Inside My Hideaway

Shop update!

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Here are a few new things I've added to my Etsy shop:

Aqua blue daisy brooch

I'm working on a few other things; it's been so cloudy/rainy lately that it's been a struggle to get good photos. But hopefully, I'll be able to list them at some point this week.

What are you guys making?

Today's Finds

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:47:00 +0000

One of the reasons I started this blog years ago was to share and help promote fellow artists, handmade and vintage sellers, and indie shops. The blog world can be a cliquey place, and some of the largest blogs tend to stick to their favorites (or sponsors paying to be featured) and ignore a world of awesomeness out there. So I'm going to get back to featuring more of my favorite finds on a regular basis. If you're a fan of Instant Art Collection, I'll still be doing those too, just intermixed with other handmade objects and vintage things. So without further ado, here are today's finds:

Postcard from typescale

Ombre silk shirt from xsilk

Vintage industrial lamp from EarthSeaWarrior

Porcelain bottle vases from Foekje Fleur

Golden wool felt coasters from Cotton & Flax

What better way to start off the weekend, right? xo, Mary

New Things, Blue Things, and Old Things Too

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:59:00 +0000

We are still making little improvements on the house, one room at a time, while sticking to our fairly small budget. We've made one big purchase, a chair for the living room, which I'll blog about when it arrives. In the meantime, here are a few glimpses of progress.

We finally got around to hanging our prints from Elsa Mora in the little blue room. We still aren't sure what to call this room. Sometimes, it's "the library" because the opposite two walls are lined with overflowing bookcases. And sometimes, it's just the "blue room."

We aren't finished in here yet. I will probably change that table, as it's too traditional for my taste right next to the very old rocking chair, which came from my great grandparent's house (or possibly older?) so obviously, the chair stays. Actually, the table came from my grandmother's house and is probably old as well, but not "family heirloom" old. I might try to find another place in the house for it. It's challenging to mix family pieces in with more modern furniture, which is really more my style, while also incorporating little treasures picked up here and there. But I think we're doing ok so far. (Designing was so much easier in school when I could make a space from scratch, without history and attachment.)

That little elephant on the table came from India. A friend of Peter's brought it back for him a few years ago (she is Vietnamese and married an Indian man...they went to India on their honeymoon to visit his family). I believe elephants are good luck in India if their trunks are up, like this little guy. Someone told me that in India they have festivals to honor the Hindu god Ganesha, the elephant god, to bring about good fortune. I love to hear about traditions like that.

If you'd like to see detail shots of these prints and read more about them, I wrote about them here.

A couple of new pieces of pottery (bought several months ago at a vintage shop) lined up with other older things on our entryway table. The two on the far right came from a trip to Spain about seven or eight years ago. The one with the dandelion in the middle was a birthday gift (several years ago) from Peter, bought in a local shop in Arlington that's now closed. We were sad to see it go because the owner (a Japanese man from San Francisco who we got to know a bit) stocked great art, housewares, all sorts of stuff in a tiny shoebox-sized store. He was here in northern Virginia to take care of his ailing mother, and he would skype every afternoon on a laptop in the store with his daughter back in SF. She was really cute.

We used to know a lot of shop owners and restaurant workers in our old neighborhood, which is something I miss. Many of them are gone now, and we are too, moved further out to the suburbs where there's less of a "this is my block" kind of feeling...but I digress.

Here are the two recent additions: tiny little mid-century vessels that are so cute, don't you think? I kept carrying them around the store while I tried to convince myself not to buy them. After all, we have too many pieces still packed away and not enough places to display them. But there was no avoiding it; they had to come home with me.

I love that they are very different pieces but both have the same opening.

I also moved some things around on the mantel, but for some reason, I only took a photo of this side. So anyway, here are things you've seen before just rearranged. I love those silhouettes.

Last, but not least, is the new bistro set for the patio. Peter wasn't sold on buying a bistro set, but the bright, modern blue color won him over. It's such a good color! Also, the price could not be beat (I think the whole set was on sale for $87 from Target). Plus, they are very heavy, solid pieces; I'm guessing each chair probably weighs 20 lbs. They fold flat for storage, though because they are so heavy, I think they'll be fine left out in all but the most severe of storms. And the powder-coated steel is weather-proof and requires no maintenance (music to my lazy ears).

So, that's the progress for now. Hopefully, I'll have another progress post in a couple of weeks!

Flickr Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Fri, 10 May 2013 17:39:00 +0000

(Click on images to go directly to sources.)

Happy weekend, everyone. xo, Mary

Scenes from Life + New Prints

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Wed, 08 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

We've had rain for days, and I'm being unabashedly pouty about it. I know rain is necessary for plants or something, but I don't like it and I'm not apologizing. ;)

I've been editing recent photos from sunnier days and doing my best to drown out the incessant tap tapping on the window with music and off-key singing...which works, sort of. (There may have also been bad dancing combined with off-key singing once or twice, but there's no evidence and I'll deny it.)

Several of these photos are available as prints (and phone cases, pillows, greeting cards, etc.) in my society6 shop, and I'm offering free shipping (on anything they'll let me) till Sunday.

Also, I get asked a lot where my photos are taken; these were all taken in Alexandria, VA close to where I live. I've also been asked "What's the deal with the stars on the sides of buildings?" You see these stars a lot on row houses in older cities; they are end caps (sort of decorative washers) to tie rods that run crosswise through the building and provide structural support. The metal tie rods were used in masonry construction (i.e. brick row houses) to keep the walls from leaning or bowing out. Alexandria was founded in 1749, and most of these houses are really really old, so you still see odd architectural elements here and there.

Apparently, it is a trend today to buy these metal stars, which you can find at antique shops, or new stars made to look old, and use them as decorative elements. Sometimes, I think it's a little silly when people try to make new architecture look old...especially doing "faux" architectural elements. But at the same time, I guess there's something nice about preserving tradition and holding on to a bit of our past.

What do you think?

Bits of April

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:18:00 +0000

Flowers inside and out. The tulips in the top left pic just popped up in the middle of the yard one day, no idea how that happened. Pink and white blossoms on trees in my favorite park. And brooches I made.

Weather that made no sense as evidenced by these outfits. We went from winter, to spring, to summer, and back to spring all in one week. (Btw, wearing shorts in April is just unnatural.)

We bought some cute pots and a watering can at IKEA. Went shopping for house plants and ordered seeds for the yard (sunflowers and herbs to start). And cleaned up the yard a lot. We finally dug up the remaining concrete supports left from the previous owner's garden shed (and by "we" I mean Peter obvi), and we found some treasures buried nearby, like this handmade turtle. It has the name "Thara" carved on the underside and reminds me so much of sweet things I made in elementary school. We are keeping it, of course.

Easter candy treats when I was sick...actually still sick mostly. Took a walk on a sunny day. I don't know if you can see clearly in the photo but i love when stoops have these cutouts underneath, like a little tunnel. The prettiest pouch I ordered from Ayla. And I love the light and shadows that come into the living room/dining room late in the day.

We're hoping to get a lot of stuff done on the house in May, so stay tuned. :)

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:01:00 +0000

Clockwise from top left: "Imagined Botanicals" by Buttermoths; Palaco by Jaime Rovenstine; and "Pinocch-i-o" by Dionysiac - Laura Ragazzi.

Shop Update!

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:58:00 +0000

It's been a really, really long time since I did a shop update, and I've got some new things to show you.

A dachshund brooch.

Red daisy and white daisy...I've got a couple more daisies coming in different colors.

An embroidered zinnia brooch.

And 2 pocket journals: BFF peanut butter and jelly and rainbow ice cream. I've got another food-themed journal in the works too. I don't know why, but they just make me laugh.

And I'm also working on photos for my society6 shop, but I'll save that for another post. What have you guys been making?

May Day Swap

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Have any May Day swappers received their packages yet? Here's what I made (my swapee has already received it, so I won't be spoiling any surprises).

I made a "daisy chain" garland. I used to love making real daisy chains when I was a kid, and it just felt very "spring" to me to make a garland out of daisies.

I used felt for the daisies and some green ribbon I bought recently from Martha Stewart's craft line.

Here's the card I made to send with it. I used origami paper and made a little bird collage, similar in style to the bird brooches I have in my Etsy shop right now. Then I drew branches so he'd have a little perch. I used the washi tape (also from Martha Stewart) to decorate the package.

I haven't received my package from my swapper yet, but I did get a totally awesome surprise package from Dawn as a "thank you" for co-hosting the swap.

Look at all these goodies! Dawn said that most of the stuff is local to her (Indianapolis), which I love too.

Dawn is going to do a big wrap-up post with photos of everyone's gifts, and I can't wait to see!

Hope everyone has an excellent weekend! xo, Mary

The Best Mess

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 06:09:00 +0000

We've all seen those photos on blogs or pinterest of perfectly organized craft rooms, with rows of color-coordinated ribbon, thread, and washi tape. And I've noticed a lot of my fellow artists and crafters lamenting the fact that their creative spaces don't look like that at all and seeming to somehow feel inadequate because of that. I, however, firmly believe that a messy studio is a working studio; I love to see other people's piles of crafty detritus and works-in-progress lying about!

I do understand that the matter becomes more complicated when you live in a small apartment and your workspace and living space are often the same room, maybe even the only room in your apartment. That was the case for me for a very long time. I got good at sweeping things into storage bins or stacking things in corners...wherever I could. In our last apartment, though, it became painfully obvious that that wasn't working anymore; I had taken over the dining room "nook" as my office/studio, and it never looked tidy. It looked like a disaster. All the time.

In our house, I'm using a second bedroom as the office/studio, and I'm thankful every day to have this space. It means I can be as messy as I want to be and then just close the door at the end of the day (or very late at night as usually happens). And I have projects and supplies all over the place. And I love it.

But sometimes, I still think I really should get organized, be tidy, make a pretty space. Would it make me a better artist? No. Would it make me happier? Maybe?

Recently, I came across these images of famous artists' workspaces that made me smile. I bookmarked the page and kept going back to look at them. I realized that these images are more inspiring to me than those perfectly pretty craft rooms. Think of the wondrous things created in these rooms!

Alexander Calder

Joan Miró

Jackson Pollack

Edward Gorey

All that stuff everywhere makes me want to create!

So maybe I'll get around to installing shelves at some point. Maybe I'll get my drawers more organized. But I think I'm comfortable with the knowledge that I'd rather spend time making art than doing any of that. And that's ok too.

Source: fromyourdesk.com

Happy Spring Things

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:57:00 +0000

Recently, I've been in the mood to decorate and spend some money...I blame the change in weather, as weather so frequently dictates my moods. However, despite my sudden burst of inspiration, we don't have a lot of money to spend. The money we have saved up will most likely be spent removing dead trees and cleaning up our yard--who knew that was so freaking expensive?--as well as other not-exciting home-maintenance type projects. Anyway, I've decided not to let my bank account deter me from finding ways to add some cute spring things around the house and make each room pretty, one corner at a time.

I found this cute cloud napkin holder at IKEA. I've never owned a napkin holder in my life; I never really saw the need for one as I guess I don't really use that many napkins. But this little metal napkin holder is so cute and sunny I couldn't pass it up. It's been making me smile every day when I walk into the kitchen. And it was only $1.99!

I was super excited to find that Orla Kiely's collaboration with method soap continues with a new spring line. I bought these at Target with a coupon. I can't remember how much they were but definitely the least expensive Orla Kiely thing you will ever find. Ha.

Here's a close-up so you can see the patterns better. I love those colors! And one of the scents is honeysuckle, which I think I've mentioned before is one of my very favorite smells as it reminds me of all the good things about childhood and lazy days playing outside.

Last, but not least, is some cute washi tape and ribbon from Martha Stewart's craft line. I bought these at A.C. Moore, but you can find her products all over the place. I think these combined were less than $10. I've already used the ribbon on one project, which I'll share soon, and I used the washi tape to decorate some packages.

I'll be hunting for more deals and things to brighten up my home in the coming weeks and hopefully have another decorating post soon.

Hope everyone has a good, restful weekend. xo, Mary

P.S. You can still save 15% off everything in my Etsy shop with coupon code "birdie" till Sunday at midnight (EST)

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Clockwise from top left: "Beach Comb 4" by Lola Donoghue; "About a Pearl" by Leigh Viner; and abstract painting by Jenny Gray.

Spring Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:11:00 +0000

I decided to have a sale in my etsy shop because it's spring, and it finally feels like it! I've been on a shopping hiatus for a while, as always happens in late winter, recovering from holiday expenses and not really feeling inspired to buy things when everything will be covered under five layers of sweater. But now that the weather is warming up, I feel like treasure hunting and making new things! Won't you help me clear out some space in my studio? :)

Anyone else suddenly feel like buying new things in spring, or is it just me?

Scenes from Life + Giveaway Winner

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Last Sunday, we went for a walk along the canal in DC. The sun was just beginning to set, and the air was warm. A few pink trees popped up here and there among mostly bare branches. Believe it or not, as we drove here, we glimpsed a family of deer eating grass or plants by the side of the road; I'm pretty sure that was my first time ever seeing wild deer...and in the city no less! We also saw really cute ducks (all traveling in pairs), an old railroad bridge, and a lockhouse. Did you know that you can actually stay in some of the old lockhouses along the canal? A couple of them have been renovated to have modern conveniences. Others don't have heat, electricity, or running water, and are pretty much the way they were built.

And now for the winner of the doxie giveaway...

It's Franca! I'll contact you soon to get your address. :)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend. xo, Mary

P.S. You can get free shipping in my print shop through tomorrow night at 12 am PST.

Outtakes

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I frequently have outtakes that make me laugh when I upload photos from my camera, especially when I'm trying to take photos of myself. Here are several from when I took the photos for my dachshund brooch giveaway. Enjoy. ;)

A lovely photo of my neck; no dachshund in sight, however.

Oh wait, I almost got his head in the frame.

Nope, not quite.

No idea what's going on here.

Yay, I'm finally in position...but totally out of focus and too dark.

Victory! And by "victory" I mean the dachshund is actually in the frame and in focus...the rest of me is a mess. Haha.

It's the little successes that make everything else ok though. :)

There's still time to enter the giveaway if you'd like. xo, Mary

Flickr Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Click on images to go directly to sources.

Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

You see that little dachshund brooch? He's really cute, right? Well, he was destined for my Etsy shop a week or so ago when tragedy struck. I had just finished making him and picked him up to walk across the room to get something and proceeded to drop him! No, not on the table or the floor, which wouldn't exactly be a tragedy seeing as he's not real. I did, however, drop him right into my coffee cup. Yep, I have really good aim!

Needless to say, I immediately gave him a bath. And while I don't recommend dunking my felt pieces in coffee and then soaking in soapy water, he seems to be just fine. I took these photos after the accident, and you can see he's still in one piece and pretty cute.

But seeing as he's been through a lot already, I don't feel right about listing him in my Etsy shop. I only list things that are perfect (or as perfect as I can make them). I had planned on just keeping him for myself, but I thought maybe it would be a fun giveaway?

I'm also going to include this little butterfly brooch. No accidents have befallen this pretty lady, but I realized the listing expired some time ago and I forgot to renew it...so might as well give it away too!

I'm also in the midst of a studio clean-out and trying to make room for new stuff, so I'll probably throw in a few more fun things as well.

~~Just leave a comment if you'd like to win. Open to anyone, worldwide.~~ I'll announce the winner next Saturday.

***Giveaway Closed*** Thanks to everyone who entered! :)

Happy Friday!

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:41:00 +0000

Bird Chirping Weather print by Katie Daisy

What is everyone up to this weekend? We are hopefully going to do a bit of work on the house (caulking windows and such) which I'm actually not looking forward to but needs to be done. I also hope to get out and take some photos because we're due for some bird-chirping weather too! I don't know how much energy I'll have as I'm still sick and prone to nodding off while sitting up at my desk these days. But maybe we can take a short walk and see something pretty.

I also have a giveaway in the works which I'll post tomorrow! And I'm thinking I might do a spring sale in my Etsy shop to make way for new things. I'll keep you posted. xo, Mary

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Clockwise from top left: "Miss Lemon" by littleghost; "Trees" by chasingthecrayon - Tracey Long; "Walking with Masks" by Julianna Bright; and "Holy Mackerel" by twamies - Alan Brown and Kati Driscoll.

This collection is a little bit surreal, a little bit fairy tale, a little bit "I ate too much Easter candy and now I'm hallucinating"...but in a really good way, am I right? I particularly like the color combinations here of washed-out pastels and saturated reds. I love the expression on the little girl's face and the fact that she's posed like a school photo. And "holy mackerel" is just a really good phrase.

Bits of March

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:36:00 +0000

Surprisingly, March was filled with lots of time outdoors...surprisingly because it was much colder than average, and it seemed like winter would never end. I think I was determined to find signs of spring anywhere and also wanted to soak up as much sun and warmth as I could find.

Made some birdies; found a worry doll in my coat pocket when we were out for a walk; fell in love with this coffee/tea set but sadly left it behind as it was too expensive; and me wearing lots of brights and almost matching my phone.

Peter by the water; a cute shop with happy spring colors and lots of pots; really blue skies one day that looked so warm but weren't; and learning about growing things/making plans.

A pretty sunset; took this photo the day after we turned the clocks and was happy/elated/amazed that it was still light out when I was driving home; me wearing stripes and pretty excited that I only needed one sweater that day (I thought spring would be here at last, but no, we still got more snow after this day); and another shot driving home at 7:30 or so a couple days later and it's even lighter out.

Saw these pretty cherry blossoms right before it snowed again; drove way down in the country of VA for a funeral and saw several trains, horses, a feed store, etc.; daffodils on a sunny day; and a zig-zaggy trail in a park.

How was your March?

Easter Centerpiece

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 19:33:00 +0000

If you're looking for something fun to do with all those Easter eggs you've dyed and decorated, Mr Printables has a cute diy: egg sculpture centerpieces.

How cute is that? I think it would be a great activity to keep kids busy too, especially if you're expecting rain tomorrow, as we are in DC.

I personally am looking forward to Monday, as that's when all the Easter candy goes on sale. ;)

Happy Friday + Random Questions

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

The random questions game is always fun, especially when you have photos to post but your eyes are so tired you can't possibly edit one more photo.

What's the furthest you've ever been on holiday?
The person who wrote these questions must be British. Well, I'm no geography whiz, but I guess maybe Italy? That's probably the furthest east I've been in Europe.

Have you ever been canoeing/kayaking?
Canoeing, yes, many times growing up. It's not my scene.

Can you tap dance?
I wish. I took tap dancing when I was little and loved it, but for some reason as I got older I just stuck with ballet. I can still do shuffle ball change and other really basic steps.

Are you a good writer?
I used to be a really good writer, but I don't know anymore. I'm out of practice.

Do you prefer shopping on high street or online?
Online, I guess. I actually like browsing in little shops and boutiques, but I loathe shopping malls. Actually, sometimes I hate going in boutiques too because the staff always latch onto me and try to be too helpful, i.e., won't leave me alone. I prefer to go into stores with Peter because he is a self-described people-repeller, and I'm much more likely to be able to shop in peace.

Have you ever milked a cow?
Haha. No.

What's your favorite type of fish?
I'm fish-neutral. Wait, no, I pick Nemo.

Are you a good aim with a rubber band?
Yes, actually, deadly accurate, and it has come in handy on more than one occasion. Haha.

Is there anything you wish would come back in fashion?
Yes, I wish people still wore fancy hats all the time, or at least when dressed up.

(Click on image to go to source.)

Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
You probably already know the answer to this one: introvert.

Have you ever been horse riding?
Yes, when I was younger I had friends with horses. I tried riding a few times when I was 9 or 10. I didn't really like it. I do think horses are really pretty though; I just have no desire to ever ride them again.

Have you ever been in a fight?
Only with siblings. I'm a pacifist at heart but growing up in my house was often every man for himself.

What was the last thing that made you smile/happy?
Hmm, probably when I talked to my niece last. She's in first grade. She told me all about the boy she has a crush on. I asked her why she liked him, and she said, "Um, because he's really cute and weird." She went on for a while and then said, "Ok, also, I love you," and then handed the phone back to my brother.

Which foreign language did you learn at school?
French, but it's been a very long time...not sure how much I remember.

Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?
No. I've ridden a vespa, but I guess scooters aren't motorcycles.

Could you go out with someone who had a child from a previous relationship?
Hard for me to imagine myself in that situation, but I guess?

Who is the most intelligent person you know?
Too hard to choose. I've known some super smart people in my time.

Have you ever flown first class?
No. But once my brother and I got bumped up to business class on a flight from New York, and that was nice. The flight attendant brought us hot towels and my brother was like whispering to me, "WTF am I supposed to do with this?" It was heavenly to have extra leg room though.

Have you ever bought a present for someone that they hated/disliked?
I don't think so. I guess most people probably wouldn't tell you if they didn't like the gift you gave them, but I have a pretty good track record of finding special or fitting gifts for family/friends. I tend to remember things that people say they like or want and then try to find that thing when the occasion warrants.

Have you ever played golf?
No, not unless you count putt-putt. I can't imagine a scenario where I would ever play. It's so expensive to play, and I couldn't be less interested.

Hope you guys have a great weekend! xo, Mary

More New Prints + Free Shipping

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I found out that Society6 is offering free shipping worldwide through Sunday and thought it would be a good time to share new prints. I've added about 15 more prints to my shop, some of which are also offered as phone cases, pillows, etc.

Here are a few that I've added recently:

Also, I just wanted to mention that it's not too late to sign up for the May Day swap if you haven't already. I've been brainstorming crafty ideas, and I can't wait to see what others make too.

Flickr Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:31:00 +0000

(Click on images to go directly to sources.)

May Day Swap

noreply@blogger.com (My Hideaway) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 05:17:00 +0000

My friend Dawn emailed me a couple of weeks ago with the awesome idea of organizing a May Day swap. As it's the first official day of Spring--cold temps be damned, it will be Spring!--we thought today would be an excellent time to announce it.

Most people have probably participated in some sort of May Day festival before, usually involving flowers and treats or possibly even dancing around a maypole. There won't be any dancing required this time...unless you want there to be, then by all means. We just thought it would be fun to celebrate spring and the arrival of warm weather. (God it feels like winter has lasted forever this year, doesn't it? I probably say that every year.)

What kinds of things are we swapping? Well, anything that says "spring." You could send a card, treats, paper flowers, a small bunny rabbit, baby chicks...you get the idea. And it doesn't have to be handmade, though that would be nice (I know some folks are really busy right now, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't also get and give something pretty.)

So please sign up!

----------------
Dawn was nice enough to type out all the details (which I'm not gonna lie, I'm just copying and pasting since I'm writing this at 1 am).

Please email Dawn at d.marie755@gmail.com with the subject line SPRINGTIME SWAP.

In the email, include:
1. Your mailing address.
2. Your shipping preference (domestic or international).
3. If you have one, a link to your blog, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, etc. Remember, anyone can join the swap, so don’t hesitate to join if you don’t have a personal site.

The last day to sign up for the swap is April 1.

Everyone will receive, by April 5, an email with partner information. The entire month of April is then devoted to sending and receiving packages! (Just be sure to mail them in time so they arrive by May Day.)

The “swap” is actually a round robin, so you will mail a package to one person, but receive a gift from another! The springtime packages can be purchased or created, vintage or handmade. They can be whatever you would like them to be … but they shouldn’t cost more than $10. Include a jar of honey or jam from the farmers market. Add some dried flowers or a vintage postcard depicting a warm-weather picnic.

Lastly, and most importantly, have fun! Enjoy getting to know two additional bloggers during the hopeful promises of spring. And be sure to snap a photo or two of the package you receive, unravel and open. Come May 1, there will be a showcase of everyone’s gifts!
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If anyone has any questions, feel free to leave me a comment. Oh and feel free to grab that button on the sidebar to help spread the word.
xoxo, Mary