Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Pretty, pretty, pretty... and a 'No Frills Swap'

Ooh, settling back down to earth here in soggy, grey Haute Garonne. It's been a lovely Christmas and New Year, thanks to great times with family and really special links with bloggers, too! I'm listening to the CD of music from 'The Long Way Down' which Ben bought me for Christmas - African music makes it feel a bit less grey here. But I'm ready for some colour too... The pretty, pretty picture above represents two parcels which were waiting for me when I got home. The ribbon is part of Michela's wonderful Christmas gift, and the fabric behind is on the back of Sarah's cushion...
...too wonderful, isn't it? So glad I got the second one (she kept the first one for herself, very understandably). Thanks so much to you two lovely blogging friends.
Just a few more peeps at the wonders within Michela's parcel. But where is my photo of the Limoges box? I don't know where it's gone, but don't worry, I'll take more.
Another immense pleasure that January has brought is the unveiling of Niki's Nostalgia at the Stone House Calendar. It's really the only new thing I've bought myself, except for a refill for my diary, and both of those do have to come new, don't they? And Niki's photos are beautifully handcrafted, of course.Our calendars used to be somewhat hidden away in the kitchen, but I'm not prepared to do that with this year's edition! Instead I've hung it below the stairs, where it can be seen clearly in the 'hallway' part of our living space. On the tray below it I've decided to do a little monthly display which reflects the colours and themes of Niki's photo - this month silver, and next month I'm looking forward to lots of red for Valentine's Day!And now to this idea for a 'No Frills' Swap. Firstly the subject: it's a magazine swap. I know that lots of us doing the Challenge of the Utmost Kind are hankering for new magazines, and in my opinion a 'new to you' magazine for the right time of year is just as good. So the idea is to swap craft/vintage/lifestyle magazines, from the ones we already have in our collections! You don't have to be doing the Challenge to join in, of course.If you like the idea, check out these basic rules, and please sign up by commenting on this post:
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Rules
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Check that you have at least one magazine of the craft/vintage/lifestyle genre for February or March that you are prepared to swap. Don't go out and buy a new one!
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Sign up here, letting me know if you want a magazine in English or if you are prepared to just enjoy the pictures in a 'foreign-language' mag. Let me know if the mag you have is in English or another language. Mine are in French so it's fine to join in with non-English ones...
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Closing date for entries will be Thursday January 21st. Please email your address to me as soon as you enter.
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I will sort out swap partners and let you know your partner by Thursday January 28th. Get to know them a bit and check to see that you won't be posting something they already have a copy of!
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Pack up your magazine and post it to your swap partner with a little note or pretty card, to arrive around February 12th. This is the No Frills part! No extras, no hard work, no feeling guilty because your partner sent you something extra that you didn't think to send them. No Frills. Easy Swap.
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Obviously, please do advertise the swap by putting my logo and a link to this post onto your sidebar or in a post. The more the merrier!
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Floss
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PS Hope you like my 'no frills' logo. It's either wonderful in its simplicity or really bad. You decide.
THE SWAP IS NOW CLOSED, AND I AM BUSY SORTING OUT PARTNERS...

35 comments:

Michela said...

..Sajou and Limoges..it sounds like a joke! You got some great bits from Mr Red Gingham!
Of course I will join your swap, my subscription to CL has not expired yet and I haven't read anyone of the last issues!

JuanitaTortilla said...

Good to have you back Floss. Marvellous goodies, once again, from nice people all over the world. I have my new calendar in the kitchen -- wonder why it is that we instinctively place calendars in the kitchen? (Although you've switched yours to the hallway.)

I love yur magazine, no frills idea. I have thought about doing a recipe swap, once I get to get this first swap off the ground. But I seem to be wearing the invisible cloak these days.
Anyway, I would love to join, but I have no magazines! We just have TIME Magazine...

Jackie said...

Floss ~ just popping in to wish you and your family a very Happy New Year ~ I hope 2010 is a good one for you :O) xx

Lola Nova said...

What pretty things you received!
Your swap is an excellent idea. I will have to check my magazines to see if any have escaped the little one's scissor and paste collages. I will let you know.

Happy New Year!

Pondside said...

Lovely photos - and what a beautiful calendar. I too received calendars for Christmas and have put them where I'll enjoy them.
Please sign me up for the magazine swap. I'd like to swap with someone outside of Canada, as I'm always curious about life elsewhere. I'll email you my address. Thank you!

Lululiz said...

Yay, I am so glad you are back blogging again.
I'll email you with a couple of questions regarding the swap, you know me, I can be a bit dense about these things at times, lol.

Serenata said...

What lovely gifts :-)

I like the idea of a little display each month. I'll have a think about the swap and let you know in a couple of days. I only started collecting magazines half way through last year, and then stopped when I started the challenge so will have to see what I've got first ;-)

Sophie - Chez Sophie said...

Oh Floss what a fabby idea, I love it when a magazine plops through the letter box. Esspecially if its a surprise. Count me in, I don't mind what language it is in. Picyures are enough.
Happy New Year
Luv Sophie xxx

Mami said...

pretty goodies you got!!happy to you!!


About 'no frills swap'is good idea!!I'd like to join but my mags are all written in japanese.. lol

Josie-Mary said...

I love the idea of the swap but I'm trying not to buy any magazines. Maybe this could be my excuse to treat myself to country living?? I'll get back to you :)

Mami said...

Hi,Floss
I've just read from your one more comment about your swap. I'm glad to hear about that.Pls join with you!! And you know if i am wondering,give me hand please.Thanks.

VintageVicki said...

Yes please I'd love to join in :)

Am happy with a non-english lang mag or just one thats not from england - tbh I'd prefer that.

The one I'll send will be an english one.

Will add the button to my sidebar too :)

French Nanny said...

Took me ages to find a magazine from Feb or March, but I have done it! Now I'd like to join the swap! My magazine is English, but I'd be happy to have either French or English.

Ange said...

I'm in for the magazine swap. I'm sure I have some from Feb/March from last year (sorry, not got a new one since I started). What a bother though - in a fit of zen enthusiasm I sorted all my magazines about a year ago and gave away nearly every Country LIving, Campagne Décoration, and Côté Sud or Côté West magazine I had.. Still have some Marie Claire idées I could probably spare though... Great idea Floss!

Beck said...

Hi Floss, count me in! I will send an Aussie mag and would love an English one but anything would be lovely. Like the no fuss part of it and can't wait to see what I receive, how fun!! thanks Floss xo

Karen said...

I'm pretty, pretty sure I have some of this time of year, and I'd love to participate! I'm not picky about the language thing, mine will obviously be in English lol. Sounds like a lot of fun! Karen (from Oregon, USA)

Mary Poppins said...

I would love to go in Floss, but don't have any February or March, I have some lovely vintagy ones, old counrty livings etc, and Romantic Homes. I could send one of those and dont mind if I dont receive one back.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Hugs

Mary

X

Lorrie said...

What a fun idea - making a vignette to go along with your calendar.
I'd like to join the magazine swap as well. My magazine will be in English. I would like to swap with someone outside of Canada, and French or really any language would be fine.
I'll email you my address.

Anonymous said...

Your swap is a fantastic idea (particularly for a magazine junkie like me)! I would love to be included, thanks very much. x

Mary Poppins said...

Thanks for letting me join in Floss :) Ohooo I don't mind what language, though a little pink in there would be extra be nice ;)

X

Angela said...

Please sign me up Floss. I thought I had put my name down already, but now I cannot find it among the comments. I must try and be more tidy!!

Serenata said...

Found a couple of March magazines so please sign me up. I didn't start buying magazines until about May last year, so not sure where these two came from ;-)

harmony and rosie said...

Would love to join in the swap, great idea. My older magazines are down in Dorset so I can't say whether I have one for the exact months but may have something very close if that's ok. We should be down there by the end of Jan.

My mag will be in English and I'd prefer a foreign English language one but won't cry if it's in a different language!!

Joanne said...

Hello Floss,
Found out about your swap from Becki's blog.
What a great idea, I would love to join in.
I don't mind about what I get in return. I will be sending a English language one.

Thank you

Joanne x

Thecraftytrundler said...

Would love to join in this swap!! I have loads of magazines, I can't bear to throw them away, but would love to send one to someone. I will be sending an English one, would love an inTernational English one,if that's possible, but not to worry if it isn't. How exciting, a great idea, Floss!

Sharon xx

Rubyred said...

Hello Floss, I'd love to join in the swap,please count me in!
Rachel x

Unknown said...

Oooh! Count me in! I have way to many of the same kind magazines...I love your "no frills" idea.

I don't care what my magazine is in...

amanda said...

Oooh yes please i would love me some American magazines, i just cant get them here in Aust. i have lots and lots of country home mags to swap, thanks floss what a great idea, Amanda

Megan said...

this sounds like great fun! i would love to join in. i have an aussie mag to swap but that means it will be a summer one if it is a feb/mar date. i also have plenty of winter monthed ones if my partner would prefer that! i would prefer an mag in english, from a different country - how exciting!!

Anonymous said...

Hello, this sounds like a grea swap idea. I have some German Wohnen und Garten- home and garden- magazine from past two years. I would love to sign in and get a french or english magazine back.
Stefanie

Elizabethd said...

Me too, me too.....
I'll send in english or French, but would prefer to receive in English (or American!)

Anonymous said...

love to sign up - and would love to swap with a Newfoundlander (or any Canadien) since I have family there and was a goofy newfie for a year myself.

Luisa said...

Hi Floss,
another brilliant idea from you...!
I would love to participate please.
Luisa
x

Luisa said...

Any language is fine!

Carole said...

Thank goodness I'm not too late. I would LOVE to join the No Frills Swap ! I have plenty of magazines, so I'm all set. I don't mind the language I shall receive and I can send in French, English or German !
This is a brilliant idea.