way back in early march - i joined a swap hosted by the speckled egg . it was late winter - i felt i needed to stretch my creativity a bit - and hurriedly begged to join - as popular swaps fill up fast!! plus - whats not to love about a bird/nesting theme swap!
heather matched up swappers - and the fun began! our group began email and getting to know each other almost immediately...we all caught up the others blogs and s-i suppose they like me began contemplating how to go about this little swap!
there were three general rules: the theme would be vintage or vintage related items - bird, nest, egg nature. the contents would fit into a large sliding box matchbox. they had to be sent out april 7. one month!
i thought - i could do that! probably my biggest challenge was finding the crazy boxes!! i knew where to get them in the u.s. - here in canada i had to dig a little deeper!
our group was an interesting mix! two canadian girls - and two american girls living in foreign countries (me- of course in canada, cathy in belgium)
of course - living in different countries - we had to wait for the mail to arrive - but its kind of like waiting for christmas!
first to arrive was a sweet little box from nerina
i love that chickadee stamped card to greet me..and a tiny initial charm... you are going to start seeing a trend among this group of us... i found we had many overlapping similarities!! great minds must think alike!! i had made little resin initial charms - from vintage dictionary snippets.
i think all of us included vintage buttons into our boxes....oh how i love old buttons!! nerina's box was full of whimsy - right down to the blue pom pom chickee!!
see those floral flowers punched from old pattern tissue...and i had punched out butterflies and dragonflies from an old poetry book! (featured in a previous post!)
next came sasha's box! she actually found matchboxes with red birds on them!! her sweet box came as a little nest with goodies hidden inside!
sasha is a charm bracelet girl! and so she graced all of us with her custom creation...vintage coins, pearls, little pebbles and eggs... it is wonderful! and i had the idea in my box to include things one could 'charm' with..even a charm made with this specific nesting swap logo!
finally! the last little box with the longest voyage -( at least it beat the volcano!!) arrived from cathy in belgium. filled with little treasures - mostly vintage - from europe! a sweet little french postcard, glass beads from egypt, bits of paper, sparklies, button; very birdie and egg shell blue themed.
even a sewn paper envelope..you see what i mean by a common thread among us!
i dont want this post to become long and cumbersome - but i also want to showcase these gifts and labors of love and give them the credit they are due. i have been inspired. felt love and friendship. even awed at the kindness of those who doesnt even know me!!
so now what...? i have showcased these little boxes on a shelf in my living room - so i see them throughout the day! and i want to be reminded of a treasured opportunity. i am going to take a few items from each box and make a little paper journal... and take buttons from each and make a special swappin' memento bracelet - to wear with sashas!! i'll be blinging!!
thank you nesting buddies! next time i swap - i want to swap with you!!