Thrifty Swap!

We had a great Thrifty Week, just before Easter, hosted by Betty at Mrs Yappy Dog. Now it's time to post about the Thrifty Swaps that a lot of us exchanged as part of that week. I was both delighted and challenged to be swapping with the delightful Michela from A Garden Just Outside Venice. Delighted, because we've known each other for years and both suffer from swap paranoia, so there's no need to be worried when your co-swapper panics too... Challenged, because although she's a good blogging friend I am a vintage person and she (having parents who run brocante stalls) prefers to buy new!I concluded that food was the answer. Isn't it always? The two jars above are filled with thrifty hedgerow-gathered fruit. It wasn't all as difficult to gather as the plums photographed below! When she got the parcel, Michela emailed me to ask for more info about English jams and jellies. The basic answer is that jams have bits of fruit in, and jellies are strained so that only the juice is turned into the final product. She emailed back with the query about jellies being used with meat. Ahh, Michela, good question! This jelly is for your bread or toast. But some jellies, made in the same way, are indeed for eating with meat. Would any commenters be prepared to explain the difference, please?

I covered the thrifty hedgerow jellies, in their thrifty re-used jars, made by my thrifty husband, with thrifty fabric covers, held on by thrifty re-used rubber bands from our seasonal asparagus. Is that too much information?

I then added a thrifted Japanese hand-painted plate, which Michela and I agree is particularly pretty (glad you like it, Michela!). The idea is that she can have her bread and jam with the gifted plate and the knife, which actually belonged to my mum and is one I used in childhood for my own bread and jam!

Finally I wrapped all the presents in bubble wrap and then in thrifted napkins. I like wrapping things in fabric, which then becomes part of the gift itself. Pretty thrifty, I think. I bought a huge set of these cheery retro napkins in the charity shop the other day and kept half for myself and half for Michela. Now when we use them I'll think of her having her dejeuner sur l'herbe in her garden just outside Venice!

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Thanks so much to Betty for organising the excellent Thrifty Week and Swap, and to everyone who took part with such interesting posts. Many thanks to Michela, whose blog is subtitled: 'A place where friends meet' - that's certainly what this swap has felt like!