Buttons that need poking...

Thought I would link this curious little thing tonight. Its 2.30am and Im awake, browsing through the pretty things other people have been swapping, Slap me I should be sleeping. Hey-ho. I thought this small match box was a subtly very nice object to recieve. Made by swapbot user: Gem
Ive never had much of a thing for buttons really. Ive got a jar of them around the room somewhere, they are like the beads of clothing, so the ones I have I sort of have lurking about for occasional curiosity and pokeing purposes. Call me weird but poking buttons is fun. I really hope Gem's partner enjoys poking these pretty buttons when she recieves this part of the Matchbox Mafia "Box O' Buttons" group swap, that blue one seems to call to me.
Theres another photo here it has a little strange man with it too. He is apparently from a Nervourness swap where the little people (hand carved figures) migrate around the world. Go and have a nosey at those here.

Cake. It had Cake in it!

The post today mysteriously arrived in two halves. One with the regular post man (an ossum tag already written about), the other proberbly with the second post, was a package. The knock at the door scared the poo out of me. It was all quiet. then BANG BANG BANG!
Anyways I got a package, woot.
This was the one that arrived two days ago only I missed it because I was in the bath, and when Id lept out towl around me, the post man was gone, I mean not half way down the street, gone. Like he'd cheesed it the moment he knocked on the door or something.
At first I was hmmm. this is an odd shaped box. opened it up and bwahh. it blew me away inside was a birthday card (unused so I could write in it), a bit of cool looking card and a wrapped up gift (it had cupcake wrapping paper, how amazing is that?). checking to be sure. yep this package was meant for me. Infact it was part of a swap from the group British Birds (a fairly crazy bunch of Uk only swappers over on the Bot, lovelly people).
Sam one of the users there had convinced me to sign up and try the British Birds Birthday Swap via. the Swapbot Chatroom. I was like ok. Since I dont usually spend alot of time in group, I checked in and thought well what the hey give it a go. Having sent my swap last week, it was only a matter of time before this wonderful array of birthday goodies arrived.
Best of all. Inside the wrapped up gift was the best felt cupcake ever. well possibly not but my partner Boatingbelle made the first one I have ever actually held in my hand, Im so smitten with it. Its sat next to the Mac right now while I write this.

The best thing about it is. I think it really has made me want to have a go at making stuffies again. I know I am terrible at sewing but, well it does take someone really good to inspire the rest right?

Tags In the Post

Sometimes you get a tag, and its literally down to the letter of the word the person who listed it said it would be, two pens, exactly two pens, no more no less. 4 memo books. Its just that 4 memo books, not one page less.
Well this morning I happened to recieve a tag from Swapbot user dreammer Ive had a tag from dreammer in the past. And it was wonderful then, I thought hey. Im feeling a bit blue today I'll tag with a user I know wont let me down. Its been a few weeks now and after a bit of pacients this wonderful package arrived. (I believe it was a pick two tag from the Cheap Postage Swaps, Tags and Fun group that I am part of, I only picked a baggie of fibres and paper scraps. GOSH!).

Match Boxes of Love

Love is in the air. Well its not yet. As with most mail oriented things, if you want Valentines themed things for Valentines, you have to be organizing them at least a month in advance. Just to be sure that extra special themed swap thats being shipped from France, makes its way to Florida on time.
So its no surprize Ive found a couple of pictures from Swapbot user Emsan's flickr gallery that are the perfect example of a swapbotter getting their swaps out on time, and really early for this coming Valentine. I have to admit, this swap really caught my eye. Red is a very striking colour and gosh theres alot of it with this little match box (woot), its there to catch your eye, Neo didnt notice the lady in purple standing next to the one in red in the matrix for a reason. (and hopefully he wasnt looking down her top, if he was that kind of negates my point).
And of course I was wondering, just how is that all gonna fit in one tiny match box. Answer. it isnt. theres a cute pink bag to save it all in too. Thats a really thoughtful swap, not just box in envie with little twiddly bits, but box, in bag with cool thingy-me's and then in Envie.

Go and have a look for yourself - here, here and here

The Morning Post

Woke this morning, around 11am, mostly by a large thump on the wooden floor down stairs, A thump like that, it can only mean one of two things. As when that happens. a Junk mail bomb just exploded down there, or another wonderful package had arrived from a swapbotter.
To my luck. it wasnt junk mail. Infact it was a swapbot package for me.
I am glad this is the first swap I get to talk about too. Because this wasnt just any old package for me. This was an envie sent to me by Lullabye123 (from swapbot) not as a trade but angelling* me for an unsent packet from not just one of my partners but both of them. One of them being the notorius AuntieM. The swap was one of the first I started on the site way back in November ( Worry Stone Swap ). Only had two sign ups. Terrible luck they both were flakers.
Either way, as you can see in the picture Lullabye sent a lovely little package with three pretty stones, Im currently playing with the Jasper one, that stone seemed to call out to me the most out of the three, though I think the Moonstone shall be going in my coat pocket. It was really nice to open an envelope and have three smaller envelopes inside with little descriptions on them, its like presents, but with ingredient lists ontop. It made me smile. The perfect Angel.


*To Angel: if you get angelled by a swapper. This means you were one of the unlucky few who had a flaker (someone who didnt send out to you there part of a swap). Someone else who isnt in the swap, is kind enough to angel you, they send you a small tid bit, to try and make you feel better about what happened. Angel's arent to be expected for every swap you get flaked on. Just the rare one or two.

Starting out.. Hopes for the blog.

Welcome.
Best get this blog started with a first post then. Not sure what really to say. Im gonna go post on the swap-bot forum after writing this and advertise mwr!
Im hoping for support for the blog, because the idea is simply to show off work by the crafters on the site, I dont take credit at all for the stuff given infact, I am hoping to flaunt some pretty fine stuff and get more credit given to them that are putting a bit of elbow work into making some ossum stuff.
Maybe also this will encourage more Flickr pictures being submitted by the swappers there. I really hope that happens, I love looking at what swaps are out there, what folks are making, I find it really inspiring when I make my work. And I assume I am not alone in that aspect of it too. Im really hoping the idea isnt shot down. I know theres some pretty upset folks there who vent on the forum, bless em.
Ive not got a set time for posting here yet, so keep checking back, Im going to keep running through things when I get a spare moment. *gets excited* this review thing, its new and shiney and exciting.