Garlands and stockings Swaps ~ all finished.

I have taken part in a few swaps this year and have thoroughly enjoyed them all. Though to some it may seem quite daft to spend so much time making and sending out swaps to complete strangers. I've found it to be a great pleasure to be giving and then receiving and it has given me a chance to push my creativeness into area's I may not have wandered before. I am predominantly a textile artist but seem to have found myself working quite comfortably in the paper and altered art collage arena....... I love it!

I have just completed a garland for the Ga Ga Garlands Swap at Simply mein. Tamy the host is my partner and the brief was HO HO HO ...... so :)))

I found some of my most favoured vintage Christmas cards , took images and made a collage for each banner , I decided the theme was ~ The Night before Christmas ~

Of course it was a complete glitter fest! Not one bit of sewing

Then from paper back to sewing again I created this Christmas stocking.

for the Vintage Christmas stocking swap and we had what you might call a tag swap, one person sends to me I send to the next person and so on. Lucky for me the lady sending to me was no other than the host herself - Mary Ann at Follow your Bliss

I sent off a stocking to a lady in the USA on flickr - this is it. She loves art deco so staying well clear of all the lace and frou frou I might have used I decided to use some antique crazy patchwork for a cone pocket instead.
I ironed some image transfer of vintage cards on to heavy old french linen and highlighted the pictures with glitter then added an art deco rhinestone twinkle to decorate (I've got to have the bling).
Hope Jennifer likes it.

Well Mary Ann the host sent me a wonderful stocking packed to bursting!
This is what came in from her. Look at that doodle below delivered on my swap package. It's adorable!


She filled that stocking to the rim and I couldn't wait to get stuck in. Look at the gorgeous blue colours and the wrapping, gauzy bags, beautiful glitzy net!

and what she gave me left me on cloud nine. Bling, bling treasures and millinery!
Look at this pin cushion soooo cute!
A beautifully decorated matchbox decorated inside and out, filled to the brim with lots of great stuff that I can use in my creations.

Chocolate - I've eaten it:) and some Christmas coffee to try as well, sweet smelling candle, cute figurine and these lovely vintage cards!

Thank you Mary Ann for going to the trouble of organising the swap and for sending me such a gorgeous parcel of goodies. I thoroughly enjoyed opening it all, even though I should have been saving it for Christmas:)