~Easter Swap Reveal~

Yes, I know Easter is over and most of you have already put away your decorations but I so wanted to share with you my recent Easter project.  Recently, I threw my name into the hat for the Vintage Easter Swap over at It's A Very Cherry World.  It was lot of fun getting to know my "partner in crime", Erica of Golden Egg Vintage.  We are years apart in age but have so much in common with our interests and collections.  In fact, some of the things we swapped were much along the same lines.  You'll see in a minute. :)

 I painted an Easter basket a light shade of blue (one of Erica's favorite colors) and went on to decorate some paper mache eggs.  I thought I would try decoupaging strips of spring like fabrics...

 but I was disappointed in how they turned out.  It was very hard to even see the fabric that I had already applied.  On to plan B.

 I found an old book at an antique/junk store.  Normally, I love to collect old books but the pages in this particular one were so brittle and falling out so I didn't cringe at the thought of using them for craft projects.  I took several pages, tore them into small strips and decoupaged onto the eggs.  I knew it was going to be kinda messy and so glad that I opted to wear some disposable gloves.  Still, I had problems with the glue sticking to my fingers and pulling a bit of print off the pages.

 I should have taken a better close up picture of the eggs but you get a good idea of how they turned out.  I applied a final coat of Mod Podge and love the way they turned out.  Oh, the Easter basket....I decided it was too blue and applied a white wash with some watered down white paint.  I just used the little acrylic paints sold in craft stores.

 I decided to add the ducky Pez container and candy along with some adorable cupcake liners and finished the decorating with a big bow of crinkled seam binding.  Little did I know that Erica had taken a course in French Pastry Arts in NYC and she loves to bake.  How cool is that?

 I found this little Easter bunny at a thrift store.  She was a bit dirty and her outfit was a bit outdated.  I brought her home, gave her a bath and proceeded to redress her with this pretty soft blue-gray fabric.  I couldn't remove the outfit so I had to sew around her using a basting stitch with embroidery floss.

 I added some vintage buttons for earrings, some crochet lace for a collar and a bow made of some more of the crinkly seam binding with another vintage button.

I think she turned out quite well, don't you?

I apologize for the quality of this picture but it was the best I had in this series. :/

 I have a small collection of vintage postcards and decided to frame one in the small picture frame that I dressed up with some white paint and crackling glaze.  I found some coordinating scrapbook paper from my stash to create a type of mat.

 Erica loves to collect vintage items...girl after my own heart :)  but I couldn't find an actual vintage plate to give to her.  I spotted this one at Hobby Lobby.  I loved it and prayed she would love it, too.

Aren't the graphics adorable?  Reminds me of the story of The Little Red Hen.  This is my Easter project for Erica.  You can find out what she thought in her post HERE.  Okay, my turn....

 These are all the little treasures that Erica sent me.  I thought I had died and gone to heaven!!!  Oh my goodness, look at these.  I swear that Erica could hear me shriek all the way to Minnesota.

This little bundle of fabric is just too cute.  I told Erica I can't decide whether to cut into it or display it.  And the vintage sewing items.  Oh my.  I lost my mother 25 years ago and one of the few things that I have that belonged to her is her sewing basket.  She wasn't much of a seamstress but there were several different sewing notions such as snaps, binding, scissors, thimble and such that she used and I will always cherish. I plan to refurbish the sewing basket and will share it with you one of these days.  Erica didn't know about the sewing basket but adding these items to my mom's treasures will be such a joy.  Did you notice the price of the rickrack?  Eight cents!!

 Erica creates card tags and sent me several little paper items to create my own along with my very first tag!  I  don't know if I'll ever have the time to create my own card tags.  I do want to start collecting a few though and what better way to display my first one but with the scrabble tile attached to a mini clothespin.  A vintage flower and a children's wooden block with my initials.  See the vintage card on the right?  Remember, I sent her one, too.  I thought it funny that we were thinking along the same lines here.

                                                          Too, too cute!

I oohed and aahed over these little gems.  I have a collection of vintage kitchen utensils above my kitchen pantry.  I know Erica didn't know this.  The pastry cutter with wire blades is one item I don't have.  I was ecstatic.  And the little bunny mold?  Goodness!!  I felt like a child at Christmas.

And, of course, no Easter is complete without a little basket and some chocolate.  She's definitely a girl after my own heart!  Thank you, Erica.  You are a sweetheart.  I'd love for you to stop by her blog, Golden Egg Vintage, and say 'hey'.  She's a new blogger and I'm sure she would be thrilled with your visit.  Tell her I sent you her way.

     

~My Dotty Swap Project~

Finally, I am able to share with you the items that I made for my part of the Dotty Swap party held by Cutie Pie Cottage!

 The requirements were three items and, of course, dots!  Jenny's favorite colors are red, pink and aqua.

 Jenny has a fur baby named Cody and so I made him a "bony" wall plaque to hold his leash.

 Large, oversized pocket potholders (big enough that her hubby could use!).  I forgot to take a picture of the contrasting fabric on the back, which happens to be stripes.  You know, in all my years of sewing I have never made potholders!  It was fun and I plan to make more.

And, lastly, the polka-dot cupcake liners wrapped with polka dot ribbon.   I had never really noticed before but there are so many cute ones out there and it was definitely hard to choose which ones I wanted.

I'm glad to say that Jenny loved the items that I gave her and that is the best part of all.

Now I'm off to do some grocery shopping...in the rain.  Sigh...but at least our pantry will be full again!

Have a happy day~
       

Going to these blog parties:
Cozy Home Party at Cozy Home Scenes
Country Homemaker Hop at My Simple Country Living
Cowgirl Up at Cedar Hill Ranch
Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do

~I Got Mail~

Well, actually better than mail.  I got a package!  The other day I told you about my being part of a dotty swap at Cutie Pie Cottage.  The package came from my partner in crime, sorry Jenny ;),   Wanna see what I got?

In my box were these three little gifts wrapped in dotty paper and a note to boot!!

Aloe infused socks.  I put these babies on right away!  I have extremely dry feet and, with my fibromyalgia, these definitely give one an aahhhh feeling.  Oh my.  I'm in heaven.

A pinkeep or more commonly known as a pincushion.  More about this in just a minute.

And then dotty note cards.  Handwritten notes are quickly becoming a thing of the past, aren't they?  But with something this cute, writing a quick note is a joy.  I think everyone needs to not only start a collection but use them, too!  Don't you think?

Jenny made this cute little pinkeep (or pincushion).  She used a dainty little bowl, dotty fabric and flower trim.  It is filled with some batting and so it is more for decorative purposes rather than for using.  I have a small collection of pinkeeps in my sewing/craft room so this one is going on the shelf with the others.

Thank you Jenny!  I so appreciate the gifts that you sent me.

I got my gifts to Jenny in the mail yesterday and, once I know she has them in hand, I'll show you what I sent her. ;)

This was so much fun.  I hope to get involved in some more swap parties in the future.

Have a wonderful weekend my friends~

~Swap Parties~

I have noticed that some bloggers are having swap parties.  I think they would be so much fun and a way to get to know other bloggers but, up until recently, the only ones that I read about involved card and tag making.  I love these tags but I don't have the time to add another craft to my already batch of bulging craft projects.

                                    
A few weeks ago, I read that Holly at Cutie Pie Cottage was having a dotty swap party.  Finally, my chance to get in on a fun party!  So, I threw my name in the hat and got paired up with Jenny at Jenny's Heart.

After learning about her likes, interests, hobbies and family, I was able to come up with three different items with a dotty theme...the requirements.  It was fun trying to come up with some things that I thought she would enjoy...almost like Christmas!  I am going to get them in the mail today once I get the final details done.  I want to show them to you but I don't want to ruin the surprise.  Once I know she has them in hand, I'll do the big reveal.

My question is...do you get involved in swap parties?  Do you have your own swap party?  If you have, what was the most fun one that you participated in?  Does anyone have swap parties on a regular basis?  I'd love your thoughts about them and, of course, any recommendations.

I think this is a fun idea and something I would love to get involved with every now and then.  But I need something other than card/tag making. :)

Now, I've got to get to crafting!

Blessings~