Stitched with love

Sometimes you promise something to someone and it just doesn't happen. This pouch (as bag-in-bag, for toiletries or as pencil case) is made to fulfill such a promise. Promised over a year ago. I'll add some things to make it a true present and then it will be mailed. Finally. Feeling less guilty already.

How one thing leads to another

Valerie and I agreed on a swap long time ago, but only recently decided on a sending date. This totally lovely package (left picture) arrived last week. Lots of nice things. I especially love the vintage piece of embroidery, made by Valerie's grandmother. But the nicest outcome of this swap is that our 9-year-old daughters have started corresponding together. The first letter already fell in our mailbox and another one (picture on the right) is on its way to France (on this free printable stationary). The girls might even meet in the future since they are living not too far from our holiday home in the Limousin. Sweet way of expanding their worlds!

Sunny summer stuff

Today I put this wonderful linen with crochet runner on the table for lunch. And that was the moment I suddenly started to doubt whether I had wrote a post about the gifts I got from Jacqui. I knew I prepared the pictures... How could I forget? The presents were so beautiful! The table runner and the patchwork pillow case really were the best. So much work in it. The girls loved their sweets, writing paper en handcrafted lights. Jacqui, thanks for this great swap!

Nomadic mail

Kim, a Dutch girl living in Athens and one of the writers on The Hungry Nomad, travels a lot. The journeys are reflected in this fantastic package she sent me. The items were carefully wrapped. I love the photographs she attached to each present. Thank you, Kim! I received your envelope quite some time ago, but I was late sending mine back. Last week the package finally left for Greece. I hope it will arrive soon.

Long distance swap

Seeing the delivery-van stopping in front of our house always generates some excitement. What will it bring today? Last week it was a lovely parcel from Melbourne Australia. From Marisa. Opening the envelope I found several packages, beautifully wrapped in old maps. I should have taken pictures first, but my curiosity won. Above you see some of the sweet things Marisa send me. I really love the pouch made with African fabric! Thank you M!

Italian sweetness

When I had to pick a package at the post office, I thought it would be our new iron. What a happy surprise when it appeared to be Sol's package. Our plans to swap houses didn't work out, but the other swap did. The girls opened the box and found a lot of things they really liked. I had to collect the erasers (erasers are hot over here), Mexican bracelets, notebooks, lucky doll and the elephant keyring from their rooms when I wanted to take the picture above. I was more than happy with the 'leftovers' in the box! What I love most are the candle in a vintage cup and two fabric samples of her own design. Thank you, Sol! Good luck on your exams and I hope we can also do that other swap some day.

Beautiful blogworld

From my atelier on the third floor I can see the postman arriving. I always run down the stairs to see what mail he has for us. I love to see bubble envelopes with my name on it. Often embellished with tape, stamps or stickers. From fellow bloggers most of the time. Cotton time from Jo, swap return packages or spontanuous presents. Last week two envelopes arrived. The pretty pouch was made by secret santa Saskia from Zazozip. I will pay it forward! On the right you see Ipomea seeds harvested in Italy by Sara. She also made beautiful ceramic leave studs. Fortunately I recently started wearing earrings again! Girls, you're so sweet, thank you!

Swap surprise

This cute little christmas angel, made by Miranda, flew in my mailbox today. A surprise, because I had already forgotten about the mini-swap. Miranda was inspired by this tutorial from the Dutch Sisters. I love the idea that someone has made something especially for me. The other way around, it's really nice to put together a personal package for someone else. I should swap more. I want to swap more! So, anyone, from a far away country, interested in a swap? Mail me or leave a comment!

All swapped for calendula seeds

A beautiful rose hanger and a big paperclip with a crocheted flower from Evi, Belgium. Some self harvested sage seeds from Suzi, Denmark.  And a package from Helmi. We met when we were both invited to live-blog from the 'Textielmuseum'. She is so creative! I always get inspired when I visit her blog. Both the fabric and the little shrine hanger were screenprinted by her. Amazing. Thanks girls!

More minimail

Yes, yes, lucky me! This time a set of cheerful circus postcards from Sofie and a genourously filled package from Vera and her daughters. The drawing of talented Yara is not in the picture because it was already on my wall. What you do see is a beautiful crocheted necklace and a cute couple of earrings, all beautifully wrapped. Thnx again!

Approximately 11.30h

Curious as a child I'm waiting for the mail every day. Hooray for snailmail and mini-swaps! These four packages arrived yesterday. A beautiful felt baghanger made by Sonja, Very cute japanese stickers and chinese stamps from Susan, vintage paper goodies from Sandra and a very original blogheaderstyle heart from Paddy. All on my desk. Your mail made my day!

Mini swap?

When I'm taking a break from creative writing and preparing workshops I like to take on a small creative project to divert the mind. Strange that one creative thing can be a diversion of another one. But it's how it works for me. Like these stamps for the calendula-seed pockets. Who wants to swap a little bag of seeds for another small something? Just send me an e-mail with your name and address.

In the mailbox

A while ago I joined the Dutch group at Swapbot. And this is what I received in the first swap. Am I lucky! Roosje aka Catherine sent me the cute monster, little owls for my daughters and a beautiful button plus colouring book from this shop. But the best thing she sent me is the mini-museum in the picture on the right. She made the felt structure herself and filled it with cute things. I so enjoy looking at it and move the small objects around. Thank you, Catherine!

More balance, more confidence

Floor and I arranged a little swap. She has just opened her practice for Sensi-therapy 'Satijn' and wanted to order some stamps for it. But since I closed shop recently I suggested that we could do a swap. She gave me stones for my daughters, to bring out the best of their characters. For these stones I made cute little origami-pouches, following this tutorial.

Christmas present

A last minute christmas-swap. Ingrid from WoodWoolStool sent me this recycled wooden tree. What a beauty. It is going to stay in our house long after christmas. Check her site, because she makes fantastic stools with crocheted slipcovers. Those are on my wishlist for my daughters bedrooms.

Goodness

My blogfriend Jo from A Bit of This and a Bit of That sent me this fantastic package. We agreed to do a regular swap. She's sending me japanese magazines and I send her europian stuff in return. This time she added a felt christmas-ornament, a little game and some sweets for the kids. Thanks, Jo. From the magazine Cotton Time I used a guide to crochet this scraf for my daughter, in two shades of green. It is a bit 'granny', so I will have to add a big coloured button or something like that.

Very cute birdies

When I came home from work yesterday there was a surprise-package for me. Out of the box came these two plates for my daughters. Can you believe it, so beautiful! They are made by Anna Ruth from Knofje. Thanks, Anna Ruth, for this wonderful gift. The girls said that they want to eat from these plates every day. Luckily they are diswasher-safe :).

Kralorium

I would love to learn how to make glass beads. Look what an amazing results can be made. These beads are made by Dorith from Kralorium. We did a little swap. Se send these lovely beads and a set of extras. The frogs are for my girls. For myself I asked for these easter-beads. I think they will make perfect easter decorations in my tree.

Flora

Floortje and I agreed to do christmas-ornament-swap. These lovely items I received from her. Made with care and with nice details. Beautifully wrapped in red paper, in a transparent envelope with cute stickers stamped with a handmade stamp (I think). Look here, her pictures are better. Thank you Floor.



And this is what I sent her.

Work in progress

A few weeks ago I entered in the holiday ornament swap. Last years holiday swap was my first confrontation with the concept of swapping. But I was too late to join. This year I was looking forward to see it coming. Here are the prototypes of what I'm going to send. Stamping-business is so busy that I hardly find time to make the ten ornaments. But I have till the 10th of december to send them. Some people are quicker. Two days ago I received my first ornament.