Kawaii Food Stuffie Swap

I took a little break from swaps, but I'm getting back into the swing of things. My new rule is to make sure I really want to do make the craft and not just think it sounds fun. I recently joined the swap Kawaii Food With Faces Stuffie. What is that you ask? Well basically, we had to make a stuffed creature that looked like a piece of food in the style of Japanese Super-cute (I made up that term).

The craft started out kind of a pain in the neck, but once I got into it I found it kind of fun. My partner wanted a strawberry, which I was thankful for because it was easier to tackle than a cupcake.

The berry is made from felt and I painted on black seeds. I used thread to make the smile, many pieces of felt to make the leaves, and a bit of elastic rope was used for the stem.

Swap: Old into New Swap! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

I created a new swap born from my need to purge my "savings". My Junk Savings that is.

So all you out there that haven't jumped on the swapping train yet - now is the time! Yes we can. (Oh man, I didn't just say that, did I?)

Old into New Swap! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

In this swap you will create a functional craft (something that can be used - not artwork) using recycled materials.

This means you will take fabric scraps, paper scraps, used mailing tubes, used boxes, string - whatever you want - and create a new, up-cycled craft for your partner. Just make sure the pieces you use are clean.

At least 75% of your craft should be made from reused materials, but of course you can use new glue, paint,stamps, stickers etc... and other new pieces if necessary.

Read your partner's profile for inspiration (maybe they like to cook and you can create a recipe box), but really this craft is coming from you, using your old materials, so you have the final say in what you create.

When you send your craft please include a note listing where the items used originally came from.

Because this is an involved swap I'm being strict on the requirements:

• INTERNATIONAL SWAP
  
• 4.8 or higher rating
• Zero "no sends"
• If you have a rating/no-send problem and want to join contact me and I will make a decision based on the circumstances.
• Newbies with no swaps under their belt are allowed to join only with a completed profile and must live in the United States.

Faux Bois Swap :: Sign Up!

Faux Bois (from the French for "false wood") refers to the artistic imitation of wood or wood grains in various media.

In this swap you will create and craft an object that highlights faux bois elements.

Try to create something that your partner would like or use - but in the end the most important thing is for you to enjoy crafting with faux bois.

Ideas:

* Photo frames
* Place mats
* Nesting boxes

Here are the details to join:

* Spend $10 or less on new materials
* To join you must have a rating of 4 or higher, and zero no-sends (if you feel you have been rating unfairly and would like to be considered please send me a message)
* This IS an international swap
* Your object must be handmade (of course, you may use store-bought materials)

For some inspiration take a look at this blog.

View these images

Faux bois can be created using contact paper, sculpture, carving, paint, stamps.... use your imagination!

Anchors Aweigh :: What I sent....

I am sending out my ATC's for the swap I hosted titled "Anchors Aweigh!"

I created these ATC's using some scrap papers, paint, glitter, ink, but mostly they were created from the security envelopes that I receive at work. Ever since I started collecting these security envelopes I have become slightly obsessed with finding ways to use them (see examples here and here). The patterns are pretty amazing.

"Anchors Aweigh" Swap :: Sign up!

Hey people! Wow, I have a serious swap problem. I just created a new swap on swap-bot.com for ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) with a nautical theme.

You should sign up so I have other people indulging in this fun addiction with me. Below is the low-down on this swap. It contains some swap-bot lingo so if you are confused just let me know. You have to create an account on swap-bot - but it's easy, don't let that turn you away.

For this ATC swap you will create one (1) ATC each for two (2) partners.

The theme of this ATC is "Anchors Aweigh" which is the song of the US Navy, but this swap theme can include anything nautical - sailboats, speedboats, anchors, US Navy, sailors, anchors....whatever you feel is a nautical.

Be careful not to make it patriotic themed if you go the US Navy route - that's not a bad thing, but we're going "simply nautical" for this ATC.

You can use collage, drawing, or whatever to create your ATC - no limits, but please put some thought & creativity into your card.

REQUIREMENTS:

This swap is open to all with a rating of 3.5 or higher and no no-sends within the past 3 months. Newbies are welcome with a full profile.

I will be banning anyone who doesn't meet the above requirements.

Please sign up only if you fully intend to follow through. Thanks!

New to ATCs? Please check out this http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html website for lots of good info!!

In general, ATCs (artist trading cards) are miniature works of ART. The size of the card must be 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches...the size of a baseball card. Just about any media may be used (paper, yarn, photos, magazine clippings, paint, pen, pencil, rubber stamping, fabric...)...mostly use your imagination! The card should be sturdy so don't use flimsy paper for the backing/background. Please send something to your partner that you would like to receive yourself.

Here is the swap link: http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/16608

My First Swap

Eeeek! I was on a Swap-Bot.com rampage yesterday and after signing up for a couple swaps I decided to also host a swap. I made one called "Cat Lovers ATC's". The participants will create two Artist Trading Cards featuring a cat of some kind (domestic or wild) and send one to each of his/her 2 partners. I swear, when I was typing the description for the swap I didn't even recognize my voice. I totally turned into the old lady who sits at home in her recliner wearing support hose and snacking on wet cat food while watching "Johnny Carson's replacement".

But whatever, I love cats. So sue me. So far 12 people have signed up - awesome! I love reading profiles on Swap-Bot. I get to "meet" sooooo many types of people that I would never normally meet in person. No matter how different someone is from me and the people I normally socialize with, I discover that they all have such interesting lives in their own way. It's really fun and awesome.

Swap: Punk Rock Gardening - what I got

So the ants are finally under control and I'm slowly putting my indoor garden back together. I have all but 3 plants back inside - hopefully I can salvage the ones still banished to the fire escape, but right now I still see ants frolicking on their leaves.

Anyway, now I can show you what one of my swap partners sent me for the Punk Rock Gardening swap. Willi Galloway sent me these three items:

• an adorable succulent - and one that I didn't have!
• Matchbook Garden (each "matchstick" has a seed on it and you just stick them into the soil.
• a stone she found in Mendocino County, CA (I have it in a potted plant right now, but I might try it out in a few other places and I might try planting something in the hole and see what happens).
  

Swap: Punk Rock Gardening

I recently did a swap through Modish called the Punk Rock Spring Gardening Swap. I had to send 3 garden related items to 2 people. It was really fun to pick out things and make things, and the swap I received was awesome (I'm still waiting for one more and then I'll post pictures of both).

One of my partners was nice enough to post pics of the items I sent her on her Flickr page.

• Sun catcher made from gold chain and an old cut glass chandelier drop
• Vintage French see packet
• One of my Garden Trinkets :: Little Birdie
  

http://flickr.com/photos/greenjewls/2528292219/

Swap: "Owl" ATC

Ah, yes, just doing some good old fashioned swapping. I realize it is a little weird, but that just makes me love swapping even more.

Abe is officially freaked out by me. He thinks I have lost my mind and threatens to put a parental block on our internet so I can't get on the swap-bot.com website. He says "Ryan, you are so busy, why are you doing this?" And I say "I'm so excited...I'm so excited...I'm...so scared!"

J/k. I actually say "Because it is hilarious. Duhhhh!" And then I dance around the kitchen with my ATC's and pick up my cat and talk about how he is going to live forever.

The theme of my most recent swap was "Owl" ATC. Here is the description as written by the host of the swap:

If you've noticed, owls are hanging around everywhere lately! I have become quite enamoured with the cute little hooters and really would love to do an ATC swap with just owls as the theme! I know this has probably been done fairly recently already, but I'm new and I want to participate too, so here it is! The rules: Newbies are, of course, welcome and I am going to ban recent no sends and any one with a rating lower than 4.3. This swap is international-so be aware that your partner may be out of the USA or your particular area! The only other rules are to include at least ONE owl on each of your cards. And please be creative--make cards that you are proud of!)! You will have two (2) partners and send two (2) ATCs to each of them for a total of four (4) ATCs.

And here are my finished products:

The ones on the left (above and below) are made mostly from a collage of security envelopes. I have started to keep all the security envelopes I get at work and every day I'm carrying a stack of them home. I am loving the patterns.

Swap: Once Upon a Time

So, I have kind of gotten addicted to online swaps. It started out innocently enough....I was reading the Modish blog and saw an post for a Punk Rock Garden Swap. You just have to mention the word "garden" to me and you pretty much have my undivided attention.

Anyway, this swap sounded pretty fun: This swap is openly defined: you will send 3 goodies for gardening loosely based on the theme: Punk Rock Garden. You should spend less than $5 on your package--which means thrift stores and DIY are a great way to go! Plus, a couple months ago I did the Sassy Apron Swap and got the best apron in the world so I am definitely feeling good about the whole thing.

Well, in order to sign up for the Garden Swap I had to create an account with Swap-Bot.com and from there I entered the under belly of online swapping. This is a very strange world. I have gathered that there are a lot of bossy people and a lot of people getting very angry over people who flake. I have also had to learn a new vocabulary. An "Angel" is someone who will make an extra swap for a person whose partner flaked on them. An "ATC" is an Artist Trading Card and these are a very popular item to swap. It's the size of a playing card and features some sort of artwork. ATC swaps are all theme-based.

So once I got going I seriously developed a problem and I think Abe was a little weirded out. But, I have to say, it has really gotten my creative juices flowing! It's nice to have an assignment so that I have to sit down and accomplish artwork on a regular basis.

Sooooo, without further ado, I present to you my first ATC swap. The theme was "Once Upon a Time...."

Front side

Back side
The one on the left is kind of like an enchanted forest vibe and the bird is 3-D (he is hanging by fishing line). The one of the right is inspired by Rapunzel. I used glitter. Woo hoo!