Life in Color Photo

Okay so the swap sign ups are going great – 14 people signed up so far, and only one non-blogger. For those who didn’t see on the original post I opened up the swap for those without blogs (they will be swapping with each other). If you want to sign up do so by July 5th on the original post. Also I set up a category where all the swap info will be in one place.

Okay so to converse with your secret pal you’ll need a secret email address. This is really easy to set up. I used gmail, it’s easy, if you want an account email me and I’ll send you an invite.

-secretpal (at) gmail (dot) com has been taken for like a millennium, but you can add a number to that or come up with a totally random name (that’s what I did).
-go into settings (on gmail up on the top right)
-click the accounts tab and then look what it says under "send mail as" make sure that doesn’t show your name and if it does change your name to be secret pal. (I didn’t do this the first swap I was in, and even though I had a "secret" email, my name was still shown as the sender, oops!)

That’s basically it, and then you can comment on their blogs with that email address and they can’t find out who you are! Any questions?

And thanks for all the kind words about my place, I’m beyond excited.

 

Sign up now through July 5th – Please read through entire post for details!

Okay ladies, let’s do it. Let’s swap, let’s get super cool stuff. I know I said ten people, but I think I 9 is enough (but more would be even better so sign up!). So on with the rules:

-I don’t want this to be a "how much money can you spend" kinda thing in fact, I don’t think we should spend any (excepting postage of course). But I also don’t want this to be a "what kind of crap can I pawn off on this person" kinda thing. So here’s what I was thinking. Everyone who is signing up has a stash of goodies. Not just scrapbooking goodies, but cool vintage things, I’ve made a list of some cool things that could go in your box:

-left over fabric from a project
-weird labels you got at from that dusty box they have at work
-fifty sheets of your favorite type of patterned paper and you might just be able to spare one
-monopoly money, game cards, scrabble pieces
-letter stickers, rubons, chipboard letters that spell something out for your buddy
-origami paper folded into their likeness (or not)
-postcards from your collection
-sheet music from the concerto you have memorized
-packets of tags and doo dads
-one of each of the things in those cute little tins you have
-a few of your grandma’s buttons

(help us add to the list by leaving an idea in the comments section and I’ll post it up here)

(just got these Friday at a garage sale, and oh yes, I am playing the swap game!)

-Everything has to be wrapped up cute. I’ve found this is a must. Little notes on things that people send you are just the best ("this would look so cute with that picture of your dog" or "I know if anyone can make this cool it’s you"). You tiny little scraps of pattern paper look a lot cooler tucked into a big envelope with a note saying "possibilities."

-Absolutely anyone with a blog and a crafty sense of style is welcome to sign up. I didn’t know anything about the two people that started the swaps I’ve signed up for, but they both worked out great, and I think this will too. So yes, you need the blog. This is because your secret buddy will want to find out all about you in order to make you the coolest package possible. And when they are at a neat garage sale they can say, "hey blankety blank would like this!" Also if you smoke around all your crafty goodies please do not sign up because some people are very sensitive to those smells.

-So to sign up do two things: comment on this post so we can all see whose playing, and then email me at amberlee23 (at) hotmail (dot) com (replace the at and the dot with the actual thing, just did that to protect myself from spam, not like I could possibly get more than I do).

-By signing up you are saying that you will be cool, you will be fun,
and you will NOT BAIL. After signing up I will send you an email to confirm and have you answer some questions (would you send internationally, what’s your address, favorite color, etc.). You have to answer those questions and email me back to be confirmed. Once I have that list match ups will be sent out (hopefully by July 7th). You’ll want to make a "secret" email so that you can email your secret pal and find out more about them with out them knowing who you are.  Our boxes are going to be sent out by August 4th
(that’s a friday), so you’ll have about three weeks to gather stuff up for your buddy.

*edited to answer some questions: it’s a one time things, one box, the free priority mail boxes that are the flat rate size or one of the larger sizes would work well (7x7x6 or 12x12x8). I’ll make sure I post what I’m putting in my box, and if you all do that as well we can get a good idea of what to send each other.

*also a few blogless friends have pleaded with me a bit. And I’ve given in! If you are blogless and want to play just make sure you have a secret email address so you can get more information from your buddy. I’ll match up the blogless with the blogless and the bloggers with the bloggers.

Sign ups end July 5th! Sign up now and cool things will happen!

Okay so remember how I did that
Thank you Alice! I love it, yum, yum, yum! And I love Burt’s Bees, thanks!

So today I spent time getting together a box of goodies for Sarah, the winner of the roll-over contest.
Since Sarah doesn’t have a blog ("…who on earth would read about the ramblings of a 31 year old single funeral director.") I had her answer a series of questions to come up with a good batch of stuff to send her. I loved her answers:

I’ve been absolutely giddy since getting your e-mail yesterday.  I still can’t believe I won.  This is so exciting.

To answer your questions:

Favorite color:  Green

Word to describe me:  hmmm, this is a tough one….I’m so not girly, modern, or preppy…I’m just a country girl with a twist of weirdness…how’s that?

Favorite movie:  Hands down, Shawshank Redemption…lock me in a room and play it 24/7.   Forrest Gump runs a pretty close second.  I love to spontaneously quote either movie.

Crafty things:  There was once a time I cross stitched and then the paper arts took over.  My main hobby is scrapbooking but anything involving paper is cool…cards, stamping, art, anything.  If I give a gift, you can guarantee I’ve made the card, decorated the gift bag, or embellished the wrapping paper in some way, shape, or form.  I had the worst time trying to find blue and yellow decor for my bathroom.  Framed some scrapbook papers, made some funky paper/button flowers and framed them—voila!  Instant art.  I wish I could say that I sew or quilt or knit, but they will have to go on my list of some day.

Where have I traveled:  I’m hopelessly in love with the "north country."  I grew up in southern Minnesota, but long for northern Minnesota…trees, lakes, fresh air, mountains.  Love it.  My dream vacation was to Alaska in 2001. If I could, I would drop everything (and some days I’m tempted to) and move in a heart beat.  My next place to visit is Maine and Nova Scotia.

Kids:  None yet, but I have two nieces and one nephew who are mildly spoiled.  🙂

Furry animals:  None there either, although I dream of having a pug someday.  My work schedule is chaotic (to put it mildly) and it’s not fair to just leave them alone for 12-20 hours at a time, but maybe someday when the time allows.

Favorite candy:  I’m definitely a more salty then sweet gal, but give me some strawberry (or cherry) Twizzlers or peanut M&Ms and I’m in heaven.

I’m telling you people you want to play my games.

And of course I couldn’t show her everything so there are some hidden things in there as well. So this all got me to thinking, thinking about a super cool crafty swap. I can’t promise a super cool blinkie or anything (though there is this graphic designer I might be able to talk into making one), but it would be cool. See what I’m thinking is that people super awesome crafty chicks could sign up who had blogs (you know so we can all drool over the loot), and an excess of awesome supplies (please tell me I’m not the only one). I could randomly pair you up and you’d have a few weeks to get out a box to your buddy.

Just comment if you think that’s cool, and I’ll set up official sign ups if there are like at least 10 people.