedEx man appeared at the door and dropped off a package.

It contained lovely swap items from marslaura, my partner in both Super Swaps swap and PP11.  Now, the first thing you need to know is that the Super Swap was for an oven glove.  Some people even sent two oven gloves, or an oven glove and a pot holder.  Even if you add PP11, which was for 2 pot holders, this is way over the top.  Would you look at this loot?  There are 2 placemats, 2 pot holders, an oven glove, a soap bottle apron and a trivet filled with scented rice!  It also contained some additional fabric in case I wanted to make some coordinating items.  What's left to make, I wonder?  I'm not sure there is anything Laura hasn't covered here.

I really love the soap bottle apron.

And look at the personalized embroidery on the oven mitt.  So cool.

So, I feel very spoiled.

And if that wasn't enough, I also received some other swappy stuff the previous week, and with all the rain and WH's surgery, just didn't get a chance to take pictures.

I received my ticker tape mini quilt from Denise.  I love the flower.  I love the mix of ticker tape, applique, and embroidery.

Denise had my name and I had hers.  In this swap, you know who your partner is, so you have to be sneaky about the pictures you post.  Denise received my pineapple mini.

Denise's creation has so much texture....  Would you check out all the French knots in the center of this flower?  There must be hundreds of them.  Wonder if she counted?

And the ticker tape fabrics she used were fun too.

Thanks, Denise, for a fun little mini quilt.

And I also received my pinnie in the Fab Little Pin Cushion Swap, or FLiPs as we affectionately call it.

Be13cca made me this lovely pinnie, and there is certainly no mistaking its purpose.  LOL

On a side note, I've been dying to try this letter piecing technique.  Now, maybe I won't have to.

Here's the back of the pinnie.  Look at the fun fabrics she used!  All that fussy cutting!  So cute.  And a little bundle of scrap fabrics.  Boy, can I have fun with those!

Thanks Becca.  I really love my pinnie.

So, it's been a great round of swapping and it's been a lot of fun.  I really love the stalking and creating, but it's fun to get these fab packages in the mail as well.

 Happy sewing!

Waaaay Behind

Since I've spent 3 of the last 4 weekends traveling, I'm getting way behind on my sewing and crafting.  My New Year's Resolution to only do one swap at a time is his*tor*y and I have lots to accomplish.  The good news is that WH is with BD#1 helping take care of the grands and so I have no distractions... the downside is that since I've done so much traveling, I'm exhausted.

I planned to at least do bee blocks tonight, but no.  Not tonight.  Maybe tomorrow.

For now, I will content myself with creating "THE LIST" of the quilty things I plan to accomplish this weekend.

1.  Bento Blocks - how many?  Hopefully 10 - that will give me 40 quarters.  I made these awhile back, though, and it took me forever.  Maybe they'll go more smoothly this time.

2.  Bow Tie Blocks - these babies are pretty small.  I swapped 30 last time and would like to do 50 this time - that would be enough for my quilt, I think.

3.  Anything Goes bee blocks for Stacey

4.  Card Trick bee blocks for Leona

5.  Potholders for PP11

6.  Fabric Napkins for private swap with Peggy

7.  DS Quilts Doll Quilt Swap

8.  Pinnie for FLiPs Pin Cushion Swap

9.  Mini QT Ticker Tape Swap

10.  Mini Scrap Basket Block Swap blocks

11.  And more Granny Squares for the GS QAL

12.  I really want to do the AMH Prism QAL

13.  And I have my Fairy Tale Friends

14.  Andy my Jelly Roll Race quilts to sandwich, quilt, and bind

15.  And I have both March and April's blocks to do in the Craftsy QAL.

 And several more quilts in my mind just itching to become a reality...

I'd better git crackin'.


But for now, I'm exhausted just reading this list.  It must be bedtime.

Swap Addict

This was my mosaic for the Potholder Pass Swap.  The theme was "Spring".  What do you think?

I'm a swap addict.  There.  I said it.  My name is Wendi and I'm a swap addict.  I love to swap.  I do Flickr Swaps and Blog Swaps.  This year, I made a resolution to only do one-swap-at-a-time.  I failed miserably.  Didn't make it through the first week of January.  Maybe - possibly - I over-commit.  Maybe.  I am in three virtual bees (is that excessive?)  And I have already completed 2 swaps this  year not including the bee blocks (too much, do you think?).  And I'm not really sure how many swaps I'm signed up for at the moment (well, admittedly, that is a bit scary!). 

But they are fun, and I love doing them. 

This is my mosaic for the Mini QT Swap.  The theme is "movies" - can you tell?  

 I've never been a swap mama, but sometimes I am amazed at the partners I get.  Only once, last summer, have I had the same partner for two swaps.  Oddly enough, she was a person that I felt I didn't have very much in common with, but I had a blast creating things for her. 

 Mosaic for last summer's Urban Home Goods Swap.

Sometimes, when I go to stalk my partner, I can't believe how perfect they are for me.  I "favorite" every picture in their mosaic.  I read their profile and am amazed at how much we have in common. How do the swap mamas do it?

This is the mosaic I created for the Pillow Talk Swap.  Aren't these pillows fabulous?

One of the things I really like about swaps and virtual bees is that they really stretch my skills.  I've made some things I never would have even tried if not for the motivation of the bee or swap, and the desire to make something my partner would love.  And everyone else is so creative, it just sparks my own creativity.  It is very motivating to see what everyone else creates.

Mosaic for the Scrappy Mug Rug Swap

I've heard from some people that they swap, but they don't like what they have received.  That is not the case with me.  I've liked nearly everything that my swap partners have sent.  And some things that maybe didn't wow me when I opened the package grew on me as time went on.  I have never received a single swap that was poorly made or that I didn't think my partner put a lot of thought into.  I have been blown away by the cool stuff I have received.

But the truth is that I don't do bees or swaps because of what I might receive.  The fun of the swap is in the creative process.  And having the inspiration to make something that might please someone else.  And try techniques that you haven't tried before.  And to see what other people create. 

My very first "real" swap package received

So, do you swap? 

The awesome sewing machine cover I received in the Make Mine Modern Swap

Has it been a good experience for you?

The dreamy dresden placemats I received in the Placemat Swap.

What was the favorite thing you made?  Or received?

Really cute mug rug I received in the Mug Rug Swap Adventure

 Have you made anything that you thought you couldn't do before you tried it for a swap?

Last year at work was very difficult, so my partner in this mug rug swap made me my own little get-away!

Just food for thought.

The darling sewing machine cover I received in the Sewn Spaces Swap (good thing I have more than one machine, huh?)

 My name is Wendi, and I am a swap addict.