An Autumn Tree and a Spring Swap

This morning my hurried weekend scribbling moved from sketchbook to fabric and even though it's not finished, I couldn't wait to snap a few pictures. This Autumn tree is the first in a series of fabric collages I'm working on. I hope to have it finished before the end of the day because I'm so anxious to begin the next one, I can hardly stand it. You'll probably find it in the shop sometime tomorrow.


Quite a few of you have posted your suggestions for the Spring Swap and I can't thank you enough! They are wonderful! So here are the official swap rules.

1. Your swap piece(s) must be handmade by YOU (not your kids...not your grandmother...not your best friend.) Any medium of expression is fine...fabric, hand-knit or crochet, metalwork, beading, paper, paint, photography...anything goes. Just keep it family friendly...and please don't ask me to explain what that means.

2. The finished piece(s) must measure exactly 8" x 10" and be suitable for framing. Do NOT mat or frame your swap piece(s) before mailing. Just make and mail! (Thank you for that wonderful suggestion, Kat!)

3. Your swap piece(s) should reflect a Spring theme and should include the colors red and yellow. Any other colors are fine too. Just make sure red and yellow are in there somewhere.

I would love to have as many participants as possible but please do not sign up if you don't think you can follow through with your end of the swap. Your partner will be so disappointed! If you'd like to participate, send me an email (subject: Swap) and include the following:

1. Your name (or shop name)

2. Your blog name and url (if you blog)

3. Your shop's url IF you have an online shop

4. Your mailing address

5. Specify whether you would like to have one swap partner or two. If you have two, you'll be mailing two items of yours and receiving an item from two other people.

6. I encourage you to be willing to ship internationally because having a partner from the other side of the globe should be a wonderful experience and your shipping costs for an 8x10 item should be minimal. However, if you are NOT willing to ship internationally, please tell me now!

Once I have all of your info, I'll add you to the list of participants at the bottom of this post. Deadline to sign up is noon, EST, Monday, April 6th. As soon as I have everyone's info I'll send you the name and address of your partner(s) as well as the deadline for mailing your swap pieces (probably the week of April 27th.) If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

And one last favor...please help to spread the word about this swap. My little one is keeping me quite busy these days so I need all the help I can get! Email, blog, Tweet, Stumble, Digg...do whatever it is you do! The more, the merrier! Feel free to copy and paste this banner for your use. If you're going to link back, please link to THIS POST since all of the instructions are here.

Thanks!

The following are signed up to participate in the 8x10 Spring Swap:

1. Ripping Out Seams (Massachusetts)
2. LoLo Craft / lolocraft.etsy.com (Connecticut)
3. See the Woods & the Trees / folksy.com/shops/SeeTheWoods (Northern Ireland)

4. Home in Virginia (Virginia)

5. ayenforcraft (Massachusetts)

6. Diary of an Unconcious Mind (Texas)
7. made by Maisie / madebymaisie.etsy.com (Australia)
8. What Katy Did / whatkatydiddesign.etsy.com (Australia)

9. Roots and Wings / rootsandwings on etsy (Florida)

10. Love Just is / courticus.etsy.com (Florida)

11. A Quilt to Build a Dream On (Canada)

12. Kindershop / kindershop.etsy.com (Michigan)

13. Venezie Bags / veneziebags.etsy.com (Massachusetts)

14. Stitching Magpie (UK)

15. Chez Vie / virsaq.etsy.com (India)
16. Unshelved Words / summergypsy.etsy.com (Alabama)

17. Abigail Leigh Handbags / 1000markets.com/shops/abigailleigh (Maryland)

18. Angela Komljenovic (Canada)

19. Again Mommy Again! (Washington)
20. Life's Mundane (Malaysia)

21. Mand-a-Lin (Australia)

22. Jademond (Germany)

23. 3inunder3 / livvielee.etsy.com (Moussouri)

24. BigBucketGirl (UK)

25. Sibling Craftery (Arkansas)

26. Sandra Alba (Argentina)

27. Treasures Created / treasurescreated.etsy.com (Texas)

28. The Rhead Necklace (Texas)

29. Daily Doings (Massachusetts)

30. M&M Studio / m&mstudio.etsy.com (Illinois)

31. The Heart of Words / tess1960.etsy.com (Kansas)

32. Angelique Schmidt (Pennsylvania)

33. Katie Crocker / (New Jersey)

34. The Creative Juices of Ariel (Indiana)

35. The Park Avenue Sweatshop (Indiana)

36. Anie (California)

37. Little Peaces Made From The Hart / hartylittlepeaces.etsy.com (Australia)

38. The 6 O'Clock Stitch / the6oclockstitch.etsy.com (Georgia)