I figured out why I love swaps...

If you haven't noticed, most of the stuff I make seems to be destined for swaps. I thought about that, and figured out why.

I love to make stuff. I like to sew, I like to make jewellery, I like to try new techniques. But in true crafter style, I am a hypercritical perfectionist of my own work, so I HATE HATE HATE having to ever see it again! I can see every single little flaw, every single little mistake I ever made in the creation of the thing. I can see each missed stitch, I can see how I should have chosen that other fabric, I can see where that crease I accidently pressed in won't completely press back out. So I shove it to the bottom of my cupboard, and never look at it again.

The cute little bag here is a perfect example. Looks nice, right? Not all THAT homemade, etc, right? You would be happy to stick your money and lipstick in it, and take it out around town, right?? Not me. I can see the wrinkles I couldn't press out, I can see that I couldn't get my stupid presser foot around the zipper edge, cause I am still too much of a noob to know how to do that professionally, so I had to handstitch all around it, inside AND out; I can see where my stitching line wobbles, etc etc etc.

But, also in true crafter fashion, I LOVE other people's crafting, and totally appreciate the work that went into it, without minding any flaws whatsoever, because I know it just adds character! Solution: swap!! I get something nice from someone else, that I can appreciate, and love, and I get to make something, but never actually have to see it again!! :D It's a win-win situation!

Anybody remember Shrinky Dinks??

I recently rediscovered this stuff again. I am in love. I need to order the 50 pack from the Shrinky Dink website. There is some fricking awesome stuff out there made from this stuff. Way better than my little tries (made for yet another swap, coincidently.)

Blue October...

...is filling all corners of my Shuffle lately. Euphoric is a word a friend used to describe the dude's voice. I agree. Check them out HERE.

EVERYBODY knows who the REAL Dread Pirate Roberts is!!!

Yepp, another swap....Anybody who loves the Princess Bride is okay in my book!

Stole the idea off the net for the picture and words, and then handpainted, and covered in vinyl. I was so busy trying not to immortalize any fluff or threads or anything like that off the dump that is my sewing floor, that I forgot, and immortalized all it's wrinkly glory. Sheesh.

I smell gooooood....

A Christmas swap...I made yuuuummmyy sea salt and sugar scrubs, with cute little bead tassels. Salt is coconut and spice, sugar is something called Karma Rose. Whatever, they smell gooooood...

I also made a little Christmas card to go with it..

In return, she sent me the most awesome handmade, to die for, soaps:

I can't believe I had to give this away!!

I made this for a swap, and then when it was done, I had to pry it out of my fingers and ship it away! Wah!

I had this awesome Asian print scarf, with little gold highlights, just waiting for the perfect project. Well, the project came along, and I didn't know how perfect it was going to be til it was done, and by then it was too late to make another bag to send! I am soo going to regret this for years!

The black is an awesome organic linen, made from a half finished pair of pants a friend abandoned; the lining is the same red stripey stuff from the Sha Sha bag, the clasp is another huge red Cinnabar bead; and the pattern is all mine.

Boring to everybody else but me....

I made PJ pants. Plain, boring, old PJ pants. From scratch. As in, this is the first workable garment I have ever made with my newly acquired patterndrafting skills. Awesome.