Spring Swap

When I read that one of my favourite blogs, Sewing In No Mans Land was holding a Spring Swap I just had to join in!

It was also open to international participants...so that suited me perfectly!
We were asked to "get creative!" A spring gift for a new friend.

I definitely wanted to swap with someone from overseas. I thought why not? What is more fun than finding a package in your letterbox all the way from across the waves? (insert excited silly clapping dance here)

And to give our swap partner a head start, we were asked to provide 3 words which would describe our perfect swap gift...

The 3 words I provided my partner with were...green, vintage and spots.

And the 3 words that my swap partner provided me with were...vintage, beachy and crisp.

So this is what I came up with. And I must say I had SO much fun doing it.

• vintage I went to my local charity shop and found a gorgeous vintage handmade doily. Which after a little soak in some bleach and water, looked as good as new. (And I really hope my swap partner loves it as much as I do)
• beachy Well I must say this one sung to me. Beachy tones in the use of natural linen and some shells that I found at my favourite beach, strung up on some twine, which could be used as a room decoration just hanging from a nail or strung onto the end of a curtain rod
• crisp to me natural linen evokes the feel of crispness. So I teamed the natural linen with some lovely crisp cotton fabric which was sunny yellow with white spots. I used this as the lining to the little satchel I made which contains a little notepad and fun pen from one of my favourite stationary stores kikki-k. And then used a vintage button and natural cotton to make a closure.I also made two linen coasters for my swap partner. I am not really a coaster user, but always use one in the studio, so I thought my partner may want one in hers too. And then I added a little Nanny Kate storm cloud brooch...well why not? ;)

I will keep you posted on what arrives in the post for me...and no, I haven't forgotten to update you on the progress of the new studio.
It is up and running now, but am still sorting where everything goes. When I have finished, I will take some photos and post them up here for you, they have to be pretty of course ;)


x manda