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Handmade embellishments

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Handmade embellishments
Swap Coordinator:Kessie (contact)
Swap categories: Paper Goods  Scrapbooking  Artist Trading Card (ATC) 
Number of people in swap:26
Location:International
Type:Type 3: Package or craft
Last day to signup/drop:December 11, 2007
Date items must be sent by:January 11, 2008
Number of swap partners:2
Description:

Craft shops are full of expensive embellishments. Fake gemstones, cardboard shapes, fabric flowers, Glittery stickers, metal charms, shiny sequins... Why not make your own? I recently made some little autumn leaves, as a sort of 'confetti' to put in a swap envelope. But I kept one to glue onto an ATC, which gave me the idea for this swap.

You will have two partners, and make each of them a minimum of 6 embellishments (however, please make more, if, like my leaves, they're very small) - which your partner is then free to use in their own work.

The items you make should be:

  • Relatively sturdy - not just scraps of flimsy paper.

  • Your own work - not images printed off the web or just manufactured embellishments glued onto card. It's ok to use an element of collage - for instance in an inchie - but the finished item should be something unique, which will not raise any copyright issues if it is used later.

  • Designed for use on ATCs, collages, handmade cards and scrapbooking. They can be slightly 3D but should still be suitable for gluing to a flat surface.

  • Your best work - make something that people might want to buy if they saw it in a shop!

A few ideas:

  • Inchies or Moos, either hand drawn or made from your own photographs. Inchies are exactly 1 inch square. Choose designs which could easily be incorporated into a larger work.

  • Polymer clay shapes (hearts, flowers, strawberries, stars, etc.)

  • Painted or hand drawn shapes (leaves, snowflakes, smiley suns, etc.) cut from cardboard or watercolour paper.

  • Flattened bottle-caps with a pattern in the middle.

  • Tiny fairies, fake flowers, paper butterflies?

Any other suggestions?

There is no specific theme, but try to make things you think your partner could use - for instance don't send Christmas embellishments if they don't celebrate Christmas. You may suggest colour schemes or very general themes which you prefer in the comments below, but following these is not compulsory, and you can't ask for a particular type of embellishment.

  • EDITED DECEMBER 9th *

I just realised that I never specified a minimum rating requirement for this swap.

So just to let everyone know - I will be checking all swappers carefully before allocating partners, and reserve the right to remove anyone I think can't be trusted.

Newbies are welcome, on condition they send me a message before the sign-up date, to convince me they are taking this commitment seriously.

I generally will not allow anyone with a rating of below 4.9 in my swaps, but may make exceptions if someone has obviously been rated unfairly.

Discussion

Kessie 10/11/2007 #

Some shapes I like include flowers, leaves, hearts, stars, snowflakes, doves... My favourite colour is green, and also anything metallic (gold, silver, copper coloured). I'd also like embellishments containing text - especially words like e.g. 'Peace' 'War' 'Truth' 'Hope' - or even extreme swearwords! I like things with lots of texture...

Dalwil 10/12/2007 #

Have signed up for this but was just wondering as I have a cricut expression are things made with this considered handcrafted eg a chipboard florish that is then decorated in some way Thanks

Kessie 10/12/2007 #

Wow, I'd never heard of a Cricut Expression, but I just googled it, and it seems to be a big machine that enables you to cut lots of cool shapes out of cardboard...

Yes, that sounds great, especially if you then painted them or something! I'd be happy to recieve something like that - and you are creating them at home with your magic machine rather than just buying them.

In fact, I think it would also be ok if someone started with basic objects they'd bought in a shop - such as plain cardboard heart or flat wooden buttons - as long as they then decorated them by hand so that the result was something wonderful and unique...

But I'd be interested in other people's interpretation of the rules, or suggestions for more types of embellishments they'd like to make or receive...

cbzcando 10/12/2007 #

How about altered items, like painted puzzle pieces? I also wouldn't mind stamped images on cardboard cutouts for card embellishments, but I'm guessing that wouldn't fall under "handmade."

Coffeelatte 10/14/2007 #

Yes - how about altered items? I have some plain chipboard stars and flowers but if I've applied the paint and glitter would that be "handmade"?

artsyjana 10/15/2007 #

Some possible ideas: Fabric scraps or ribbons that have been painted or beaded on. Taking blank labels and creating your own stickers. Shapes formed out of artistic wire. What about small strands of beads? Handmade tassels out of embroidery floss or beads. Kessie- I'd love to have you as a partner as I have something that would be perfect for you: I work with metals and have a set of small alphabet metal stamps, so I can make tags with words on.

Kessie 10/16/2007 #

Ooh that sounds fab!

alleycat 10/19/2007 #

I am open to anything, but I can always use "new baby girl" things as I have three new nieces.

cbzcando 10/22/2007 #

Altered charms - I like that, coffeelatte! All the ideas sound great - really looking forward to this swap!

Coffeelatte 10/27/2007 #

I am so glad I finally found this one again...I couldn't locate it on the swap list and thought I'd missed it...Yippie, I'm in now!

dreamerkins 12/10/2007 #

hee hee! i'm back to swapping! can't resist this one!!!

cbzcando 12/12/2007 #

I'm open to everything as well, but love vintage inspired and not so crazy about heart shaped things. Thanks.

artsyjana 12/17/2007 #

I'm open to almost anything too, but I'd prefer nothing Christmas themed.

sabuja 01/14/2008 #

Hello partners! This is just to let you know that I wasn't able to send my items yet, but I'll try doin it tomorrow. I'm sorry...

sabuja 01/17/2008 #

Ok, they've gone yesterday. Again, I'm sorry for the delay...

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