SWAPS!

                                This month I participated in two blog swaps.

First up is Holly's Dotty Swap. You can find Holly over at Cutie Pie Cottage sharing her adorable, vintage collectibles and crafts and the beautiful farm she lives on. As it turned out everyone in the swap had a partner except Holly, so I quickly volunteered to swap with one of my favorite bloggers.

Here's the adorable package that was delivered to me.

 And it's already cute even before I can see what's inside.

 Eeeek! How wonderful is this?!!! Holly sent one of her trademark Button Ball Garlands....I was so hoping she would.  ☺ and the sweetest little banner, makes me think Spring and ...

This sweet pink cup to fill with buttons and bobbles in my craft room.

I created three dotty crafts for Holly. I have used yo-yos as embelishments but never before have I stitched them together to make something, until I finished this table runner. Cutting the circles for the yo-yos, I started looking at the dotted selvedge edges and thinking of the crafts I've seen made with them. I had already saved some from other projects and decided I had enough for a potholder. I learned that you need to cut about 1/2" beyond the selvedge print to have room to sew together.   

One of my son's favorite snacks is crackers with Laughing Cow Cheese wedges. The cheese comes packed in a round cardboard box and every time I throw away an empty one, I try to think of some way to craft with it. So I was inspired to fill it with dotty bottlecap magnets. I covered the box with dotty paper and tucked 8 magnets inside.
Here's everthing wrapped up in glitter paper and dotty ribbon and sent off to Holly.

Viv, over at Viv's Whimsy had a Valentine heart swap. My partner was Kim at My Fairy Tale Cottage. Here's a pic of all the lovely goodies she sent to me, except for some chocolate that somehow disapeared before I got out the camera. The Love Banner Kim made is so pretty with pink roses (wallpaper, I think), glitter and tied with ribbon.

Here's what I sent to Kim. Home Is Where The Heart Is embroidered with sweet blubirds onto a tea towel

Felt hearts and penny circles, topped with buttons and stitched into a Valentine garland.

And an envelope filled with vintage Valentines printed and cut out for Kim to send to her sweeties. I also made a pretty cotton floral heart bookmark that somehow escaped the camera. I followed this tutorial at Sew Many Ways and these are really easy to make.

And after nearly 2 years, we have a new scanner and I can share a couple of my vintage paper collection with you.

Wishing everyone a sweet Valentine's Day!

Linking up to Sue's Rednesday.