The Artful Christmas Swap

Thanks for everything and have a great 2008!!

2007-12-26T12:44:00.000-08:00

Oh my wonderful Artful Christmas Swap participants... I can't believe that the swap is completely over... I have been working on this swap for about 6 months and it has finally come to a close. :(
It's kind of like a chapter in my life has completed and this leaves me feeling a little sad. In the same breath, there is always another page to turn, more art to create and ideas to dream up, so bring on 2008! I look forward to the challenge!! I also look forward to running into you all in cyberspace in the year to come.
To everyone who participated in the swap: Thank you for your ideas, patience and creativity... Oh yeah, and the fantastic gifts! I LOVE being in exchanges like this for the artwork, the inspiration and of course meeting some great people... Which all of you are!
Again, Happy Holidays and Best Wishes,
Holly :)

Merry Christmas!! On the 12th Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

Group 1: Darlene's Girls' Day Out Fabric Bag

Group 2: Sallianne's Pink 'Joy' Glitter Ornament

Group 3: Patrice's Fragrant Wax Ornament

On the 11th Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

Group 1: Karyn's Happiness Bird

Group 2: Tracy's Bottle Cap Dolly Pendant

Group 3: Angela's Cute Angel

On the 10th Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-23T18:00:00.000-08:00

Group 1: Sheri's Altered Artwork

Group 2: Belinda's Blue Angel

Group 3: Stefania's Dress Ornament

On the 9th Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

Group 1 and 2: My (Holly) Inspirational Pins (digital collages turned into wee 1in. pins)... Can't remember if I gave an assortment of two or three pins per person but these are the different designs folks may have gotten!

Group 3: Rashell's Silver Beaded Bracelet

On the 8th Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-21T18:00:00.000-08:00

Group 1: Jamie's Holiday Microscope Slide Ornament

Group 2: Theresa's Domino Pin and Fun, Fuzzy Yarn

Group 3: Vivian's Twinkle Snowman

PS- Please excuse the format change for the Group number and names! I consider myself pretty technologically advanced but for the life of me I have SO much trouble controlling the layout of these Blogger posts! I set them up one way and they post looking completely different which is why I'm trying something new... If anyone wants to throw me some tips PLEASE feel free!... All the gifts look nice though, don't they?!

On the 7th Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-20T18:00:00.000-08:00

Group 1: Lisa's Microscope Slide Pendant and Art Materials

Group 2: Robin's Angel and Cross Stitch Ornament

Group 3: Pat's Accordian Holiday Frame (pretty sure Pat made all different gifts for folks...Feel free to post your gift on your blog or shoot me a photo!)

On the 6th Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

Group 1: Nell's Wallpaper Journal

Group 2: Sarah's Tin O' Magnets

Group 3: Martha's Pretty Lady Pin

On the 5th Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-18T18:00:00.000-08:00

Day 5: My (Holly) 'Be Happy, Create Art' Magnet

On the 4th Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-17T18:00:00.000-08:00

Group 1:Norma's Fabric Pin

Group 2: Mimi's 'Sisterhood of Art' Pendant

Group 3: Rachael's 'Noel' Paper Banner

On the 3rd Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-16T18:00:00.000-08:00

Group 1: Lilla's Pretty Pendant

Group 2: Yooper's Holiday Gift Tags

Group 3: Liz's Wee Little Christmas Purse

On the 2nd Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

Group 1: Sabine's Christmas Wall Hanging

Group 2: Mollie's Holiday Bookmark

Group 3: Melanie's Handmade Journal

On the 1st Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me...

2007-12-14T18:00:00.000-08:00

Group 1: Barbara's Purse and Notebook Set

Group 2: Jen's Partridge and Pear Collaged Bird Figure

Group 3: Chris's Xmas Tree Ornament and Art Supplies

Welcome to the Days You've Been Waiting For...

2007-12-14T07:24:00.001-08:00

Ho, Ho, Holly has been wicked busy getting ready for today and displaying everyone's awesome gifts! The big day has arrived and everyone that has made gifts for the Artful Christmas Swap can open Day 1 today!... That is providing that you haven't already torn into all of them! I've decided that I will be posting all of the 3 different groups' gifts at 6pm Eastern USA time so that everyone can take a peek at what other's got in their little packages. Should be tons of fun!

When your gift comes up in the days to come please feel free to comment on how you created your gift, any inspirations you might have had or techniques that you used. That way you not only give an actual physical gift but you also give the gift of passing on your vast knowledge. :)

Thanks again for participating and I'll see you all again at 6pm.

Thanks, best wishes and of course... Merry Christmas!

Holly :)

Sorry for the silence!

2007-12-10T06:47:00.000-08:00

Howdy all! I just wanted to apologize for my recent lack of communication! I have had my head down, working hard to get all those packages out and try to piece together some Christmas surprises for my own family. No matter how much advanced planning I do, I am ALWAYS amazed at how much work comes down to the last couple of weeks. My latest hurdle was getting little presents together for my kids' Advent calendars. They are both very young so I feel it's super important to give them the magic of the season while they are young enough to truly 'believe'. I'm sure any of you with kids (and possibly cats and dogs!) of any age would totally understand. :)

So the business at hand is ALL of the swaps have been made, ALL of the packages have been sent out and the FUN will begin here, this Friday on Dec. 14th when we (or at least those of you that could stand it) will start opening up those lovely gifts that you received. I will send out an invite to Art-E-Zine for people to come and take a peek at all of our hard work. Should be a lot of fun! Talk to you on Friday for sure, if not sooner!

Best Wishes, Holly :)

Rashell's Gifts

2007-12-09T07:43:00.000-08:00

In all the holiday hoopla I realized that I forgot to post Rashell's wonderful gifts! She's such a nice person she didn't even e-mail to complain... Shame on me! Rashell's little beauties are housed in what looks like an Altoid tin but is decorated with floral paper and a sweet little ribbon. As for what's inside, she gives us no hints! Thanks for participating Rashell!

Swap Update!

2007-11-20T07:37:00.000-08:00

Hi to all and Happy Almost Thanksgiving! I have some really great news for all of our Artful Christmas Swap groups. The latest status report is that all the gifts that I was expecting have been received and accounted for!! That is huge because now I can truly start the swapping process for all the groups... Specifically Group 3. Group 2 already has been notified about shipping and many folks have gotten back to me with postage payments and some of Group 2's packages are already in the mail. Very exciting!

Group 1 has an angel in their midst... If you are a member of Group 1 you will be very pleased to know that a member of your group has generously paid for the entire group's shipping costs and most of your packages are already in the mail. That person has decided to remain anonymous and just take happiness in knowing that they have done something really nice for others... Might I say VERY NICE because the bill for the whole group's postage was not cheap. So a special MERRY CHRISTMAS to the members of Group 1... And to the rest of us too! Might I suggest that the members of Group 1 'pay it forward' and try to find something extra special to do this holiday season that will help someone out. Just a thought but it would be a nice tribute to your 'Postal Angel'.

Group 3 can expect to hear from me early next week about shipping costs to get your wonderful gifts back to you. So sorry about the delay but we were waiting for just a couple more gifts to trickle in. I wanted to give everyone a fair chance so the fault truly lies with me if you are a little upset with the wait. Rest assured I believe that even people over seas will get their gifts long before Dec 14th... The key is once I send you a shipping cost, get your payment in as quick as possible. Paypal is the quickest so especially if you are far from the USA it may be worth it to open an account if you don't already have one. Waiting for a check through 'snail mail' would take longer but the choice is up to individuals.

One other tidbit for Groups 1 and 2... We had a couple of hiccups with players late in the game for these groups and long story short, you will all (Groups 1 and 2) be getting two gifts from me. Rather than have it be 11 days of Christmas I just decided to step up and do 2 days... Don't worry, I didn't totally knock myself out. Day 9 was easy and a nice back up gift that I had thought you all would enjoy and appreciate. Hopefully you all will! As a result Groups 1 and 2 both will get back 2 of YOUR OWN gifts. Call it a little bonus. :)

Thanks for everything and I will be in touch! Let me know when you get you packages... hvlajinac@yahoo.com

Best Wishes, Holly :)

Rachael's Gifts

2007-11-20T07:08:00.003-08:00

Rachael's gifts are wrapped in a beautiful pieces of sheet music and then tied up with sheer ribbons. The dear, little Christmas tags finish each gift off nicely! Lovely work Rachael!

Holly's Gifts Part 2

2007-11-20T07:08:00.001-08:00

For these gifts I also had the benefit of knowing what number I was going to use... I got some cool rubberstamp sets this year that I really wanted to put to good use and this gave me just the occasion. Why two gifts from me in two groups you may ask? In two of the groups I had a couple of folks drop out and it was actually easier for me to pick up the slack than to try to find two other players that wanted to jump in at the last minute. Hopefully the groups that get my 'bonus' gift won't be disappointed as the orginal artwork is handmade but the gift itself is not... Hmmmmm... I guess that makes for a bit of mystery leading up to the 9th Day of Christmas!

Holly's Gifts

2007-11-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

This feels strange to comment on my own gifts... Well... My gifts are wrapped in the traditional colors of red and green but in the non-traditional wrapper of a paperbag. I went ahead and tried to jazz them up a bit with a foam stamp, curly decoration and of course I had the benefit of working my number label into the design! Ahhhh the perks of being the swap hostess! ;)

Patrice's Gifts

2007-11-20T06:43:00.000-08:00

Patrice's gifts look super sweet in their traditional Christmas wrapping... Lots of joyful, bright Christmas colors to brighten up even the grayest of days! Thanks Patrice!

Sarah's Gifts

2007-11-07T12:01:00.004-08:00

Out of nowhere the other day I got Sarah's gifts. They are solid, compact little gifts that are wrapped in maps! Love that idea and I know I will be using that one in the future. The little red striped ribbon and candy cane finish the gift off nicely and give the look that holiday feel. Nice work Sarah!

Jen's Gifts

2007-11-07T12:01:00.003-08:00

Jen was one of those folks that requested a number assignment for the gift opening days. She got the number '1' for her group and has created a wonderful package that incorporates yarn, some kind of textured paper (maybe wallpaper) and a vintage book page. I am always so impressed with what people come up with. Jen does not disappoint! Thank you Jen.

Mimi's Gifts

2007-11-07T12:01:00.001-08:00

Miss Mimi has gone paper crazy by creating a little polka dot gift that is graced with a fun sticker and circular gift tag . Love the numbers/calendar nature of the Merry Christmas gift tag. Thanks Mimi.

Belinda's Gifts

2007-11-07T12:00:00.004-08:00

I absolutely LOVE Belinda's artful gifts! They appear to be wrapped in a white, handmade paper that is in a very interesting triangular shape. Next comes the fibers that I know everyone her her group with be reusing in their next mixed-media project. Fantastic! The blue gift tag also pulls the total package all together. Thank you Belinda.

Angela's Gifts

2007-11-07T12:00:00.003-08:00

Angela has out done herself with her creations. Each of these large and lovely gifts are wrapped in a cardstock gift box... Each one different! They all have greens and little mirrored ornaments that finish the gift off for a complete festive look. Thanks Angela!

Jamie's Gifts

2007-11-07T12:00:00.001-08:00

I love all the brown wrapping that's coming in! Jamie also has wrapped in brown paper but has embellished with a tiny ornament and a (what looks like) handprinted gift tag. They are beautiful!

Pat's Gifts

2007-11-07T11:59:00.004-08:00

I have some inside info on Pat's gifts seeing as she is a local pal of mine... I guess all of her gifts are something different inside of the wrapping! Maybe we all should take pics of what she created so that we can compare notes seeing as we will all get different gifts from her. Talk about effort! The outside wrapping is yummy tissue paper candycanes but it's the tags that I find most impressive... Each tag is a little different, much like the gifts, and is detailed with little embellishments and some with real Santa photos. A very nice touch! Thanks Pat!

Sallianne's Gifts

2007-11-07T11:59:00.003-08:00

Sallianne also decided to use takeout boxes in her gift wrapping but went with an earthy brown box. The Santa tags make for nice overall contrast for the gift. Very sweet with a little colorful bow too.

Liz's Gifts

2007-11-07T11:59:00.001-08:00

Liz's creations are wrapped in a green plastic cello wrap for a wonderful translucent effect. The handmade tags compliment the gifts but make sure to not look too close... The see through nature has me wondering if I'm seeing that actual gift or another form of packaging. Hmmmm...

Lisa's Gifts

2007-11-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

Lisa has sent in some super cute takeout boxes that are very colorful. Topped with a bow these little gifties are sweet as can be in bright pink and green. Thanks Lisa!

Nell's Gifts

2007-11-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

Nell has sent in some lovely gifts that are creatively wrapped in wallpaper... All with a golfing theme I might add! Very fun and a nice twist on a traditional Christmas theme. :)

New Stats

2007-11-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

Howdy All! Things have been very busy at the PO Box and I have nearly all the gifts in. There are a couple folks that I haven't heard a peep out of and I have e-mails out to them to see if they are still going to participate. If I do not hear from them by the end of the week I will assume that they are 'out' and move on with trying to fill with wait-listers or try to make other accommodations. This waiting stuff is kinda hard!

I do have new stats for gifts received and I think you will all be happy with the new numbers.

Group 1: 11 received
Group 2: 11 received
Group 3: 8 received but I have a promise that there are 3 more in the mail.

Not bad! As for photos of all the gifts I got from Friday until now, I will be doing a photo shoot later today so the slide shows should be here in the next couple of days if not sooner.
Thanks and please do contact me if you have any questions.
Best Wishes, Holly :)

Swap Update

2007-11-01T05:49:00.000-07:00

Happy November to all of you! Just wanted to give you all a little update about the swap. Yesterday, I found these two lovely notices in my PO box... This is particularly great because I know that there packages that need to be collected, opened and posted here.

I have spoken with a handful of you and I'm sure for people that had packages in transit, these are probably them. As usual, even if I don't get straight to posting it here, I will contact you shortly after your package has arrived so you can breathe a little sigh of relief.

At this time I will also mention the group statistics to date:

Group 1 Packages: 9

Group 2 Packages: 6

Group 3 Packages: 5

I know these numbers may seem at tad low but I have lots of promises(and a possibly full PO box) from people that gifts are on the way... What can I say? Life gets in the way for all of us sometimes and we need to be flexible whenever possible. There are some people that I have not had ANY contact with and it is those people that I will be e-mailing to find out if they are still participating in the swap.

On the note of flexibility... At some point I am going to have to put on the mean, swap lady hat and close off the due date so that we can get on with figuring out shipping and get these items off to you all.

If anyone has not gotten their gifts in the mail yet, please do ONE: Contact me and then TWO: Get them in the mail ASAP so the swap can carry on and people will know what to expect.

Thank you so much for your support, enthusiasm and kind words. You guys all ROCK and we will be 'wrapping' up this due date business shortly.

Thanks and Best Wishes, Holly :)

Norma's Gifts

2007-10-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

Norma has decided to wrap with a palette of 'winter white/cream' and included a wee, little snowflake ornament to round out that chilly feel. Thank you Norma!

Mollie's Gifts

2007-10-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

Mollie has created an adorable floral influenced gift that is complete with a little satin flower on the glittery tag. Can't wait to see if the floral theme continues with a flowery Christmas gift. Thanks Mollie!

Karyn's Gifts

2007-10-30T10:09:00.001-07:00

Love, love, LOVE the little birdies! These tiny cuties grace the outside of a nicely wrapped, brown, paper bag gift. The finishing touch: bakery string! Very sweet! Thank you Karyn for all your attention to detail...

Melanie's Gifts

2007-10-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

Also, all the way from Germany are Melanie's gifts... I love that we are so international! Yes, folks, those are little working, decorated clothes pins on the outside of the packages which are not only super cute but add a certain something to the charm of the package. Nice job Melanie!

Sabine's Gifts

2007-10-30T09:52:00.000-07:00

Coming all the way from Germany are Sabine's lovely gifts. Wrapped in brown paper and then topped off with stampings they are a sight to behold. I thought it was cute that she was able to incorporate numbers into her wrapping... She started at #14 so there would be no confusion with gift opening order. I guess she really loves the numbers! (The way I think all mixed-media artists do!;>)

Robin's Gifts

2007-10-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

Robin also has gotten her gifts to me ahead of time. Thank you Robin! She's wrapped her gifts with a nice, sleek traditional brown bag that is then topped off with some fabric embellishments. She has also added a variety of little trinket like objects to the ties. Simple but elegant! Looking forward to the surprise that lies inside this secretive wrapping. ;)

Martha's Gifts

2007-10-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven't figured this out, I am a huge Martha fan... I think her work is wonderful and inventive and she did not disappoint this time either! This morning I got a little package that was filled with these super cute, sewn/packaged gifts that are wonderful. Brown paper 'pillows' that have 'wish' printed on them with a tiny star tag on the other side. Martha and I came to an agreement that I would stamp/write the corresponding numbers (for her gift day) on the little stars so they will look a tiny bit different by the time they get to people that are in her group. Martha also included some other items that I wanted to share... A copy of her own zine titled 'ReCreations'. It looks like a lot of fun and I can't wait to read it after I have a touch more time. She also included a few samples of little, silver recycled tags. They are adorable! Thanks so much for everything Martha. Happy to have your participation and talents!

Barbara's Gifts Part 2

2007-10-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

I think I'm going to have to become a woman of few words for the next week or so with so many gifts coming in! Barb's gifts arrived over the weekend and they are terrific. Everything bundled so nicely and the decorative wrapping is so great that I thought it deserved a couple of close-ups. Here they are... Thanks Barbara! Enjoy the well earned vacation! :)

Barbara's Gifts

2007-10-22T05:42:00.001-07:00

Barbara's gifts have arrived! She was kind enough to take a photo of her work to save me a little time on the photography side. Thanks Barb! Although, I have promised her that I will do a 'details' photo shoot in the near future because they deserve to be featured in a close up. Barbara was one of those folks that wanted to have an assigned number so who am I to stand in her way? You'll also notice that Barbara has personalized her gifts with group members names. My other comment about her gifts... They are heavier than some of the others that I have gotten... What the heck is in there? :)

Lilla's Gifts

2007-10-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

Lovely work from a lovely, far away island. These are the gifts that Lilla sent to me all the way from Hawaii. The envelopes are gorgeous and every one of them is different. I had to take a couple of pictures to show the group because even the outside wrappings are like mini works of art. Lilla is a member of Group 1 so everyone in the other groups (who will ALSO get neat stuff!) will just have to check out the swap blog to see what's on the inside.

Stefania's Gifts

2007-10-18T08:55:00.000-07:00

Another International swap participant is our good friend, Stefania, who is from Italy. She decided to go with the muted, earth tone/brown bag approach for her wrapping. The color works very well with the pretty lace and golden ribbons that she used as embellishment... And who can forget about the newspaper detail! I'm sure people in her group will be unwrapping her gift carefully so they can see if it is indeed an Italian newspaper. I'm personally curious about some of the gifts being small and some large... Hmmmmmm.

Vivian's Gifts

2007-10-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

Vivian from Group 3 has also sent her gifts. Another very creative wrapping job that the pictures do not do justice. Every now and then I think I can almost see the gift through all the red shredded paper but then I turn the bag another way and simply cannot. Well ,whatever is in there, if it's anything like the wrapping job and tags, it will be a top notch gifts that everyone in her group will love. Thanks so much for all your efforts Vivian!

Sheri's Gifts

2007-10-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

Sheri has sent me some great gifties from Germany where she and her family are stationed. It has been an interesting postal education as to how much and how long it takes items to be shipped back and forth from a US base. The coolest thing is that you know that things are coming and going from Germany but it is still being handled by the USPS.
Also cool are Sheri's gifts! Who knows what lies beneath the pattern tissue paper with the very cute felt flower tag... For the moment Sheri will have to harbor the secret! We'll all find out between Dec. 14th and 25th. Thank you Sheri for making such beautiful gifts. :)

Welcome Martha!!

2007-10-17T06:38:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!
We are getting closer and closer to the due date for gifts so keep em' coming in. I have had a somewhat steady stream of gifts trickling in and can't wait to have all of them in my hot little hands. Thank you SOOOOO much to the people that have already sent them in. It makes the workload a bit better when I can do a little at a time. On that note, I am currently backed up on posting pics of gifts that I have received and I apologize. As much as I love doing all of this, the work/life thing is getting in the way. It will get better at the end of the week so no need to worry. :)
The biggest thing that I wanted to report is a member from Group 3, Lotte, has told me that she needs to drop out of the swap due to moving issues. That's fine and I think we can all understand what it's like to be fired up about something and then find you just can't make it happen. Thank you Lotte for your honesty and also letting me know ahead of time. I look forward to swapping with you in the future!
So, you folks in Group 3 are saying "We are down a player!"... Fret not because I have already looked to my trusty wait list and have a fantastic replacement for you... Her name is Martha and she is AWESOME! Not only a very nice person to work with but she is an amazing artist. I was in a fabric tag swap with her this summer and her tag was one of my favorites. She will be an asset to her group. Make sure to check out her work at http://m-is-for-martha.blogspot.com/
More pics coming soon and please don't hesitate to contact me if you have an issue or questions.
Best Wishes,
Holly :)

Sheri and Stefania's Gifts Have Arrived...

2007-10-10T05:55:00.000-07:00

I was so happy to see that my overseas friends had come through yesterday with the delivery of their gifts! Thank you Sheri and Stefania... Most folks e-mail me to give me a heads up that their package is coming but I always hold my breath a little more when they are coming from overseas. Happy they are here! Check back again soon to see the contents! ;)
Best Wishes, Holly :)

Tracy's Gifts

2007-10-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

Thank you Tracy! Your gifts have arrived and we all can't wait to see what's inside... Especially after that picture that you created to tempt us. Everyone in Tracy's group will be happy to know that not only do her gifts look awesome but they also sound good. They all have tiny little bells attached that completes that holiday feel. Very cute and creative! Thank you some much for all your hard work. It will be appreciated!
Holly :)

Theresa's Gifts

2007-10-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

So, Theresa's gifts have arrived and they look fantastic! Theresa, you are going to have to reveal how you got your gifts into the little cans... Yes I said cans! They even have a little pop top... They are not only clever but wicked (New England term) cute. Thanks for all your efforts and nice job Theresa!
Holly :)

New Packages from Theresa and Tracy!

2007-10-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

I was so happy to see some packages in my post office box this morning. It's funny how the simple act of getting something in the mail can make you smile... I actually felt my lips curling up into a smile this morning when I saw what was left for me. For as much as I love the Internet and the electronic experience, nothing will replace how it feels to get an actual 'something' in your mailbox in the form of a pretty package or letter. Thank you Theresa and Tracy... They arrived safely and pics of what's inside of the boxes will follow shortly!

Best Wishes, Holly :)

Tracy's Tempting Us!

2007-09-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

Hi again! Just got a great message from Tracy and she is officially teasing us about what she has made for the swap... This is a picture of her swap gift BUT it has been re-colored and 'morphed' so that we are left to guess what it could be. Hmmmm.... You can check out her take on this tempting hint at her blog.

www.magiclanternmusings.blogspot.com Thanks for keeping it fun Tracy! Now I really can't wait to see what you sent! ;)

Holly

2007-09-25T05:14:00.000-07:00

Thank you Darlene!!

After a long weekend at my sister's wedding (which was wonderful but VERY action packed) I checked my mailbox on Monday AM to be greeted by a package from Darlene. The pictures tell the tale but I think that everyone in Darlene's group will be very excited to receive her thoughtfully packaged goodies. Fantastic job Darlene!

Please keep the packages coming in as we have a little more than a month before the gifts are due to me on October 31st. (SCARY!!)

Thanks and best wishes,

Holly

Yooper Wins!!

2007-09-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Yooper who is in Group 2 . She was the first one to get her gifts to me! Hooray and great job! For being the first,your prize is.... Relaxing until your Group gifts arrive!! I am a huge winner because I finally get some visuals for the blog! Gotta say, her gifts look great and folks in Group 2 should be very excited to see what's inside the lovely wrapping. Thank you Yooper!!

Due to popular demand...

2007-08-30T06:38:00.000-07:00

Hi all,
I have gotten a couple of questions about assigning numbers and names of people in groups...

Ok... The numbers thing... We will be opening gifts (should you choose to participate instead of tearing into your gifts the second that they arrive) starting Dec. 14th which would equal 12 Days of Christmas and our last gift would be opened Christmas Day... In the swap that inspired this one, the hostess did assign numbers... I was thinking that it would be easier to NOT assign a number because if someone had to drop out of the swap at the last minute, there would be a day (maybe in the middle, maybe at the end) where there would be no gift to open. If we do not assign numbers, I can make adjustments once gifts arrive to me and then I would attach number tags so that you would have a gift opening track to follow... Does that make sense? If you really, really wanted a number we can talk but I thought it might be easier on you all this way. I don't mean to be pessimistic talking about people dropping out (and I do have a wait list to fill in if need be) but I like to expect the best and plan for the not so best. Seriously, contact me if you would really enjoy being assigned a number.

Names of folks in your group... Numbers aside, if you wanted to do something personal for people in your group and write out a gift tag for them (this could be a creative solution the number assignments) below I have provided the first names of people in all the groups. It is true that you will see my name in each of the groups. I SWEAR that I am not gift greedy!! My motive to be in all the groups was purely for documenting purposes so that I would be able to photograph and post all the gifts that were exchanged... OK... And I like gifts! But that's just a happy by-product of hosting the swap... Also please remember that that means I have to make 33 gifts!! It will be hard work but some how I will get through. ;)

Please do contact me if there's anything else I can do to help you all out.
Best Wishes, Holly :)

Group 1-
Dawn
Sabine
Jamie
Karyn
Lilla
Barbara
Lisa
Darlene
Norma
Sheri
Nell
Holly

Group 2-
Yooper
Desiree
Belinda
Mollie
Theresa
Mimi
Robin
Tracy
Sarah
Jen
Sallianne
Holly

Group 3-
Melanie
Rachael
Liz
Lotte
Stefania
Angela
Pat
Chris
Rashell
Vivian
Patrice
Holly

Group 3 now FULL!

2007-08-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

Howdy all,
Group 3 has been filled and I had to do the dasterdly deed of sending e-mails to people that didn't get in... That was tough to do. If you are checking here for the first time and are not currently in the swap, you can e-mail me to be put on a short wait list... E-mails can be sent to me at hvlajinac@yahoo.com.
As I told the people that didn't make it in, I wish I could let everyone join but it's important to me to do a great job with this swap and I can't do that if I'm juggling too many players. So thanks for your interest and be happy if you've got a spot.
So that's that! We now have 3 full groups of very talented people and I am VERY excited to move away from the sign up stage and start thinking about what I'm going to make...(hee,hee). It has been unseasonably cold for August in Massachusetts so it really feels like all the fun holidays are about to ramp up. It's amazing how quickly time passes. It's a little lesson to try to appreciate each day no matter what happens.

Here's to today!
Best Wishes, Holly :)

Couple of Items...

2007-08-22T03:59:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who has been so patient with me getting our links bar up... Tah Dah! If you glance to the right you will see a partial list of players from all 3 Artful Christmas Swap Groups. Can I say a New England thing here? You all are WICKED talented!! If I wasn't running the swap I would TOTALLY want in! Which brings me to my next item...

Group 3 is still taking shape but we will have a full group... I'm sorry if you are on the outside, checking back here to see if you are in the group but I am still checking to make sure that everyone who initially signed up is still interested. I will e-mail everyone, in and out (sniff, sniff) in a couple days after folks get back to me. If you are in Group 3 you can go ahead and make 12 gifts because all of the spaces will be filled by the end of the week.

If you DO NOT get into a group... I can't make promises but if you are a gambling person, let me put you on a wait list. I know, that doesn't sound like fun but just a couple of weeks ago I was wait listed for a Tim Holtz class and thought "ah, there's no way!" and then the week before I got the call that someone had to drop out. It can happen!! It's trickier with a swap but if you are like me, I always have hand made gifts on hand to pass out to co-workers and friends and of course the all important 'in-a-pinch' gift... Let's wait and see. Sometimes the energy just rolls the right way.

Little people will be waking soon and I gotta let the dog out. Keep checking back for blog updates and the final word on Group 3.

THANKS!!

Group 3 will be the final group...

2007-08-20T04:49:00.000-07:00

Hi again... After a night of good rest, it has become clear to me that there will be a Group 3 of the Artful Christmas Swap... I guess it's a holiday cheer thing but I was thinking about the 4 other people that didn't make it into Group 2 and it didn't feel right to leave them out in the cold, so to speak. So I guess it's an early gift!

However, Group 3 will be the last group because I do want this to remain fun and festive for all the players involved. After a third group I would be worried that I would loose some of my 'happy hostess' holiday sparkle, shall we say. Ya know... All work and no play will make Holly grumpy! ;)

After the third group I would start a wait list as a just-in-case measure... But I know everyone who has signed up would endure a lot before dropping out but unfortunately things do come up.

So keep tuning in to see who our final 8 players will be and thanks again for your interest!

Group 2 now FULL!!

2007-08-19T18:37:00.000-07:00

Hi again... Two days later and Group 2 is now full... I really didn't think that it would be this popular a swap but I guess the holidays are a lot of fun and people want to get a little festive in August. I am thrilled with the way that things are unfolding...Or unwrapping... Hardy Har Har...

My next question is do we continue? It sounds silly but I'm going to sleep on it tonight and think about whether managing 3 Groups will be too much... I'm really on the fence so hopefully a little time will give me an answer. If you are in either of the 2 Groups I think you can congratulate yourself on acting quickly and signing up early (real early because we aren't even close to the swap deadline which will obviously need to be revised). That's going to be a lesson for me too in future swaps.

I apologize that I haven't had time to post players' blog info yet... I actually treated myself to a little 'me' time this weekend and attended a couple of Tim Holtz's workshops that were in the area. What a nice, down to earth guy... Even though his face is on like all the Ranger Product packaging. He's just a dude with some cool ideas that he's willing to share. It's also neat to see the way that someone else handles teaching a class. I guess he's on the road something like 250 days out of the year... I don't know if I could do that! Anywho, if you want to see some pics of what we created with him you can check out my art blog (Art-Seeds, yes this is a shameless plug for my personal blog) in a couple of days when I have a chance to update.

OK... Back to Christmas time! Keep checkin' back soon because I hope to talk about a couple ideas for gifts if you are stumped and whether or not we will have a Group 3.

Thanks and Best Wishes,
Holly :)

Welcome #7

2007-08-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome Player #7 to Group 2... 5 more to go...

Maybe a lot of people check out their e-mails and invites over the weekend. It will be interesting to see how long it takes. Should we start a pool? ;)

Have a great weekend!
Holly :)

Woo-Hoo...Six in Group 2!

2007-08-16T18:40:00.000-07:00

I told you guys that we would continue to pick up steam... I got one more player for Group 2 so we are now up to six players. We are on our way!

Happy to report we all survived the vet's office. We only had to weather an elderly, grumpy dog (yes, he's all mine), a panic attack from my daughter about the dog getting a shot and one (thank goodness it was only one!) poopy diaper. Throw in some artwork and that's about my normal day during the summer. :)

Holly

Group One, FULL!! Group Two, Forming!!

2007-08-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

Wow... What a great response! I am excited to report that we have one group full for the Artful Christmas Swap and a second group forming fast with a total of 5 members right now.

Fret not Group 2! It's only been a couple of days since the swap was revealed and the deadline to sign up is Sept. 15th so I bet we'll get 7 more players. I actually have a couple people that have been asking me questions about the swap so I think they are on the fence. If you do know of anyone who makes mixed-media/altered art and enjoy swaps, please let them know about this one.

As I've said before it's should be a lot of fun... Kinda hard to visualize now when in Acton it's like 85 degrees with a warm, beautiful wind blowing but it will be great to get some little art treats from fellow artists starting Dec. 14th. Think big picture people!!

As soon as I get some time I will post everyone's blog information here so that folks can get acquainted with the other players. Thanks to everyone who has sent their info... If you have a blog or website and want to share it here, just e-mail me.

That's all for now. Gotta get the dog to the vet... With two children in tow, that should be quite the sight!

Best Wishes,
Holly :)

Swap Participants! We got some!!

2007-08-15T04:07:00.000-07:00

It's starting to come into focus! Gillian posted the 'Artful Christmas Swap' and I'm happy to say that we currently have 10 players. Not bad for 24 hours!! Thanks to everyone who has joined and if you are thinking about joining, the more the merrier. I would be happy to have a couple different groups going on for this swap. It's all about sharing holiday cheer, isn't it?

Is anyone stuck for ideas about what to make or how to wrap? If yes, make sure to check out this archived blog. This was the original 12 Days of Christmas Swap and is a wealth of information and inspiration. Certainly, don't feel like you have to use these ideas but it is fun to look around.

One of my favorite parts of swaps is seeing how people creatively answer the same question. The different responses/artworks are so much fun to see. I am always amazed and how people visually think and what their ideas are... So get a couple of hot chocolate, put on some good Christmas tunes, maybe get out the twinkle lights (although I have some out year round in my house...Some still on the front of my house...) and start thinking about what your fellow artist might want as a Christmas gift.

Thanks for visiting and please contact me if there's anything I can do to help!
Holly :)

Oh Yeah!... The Swap Details!

2007-08-09T05:22:00.000-07:00

Got so excited about starting a swap that I forgot to post the all important details:
Enjoy and feel free to ask questions!

On the First Day of Christmas my art friend gave to me….

What's your favorite part of Christmas? Is it hand making beautiful gifts and then wrapping them artfully to get those 'oooooohs' and 'aaaaaaahs'? Is it receiving and appreciating that special gift that you know someone put a lot of thought and work into? If you answered "Yes!" to one or both of those questions, then "The Artful Christmas Swap" would be perfect for you.

The swap details are:

1. Create 12 of the same HANDMADE gifts. The gifts can be anything so long as they are handmade and relatively small. (Around 4" x 6" should be the standard unless it can be rolled or folded some way for wrapping.) A Christmas theme is not mandatory but might be a fun challenge if you wish.

2. Creatively wrap your 12 creations, mail off to your swap hostess and receive 12 gifts back in time to celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas which for us will begin on Dec. 14th.

3. Return postage for players will vary depending on your location. Due to the different weights of gifts, I will notify players of an exact amount once I receive all gifts and calculate individual postage. You may mail me payment or pay via Paypal. Your package of gifts will be mailed once I receive postage payment from you.

4. All gifts should be in my hands by October 31st, 2007 to insure enough time to swap, notify players of postage costs and then return your gifts to you by mid-November.

5. Remember, no peeking until December 14th if you want to play along with the rest of the group and open presents at the same time!

Deadline to sign up: September 15th, 2007

Please join us and if you have any questions, please contact me at:
hvlajinac@yahoo.com
More details and comments can be viewed at http://www.artfulchristmas.blogspot.com/

Best Wishes, Holly

Welcome to The Artful Christmas Swap!!

2007-08-09T04:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome, welcome, WELCOME!! My name is Holly and I am so excited to announce that this will be the home base of 'The Artful Christmas Swap'.

Although this blog is currently a little slim on the visuals, keep your eyes peeled for changes. I thought it was more important to have a home base where people could gather to ask questions, get some ideas and see if they were interested in joining the swap.

I personally think the swap has the potential to be great fun and quite memorable!

At this time I would like to give a special thanks to Gillian Allen of Art-E-Zine. Without her wonderful zine and the resources contained there I would still be trying to figure out what an art swap is! Thank you!!

I would also like to thank Lelainia N. Lloyd of the Tattered Edge Website and the swap hostess for the original 12 Days of Christmas Swap. Her swap, although it was complete by the time that I stumbled across it, was what inspired me to take on one of my own. I would highly recommend checking out her work and her Christmas swap blog. It's loaded with great visuals and ideas.

Sooooo.... That's it for this second. Check back frequently for I have plans to address common questions that will come up in regards to 'The Artful Christmas Swap'. Ahhhh, it's like music to my ears... Please join us and don't hesitate to contact me directly... hvlajinac@yahoo.com

Best Wishes and of course,
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Holly :)