vacation in a box and apron swapping!

this ones kind of long.. but then you have lots of time to listen to this pretty song!
I just have so much to show on this entry.. Im starting this at 7:30 in the morning and I know I wont be able to finish it till I come home from work tonight!! damn work gets in the way of my fun all the time!!! OH well.. I'm sure most everyone I know feels that way about going to work.. I actually have a good job that I really like .. but I also really like staying home puttering, cleaning, cooking and most of all...creating things!

Lets see... I have my vacation in a box to tell you about and show you some beautiful things I received from the fabulous Ele. I also need to tell you about the "vintage apron swap" and how I received the most AWESOME package yesterday, and that I'm sure my partner wishes she didnt end up with me for a partner.. lets just say I dont think my apron even begins to compare to the wonderful things she sent me! but I'm going to make her something special now as a thank you giftie. I might also have a couple other little things to show.

So I will begin with my VACATION IN A BOX!! My partner was Ele at a bit of pink heaven. Ele is a very creative and talented girl and she was the perfect partner for me.. both Ele and I wanted a beach vacation.. (would you have guessed that about me??) Anyways..she took me to a wonderful beach, full of seashells and whimsy! I was about squealing with delight when I opened her packages! first of all she wrapped everything so nicely and even her ribbons and little flowery trims were special! here are the pics which dont do her things justice.. I suggest when youre done here, you pop over to her site and look at the pics she took.. they are much better then mine! Look at this wonderful stuff! paper lanterns, a seashell dish, candles coconut bath gel, citrusy bath fizzies, a sweet little vacation frame a wonderul picture of a girl on the beach! and two very special pieces , a sweet box that Ele made and also the spoon that she wired precious beach glass colored beads and seashells on to. LOVE IT ALL.. I do!!

Then there is all these other goodies too.. a beautiful seashell frame, and a wonderful little ball of shells!

Here is a closer look at the sweet box! I love it, see the little seashell and the wonderful ribbons! and the next picture down is what was in the box,

wonderful pink and glittered starfish!! Love them!

I think if you click on this spoon you can see the detail on a larger scale! its is so pretty. I have it sitting above my kitchen sink so I can look at it!Thanks again so much to Ele! I loved my vacation in a box! I had been to the beach the day the package came and actually was in my bathing suit when I opened the gifts! how perfect was that!!

Here is a picture of the things I sent her.. I too, tried to send her to the beach! I made her a sweet little desk top sandbox to play in, with a minature chair and umbrella and a little rake to play in the sand . I have one similiar at work that I play in while i'm on the phone! I sent her a beachy pinkeep.. (Which Ive had posted here already a few posts ago), seashells, a beachy charm bracelet, some beach themed cards, teabag holders, a little mermaid ornament, fish candy and saltwater taffy! I think she loved her vacation in a box as much as I loved mine! we were perfect partners! Thank you kai for hosting such a fun swap!!

OK.. next on the agenda.. the VINTAGE apron swap hosted by the marvelous MICA!( of garboodles!) and again I had the best partner ever. My partner was Lydia of "lydia oh lydia art"! She is a sweetie.. I LOVE my apron and she also made me sweet dish towels to match and then a sweet little bonus gift, she made these precious tags and magnets with pictures that she altered off my flickr site.. I ADORE them and lydia too!! Thank you soo much LYdia!

look at these sweet towels!!

And do click on these and see them in the large setting! they are so funny!

Now, I know Lydia is too nice to complain, but I have a confession to make about the package that I sent her.. it is no where as wonderful as the one she sent me. first of all, I missed the boat when the swap said VINTAGE.. ummm I thought I was doing vintage,, but my brain was warped.. My daughter says I went country.. oh blah! shes right I did.. and not only that, its a good thing I make small bears and tiny things.. I dont do too well at machine sewing .. and I didnt use a pattern.. I just made up the apron... ehhh!!! ( I should have gotten a pattern!) well, all I can say, is I'm sending something special to lydia as soon as I can! She deserves something very sweet! I do have to say that I had fun making it.. just didnt really know what the heck I was doing! Heres a little peek at her package.

I should probably stick to dolls and bears and puddy tats!

I'm freezing.. im closing the door and putting slippers on! when Jen gets home we're going to buffalo stamps ( about an hour away!) to look at the new halloween papers!! oh yes.. we love to waste very expensive gas! Although, is it a waste if were enjoying ourselves? of course not! it just depends on how you look at it! For now.. I need to go cook some fried chicken!! or not.. he just said he wants hotdogs... (Yes! easier!)

see yas later!