Ponycat Swap Goodies!

Well apparently this week is going to be all about getting fun crafts in the mail because boy have I ever got some lovely handmade goods to share with you! Last week I showed you the wooden pendant necklace and felt fox pin I made for my craft swap with Carmila and I am thrilled to show you what I got in return! Take a peek at the amazing pile of crafts Carmila made:

Oh my was I ever spoiled! I can't decide which craft I like best but I am over the moon about each one, let's take a peek at each of them:

1. Felt Camera Pouch - I'm sure this one was a spin on Elycia's camera plush tutorial, but it is just perfect as a little purse! I love the blues and button details and am already using it to hold coins! Isn't it adorable?

2. Felt Ice Cream Cone Ring - Another teal beauty (my fave colour) with wonderful hand stitching detail. I really like the little heart on top and how it fits me perfectly. What are the chances? I guess Miss Carmila Ponycat is just that good!

3. Purple Knit Bow - This one was pinned to Carmila's business card and is so sweet. Although I have many failed attempts at knitting, I do love how the stitches look and have already worn my new bow in my hair. I'll have to take some pictures of my new hair experiments (since I'm growing it out and letting it go curly from time to time) and the purple jewel tone really plays up my redheaded-ness!

4. Amigurumi Bunny Necklace - I squeeled when I saw this one because he is just so cute!  The attention to detail is amazing and the darling scarf and button eyes are to die for! I'm in love. Take a closer look:

If this post doesn't convince you to follow Carmila's blog (and her awesome crafts) then I don't know what else would! She is one talented lady and I am so so happy to be the recipient of such thoughtful handmade goods! Yay! Once I get some of my consignment crafts whipped up (I've got some pretty large orders I've been hammering away on) I think I'll host my very own swap so you can join in on the fun too! What do you think? Aren't Carmila's swap presents awesome?

foxy!

Remember that fox pin I made last May when I went on my cruise? Well I decided I'd make a new fox head version of him and send it away to my craft swap partner with the wooden pendant I made! I am super pleased with how it turned out and think he is cuter than ever! Take a peek:


Isn't he sweet? I knew Carmila had a soft spot for foxes so I figured her own hand sewn brooch would be perfect for our swap! Here's a peek of him from the back:


I may need to make another one of these for myself because I think he would be just perfect on a cardigan for spring! Maybe I'll even make a few more and list them in the shop! As for the craft swap, I was happy to hear Carmila loved her new goodies and even did a post showing off the pin:


I even got my parcel in the mail too! I am over the moon about all the lovely goodies she made for me and just need to take some pictures to share them with you! Have you ever done a craft swap? Would anyone be interested in doing another if I held one?

Spring Art Card!

A few weeks ago I shared a link to Amanda's fourth art card swap and I thought I'd share my finished piece! I figured since I did a different technique in each of the last four ATCs I've made (check them out here) that I'd stitch this one. I went with the pinking sheer flowers pattern I've used on coffee sleeves and tea cozies in the past and made a tiny little wool felt card version. Take a peek:


Hooray! How springy! I am particularly pleased with how the little stitched dirt looks and really like the light green background. Here's a closer look:


Oh I just love quick little projects! Luckily spring is in full swing here in Victoria and the city is bursting with cherry blossoms, spring flowers, and greenery! It has even been nice and sunny these last few days making extra lovely. So what do you think of my ATC? You can check out the other entries on Amanda's blog (link) and I really hope my partner likes mine! I wonder which one I'll receive...

Stitch Swap Embroidery Hoop

At the beginning of the month I told you how I signed up to participate in Wild Olive's stitch swap and even though I've posted my finished piece on flickr, I thought I'd share it here as well! My partner said she liked geek crafts - so as a perfect match with geeky old me, I made her some love robots (robots are geeky right?):


I went with the traditional kate stitch style and used wool felt to give the robot bodies some colour. I love how the hearts seem to pop off of them and I stitched a little heart at the top to tie it all together. Here's a close up:


Aww - I sure hope she likes it! I've never done embroidery hoops before but I am totally and completely in love. I've done tons of stitching projects in the past and always make things out of them so it is pretty refreshing to just stitch one and leave it as that. I think I need to make a whole bunch of these to sell on etsy and at craft shows - just look at it in its 4" glory:


The only thing I was a little uncertain about was how to make it "ready to hang". I looked at some hoops I've bought in the past from and they simply glued the edges to the hoop to finish it off. After doing so, Wild Olive did a post on how to finish hoops (oops) with much better instructions, but alas - I think this does the job:


I kind of like how you get to see the inner workings of the piece too (maybe I just like that stuff). If you're interested in seeing what some of the other super talented stitchers did you should check out the flickr group Wild Olive has set up. Oh man are there some amazing embroidery hoops on there! I hope mine is good enough! So what do you think? Anyone else join in the swap?

It's that time again - Art Card Time!

Guess what? It's spring! No better way to celebrate than with your very own spring themed collectable art card right? I thought so. Amanda from Ulixis Crafts is hosting a great spring art card (ACEO - art cards, editions, and originals) exchange (version 4.0) and (of course) I'm signed up!


Hooray! If you're unfamiliar with art cards, not to worry - they're basically just a little piece of created art in 2.5 x 3.5" form! Easy enough right? So it's the perfect chance for you to create a little piece of something special to send off to a stranger from somewhere in the world and get your own collectable card in return! What fun! You've got until the 26th to sign up (so get on it and join in!). I totally love participating in these exchanges and can't wait to get started on this one! Here are the last cards I've made for ATC swaps:



Hehe! I really like experimenting with different techniques and media and already have a few ideas cooking for my spring card. So are you up for the challenge?

Swap Fail and Lindsay Win

About a month ago I signed up for Oh Strumpet's Valentine's Craft Swap. I was thrilled to meet a new crafty friend and exchange crafts in the mail! Unfortunately my partner totally crapped out on me. I emailed her twice and got one reply saying, "sorry I'm busy I'll email you later today." Yup, didn't happen...so no valentine craft swap for me. Alas.

I decided I would vicariously celebrate the Valentine swap with Lindsay since she was lucky enough to have a partner who was up for the swap (which makes me wonder why my partner signed up in the first place...)! Anyways, I heard all about the fun things Lindsay was going to make and to my surprise - I got a Valentine's parcel in the mail! Yay! Lindsay made an extra craft just for me and my failed swap! Take a peek:


Isn't that fabric beautiful? Are you wondering what it is? Take another look:


Yay! My very own machine washable reusable snack pouch! Isn't that brilliant? I love carrying almonds around with me in my purse and my little ziplocks always end up wearing out and spilling nuts everywhere. No more spilled nuts in my future! I've got a lovely cotton velcro pouch to hold them in. I think it is lined with diaper lining (or something with a little bit of stain and moisture resistance) to give it a bit more staying power. Ahha! How lovely! Lindsay also made some beyond wonderful rosemary and fig walnuts to snack on but I devoured those before giving them a chance to get at home in the pouch (and before I could take a picture). Isn't she the best? I certainly think so! So it turned into a wonderful Valentine's after all! Hooray! What are your plans for the day?

Swap Time!

Just in case you're terrified you won't be getting enough Valentine themed mail this year - it's time to sign up for Oh Strumpet's Valentine Craft Swap:


After participating in their spring swap (and loving it) I am stoked to join in for another one! All you need to do is head over to the Oh Strumpet's blog and leave a comment (then email Becky to confirm/give your email address) by this Friday (the 13th). Then you will be assigned a craft swap partner and you have until the 6th of February to get your craft in the mail! Sounds easy enough right? I think so!

I am thrilled to have met my last swap partner (and now pen pal) Robbie Lee and can't wait to make a new craft friend! If you aren't particularly creative, not to worry - you only need to make one craft for your swap partner and there are no rules so if you like knitting, painting, card making, sculpting, or what have you it is all fair game! Hooray! So who's in? Have participated before?

Crafty Peep Swap!

Remember back in April when I signed up to participate in Strumpet's Crumpet's Crafty Peep Swap? (No? Here's a link). Well I am a wee bit behind on sharing the awesome results of the swap (since I was away on the cruise when they arrived) but boy was my swap partner ever a sweetheart! I got paired up with the wonderfully talented RobbieLee from Chickiedee.com! She specializes in baby apparel but is switching over to all handmade goods for every member of the family! Just take a peek at the fun goodies RobbieLee sent me:


We emailed back and forth for a while to get to know eachother and RobbieLee made me some fun handmade accessories and a new little kitty for our household (since Fraser is allergic to cats and we can't get a live one). Isn't that adorable? What a thoughtful gift! She even embroidered my name on the back:


I really like her little chickiedee ribbon tags too! Now that she is my new penpal (which I am so very excited for by the way) I can ask her how she makes them too! What fun! Plus the hairband looks extra adorable (and teal is one of my fav colours) so Leslie will be happy to see me pull my hair back (she has been bugging me to show more face)! Double win!

I sent RobbieLee a fuscia felt flower pin like the one I made for brooch week as well as a polymer clay painted geometric pendant. I was thrilled to bits to find out she liked them and even did a blog post of her own thanking me and showing them off! What a great gal!

Man crafty swaps are fun! I've made my art cards for the two ATC exchanges I signed up for too so I'll be sure to show you how those turn out when I get the results! Fun! I'd love to arrange a craft swap some time if anyone would be interested. What do you think?