Yet another Swap-bot post among other things.

Hello all, I hope everyone is doing crafty things and enjoying their week.  So I decided to do another Swapbot update. I know, its consuming my life!  Crafty and otherwise.  I'm currently signed up for 3 swaps, and I just finished all my embroidery swaps for the year.  I decided to make all my Christmas gifts this year so I need all my free time for that.  So far, I'm working on a bagillion cat toys. I found this crochet pattern on www.craftzine.com.  Its a pretty cool website for all crafty things.  Anyways, I've made about 8 cat toys filled with little catnip pillows in each mouse.  I've tested one of my toys with my friend's cat and she absolutely loved it! Success!  She was rubbing her face all over it and carrying all over the place.  She even liked playing with crochet chain that's attached to it.  So I think all the cats getting this toy will like it.  I never realized how many friends and family members I know have cats! yikes and some have two!  I think I still need to whip up like 3 or 4 more.  I now need a pattern for dog toys.  I guess I'll need to buy some squeakers since dogs don't like catnip (I tested it when my own little Pookmister, he was not a fan of it). If I had time and patience, I would make dog sweaters but I that means I would need to make around 3 or 4 of them.  Noooo thanks. I'll have to think of something.

Anywho,  back to Swap-bot!  Let see,  as I mention I was doing a Pin-Up Swap, Gina Matazarro Swap, and Bluework Embroidery Swap.  I have finished all of them.  I've only received so far my Bluework Swap item so I have a picture of it.  Its quite beautiful actually.

Sorry about picture quality, my camera is still sucking. hard. I wish I could afford a new one but unfortunately, its not in the budget.  but she's a very lovely lady, doing some needlework.  She was wonderfully stitched and  I believe she used one strand for the whole thing so wow!  I know, what you are thinking, what did you make Perla?  Well, I stitched up this cute little bird, but I forgot to take a picture of it before I sent it to it's new home.  Rats!  I swear, I lose my head if it wasn't attached to my body.  Oh well, it was cute. But I do have pictures of the other items I made for my swaps! Woo hoo!

I made this tote bag for the Gina Matazarro Swap.

I absolutely loved how it came out, I almost didn't want to send it! It seems so happy and cheery! This pattern is just adorable.  My swap mate, really liked it so that's good!

Now for my Pin-Up Swap, I'm not really 100% pleased with how it turned out.  I guess I just don't have the knack for Pin-Ups.  Faces and people in general are not my strong points in embroidery.  I think I'll stick with animals and objects from now on, but it was a fun experience!  Anyways, without further ado, my "pin-up" girl.

Eeeks!  She looks like an albino black girl with dreads. Yikes. Honestly, the only thing I like about this is her shoes.  I'm sorry swap mate!  There was really no fixing her at that point, so I just had to send her.  I was down to the deadline and I didn't want to swap late so off I sent her.  Not my proudest item I've made but at least its done.  I guess that's what I get when making my own pattern.  I didn't want to use the ones used before in previous Pin-Up Swap so I looked online and printed a picture of a pin-up, traced her, and then stitched her up.  Obviously, my drawing/tracing skills are left to be desired so that's why she's a little funky.  Don't even get me started with her hair, I have no idea why it looks like that.  Anyways, my swap-mate was nice and commented on how nice her shoes were, lol.  oh well.

So now to talk about my current swaps.  Ok so I'm involved in a Coupon Swap.  Nothing very exciting about that except, I get coupons! whoo hooo. Next I'm doing I'm new to Making ATC Swap.  As we all know, I am new to making ATC's so this should be fun.  I have two partners and I have to make ATC based off their profiles.  They both like Vampires, Werewolves, and other fantasy creatures so I might make something along those lines.  OHHH Speaking of ATC's, I did finally get my Owl ATC Swap!  Its really cute!  Here's a picture of it...

I really like the button and of course, the adorable owl!  Its pretty artsy with sparkly paint/spray and glue glitter! It came all the way from Ukraine so that's why it took so long.

My last swap that I'm doing is Halloween Coloring Page which is where we color any Halloween theme coloring page.  So I went on the hunt online looking for a coloring page and I stumbled against this wonder! I absolutely love this guy's drawings.  So amazing and cute!  I finished coloring my picture today.  I'm so excited about it, I decide to show it before sending it to my partner.  I doubt she would stalk me anyways over a coloring page.

Totally awesome right?! Man, the picture is just so freaking cute!.  I took some more slightly close up pictures.

I printed the coloring page on some card stock (I usually use it for card making) and used fine-tip sharpies to color the picture in.  The fine-tip really came in handy for the tiny little bricks and roofing tiles. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I have to say this is pretty awesomely colored.  I hope my swap mate enjoys it.  I'm also gonna send her a copy of coloring page so she can do it as well.  If you all have time, you should definitely check out the printable coloring books on http://www.bluebison.net/ as well as their children stories.  I promise your face will melt off with cuteness it exudes.

Well, that's all for now!  I guess I should blog more often and do smaller posts, huh?  I will get better at this!  Enjoy your crafty week!

Swap-bot... my new addiction

Swap-bot has really become my new addiction.  I cruise the website at least 10x a day.  No joke.  I try to refrain myself from signing up for too many swaps but they all sound so fun!  So far I've joined Pin Up HAND embroidery  and as I mention previously the Gina Matarazzo Swap.  I've been thinking about trying ATCs or Artist Trading Cards.  Now they really look intimidating if you do a quick Image search.  I mean, I know they are suppose to be miniature works of art but damn they are amazing.  I just can't compete with that!  In my defense, they are mostly drawn, painted, sketched, etc and we all know that I can't draw my way out of a paper bag.  The best I can do is put together something using my card making and scrapbooking materials.

This is my first attempt at making one:



I think its cute.  I mean, its no work of art but its adorable.  I really wanted to join this swap, Owl ATC Swap #2 . I am consider a newbie (as I should be) but I hope someone is ok if they receive that! I used my adorable Owl punch, stamped the flowers and glued it all together.  I have to say the hardest part (and I don't know why) was making the girl's eyes.  I actually used real fake eyelashes that I trimmed to fit her eyes.

Anyways, gonna sign up and work on another one and see which one is better.  In other news, I realize the person that I'm gonna ship my embroidery swaps to is the same person!  Sweet, save on postage!  :)

What are all of you crafting at the moment?

Blog Update!!

EDIT: Ugh, I accidently deleted part of my post when i was trying to fix a picture.  Well, I think I remember most of what I put so lets try this again! 

I've recently been part of a lot of swaps on Swap-Bot.  I finished two of my swaps.  The first swap, I mention in my previous post.  It was a Sublime Stitching HAND Embroidery Swap.  My partner is Rainsembellishments and here are her  lovely blog and etsy store.   I made some sugar skulls for her since she mention in her profile that she liked them.  

Pretty eh?  I love that blue fabric!  I'll need to go buy some more from Hobby Lobby.  The next series of pictures are just going to be closeups of each skull and flowers. 

I am also part of swap that is called Embroidery in Yellow.  Now, usually I don't really care for the color yellow but I did have a lot of fun making this piece.  My partner is LisasTeaTime and her blog is here! I used the bluebird from Sublime Stitching books and then I free-styled a french knot sun.  She really liked it! 

Sorry the second photo is so blurry, my camera is on the fritz! booooo.  

I've also buy a few items from Stampin Up! They have products to make cards and scrapbooking.  Their stuff is fabulous but I usually don't have the money to spend like I would like to.  I would probably buy half the catalog if I could.  Here's a picture of my loot!

 I bought an Owl punch, 5 markers, a bird stamp set, two clear blocks and two-way glue pen.  My awesome owl punch makes the cutest freaking owls you've ever seen. Below are a few examples of the owls I can do.  

Sooooo cute right?  I also got a stamp set of little birds and bird cages.  Its that box that looks like a DVD.  here is a close-ups of the stamps.  

I also made something for my friend Maggie for her birthday but I forgot to take a picture.  Basically it was a rainbow with some clouds and her name spelled out.  She really liked it!  What I'm currently working on (when I'm not punching out and gluing together cute little owls that is! ) is another swap.  I just started on it and so far so good.  The swap is Gina Matarazzo HAND Embroidery which is creating a finished item using Gina Matarazzo's patterns that are either free or small fee.  Gina's website is also http://ginamatarazzo.com/ or http://spotcolors.wordpress.com/ .  She's seems pretty amazing!  My swap partner is jennlmsomerset.  She didn't have any website listed or else I'd add them.  

Well that is all for now.  Adieu! 

New and Improved!

If you had read my blog before, well welcome back! I decided to delete everything I've ever posted and start off with a fresh new blog. No depressing posts, Just happy crafty things! I wanted a place where I can post what I'm working on so I don't have to bug other people with the "lookey what I made!" emails. I've always been a little crafty since I was young and I like to use craft as a medium to stay busy.

My current love is embroidery!! All things embroidery. I also love scrapbooking, card making, stamping, and crocheting. I want to buy a sewing machine so I can make pillows and other things.

I hope you all enjoy it and if you have any requests, questions, or comments.. don't hestitate to ask!