Mel's Own Place: exchange

Showing posts with label exchange. Show all posts

Friday, February 27, 2009

Birds, Birds, Birds!

9:39 AM | Posted by Mel

These are the beautiful birds I got in the Birds of Change Swap I participated in. I sent in 5 of my own design and these are what I received in return. I think they are all so very creative and beautiful! ThAnk yOu to the five artists who made the birdies I received!! (I will post their names later!) Thanks to Regina of Creative Kismet for the organizing and swapping the flock of feathered friends!!

Labels: art, bird, creative, exchange, mail, swap | 11 comments

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

A Day of Pictures!!

11:43 PM | Posted by Mel

My secret sister from last quarter, Tina and agreed to swap 3 Spring Cottages - these are what Tina sent me!! Don't they exude springy happiness?? I love them! Oh, and she even offered to make a triangle for my Dear Jane quilt!! How nice is that? Thanks so much Tina!! I love it all!!

So while I was on a girl's weekend a few weeks ago, my sis in law, Michelle caught the quilting bug!!! NO I didn't twist her arm, she did it of her own free will knowing that it can be quite consuming.

She picked up some real fun fabrics for table runners, basket liners and in true quilter fashion, she bought fabric FOR NO REASON AT ALL!! She's a natural!

She's seen all my cute cottages I've been swapping and thought she'd give them a try. She followed Nanette's great tutorial and whipped up six wonderful cottages!! She gave three to me, and kept three for herself. Didn't she do a great job??

I spent a wonderful day in my studio today!

Urban played pretty well while I sewed and we watched Lion King and the Muppet Movie.

Ironically, none of the pictures I have to show you on this post are from today's sewing! I think you'll enjoy them just the same!

This past holiday weekend I had the opportunity to sew and sew and sew!! My sister's in law and I set up 'shop' up at my mother in law's basement and had three full days of bliss!!

I worked on my Calendar Quilt Challenge. I thought it would be fun to applique a primitive flower to the top of the strip panel I have thus far. I also scalloped the bottom of a set of strips and appliqued them in place. I did this twice because I didn't like the fabric I had appliqued them to the first time. I'm happy with it now (as pictured). I think I'm caught up to the end of February.

I also cut squares to do some hexagons (my first ever!) for Hexagon's of Hope. Check out the cause to help the Victorians who have been effected in Australian's horrible fires.

I also worked on some Happy Houses for a swap started by Lurline in Australia. Kathy is the hostess for the American gals. I still have to 'wonky' them by adding skewed borders all around each block, but it's a good start!

When we finally left the house at 7:30pm, I found a package from Nanette in the mail box!!! I had ordered a kit for her darling Mixed Bag because I love bags, and more importantly, I love the fabrics she puts into the kits!!!

I was so ecstatic to receive the delicious fabrics she sent!! I don't have time in my sewing schedule, but I WILL make this bag by next week for sure!!

True to Nanette's style, she added some extras! A lovely note on a darling birdie card, one of her famous and original Doll House Cottage pot holders, (follow the link to make your own!) some ric-rak for the top of the bag and a charming covered button, also for the bag. Thanks Nanette!! You are very generous!!

Thanks for hanging in there for this long post!

Have a CREATIVE day!!

Labels: americana, Australia, blog friend, Calendar Quilt 2009, cottage block, Dear Jane, exchange, Happy Houses, hexagon, in-laws, kit, mail, ric-rak, swap, tutorial, Urban, wonky | 14 comments

Sunday, February 1, 2009

This and That

3:13 AM | Posted by Mel

Christine of Once Upon a Quilt is having a GIVEAWAY!! She will announce the winner on her birthday February 7th.

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This is what I got from my secret sister for January. It's a quilted Valentine's bag that held a box of CHOCOLATES and a kit to make a charming Valentine table runner! Very sweet!!

THANK YOU!!!

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These are my fabrics for Pat Sloan's Orange Project . I need to get some more 'range' in my oranges and pick just two other colors.

This project is so good for me since this year I am trying to be more creative instead of just following a pattern.

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I found a fun and easy tutorial for fabric covered magnets at JCasa Handmade's blog. There are numerous tutorials on her creative blog, but this one I could actually do with my son!

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Here are my feathered friends I made for Regina's Bird of Change Exchange.

I made five and will get five different ones back!

It's a glorfied version of a bird I came up with to use as gift toppers for my Christmas gifts as shown below.

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Here are some fabrics I picked up to make Market Bags by Portabello Pixie. I'm giving one away at my One World One Heart giveaway going on until February 11th. You can sign up HERE if you haven't already!

Be CREATVE!!

Labels: bird, exchange, fabric, gift topper, January, mail, market bag, OP, orange, Secret Sister, Sloan, swap, table runner, tutorial | 7 comments

Monday, January 5, 2009

Fun Swaps and Stuff

7:49 PM | Posted by Mel

You know I love a swap! Now that Christmas and New Year's is over, I don't have anything to stress about (ha-ha!) - so I went in search of some swaps! Creative Kismet is having a BIRD exchange! I'm excited about this since I just designed my own bird ornament to top Christmas gifts this year! Participants make 5 birds, send them to Regina then wait for her to send you back 5 different birds from other YOU can still join until January 9th! * * * * * * * * * * Valentine's hasn't been a favorite holiday of mine, probably since I

feel that love is forced or expected. I'm trying to change my attitude and I think a fun ValDay exchange might do the trick! This swap found at Bunch of Scrap's blog is a great one since you are assigned just one person to give three things to, home-made or not. I can do this, and I might feel some love while I'm at it! Sign up until Jan 9th.

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So where did I find all of these fun swaps? On the Swap Dex blog. There's tons of swaps that look like fun, but I can only do so much!

* * * * * * * * * * For the resolutionaly challenged like me, Tip Junkie is hosting a "Word for the Year 2009" giveaway. It's a great concept, you choose ONE word to live by during 2009. ONE word that sums up what you want out of 2009. ONE. I'm going to have to think on this a bit, but wanted to let you all know about it. ZEAL * SIMPLE * BREATHE * TRY * CREATE

Labels: bird, exchange, fun stuff, goals, holiday, original design, ornaments, swap, Valentine | 6 comments

Sunday, December 28, 2008

What did I give?

11:44 PM | Posted by Mel

Again - Glad you asked!

I try to make MOST of my gifts that I exchanged with friends. I prefer making them to buying because I think it shows them that I think they are worth the time I put into the gift!

This year I designed door hangers with the initials of the receivers. There is a yarn and button tassel on the bottom. My hope is that they will hang it somewhere where they are reminded to take time for themselves in what ever activity they enjoy best. Quilting, reading, knitting, creating, relaxing etc.

I made over 20 of them and enjoyed every one!

Another gift that I loved giving was an Ann Taintor 2009 Calendar. If you are not familiar with Ann's work, you NEED to go take a look! I absolutley LOVE her humor!!

She takes old advertisements and pairs them up with witty sayings. Some of my favorite are:

The secret ingredient is resentment

And to think, I'm only using one tenth of my brain

I love NOT camping

Maybe I like looking cheap

I picked up a few of these hard cased wallets at a boutique shop in SLC. They are great because they carry the necessary cards, but the hard cover prevents you from stuffing it full of needless stuff!

I hardly ever carry a purse, I usually just slip a wallet into my pocket and away I go.

Of all the gifts I gave, my favorite BY FAR is this dainty little set.

My artsy friend (via the blog) Tessa silk screened red ladies on some sanitary napkin bags and had them in her Etsy shop. Well, I had just purchased a yard of the brazier and undies fabric and thought the sanitary bags would make a perfect presentation of the fabric!

For my non-sewing friends (yes I do have a few!) I put in some chocolate!

I hope all that receive this think its as fun as I do!

Labels: art, chocolate, Christmas, door hanger, exchange, friends, gifts, unmetionable, witty | 12 comments