Browsing Tag

swap

Diary

Penpals, Stickers and Crafting Crazy

11/18/2011

Hello everyone! Hope you are all doing well this wonderful weekend. I’m about to go check my mailbox — I’m always smiling large after that! Especially after I started swapping and penpalling again. 😉 Wee! Just checked it and have about 4 packages and 5 envelopes — I hope I find some cute ATCs to put in my collection! I love to wait to open my mail until after I’m done with work. I like to take it all in my bedroom, on my bed, and open them one by one often with Ben by my side. He likes to see what I get. I’ve recently gotten him liking hot tea so he’s interested to see if I get any teas in the mail from other countries. If you’d like to swap tea please let me know because I’m always up to trying new ones! We stock tons of tea in our house from all over so you’ll be sure to get a tasty mix in return.

I’ve also joined this Blythe Swap Flickr Group recently and I’m joining up in my first swap this holiday. My partner is new as well so we’ve both been excitedly chatting about it a lot. I’ve already been spoiling her and purchasing REALLY CUTE winter gifts for her dolls. I want to blab all about it but I’m being polite and keeping it a surprise. 😉 I’ll be sure to update with photos after we swap.

Remember in the surprise ball post how I offered to swap them with anyone interested? Well I’ve already crafted 7 surprise balls since (including Christmas balls for Ben and Jamie!)! Whahaha! I think I’m finally becoming a pro at tucking those presents in and keeping it ball-shaped. LOL, what a valuable skill!

So since I got asked from a few of you about swapping and what kind of things I send and receive I thought I’d do a post on it. I use my Flickr as a blog sort-of, if you’re interested, I update it almost daily and often add photos of the swaps I send and receive.

matryoshka dotee doll

Recently I was in a Matryoshka Dotee Doll Swap and I sent these but I haven’t received mine yet. I’m really excited because my partner messaged me and said they were really detailed. I love matryoshka dolls. I only have one but she’s sweet, holding a cat that looks like Hobbes. If you don’t know what a dotee doll is welcome to the club. I was completely confused as to what they were so I read up on it before joining and creating a Kawaii Dotee Doll Swap.

childhood toy ATC
digital ATC
deer ATC swap
easy hearts ATC swap
three cat ATCs
deericorn the mad
my collection

I’ve also been in a ton of ATC swaps so I’m posting some that I’ve sent as well as the small collection I’ve built of ATCs and swap cards found/received and kept. ATCs are fun — I draw shaky these days and I love using textured paper so they’re not perfect but they’re fun. They’re getting me to draw and paint a lot again which is great. I’ll do a complete post on making ATCs soon.

Crafts DIY

Let’s Make & Receive Surprise Balls!

11/12/2011

Remember my post about surprise balls? How I promised to post a tutorial soon and a feature on the ball I recieved? Well this is that tutorial and feature! I even got the chance to host the surprise ball swap this time around which has made me so inspired and excited! I just love swapping these things! If you’d like to buy one I also have them in my shop! I told you I was surprise ball crazy!

surprise ball

You’ll Need

  • crepe paper streamers (in a couple of colors!)
  • 10-20 candy and small gifts
  • a plastic capsule or small box
  • a sticker or label
surprise ball prizes
surprise ball prizes

Collecting the gifts is almost as much fun as making the ball! If you’re making it for someone be sure to include things they like. Some ideas of what to include: candy, small toys, jewelry, stickers, memo pads, erasers, rubber stamps, ink pads, glitter, craft supplies, tea, keychains, beads, charms, small tubes of glitter glue, etc.

surprise ball

Start with your plastic capsule or small box and fill it with one of the gifts. Then wrap the crepe paper around it until it’s covered.

surprise ball

Next add another surprise and wrap it up. Make sure you keep wrapping a bit after each gift so that they don’t fall out too fast!

surprise ball
surprise ball
surprise ball
surprise balls

Continue adding surprises and wrapping them up until the ball is finished then tape the end down and top with a cute sticker or label.

Now.. as if it wasn’t enough fun to *make* these I actually received one as well (from the original swap). I was so excited about opening this rainbow-covered ball that I giggled the whole time as candy and kawaii gifts fell into my lap. This ball was extremely large and took quite a long time to unwrap! My partner is a surprise ball pro! Thank you so much!

surprise ball received
surprise ball received
surprise ball received
surprise ball received
DIY

I Love Swaps

10/19/2011

Don’t you love to swap gifts with friends? What could be better than receiving a surprise picked out especially for you in person or by snail mail?

With Swap Bot you can swap just about anything you can imagine! If it exists, there’s probably a swap for it. The most popular swaps include artist trading cards (ATCs) and postcards but there is no limit to what you may find!

Crafts DIY

Crafts Around the Web: Surprise Balls

10/18/2011

This is probably one of my favorite little gift ideas — how cute! Learn how to make them at not martha, poppytalk and seesaw. Don’t feel like making them? You can buy some adorable ones at TOPS Malibu.

With all of this cuteness I’ve joined a surprise ball swap and am going to get my supplies tomorrow to make my own. I have a lot of crepe paper left over from Colette’s birthday so I just need some extra surprises! Want to join in the swap with me?

I’ll make a post about how to make surprise balls following the swap.. I don’t want to give away the surprises inside in case my swap partner finds my blog!

Update: I was so inspired by these surprise balls that I made some Miseducated Surprise Balls for the shop.

Escapeland

Find a Penpal at the Penpal Café

01/30/2009

Penpaling is fun and swapping is extremely fun! Want to penpal but don’t have anyone to write? Why not join our penpal classifieds by listing your own information, you can also grab a penpal here if you don’t want to wait!

Remember, however, to execute caution when contacting new friends and sharing personal information. Most importantly, have fun and make new friends.

Please post your information here if you are interested in gaining penpals and meeting other Miseducated visitors.

penpal

Swap List

Tran Hong Nhi | 26 | female | Vietnam | email
Hobbies Waching news, listening to music ( pop, rock , rap, country music..),comic, action or kungfu films, fashion
About Just call me Nhi. I am 26 years old. i am living in Ho chi Minh city of Vietnam. i am single, attractive, friendly,responsible and good hearted. i want to make friends with the ones who have something common with me. i strongly believe that Good freindship is a good background for further relation.
I wish you all best health and success in life.

Bali | 20 | female | Taiwan | email
About
I am searching for a pen pal in English and Japanese. Nice to meet you!

Lana | 25 | female | Taiwan | email
Hobbies travel, make friends, music, shop,……….
About Hi, My name is Lana^^ I am a 25 year-old girl from Taiwan. I am here for looking for penpals who are really sincerely and can make long-term friendship with me, not just write one or two letters > < I know nowadays people like to use e-mails instead of letters to communicate with each other, especailly e-mails is faster and convenient for people. But I still prefer snail mails,and I really hope I can find people who like it,too. Anyway, I like to write by snail mails,and e-mails toghter. So, if you are interested , just write to me!! I think I am a good penpal^^I ok, see you I am looking forward to hearing from you soon!!

Lisa | 23 | female | England | email
Hobbies penpalling, reading, listening to music, photography, crafts
About Hiya i am looking for female only snail mail pals please email me with an introduction xxx

Natalija | 25 | female | England | email
Hobbies reading,cooking,shopping
About I enjoy reading,writing poetry and prose,listening to the music,taking photos,travelling,cooking and shopping. I am collecting DVDs,CDs,angels,souvenirs from all around the world,hair/scarf pins,badges,autobiography/memoir books. I love chocolate and candies.
I’d love to exchange letters and little packages with fun and cute stuff.Getting to know my pen pals and sharing our thoughts is amazing experience.Age is not restricted,but no males please.I’m looking for a life-long friendship.

Join?

Please let us know your name, location, age (18+), hobbies and a bit about yourself to be published here!