Spring Terry/Terri Swap

Since we've been one-on-one craft swappers over the past few months, Terry and I have discovered lots that we have in common besides our names, our spouses names, our age and our four-legged children.  One thing is our perpetual state of running behind.  She has every excuse - a job, a long commute, a busy arts and social life.  I have no excuse, but it works out fine.  Our Easter swap turned out to be a late spring swap.  We both needed more time so agreed to mail mid-May instead of before Easter.  I was a week late for even that deadline.

Here are all the wonderful goodies she sent me this time.  Everything was wrapped in bright spring-colored tissue, and there were little flowers and tin butterfly and dragonfly pins on some of the packages.  Everything she sent is so pretty, and she made me another beautiful necklace.  This one is two dominos with "journal" pages between.  So fabulous!  I wish I had a better camera so you could see the true loveliness.

Her favorite colors are black and white, so I tried to stay close to that while throwing in a little springy-ness.  She's taking a couple of classes with Lisa Kaus next month so I included a little LK plaque for inspiration. 

I've wanted to make this little bird from Lisa Pace's Delight In The Details since I first bought the book. I made this one for Terry, but I loved it so much I'm planning to make an identical one for myself.  The "FLY" tray was inspired by a similar tray in that same book, and also by a few shown in one of the Stampington publications.  Now I need to get started on things for July!  I'm going to do my best to be on time for our 4th of July/Summer swap.

Weekend Finds

We've had a rather bad run of "estate" sales lately - most have been just bad garage sales - which almost caused us to skip one last weekend.  Since this one was only a couple of miles from our house and in an area known for older residents, we decided to drop by for a quick look.  An hour later, we left with our arms full.  Here are some of the more interesting things I found. 

 
The flowers on two of the hats need a little freshening but are actually rather pretty.  I love the 1911 marriage certificate, even if it is in pieces, and what you can't see is a sort of family-events certificate from the same year that also has some lovely graphics.  I thought the colors of the doilies and potholder were some of the best I've seen, particularly the green one - it's my favorite color and I don't think I've ever found another in that shade. 

Secret Garden Tag Swap

I participated in Wanda's Secret Garden Tag Swap - my first ever tag swap.  It was so fun to get the package this week and see what everyone else created!  Each one shows a unique interpretation of the Secret Garden theme, and there are many techniques that I'd not seen before.
 
 
We had to make 20 tags and after making the first few, I realized my design was a little ambitious. I found some beautiful napkins a few weeks earlier and decided to cut motifs from those for my tags. I ended up using five different images from the napkins on each tag, so they all had to be cut out and then glued to the tags, followed by the woman, the trim and the flowers. I completed and mailed them on time, though!

I wasn't aware that most tag swaps use 2-1/2" x 5" tags so mine was a little large, but I don't think I could have squeezed all this onto a smaller tag.  I was glad to see that someone else used the larger tag, too.  Here's a front and back view of mine.

I'm excited to be in Karla's Bird Song tag book swap, but oh so happy that I have quite a bit of time to complete them and only have to make seven!

May Finds

We're going to Canton soon so I've been trying to hold off on the junque seeking but there are so many garage sales this time of year that it's really hard to resist.  Last weekend we went to several sales without much luck but finally found some goodies just before heading home.

The DH got a few things that aren't pictured, including a metal cabinet and a metal tray, plus a DX oil barrel that he'll be using as a trash can in the garage.  I also found some pink and blue crepe paper and a book by one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Berg.

On Friday the 13th (lucky day!) there was a neighborhood sale in the Gatewood historic area of Oklahoma City.  Just looking at the houses makes for a great day, but we also found some goodies.  I had just bought a hat on eBay (shown) but was still sad that I just missed several hats at one sale.  Someone was paying for them as we walked up.  But I found a treasure-laden piece of jewelry art that will be disassembled, linens, an old set of "conversation course" booklets, knitted gloves from France, buttons and a few other small items, plus a fabulous suitcase.  The seller had about ten trunks and suitcases and was ready to deal, but I have absolutely no space to store them.  They even suggested the suitcases-as-end table idea, but I don't even have room for that!  I'm sure some lucky person made a great buy.  I'm hoping to open an Etsy shop soon, so maybe that will alleviate my overcrowding situation.

 

 
I hope all you other treasure seekers have great success this weekend!

Just us Chickens

Do you ever start something that should be so simple, but then just can't decide what it needs? I struggled with the little creation below for several weeks. The base is a cabinet card and the chick pic is an old Department of Agriculture brochure cover that I copied onto transfer paper and ironed onto muslin. I made the flower from ribbon and a pearl button, and the pleated paper at the bottom was added after seeing a tutorial on someone's blog (so sorry - can't remember whose, but thank you!)  I finally finished it last weekend and gave it to my Mom on Mother's Day.

Class Creation

I thought I had already blogged about the class I took in April, but apparently not.  It was taught by Medeah at Paper Crown - her first class there.  I wanted to take the class as soon as I saw the notice online, but felt I had been taking on too much so I held off.  After seeing the actual sample in the shop one day, I immediately signed up.  From the photo I thought it was probably 6"x12", but it's actually 10"x20".  Some of the processes involved were very time consuming so Medeah had the vase and the flower materials ready for us.  During class she explained the methods she used for these so we could recreate them in the future.  It was an enjoyable class and I love the final product. 

We have a winner!

I'm pleased to announce that Lisa Stanton is the winner of my "one year of blogging" giveaway!  Congrats, Lisa!  I'll be mailing you everything shown in my giveaway post, plus a couple of surprises.  Hope you enjoy everything! 

I was excited to win Heather Buhaj's March giveaway.  She sent the cutest little jar packed with goodies - lots of fun things including a petite ballerina, a tiny frozen charlotte, flowers, buttons, brads, cabochons, a bag of blue beads and more. Thanks so much, Heather! 

Giveaway - Shades of Blue

Finally!  Here are the details of the one-year blog anniversary giveaway.  Thanks for being patient. 

My favorite color is blue and my favorite things are vintage, especially trims, buttons and things like that, so I've put together a batch of vintage blue for my first giveaway.  Here's what the winner will receive: one yard of sheer flocked vintage trim with blue flowers, one yard of white and blue embroidered trim, about two yards of turquoise pom pom trim, a vintage blue buckle, a small blue pin (shown just above the buckle), several blue vintage millinary flowers, and a selection of blue buttons.  Because I also like surprises, there will be a few of those included, too.

If you follow my blog or made a comment on my blog anniversary post here, then you're already registered.  For new or additional entries, here's what to do:
1.  Leave a comment on this post. If you don't have a blog, be sure to leave an e-mail address so I can contact you if you're the winner.
2.  If you haven't already, sign on to follow my blog.
3.  Put a link to this post on your blog and let me know at junqueseeker@yahoo.com.

The winner will be selected next Sunday, May 8 - Mothers Day!  Good luck, everyone!

May Basket Swap

I was so excited to have the talented Marti McClure as my partner for Kari Ramstrom's May Basket Swap.  Check out Marti's blog here to see some of the other amazing things she's created.

She sent me a darling basket packed with wonderful things, including beautiful earrings, the sweetest little shadowbox and notebook, a paper cone, and little pinwheel and a tiny little shoe, all handmade by Marti.  She also included a doily, a tea towel, treats and many other things.  Thank you so much, Marti!

I sent Marti a little basket decorated with handmade flowers.  Packet inside were a button bracelet, vintage trim, and other little treasures.  She likes vintage paper, so I made her a fabric folder and filled it with old annual pages, 1930s magazine pages, vintage wallpaper and old flower prints.

Thanks, Kari, for coordinating the swap!