Swap-bot: Alter a Greeting Card PC Swap

I wasn't so sure about this swap at first.  The example photo was of a fish wearing a suit traveling in a kayak.  But I gave it a go, and it was really fun making the altered cards!


Here were the directions:

Take a greeting card or notecard and alter it, making it into a postcard. Use the front of the card, add embellishments, cut-out images, sharpies or markers, stickers, or what have you.

I keep every card that I get, and I mean every.single.card.  I always have.  Somewhere I have a shoebox full of birthday cards from when I was 3 or something.  So I picked out two that didn't have any sentimental value for me, that weren't especially pretty or overly large, and went to town.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

I used Mod Podge to decopage magazine images onto the cards, then sprayed them with two coats of Mod Podge Acrylic Sealer, and mailed them both overseas on July 8th,  2010. I hope they arrive intact!

Here's what I got in return:

You can't really tell in the scan, but the "altered" part is that she added glitter to several parts of the pic.  I received this on July 19, 2010 from FritosMom in Stafford, VA via Swap-bot. And I LOVE it! She also sent me a package full of the rest of the awesome M.E. greeting cards and their little envelopes! So sweet.

This one wasn't altered at all.  While it's cute, it didn't meet the requirements of the swap (and I was a lil disappointed after all the effort I put into my altered greeting cards).  I talked to the swap coordinator, and she said to just message the lady who sent it and clarify the "altered" part, and ask her to send another one before I rate her a "3."  This has me twisted and sick to my stomach because I have to talk to a stranger about how she didn't do the swap right...Anyways, I received this July 19, 2010 from Stephanie Marie via Swap-bot.

Here's the replacement I got from her July 26, 2010.

Yep, that's Monet's Water Lillies with fish stickers on it.

Swap-bot: Window Shopper @ Threadless

So far I've only done postcard swaps at Swap-bot.  This one is an email swap, and it doesn't even require postage! Free! And you KNOW how I feel about FREE.

I swap with Swap-bot!

The directions are simple:

Find a bit of spare time and check out Threadless. Choose 10 t-shirt designs from their current catalog that you think are rad and link each of them to your partners via email. 

Here are my favorite 10:

Don't Care Bears

Cookies

Somehow I think it's cuter as a onesie.
Ladies and Gentlebug

Cuter as a hoodie.

Why is an Owl Smart?

This awesome shirt is for all my lil smart peeps: It's cool to read books!

Late Night Barbarian

What Would MacGuyver Do?

Peace

Geekology

Memento Mori

Children of the QWERTY

...aaaand a bonus one because I just couldn't pick 10:

You've Got Some Splaining to Do

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I almost forgot to include the swap members awesome tee links they sent to me! Here are my faves.

From Michelle:

Stick Figures In Peril

Dandy Lions

From Victoria:
I Shower Naked

There's another partner but I haven't heard from her yet.

Mah Birthday & Butterflies

Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday dear Jenny, Happy birthday to me!

Oh, you want to know how old I am? I am 27. And if anyone today asks when I'm "going to get around to having children," I will punch them in the kidney.  

~IN OTHER NEWS~

I swap with Swap-bot!

Another handmade swap!

For this swap, you will make 1 postcard for 1 partner. The postcard will have a theme of butterflies; use your best technique for collage, paint, drawing, etc., for this handmade card. the butterflies can be realistic or fantasy, or a combination of both! The card should be 4x6", and will be sent without envelope.

I normally send the same day they assign partners, but I deliberately took a little more time with this one.  I decided to use Jen's idea and use an illustration from one of my vintage science textbooks as a postcard. 

Here's what I sent:

Yes, I know it says "moth" on the description, but close enough. I sent it on July 26, 2010.  I love it. Every time I make a handmade postcard I end up wanting to keep it rather than send it away! So if I can, for all handmade postcard swaps in the future, I'm going to make two or more.  :)

Here's what I got in return:

ZOMG I LOVE IT. The glitter. The pink. The swirls. The felt butterfly. And on the back? Dozens of tiny random stickers. *Swoon* This is my favorite one in a long time. Yay! Received July 29, 2010 (ok, not on my bday, but close enough) from Daybright in San Jose, CA.

This wasn't a birthday card, but it was my favorite card to receive all day!

OMGeez This is Awesome

Dollar Store Crafts is having a giveaway! AAAhhhaahhh! I want one!

Basement Curtains

A few years ago I made a set of curtains for our townhouse upstairs, heavy to keep out the heat of the sun.  When we moved, I only had one window they would fit. In the kitchen next to the back door:

They look kinda wonky here but they're straight.

For the first year that I lived in this house, I had the ugliest curtains on the planet in the laundry room.  I wish I had taken a picture of them, just to show you how hideous they were.  The were orange and brown with diamonds or something, and so crusty and dust-covered that I'm pretty sure they were original to the house. As in 1954.  The reason that I don't have a pic is because as soon as I had the idea to replace them (see below), I took them down and shuddered as I stuffed them into the garbage can, trying not to inhale the cloud of dust and God-knows-what that flew into the air.

Here's what the laundry room wall looks like (just ignore the pretty curtains and place in your mind ugly orange and brown monstrosities):

There's no curtain rod, but some previous owner had fixed that with some kind of thin wood stick and some bent nails. Genius.

This is what it looks like now. Isn't it lovely? And in the daytime, the room is filled with a soft green glow. Ahhh.

And, for your amusement, here is a pic of Teddy, looking at me like, "WTF are you doing on top of the freaking dryer?" 

He literally follows me everywhere I go. It's pretty much adorable.

Swap-bot: A Nice Pair

I swap with Swap-bot!

This swap had me laughing at the name.  A nice pair of postcards, you pervert! Here are the instructions:

Send TWO postcards to ONE partner.Find a way to make them a "pair". Split a story between the two cards. Make a game or a puzzle to be played with both cards together. Write notes on the backs to explain why (or why not) the cards make "A Nice Pair". Whatever works for you!

I have this giant box of weird postcards from the McSweeney's Quarterly covers (no, I don't know what that is either).  I picked these two to send to a lovely gal named Teresa. I sent them on July 12, 2010.

I think they pair up well enough without my explanation, don't you?  Yes, they're kinda disturbing. But so am I, LOL.

Here's what I got in return:

These are images from the Guggenheim Bilboa Museum in Spain, or so my swapper tells me.  I received both on July 21, 2010 from Camellia.

P.S. Sometimes I think the rough way the USPS handles the PC's makes them have more character, but sometimes I want to kick someone for ruining a beautiful postcard.  They ended up wet, with the address side all chewed up from some stupid sorting machine. Ah, my ongoing struggle with the good ol' USPS.

Thrifty Finds Thursday: Kick-Ass Postcards

Someone recently asked me where I find the awesome postcards I send out.  I got a box of 100 for $24.99 at a kitschy shop in Omaha's Old Market, and I've been working my way through those.  Also, I get packs of cards as gifts from family members, and once in a while I'll see one in a magazine all perforated.
If you don't have a kitschy store or awesome relatives or magazines, here's where you can go:

Zazzle Postcards

VisionWorks: Postcards, Bumperstickers, Books & Calendars

Syracuse Cultural Workers

Pomegranate "100 postcards for $14.95. An incredible variety! They just send you 100 random cards. I love them all and I'm sure I can find a way to use every single one! I've probably already used 20 of them and I've only had them 3 weeks. I got my order really fast and they even sent an awesome bookmark as a special gift."

Chronicle Books Postcards

The2Buds

Postcard Stop

Romar Photo

PhotoPOSTOS

Search for "postcards" and "postcard" on Amazon.com

Have fun :)

Mormons: Give them Ice Water and They'll Cut Your Grass (or not)

Today two Mormon "missionaries" came to my door. I invited them inside, because it's eleventy-thousand degrees outside and I felt sorry for them.  My dogs were barking like crazy and jumping on them (because that's what they do to everyone).  I gave them some ice water and the games began.

They obviously had a script, but I took over the conversation.  It was funny.  They asked me if I had ever heard of or read the book of mormon, and I said that respectfully, I did not believe it to be divinely inspired and consider it to be blasphemous against the Bible, the one true word of God.  I told them about my devout Lutheran Missouri Synod beliefs, and they kept going back to the script whenever I paused. Like this: Me, "Luther's Small Catechism is a wonderful guide to all things regarding scripture and understanding the sacraments." Them, "So, ah, do you have a favorite parable or story?" So then I'd prattle on about my favorite parable, which is about storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth where rust and moth destroy (Matt.6:16-19).  As soon as I paused, they asked me, "So, um, do you have a favorite Bible verse?" I said, "Oh, yes, of course the most important is John 3:16." The one guy tilted his head like he was thinking, then recited the verse. I thought, of course I know the content of the verse, why do you think I said it was my favorite? Dumb.  It went on like this for about a half an hour, them asking a question and me going on and on and on about something semi-related, emphasizing that LCMS Lutherans evangelize by example and it is God who truly turns our hearts to the light.  When they got up to leave, they said, "If there's anything you need, just let us know, like we can mow your lawn or walk your dogs to help you out." I said I needed my lawn mowed because I was so flat broke, and they said they couldn't do it. Hah.  They asked if they could come back to talk about the "mission" and I said, "Honestly, I don't think my husband would be comfortable with two men coming evangelize to me in our home. But you're welcome to come by for a glass of water."  Buahaha I'm so sneaky.  I'm fairly sure they'll come back, and I'm going to evangelize them again.

You might think it's mean, but I stand behind what I did.  I've seen my fair share of just-out-of-high-school mormon missionaries, especially at Iowa State, and it's fun to talk to them until you see a glimpse of the person inside the Mormon Robot Mask.  For example, the younger one asked the names of my dogs, and while I was telling him, the older one gave him a dirty look, like "don't deviate from the plan, dude!" LOL. The younger one told me his mom had a shihtzu like mine and his name was Gizmo. Cute name for a shihtzu, I must say so.  I also learned about the younger one that he lived alone in an apartment in my town for the first time away from his family (of course) and they live in New Mexico. The other dude lived in a town like 30 miles from here.  I don't think he had a personality, but we'll see if I can get "Elder Gardner" to reveal it next time. [Insert evil laughter].

Oh yeah, and I told the younger guy he could take Lucy because I'm looking for a new home for her after we move, and you should have seen the way his eyes lit up! Then he looked at his partner, and said, "Oh, I can't have a dog."  Will somebody give this poor kid a freaking puppy dog??


P.S. It's a good thing I turned off the Eminem I was listening to before I answered the door. Snort.

Mary Engelbreit Mondays

I'm participating in M.E. Mondays at Cherry Chick Jewelry!

I once had a cubicle in a dreary building answering telephones for MCI Customer Service.  The highlight of my day was when my cubicle-neighbor would give me her old calendar page of the day, featuring Mary Engelbreit!  Years later, this is all I have left of it, having used them for crafts and such.

**Hint to family members and people looking to give me things for my birthday which is in SEVEN SHORT DAYS. I'll be turning 26. Again.  

Swap-bot: BLOGGER!

I swap with Swap-bot!

This swap doesn't require anything but time and kindness. I was really excited to hear about it, and signed up right away.  Here's the scoop:

The intention of this swap is to gain exposure to your blog and hopefully gain regular readers and some new followers. All blogs are welcomed, craft, family, diary, career, etc. as long as it is not advertising only!  So for this swap, you will visit each of your partners blogs by using the links on their profile page.  At their blog site you will browse and read your partners blogs, don’t forget to leave a comment or two (be sure to include your swapbot name) so they know you have been there and follow them!!

I'm excited! I always love new readers, and I always love new blogs to read! There are a staggering number of people in this swap: 104.  I have been assigned only 10, but I intend to check all of them out and share with you my faves.

The Hostess with the Mostest, TrainMama: http://wwwtrainmama.blogspot.com/


My 10:
Em at ...consciousness collection...
Dani at True Confessions of a Liar
Rachel at Bare Bones
Brandi at The Logge of the Furie Queene
Sunny at ~* And baby makes 3 *~
Crystal at This Young Mama
Last Minute Bride
Raye at Flying Without Feathers
Mimi at Watercolors by Mimi Torchia Boothby
Angela at Confounded Crafter