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Thursday 6 August 2009

J + K's Multi-coloured Swap Shop [+ giveaway].

A few weeks ago for our PostSecret challenge, rather than share our secrets digitally, Kirsty and I physically mailed each other our postcards. Yes, we used an actual pen to write an address, licked a stamp and walked, using our legs, to a three-dimensional postbox! I know!! We were positively Victorian!

While we may keep in regular contact with each other vie email and Twitter there was something appealingly personal about receiving something with Kirsty's handwriting on it! Not that I'm an amateur graphologist or any such, but it was nice - in a world of cyber contacts - to have in my hand something she'd sent. Something papery and handmade. Something 'real'!

All this led to a discussion about doing something else both 'real' and postally themed and we decided on a grand stash swap!

[If you're not aware of the 'Multi-coloured Swap Shop' of my title then you're probably not English and / or not my age -either way there's a quick history lesson for you here.]

What with Kirsty's recent house move and my recent craft-room reorganisation, we thought we'd put together a box of crafting supplies to send to each other. I've done this many times before with like-minded friends and it's always so much fun to receive a cornucopia of crafting supplies through the post.

It's online shopping ... without the exchange of money. Crafty-bartering is where it's at!

But, while one man's junk is quite often another man's treasure ....just be mindful of who you choose to swap with!! It probably won't work so well if you don't share a hobby! Who else, but a fellow crafter, would be genuinely excited by a pizza box full of your cast-offs of paper scraps, scavenged ephemera and incomplete alphabet sets? Yet, if you've chosen your recipient carefully, a bundle of your leftovers and over-purchases can make someone else's day!Opening up a packet of items which are entirely new to you [even though they may not actually be new], is such an easy and direct method of generating fresh new ideas to get you thinking, making and creating!
If nothing else it keeps the Royal Mail ticking over nicely and keeps our postmen in a job [we discovered that in the past we've both given names to our postmen Kirsty's being 'Italian Tony' and mine being 'the bald one in the van who knows me' - neither of us would win the prize for originality there!]. As Kirsty and I are both on the design team for Banana Frog we also decided to swap a few sets of Banana Frog stamp sets at the same time. This way we could both work on our August design team commitments with new products and new eyes. I knew that this would work because, several weeks ago I'd renewed my collection of stamps by swapping with the fabulous and most best Hannah Milburn - another BF design team member and I'd been inspired to use the new stamps straight away. [You can see the LO I made in the Colour Focus post on the BF blog here].

So, we've invited Hannah to join us in our logistically-challenging- summer-stash-swapping-mania and all three of us have decided to make our Banana Frog 'Projects of the Day' for August using the stamps and goodies we've recieved from one another in our swap.

Did you get all that? If not .... here's a nice colour coded list to assist you [and me!]:

Aug 9: Visit the Banana Frog blog to see Kirsty's Project of the Day using swapped items.

Aug 12: Visit the Banana Frog blog to see Hannah's swappy Project of the Day.

Aug 14: Visit the Banana Frog blog to see how I've used my 'new to me' swappy bits in my Project of the Day.

What with all this sharing we've been doing we felt it would only be right and proper to continue in our mode of reciprocation and give you, our friendly neighbourhood Copy + Pasters, the opportunity to swap with us too.

We have a brand new set of Banana Frog stamps to giveaway - kindly donated to us from Banana Frog owner Bev - and here's how you can wrest them from our hands to your own:

You: leave us a comment below, in this post, below here, here, on this post, below, here! You can say whatever you like in the comment [within reason!] but try to make it clear that you would like to entered into the giveaway.

We: will pick a winner at random on the evening of Sunday August 16th and will announce the winner ASAP after that.

Now that that's all perfectly clear [!!] I'll leave you to your comment making. I have a mound of pre-loved stash to fidget around with to create my Project of the Day from [insert image of a pig in muck here!!!].

Soon enough.
Julie :)

59 comments:

Anne said...

YES PLEASE. Is that clear enough?!!!

I love stash swapping. I received a fabulous enormous box of cast offs from the lovely Jamaica a couple of months ago, and I have recently passed the favour on by sending out my own cast offs into the world.

Lovely stuff.

Steve & Joyce Rodli said...

HERE HERE right here ASap like you said! And like Anne I will say Yes Please. H-happies. Joyce

Anonymous said...

Don't put me in the giveaway but I do want to be in the multi coloured swap shop!

Sian said...

You've reminded me of the time I queued in the rain for Keith Chegwin's autograph! Very, very long ago. A giveaway? Lovely!

Joy said...

I would like to be in the draw please. I love Banana Frog.

absolutartist1 said...

Awesome idea! I used to do a LOT of swapping via mail for my paper scrapping, but since I've moved to mostly digital I've lost the friends to do it with. I'd really LOVE something to jump-start another paper project as I've been neglecting it lately! Thanks for the chance! :)

Cate
absolutartist1 [at] gmail [dot] com

Kerry said...

ME ME ME LOL I would like to take part in the giveaway.

Your swapping is such a lovely idea.

Lisa Russell said...

Yes, please enter me in the giveaway! I love the idea of a swap box. And you are right - another man's junk usually IS another man's treasure! Especially if it has Banana Frog items in it. Wow!

Lisa R.

Samantha Maddin said...

OOh, giveaway, stamps, bananafrog, what a marvellous set of words! I'd love to join in, I personally hold Bev and Marion Emberson guilty of pushing stamps on me and creating my addiction :)

Anonymous said...

Yes please!
This sounds like huge fun, and you can never have too many Banana Frog stamps, now can you? LOL

frazzled2day said...

oooooooo....>jumping up and down in excitement!!!< yes purleeeeeese, i would love to win some banana frog stamps!!!! A gal can never have enough stamps now can she?? lol xxx

Francine said...

You gals are so spot on with this! I love the idea of swapping the BF stamps. Let me know next time you're doing that and I'll play too! And no don't enter me in the giveaway. lol Just wanted to let you know I'll be posting about this on Craft Gossip :)

Moon Hulsman said...

OMG yes yes yes I like the draw and i am a little swapaddict soooooo You can count me in

Katy said...

Oooooh please enter me!! Banana Frog stamps RULE!!!!!!

Love the swaps :)
xx

yvette said...

Pick me Pick me!!! I adore BF stamps, what a sweet thing to do, a giveaway, whoevers wins will enjoy them so much! Good luck everyone!yvette

Anonymous said...

In true Saturday Swap Shop style, I will swap a set of photo's for a set of BF stamps. You could use the photo's for a design team challenge!
Up for the offer girls?
Lynetta

Scrapdolly said...

i USED TO LOTHE mULTI cOLOURED SWAP SHOP

Wat a gre idea - i need to do this swapping with a couple of my friends too - brilliant idea.

Tilly said...

Ohhh I always wanted to enter Saturday Swap Shop, but my mum wouldn't let me!! So boo sucks mum I'm entering this one hehe.

I love banana frog stamps and all the clever ideas you ladies come up with, Keep up the good work!!!!

Darcy Marshall said...

ooo me please, I love Banana frog.

xxx

Wendy High said...

Totally cool! And yes I would love to be entered to win these stamps! Love the idea you girls have swapping materials!

Judi said...

I would to be in your giveaway. I love Banana Frog. Enjoy your swapping.

Melinda AKA medialady said...

I have a friend that I swap with all the time and what is nice is she only lives a block away!
We also swap stamps back and forth so I would love to win the giveaway stamps!

Mrsjobee said...

A girl can never have too many sets of Banana Frog stamps!!!

Kathy said...

I love the petal stamp...what a great idea. Please pick me!!!!

luluvision said...

would LOVE to win a set of Banana Frog stamps! How fun! Thanks for doing the giveaway!

Boomer said...

Please enter me in the giveaway. I'd love to receive some goodies. I'll pass the karma along and send some of my "scraps" to anther crafter. Great idea!

Leicsdeb said...

Please enter me too. My name is Deb and I am a banana frog addict. My friends will benefit from some gorgeous stuff I can pass on to them too :)

Janet said...

I want to be entered in the giveaway. I really, really, really do. Am I coming across desperate? I hope not, but I really, really, really, do want to win!

Deneen said...

I would love to be entered to win some fun banana frog stuff! Thanks for the opportunity.

Jan Foselli said...

wow - your LOs are great! I love those stamps and with me unemployed right now, I would really, really, really love to have something new to play with in my little scrapbooking corner!

Your sharing idea is great, too!

ForgedinPaper said...

Please include me! I so loved Swap Shop when I was a kid but my mum didn't so no swaps for me. Is it the 9th yet? I'm looking forward to seeing what you all do with your stash.

Barb said...

I love to Swap and Share with my friends. It brings a whole new dimension to crafting. Thanks for the chance to win some goodies.

Erika M. said...

How totally cool to swap supplies - I wish I had friends that I could do this with! Would love to win a set of Banana Frog stamps!

Lynne said...

Ooh yes please include me!! I love Bev's stamps and haven't managed to buy any for ages. I'm in the process of sorting my stash as well so would love to get involved with some swapping, my Mum would never let me do swaps either- Thank you

Unknown said...

I do hope you're both wearing garishly patterned jumpers... otherwise it's just NOT the same ;)
Would love the stamps, but I feel I've won enough recently, so please count me out (very reluctantly!)

Lucie said...

What a fabulous idea to swap crafting stuff! I swap clothes with friends all the time but never thought to do it with craft stuff.

I would love to be entered in the competition thanks x

butterfly_bh said...

Great giveaway :) .. Would love to win it ..

Lucy said...

Hi guys! I'd like to be entered in the giveaway, I'm a stamp addict, and have a ton of BF stamps so one more set would always be welcome to my collection!

Thanks for the invite! x x x

Clair said...

Ooh, please add me into that long list of giveaway entrants. I'm a big swapping fan - I love that you often get stuff you'd never have tried/bought yourself :)

Becky Merrill said...

Please enter me in your contest. I am a new to this and any extras I can get would be a much needed surprise!

Anonymous said...

yes for me, I'd so love to get a chance to enter the drawing... and win of course!!!plus it"s my B-day on the 14th !!! ;):):):)
Helen

Karin said...

Ooh, please enter me in the contest! I would love to win some stamps!

Anonymous said...

I WANNA BE ENTERED IN THE CONTEST!!

Rach said...

ME TOO!!!

Love the Postsecrets and I know exactly what you mean about wanting to tell all and on the other hand keeping up that reputation!!!
I had better not spill...

Rachelx

KatyF said...

Hello,

Oh, yes please, I'd like to be in the draw too! am loving the idea of stash swaps, must try this one with my mum!

Kelly said...

Oh yes please! My sister and I just traded craft supplies. She lives 300 miles away and it is lovely to get her castoffs. We are going to include a friend of mine and one of hers the next time we do it.

Anonymous said...

Oooh.. a Banana Frog giveaway, how thrilling.. Please enter me!!! thanks v much!!

Jimjams said...

OMG I am such a give-away tart - if there's anything free up for grabs please put me at the top of the list!!!! My postman (known as Craig's Dad as I used to teach his son, but am now too embarrassed to ask his name and refuse to call him Mr Smith!) needs the exercise too!

I love BF stamps (and pizza boxes of other people's, better than my old, stash) ... TFS

tough jelly said...

OOOH I love these products and I would love to be ENTERED to win these cool stamps!!

Polly said...

Sounds fab, sign me up!

Caroline said...

Oooh yes please! I'd love some fabby stamps.

{VICKI} said...

Yes I want to win!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trash to Treasure is wonderful!

fran h said...

Yes I would love to try and win these cool stamps from Banana Frog.
Thanks so much for the chance.

Fran H

Azimuth said...

Thanks for all the lovely inspiration. My one and only stash swap didn't work so well, so I'm glad it works sometimes!

I'd love to be entered into the draw, too.

Luluuk said...

Please include me in the giveaway, Love the idea od the swap shop - and yes I am old enough to remember the original!

Lorna May said...

PLEASE enter me into the GIVEAWAY.

I love giving craft goodies. There is nothing better than seeing a friends face when she gets a box of goodies to play with. (Quite often because I cant resisit a sale.)
I have to admit I don't mind recieving them either hehe

elliemook said...

Me please, if I'm not too late? x

Rachel M said...

I'd like to enter too please, i hope I'm not too late. :)

Anonymous said...

I'd love to win this giveaway - please enter me!

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