Send A Little Love Swap 2017

The holidays are coming to an end and the house will soon feel bare when all the decorations and lights are taken down and safely stored in their boxes for another year and with a few more wintery months ahead of us here in the UK who fancies kicking off 2017 with a love swap.

The idea of this swap is to send 5 things to include :
Some sewing or yarny notions that have a love theme

Something heart shaped or themed

Something deliciously edible

Something handmade

Something red 

If you would like to see what I received and sent last year just click on the link below
Send A Little Love Swap 2016

This swap is open to both UK and overseas bloggers/Instagramers and readers of my blog

(you just need to have an email contact). 
I will be pairing bloggers with bloggers and Instagramers with Instgramers

If you would like to take part then please leave a comment on this post or on my Instagram post, letting me know if you wish to post UK, Europe or worldwide

Sign up by the Friday 6th January 2017

Swap partners will be posted on my blog/IG on Sunday 8th January 2017

Then it's up to you to make contact with your partner and get to know each other a little better, swap details and arrange a timescale.

Swap parcels need to arrive at their destination no later than Monday 13th February 2017 with an opening date of Tuesday 14th February 2017

I don't like the idea of rules for swaps so here are some handy guidelines ;-)

Swaps are supposed to be fun and a great way to use items/supplies you already have at home. Handmade is open to interpretation everyone's skills are different don't ever think that you can't because the chances are you can, as long as something has been made with love then I'm sure it will be appreciated by your partner.

I don't like to put a price limit on swaps but with postage costs at an all time high we can all appreciate a bit of thrifty spending.

Life sometimes has a habit of getting in the way of things, if for whatever reason (and you don't have to say why) you can't continue or need to delay sending out your swap then just let me or your swap partner know.

So that's the boring bit out of the way, if I have forgotten anything then please let me know and if you need any inspiration then there's always Pinterest!

As always I'll be pinning like crazy, I also have a secret swaps board so that I can keep some of my ideas hidden just in case my swap partner is peeping!

Please feel free to use the Send A Little Love Swap button and the link below to share the swap on your blogs/IG. Any questions just ask. 

http://madaboutbagsuk.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/send-little-love-swap-2017.html

  

Send A Little Love Swap - Part 2

I thought I would share with you what I sent to Edit and Maria as part of the Send A Little love Swap.

During our emails Edit told me she liked a more neutral colour scheme, pinks and browns and yellows.

I found this beige and cream heart ribbon at my local fabric shop and used it to pretty up Edit's parcel and she can also add it to her stash.

I bought this lace heart some time ago, I can't remember where from now, and it's been sitting waiting for just the right project, I stitched it on to some linen and made a simple fabric heart hanger.

I had these wooden heart button in my stash and thought that they would be ideal for Edit's more natural theme.

I found a wonderful cross stitch chart on Pinterest for these heart monogrammed letters and I used an off white and pale pink thread on some beige linen. 

I found the perfect pink heart fabric in my local fabric shop and using some beige spotty fabric and ruffle anglaise trim from my stash I made this pouch.

Edit likes to cross stitch little houses and has quite a growing village collection, I found a couple of February/Love inspired houses on Pinterest and printed them off for her to try.

I tried my hand at some decoupage and made a heart for Edit (and Maria - see below) I think I need a bit more patience with this craft as I think I was supposed to let each layer dry first before splodging on more mod podge and paper!

No parcel would be complete without some treats so I added some yummy chocolate hearts.

and some hand cream.

I know Edit is keen to join in some more swaps and I'm hoping to organise another one shortly but if you do know of any swaps that are running please pop over and let Edit know. 

I had a funny week with my crafting in the lead up to this swap. I spent some time looking through both Edit and Maria's blogs and pinning ideas on Pinterest but when it came down to the actual making I had a bit of a wobble. Every idea I started either didn't pan out the way I hoped or I made mistakes that couldn't be rectified. I got to point with Maria's where I had the fabric and the sewing machine but no idea what to make. And then it came to me a few days before the deadline for posting, a project bag with a free hand embroidery appliquéd sewing machine. Well I was like a whirling dervish, drawing templates, cutting out fabrics and whizzing around my machine with the darning foot a blur!!!

I'm still fairly new to this free hand embroidery malarky but I do love the effect it gives and it's very forgiving if you go a little off piste!!!

I think I might have to make myself one of these bags!

I found this hanging heart in Next and thought it perfect for Maria and this swap.

Life is definitely better with my blogging friends. 

Here is Maria's decoupage heart, my patience still wasn't well, quite patient enough even on this second attempt!!

I found these heart shaped containers in Hobby craft and filled them with heart shaped buttons, ribbons and chocolate. 

 I also added some treats for Maria, more chocolate hearts and some raspberry and blackberry bath goodies.

And finally I picked up this little wooden heart ruler on one of my charity shop trips - perfect for this swap.

I do love this swap as it's a great way to start the year. If you have any ideas for swaps or are thinking of holding your own swap please let me know. 

Send A Little Love Swap

I've managed to upload the photos again on my Send a Little love Swap post 

and I have added a linky tool to the post too so that you can all share your blog posts.

I'm really enjoying seeing all your wonderful parcels and I'm planning on organising another swap very soon.

http://madaboutbagsuk.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/send-little-love-swap.html

Send A Little Love Swap

Edited : Second time lucky with the photos, I think I will have to go back to only using the main computer for posting on my blog.

As today (last Sunday!) is officially the day of LOVE I thought I would share with you the two wonderful parcels that I received as part of my Send A Little Love Swap.

I was partnered with Edit from Edige. And this is what she sent me

A beautiful card with the Hungarian word : with love

A pretty red zippered pouch with lilac polka dot lining

This cathedral window pincushion in shades of grey with a big red heart button. A quilting method I would love to try. Edit's stitching is so neat.

Some delicious Hungarian chocolate -all gone now!

Some heart buttons and ribbon.

And a heart cookie cutter and a very cute tiny red scoop with Hungarian folk art.

Thank you Edit for being such a wonderful and talented swap partner I loved all my gifts.

******

I was also partnered with Maria from Dotty's Daughter, Maria and I have found we have a lot in common during our emails back and forth.

Here is what was in Maria's parcel for me, lots of pretty packages.

With heart labels,

and heart pegs.

And inside a gorgeous red spotty pincushion. I love the layered details.

This pretty lavender hanger.

A lacy bookmark with padded heart and beaded pin.

Hanging hearts, a love sign and peg hearts.

Which look lovely on my twiggy tree

Hearts shaped candles

Love hearts and chocolate hearts - enjoyed by all the family.

This little sign is actually an emery board but I think far to nice to use on my nails!

And some pretty pink love ribbon.

Thank you Maria for all my wonderful gifts, they are so beautifully made and I'm definitely feeling the love this weekend!

I hope you have all enjoyed the Send A Little Love Swap. I've added a linky so you can share your Send A Little Love Swap blog posts, and if you are on Instagram you can use the hashtag #sendalittleloveswap.

Send A Little Love Swap Partners

My apologies everyone for not posting the swap partners list but we are having major problems with our internet connection at the moment and I haven't been able to get on line. I'm trying to make the most of the few times when we actually have a connection to post the list. an engineer is due out in the next couple of days so fingers crossed we should be fully back on line. It really makes me realise how much we rely on the internet for everything from shopping, banking and keeping in touch. the teenagers think it's the end of the world!!!

Right enough babbling, let's get down to posting the swap partners

There are 21 of us taking part (I have two partners to make up the numbers)

Fat Dormouse getting thinner and Felt by Rae

Indigo Blue and Stephanie (My Calicoheart)

Joy (Daisy Row) and Jo (Jo@wholepotoflove)

Christals Creations and Debbie  (Busy Little Chicken)

Edige and Me

Ellie Foster (Feltabulous) and Linny (no blog) 

Kimberley and Mad About Craft

Tracy G (Sunny Corner Farm) and Pat's Patch

Winnibriggs and Debbie (Fairy Bluebell's Craft Adventure)

Me and Maria (Dotty's Daughter)

Melanie (The Patchwork Robin) and Glenda (no blog)

Phew!! the internet stayed on long enough for me to add all the links, Melanie and Ellie I have contact emails for Linny and Glenda and will send them to you shortly.

please make contact with your partners and get to know each.

Any problems or if I have missed anything please let me know.

If you need a little reminder of the guidelines then pop over to the Send a Little Love Swap post.

Happy Swapping 

Send a Little Love Swap 2016

I'm getting 2016 off to a good start with some swaps

First up is my very own

Send A little Love Swap, now in it's third year

The idea of this swap is to send a minimum of 5 things to include

Something heart shaped or themed

Something deliciously edible

Something handmade

Something red

This swap is open to both UK and overseas bloggers and readers of my blog

(you just need to have an email contact)

If you would like to take part then please leave a comment on this post,

letting me know if you wish to post UK or worldwide

Sign up by the Friday 8th January 2016

Swap partners will be posted on my blog on Sunday 10th January 2016

Then it's up to you to make contact with your partner and get to know each other a little better, swap details and arrange a timescale.

Swap parcels need to arrive at their destination no later than Saturday 13th February 2016

I don't like the idea of rules for swaps so here are some handy guidelines ;-)

Swaps are supposed to be fun and a great way to use items/supplies you already have at home, 

Handmade is open to interpretation everyone's skills are different don't ever think that you can't because the chances are you can, as long as something has been made with love then I'm sure it will be appreciated by your partner

I don't like to put a price limit on swaps but with postage costs at an all time high we can all appreciate a bit of thrifty spending

Life sometimes has a habit of getting in the way of things, if for whatever reason (and you don't have to say why) you can't continue or need to delay sending out your swap then just let me or your swap partner know

So that's the boring bit out of the way if I have forgotten anything then please let me know and if you need any inspiration then there's always Pinterest!

As always I'll be pinning like crazy, I also have a secret swaps board so that I can keep some of my ideas hidden just in case my swap partner is peeping!

Please feel free to use the Send A Little Love Swap button to share the swap on your blogs  

Send A little Love Swap

Happy Valentines Day!!!

I hope you have all received your "Send A Little Love Swap" parcels, I have already seen a couple of posts sharing what has been sent and received and they all look fab!

We don't do Valentine's Day as a couple, Mr Mad About Bags tells and shows me he loves me every day but I do always like to receive happy mail in the post from far flung places.

My swap partner for the send a little love swap was Angela from Pretty Little Things in a Box and my parcel came all the way from Singapore.

Lots of colourful stamps, and inside were all these gorgeous things. 

I love the beading detail on the edge of my crochet heart.

pretty Russian doll fabric

A lovely pin brooch with felted heart.

a needle felting kit which I can't wait to try as it's been on my list of crafts to try,

a heart stamp, some fuchsia pink lace and some pretty heart motifs.

I do love this hand printed tag that Angela made too with its little crochet heart embellishment. I would love to try out some stamping but I haven't a clue where to start, so any pointers would be gratefully received.

As usual in my rush to send my parcel off I only took a few photos, so I'm hoping that Angela might have a few more photos of what I made and sent to her on her blog.

Angela told me that she loved fairies and I found this pretty fairy fabric in my stash and made this project/lunch bag for Angela using a tutorial I found on Pinterest.

I did add some more things to angela's parcel but completely forgot to photograph them, they included a heart cross stitch kit and a hedgehog cross stitch chart.

I hope you all enjoyed the Send A Little Love Swap and thank you to everyone that took part and a BIG thank you to Angela for being some a lovely and generous swap partner.

You can add your Send A Little Love Swap link to the list below xx