AND THE WINNER IS—ME!!!!!!! Well, it sure feels like I am a big time winner, you should see all the pretties that have come in the mail to me this week!
Honestly, these are wrapped too pretty to open. Sugarwings and I will have a dress up tea party together and wear our floral hats and open the pile of pressies together when she comes over at the end of the week. For, now, I am enjoying the lovely wrappings!
So many of our Puppy Love Tag book swappers have sent in lovely gifts, I just don't know where to start in thanking everyone. Tons of generosity and thoughtfulness is filling up my mailbox along with all the beautiful tags!
These gifts are a sweet bonus to the fun of doing the swap. I am slightly overwhelmed. Well, more than slightly… Bowled over is more like it.
But I absolutely do not want to give you the wrong idea, that gifts are required or expected when you send in your packages of tags!! Or any other swap I host.
So, I want to thank ALL of the swappers who joined in to trade tags, and let you know how much I appreciate the effort that each and every one of you has made to put these cute books together. And yes, they are going to be really cute. I love the ones I have seen so far!
And I have to say, if you have never hosted a swap before, you should give it a try. Anticipating the mail lady's arrival each day, opening up the boxes and packages to admire the tags, meeting all these talented artists, it has just been a blast.
The reason I like this swap so much, is that it is collaborative. It does mean extra work for me, but it is worth it to see all the creations all togther and in person. I don't care for one on one swaps, (even though I was paired with GREAT swappers and got cool returns on what I sent in, when I have done some!!) I've heard horror stories of swaps gone bad, but with this type of swap, if one person doesn't come through with their portion, no one is left in the lurch without a partner. (like I said, it didn't happen to me, but I have talked to people that it did happen to)
The deadline for tags to be in is Feb. 5th and I will be showing you some pictures of the books as I put them all together. I'd say about half are in already, so I should have an avalanche of packages coming in filled with tags in the next few days!
In the middle of receiving the first 30 or so bundles of tags, I got these gifts in the mail from two different blog contests that I won! The millinery flowers (YUM!) are from Andrea and the sugared house is from Side of the Road. Thanks, ladies!
Oh, but you are probably interested in who won the January prize from me, huh? I keep running on about me and my gifts, well, here is one for you- and it goes to:
And hey, she is a Puppy Love swapper!
Don't forget, we are still having the Name That Puppycontest going till Feb. 5th, so leave a comment on the previous post if you want a chance to win a milliefiori heart charm and name one of my furry little buddies.
This heart is a leaded and beveled glass one that I foofed and spiffed with vintage wallpaper and a red velvet flower. I'm going to list it in my Boutique tonight.
Today was mostly paper work and boring crap, no time to make anything at all, but I did get a few millinery craft packs listed on the boutique.
Oh, and I fixed up this gumball machine that I found at the Goodwill a few days ago. I've never been an orange fan, but that was an easy change.
All it took was a can of "Ballerina Slipper" pink spray paint, sandpaper and white acrylic paint. After a coat of sprayed on pink, I roughed it up with the sandpaper, and dry brushed a hint of white over the top. Its now filled with yogurt raisins and sits in the studio so that Sugarwings and I can have a snack when we need a boost of energy during those big play dough projects!
(artwork by Tiffany)
The puppies are up and running now, well kind of. If you'd like to see a video of them on Flickr to help inpire a name for them, please check it out here. But please keep in mind, that I thought the camera was off when it really wasn't and the second puppy video has me talking baby talk to one of them (and sounding like a doof).
Wow what wonderful new treasures. I’m sure you will enjoy them all.
WOW!! What great things!! Love that gumball machine too! Amazing what a little paint can do!
whatever you are paying your mailman…it is not enough:) wow!!! what a wonderful array of goodies you have received Karla!!! i love that collage with the crown wearing puppy…toooooooo cute!!! i love your gumball machine…i came across one to that i am planning to paint…what else…PINK!!! mine is no where near as ornate as yours…
I won! I’m so excited!
Mahala
Congratulations Mahala! That is wonderful that you have won. YAY!
I am off to watch the puppy video and maybe post another puppy name….
Adorable video, they are so cute.
Still planning on getting my tags to you by the 5th. Sorry, I’m running behind.
Gretchen
What an amazing lot of treasures. The gumball machine is great. I love your color choice. I watched the puppy video, so cute.Have a good evening.
Jean in Virginia
Karla, you are a winner! Yay! I love that you got so many goodies because you are such a generous woman! I’d try to name a puppy but I am not good with names. 🙂 I can’t wait to see what others come up with though.
Those puppy movies are so stink’n cute!!! Laurie
OH Karla, You did not sound like a doof. Just someone who really loves her puppies. They are getting so cute. My grandsons and I love to watch them. They want a puppy so bad, but the older one is allergic to animals. Hope he grows out of it or I guess learns to live with it. Have a great week.
wow! What treasures! My tags are going in the mail tomorrow or Tueday TOPS! I didn’t mean to be so late but had technical difficulties!
Love the gumball machine! And I’ve used the pink ballerina slipper color before….love it!
So many lovely creations and gifts Karla!!! How fun!
And I adore what you did with that sweet gumball machine! A work of art!
I love all the goodies and the gumball machine! Come by for my valentines day giveaway!! Andrea
Thats a whole lot of lovely goodness you have there! Love the gumball machine! Rachaelxo
I’m so glad you’re enjoying this swap and not finding it too much work!
Oh my – all that gorgeousness!! I LOVE the puppy pic that Tiffany made – the only thing cuter than a dorkie might be a dorkie in a crown! 🙂 And what fun to see my packages pictured as well – I hope you both enjoy them! I have a big box of Valentines from about 35 years ago, and when I saw Tinkerbell on one I just KNEW who that was perfect for!
SO many pretties!! They are all wonderful. I have to agree, the gum ball machine is great!
Have a creative week,
Michelle
First of all, that gumball machine is to die for! Fabulous (and much better in pink!)
Second, what fab gifties! You must be having a ball discovering each special thing!
And third, my tags go in the mail tomorrow — I’ll priority them, so they should arrive Friday!
Cheers!
Wow, that’s the kind of mail I like to get! Everything looks great. Especially love the one of Twinkle with her BLING!
Oh Karla!! Everything is so beautiful and so YOU! I LOVE the one of Twinkle that Tiffany made! That is gorgeous and so YOU!!!
LOVE the candy machine you redid too 🙂 SO pretty!
Hugs,
Amy
WOW the tags are out of this world.
Never thought of doing the gum ball machine like that. I do have 2 of them. Thanks for a GREAT idea.
Another name I have come up with is “Button” I have seen alot of bottons in your crafts.
I Love the goodie machine! Yogurt raisins are a favorite treat around here too. Congrats on your recent blog wins 😉
My Grand Daughter Gaije came up with “Bubbles”
What awesome gifts!!! I know you will love them all…m.
I am in excited anticipation to see the finished books. I sent my package off today. Told the lady at the Post Office it was an art swap. She asked what that was, but before I could explain there was a line, so when the package comes in I will show it to her.
The gifts are an expression of our esteem for you and the delight taken with a little girl called Sugarwings!
oOOOooohhhhhh…I love your blog. It makes me HAPPY. That gumball machine is to die for. I WANT ONE!!!! Just thiking about all the goodies that you can fill it up with..hmmmm…yummy!
HUGS
Damaris
I just love your blog and so happy for you and your swap! I bet your watching for the mail to come. The puppy video was so cute and their little noises…..have a great day!!!
Karla
A perfect swap for you, you must have been delirious with excitement–good for you!
Hi Karla, Congratulations on your
pretty winnings! LOVE the puppy video
and what a great gumball machine find.
I really love how you transformed it!
It is so pretty.
Janis
What wonderful pretties you got in the mail. I hope you tipped the mail carrier.
The gumball machine was a great find. I love how you transformed it. Very soft and very pretty.
Kris
Wow… where to begin. That Twinkle with the crown is the cutest thing I have ever seen.Good job Tiffany.
I have hosted swap and it IS fun to see what comes in the mail. But I must admit, nothing like the treasures you received Karla. Love, love, love the teapot charm/ornament. Maybe a “Time for Tea” tag swap is in the future???
Love the gumball/yogurt raisin machine. So Karla-like.
I mailed my box priority, yesterday . So, I am sure it will arrive in time. Can’t wait to get my tag book back. Thanks again.
Oh, I love the white gumball machine…. And all your swap goodies look so pretty. Looking at your blog everytime, it just takes me away, with all the pictures and creations.
LOVE IT…
I so enjoyed looking at the puppy pics,a tragic fire last month took (12) puppies and four Mommies from me. I miss them so much.