Swaps, and Happy Mail, and New Creations.......................

I was in a altered matchbox swap with Penny, and just received a lovely package in the mail- from WAY east of Va Beach, as my postmaster told me!!! LOL From way across the pond- these lovely creations came!!! I guess I should have filled my matchbox with something other than air- all of these came with a goodie or two inside!!

A paper swap from LaWendula's blog garnered me this wonderful batch of  colorful papers! My swap partner outdid herself- and sent along a card she made too!!!

The other happy mail came from Nathalie of Ruby Floy- she advertised a Castaway bottle in her online shop - and I just couldn't resist!!! It is wonder-FULL!!!! I think you should all order one, when she has them in stock!!! If my creative self was lost on a desert island- this would be the thing to have - after water, fruit,  and chocolate, of course!!!

Next is a lovely bracelet I ordered from Mary Ellen's Etsy shop-Art Kissed- it is beautiful - and she even sent an extra goodie along!!!!The sentiment on the bracelet fits me exactly!!!

The last set of photos- these are two of the recent recycled, upcycled items I've made. They can be found in Julieanna's shop in Broadway, Va.  Vintage teapots are now wind chimes with altered and stamped silverware, and crystal prism "water droplets". The smaller hammered teapot can be a planter- it has sphagnum moss in it right now - but I can just picture it with some pansies or overflowing with ivy or portulaca.(UPDATE- the hammered teapot just sold!!!!- the other is still available! More to come!) Also a little 2 tier pedestal made from vintage English ironstone. I hope to get some of these in my Etsy shop soon!

I know this is probably sensory overload - but I am behind on blogging and figured I might as well post it all at once!!! I know I am missing writing about something else I recently got in the mail - but when I figure out what it is, I'll just write another post!!!

Good Things....................

............come to those who wait, and good things come in small packages!!

My matchbox swap came in the mail- Woohoo!! What a wonderful job Donna did!!!
I took way too many pictures - but presentation is everything - and I wanted you to see what she did - step by step!!





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Donna managed to squeeze about 50 items in this little box - I took a side view so you could see how CRAMMED it was!!!! I already have plans for the little red hand, the hinge, and the stork scissor charm!!!



Thank you, thank you - and I hope everyone had alot of fun with this swap - and I'm planning another after the holidays. A group swap and maybe a couple of individual swaps are in the making.

Matchbox Swap

Well, the mail-by date has come and gone. I hope everyone has received their matchboxes stuffed with goodies!!!!

This was soooo much fun - and I thank everyone for participating!!! I hope we can do this again after the holidays, so if any of you thought about doing it, but were not sure - you will get another opportunity!!!!

I am always up for individual swaps - so,if anyone wants to swap with me, just let me know!!!

I have temporarily misplaced the list of emails and links of everyone who participated-so if you have a pic of your swap- please leave a comment with a link, so everyone can see!!

I will look for the info today and revise this post with the info - organization is not my specialty!!! LOL

My swap partner has a tea blog - so I thought I would make that the theme. I had trouble stuffing all the items I wanted to into the box - so there may be a bit of variation from what is pictured! don't remember now, but I think I got about 23 or 25 items in there. I used vintage rickrack on the sides, a "Candies" jeans button for a drawer pull, and put a little door on the front with an Artchix graphic inside.

Here are the pics of what I sent my swap partner- they may not be in order - I have trouble with blogger- getting the pix to be where I want them to be!!!

Matchbox Swap

Just a reminder - the mail by date for swappers is coming up- Monday, November 30.

I know some have been mailed out and received, and when both parties have their boxes, I hope they will write a post with pix and link to me. I will share the links with everyone!

I even got 2 thank yous in the mail for hosting the swap!! Thank you , thank you - I will post pix of those soon also!!!! I am looking forward to doing another swap soon!!!

My matchbox is hidden inside this little box- don't want to show you yet - until I am sure my swap partner has received it!!!

Coincidentally, I was just flipping thru this month's Country Living Magazine - and on page 114 is a how-to for making an Advent Calendar out of mini matchboxes!! Very cool!!!

25 matchboxes are stacked on their sides, to make a tree shape.There are 5 rows, with 9 boxes on the base up to 1 at the top. Each row was wrapped in festive paper, and the end of each box was numbered, 1-25. Inside each little box is a treat for the appropriate day. Very simple idea- you could make this and be as plain or as over the top as you wanted!

Matchbox Swap

Well, it seems we have 8 adventurous souls who want to decorate and stuff a matchbox!!!

Patty
Donna
Kimmi
Me
Jan
Lori
Char
Ann

Please send me your mailing address, and I will match you up with a swap partner, and we will be ready to go!! I'll put everyone's name on folded up scraps of paper in a bowl, have a disinterested party close their eyes, and pick out names, 2 at a time, to match everyone up.

As soon as I get everyone's address, I will let you know the "mail by" date.

The rules are - there really are no rules of design. Just decorate a tiny matchbox- the ones that are about 2" long. Fill with ephemera, vintage pieces of this and that, things that could be used in altered art some way. If you like it - I'm sure your swap partner will like it too!!! As many items as will comfortably fit in the box - there is no prize for having stuffed the most in there!!!

This is a have fun, let the creativity flow, no pressure project!!!


Send your name.blog, and mailing address to me at : mountain.meadows@yahoo.com

Matchbox Swap

OK- it's on!!!

A matchbox swap!!!

The idea came from Kimmie, who discovered a website all about stuffing matchboxes. She made one, then I made one (see my previous posts), and there appeared to be some interest- so here we go!!!!!


We will use the small matchboxes. I just put mine in the mail, so don't know the measurements - but I'm guessing about 2" x 1 1/2". Exact measurements will come later - when I find some more matchboxes!!! LOL

The matchbox should be decorated, then filled with as much tiny flotsam/jetsam/bling that you can fit in there! For people into mixed media altered art - these tiny boxes can be a treasure trove!!!

I wouldn't go overboard - putting in a grain of sand, or a tiny bug, just to up the numbers seems a bit much!!!

When all the names are in - we will let the number generator or some disinterested party (!) match up the names. You will only make one box, filled with goodies, to swap with one person, and you will get one in return. Sound like fun???

If so, leave a comment and we'll start taking names!!!!