A second go around with Carolyne in Australia.

Second swaps are great. It's a chance to put in things that you forgot in the first swap! Here's my second swap with Carolyne. We decided to keep it small, just a little something before Christmas, but I think Carolyne went over and beyond. I asked for some new music, and she sent three discs of some great stuff. Also, we both wanted to give each other something hand-made. What's in the packaged tied with a ribbon? A cute koala; Carolyne's own design!

Thanks so much Carolyne. You've definitely inspired me to try my hand at my own softies! I hope you like what I sent!

Got one from Australia, now one from Austria!

I know, I know, I'm behind! But, below are the last four swaps! Who knew 2nd year would be so hectic?

After I got back from my trip to NZ (which, btw, was AMAZING!), a package from Barbara in Austria, was waiting for me!

What was that you ask? ANOTHER Nici animal? YES! It is one of their 20th anniversary animals, and I asked Barbara for one, and she definitely came through, complete with the gift box it came in! (I have been loving all the small Nici things I have been getting, but have been hoping for a bigger one. The aniversary bird was a great choice for a larger Nici animal to add to my collection!) She also sent a magazine about the political on-goings in Austria. Although I can't read German, I'm going to attempt to read it or get someone who knows German to help me out! It's hard not to want to know what is going on in the world, especially when I live in the very politically-aware city of Berkeley. The postcards and pins were great, and the candy came just in time to share with my roommates for Halloween! Barbara also sent cute stickers and really nice information pamphlets for her city! I want to visit Austria now! The only sad thing is that, when the package finally got to me, it was pretty beat up. It was fine for the paper and stuffed animal, and even for the candy (which was only a little smooshed), but unfortunately, it was not ok for the ocean-item that was sent. It looked like it was ok at first, since it was carefully bubble-wrapped, but when I opened it up, it was almost unrecognizable. I'm really sorry Barbara, it looked like it was really pretty and would have been a beautiful thing to swap! Thanks again for everything else though! I hope you enjoyed the package I sent!

OK, I left my swap with Barbara (my old college roommate, and who I affectionally call Barbie!) at my parent's house! So I can't post a picture right this instant, but I will keep this post as a place holder and at least come up with a description!

Just before Barbara left on vacation, we decided that she and I should set up our own international swap together! Of course, this technically doesn't work since we live less than a hour away from one another! Hardly international! Although, we've come close to swapping cities here in CA! I grew up in the city she now lives in, and she grew up in a town only a stone's-throw away from where I now live! Anyway, that doesn't really count as a real GYS swap. . . This international swap only worked because she was off to vacation in Greece and Turkey, and I was on my way to New Zealand! All countries that don't even have GYS ambassadors!

After her trip, I got great treats galore! (Now from memory.) There was a bunch of yummy treats, including a surprisingly delicious, pre-packed baklava; some interesting dessert (I have to be truthful, I haven't tried it yet); and kit kats. (Barbie, I really don't remember asking for Kit Kat, but THANK YOU! It was great, because it and the baklava kept me from going hungry after we got off the plane in NZ!) There was a magnet of the beautiful Greek ruins, a stunning Turkish scarf, and an evil eye pendant. The best, I have to say though, was the miniature plate. Ah, the beauty of Greek pottery! I really wish I could have made it all the way to Greece during my whirl-wind tour of Europe. Ahh, another place to put on my "want to go there" list.

I hope you like your package Barbara! I wish I could have put more into it, but with the restrictions on the weight of baggage (yes, I was over, how did that happen?!?), and the very little amount of shopping I was able to do between crazy outdoor activities, it was the best I could do! BTW, your postcards are in the mail! If everyone else wants to see what I got her, check out her website here.

Here's the pic!

From Greece and Turkey via CA

And from Germany. . .

When I visited Germany, I fell in love with Nici. I can't get the funny animals here in the US, but luckily my GYS swappers have been great! Look at what Isa, acutally living in Germany, sent me:

Now, that's a lot of Nici! :) Also in there are gummi candy, chocolate, ribbons, and sticker/tatoos. But, I have to say that even better than the Nici stuff was the adorable handmade kitten! Complete with apron and picnic basket!

It was so funny, because Isa and I seem to have so many things in common. (I checked her website before sending her package, and it was a good thing too, because I found that two of the pieces I was about to send her, she already had! . . .it took me a while to find her a book, because I was afraid she would already have it!) Thank you so much Isa! I loved the package you sent! And it got to me just before my trip too!

To see what I sent Isa check out the post on her website! The picture of what I sent is at the bottom of the post.

Koala's come my way!

At the end of September I got my package from Carolyne in Australia. It came in time, before my trip to New Zealand, and before her trip to Europe. Check out all the koala goodness!
In fact, it got me ready for the world down under! I loved the pin, and the fabric was really cute. I'm already using the pens and stationary she sent. I quickly put the music onto my computer, and gave it a listen. Hmmm, I'm finding that people are sending me a lot of techno. I might have to update my requests to let people know that I just want any kind of music that they like to listen to. I actually brought the koala snacks with me for the plane ride across the Pacific! They were perfect, especially since the plane food wasn't very good. . .

Thanks for a great package Carolyne! Hope we can set up another swap soon!

To see some of the items I sent Carolyne, check out her website here.

Yet another very successful swap, this time from Japan!

Yesterday I got a package from Lulu in Japan, and I absolutely loved it!
I'm learning so much about culture doing these swaps! I had asked for a Japanese craft book, since there's so much more selection IN Japan. I learned what Zakka actually was (cute things for your home), and now have some beautiful Japanese fabric to use. There were also some snacks, a mixed CD, CUTE postcards, a beautiful swirly pen, a lucky cat, a lucky cat on a pouch, Japanese socks, a button, and a fan!

Yeah, a lot for one package huh? :) Thanks so much for a great swap Laura! I definitely love it, and I'm so happy you like yours too!

If you want to see what I sent her, she's posted here!
I can't promise everyone else lollipops from Vegas, but I love the magazine Cafe, and yes it's Free!

beginning of August marks the end of summer

I found the cutest fabric store in Oakland called Poppy. Very cute. Went home on Friday and made the best bag ever!

I have fallen in love with the fabric store.

I went shopping with my friend Barbara to help with her swaps, and I have fallen in love with the fabric store (almost everyone she was swapping with wanted fabric!) I also add fabric to my list of things to swap! And I'd love to get some from people as well, mostly cute prints, and at least half yards.

A little bit of France came my way yesterday!

Some original artwork from Emma, a French postcard, candy (whose wrappers I think I can actually read! Yay, for my high school French!), and, of course, some Nici! Yes, that's a world cup souvenir keychain, and isn't the monkey cute? If you can see the artwork (my other photos aren't very clear), it is entitled, "Nous vous observons: anti-terrorism takes many strange forms." I can't wait for my labmates to come back from the field so that I can share it with them; they'll love it!

Thank you Emma for sharing a little bit of France with a Californian. I hope you like your package as much as I like the one you sent me!

These three packages have made me remember my romp through Europe a few years back: the beautiful art, delicious food, and amazingly rich cultures. . . .sigh, maybe in an other year or two, I'll be able to make it back again.

The English have red buses and red phone booths,
and I love them both.

The bear checks out the goods again:

Here's what I got from England!

There's some scrapbooking materials there, some bright Collinette yarn, a fun compilation of dance music, London souvenirs (which I have already put to great use), and Divine chocolate. Ideas for what to do with the yarn and papers are already swimming in my head! Thanks for a great swap Gillie! I hope you enjoy the Bath and Body Works stuff!

Where's she been?

Finally, I have been crochetting again:

New things to offer from Berkeley, CA:

I just found out that Berkeley is the home of many things. I've listed a few in my first post, but more:
1. It is the home of Peet's Coffee! Just a few miles away from where I live is the original coffeehouse. Now I add Peet's coffee to the original California goods, like Scharffenberger chocolate (the factory is actually IN Berkeley) and Berkeley Bowl.
2. Also, I love shopping at the Japanese bookstore and markets, so I also add Japanese stuffs to my list of things to offer. Of course, I can't get exactly get the same things as you can in Japan, but I can still offer some stuff.
3. Finally, I feel like Berkeley is a little India, and I love eating at the Chaat House next to the Indian grocery. If there are any spices and such that you would like, let me know the exact name, and maybe I can ask the Indian grocery if they carry it!

So the first swap has been a success!

Here's what I received from Malin in Sweden.
My new bear checking out the goods before they come out of the package:

Oh what a great package!

Lots of different things in there. I was so surprised that it all fit in an envelope.
Lots of great Swedish candy; (yum chocolate with nuts!) and to think I thought there could only be Swedish fish. How wrong I was! There were quite a few different glass and fimo beads, a CUTE sheet of stickers, and three knitting/crochet patterns of sea creatures. A little bit of Nici, as I requested. The sheep is so cute! Finally two more swedish originals: a Dalecarlian cookie cutter and Swedish Army chapstick. I'll be baking traditional swedish cookies soon, from recipes Malin e-mailed me. Thanks for a great swap Malin!

>>Here's what I sent her!

I'm excited about joining Gimme Your Stuff.

>>>UPDATE:
I have gotten so many requests, and I'm sorry that I haven't replied to everyone. It has been really busy just keeping up with the swaps I do have! So I have decided to limit myself to one swap a month. I'm sorry if I don't get to you! If you really want to swap with me, just leave a second comment, and I'll try and get back to you!

Here's what I have to offer from wonderful Northern California:

-my handmade jewelry
-Jelly Belly jelly beans, their factory is nearby.
-San Francisco souvenirs
-Berkeley paraphernalia (nothing illegal!)
-Berkeley bowl goods (it's a famous supermarket, kinda like a Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, but BIGGER!)
-Ghiradelli and Scharffenberger chocolate (factories also nearby)
-yarn and yarn and more yarn
-California postcards
-crafting supplies
-beads
-candles
-flip flops
-Disney stuffs
-stationary
-cute tote bags
>> New things to offer from Berkeley, CA (San Francisco and the Bay Area)
-Peet's Coffee
-Japanese goods and books
-Indian groceries (spices and such)
-Fabric
>>>Update, new possibilities
-So a new Japanese 300 yen ($1.50) store just opened up nearby! I love going there! :) Everything your heart desires!
-Sanrio

What I'd love to receive:
-souvenir or traditional stuffs that are unique to where you are
-your favorite music
-cute buttons and pins
-I LOVE THE OCEAN anything marine (especially nudibranchs also known as sea slugs)
-Nici characters (when I was traveling around Europe I fell in love with the Nici characters, and found I couldn't get them in the US!
-bears are my favorite animal (and I love pandas and koalas as well)
-gashapon (although not any anime characters, I don't really watch any of them) so anything cute
-Cram Cream and Decole stuffs
-arts and craft books
>>New things I'd like to receive:
-Cute fabrics
-Kinder eggs! We can't get them here in the US!
>>>Update
-my favorite colors are blue and green, but I like light pink and purple too! And red. . .
-I'd love to get handmade items from crafters (plushes, bags, jewelry)
-I do like cute stickers, so maybe a sheet of cute stickers slipped into a package
-Not too many snacks. One or two food items in a package are plenty for me!

Another crafty week

So, I realized I never ever put up a picture of the blanket I made Tim. He's not taken a picture of it laid out though, so here's a folded version of it sitting on his chair. Imagine it about 4 times as big.
My family then got together for lunch. Went to The Bead Shop for a bit. Went back home and met up with Melissa and Freecia to sew up some bags. I have to admit that it was difficult, but so much fun, and SO rewarding. My little sister and cousin were beading next to us, and poor Greg was caught in the middle of the crafting fest. Thanks for sitting with us Greg! With an hour dinner break in between, it took us from about 5:30-11:30 of interpreting patterns, cutting, pinning (or in my case not pinning, but praying), and sewing!

I'm quite proud.  It's a little more chocolate brown. . .these pics are a little dark. . .

Do you like the last minute stitched design on it? Almost didn't do it, but can you imagine how plain it would have been if it was just plain brown? A little off-center, but I actually had wanted it more off-centered . . .oh well!

Isn't the inside pattern fun? A button and loop keep the shape of the bag.

Inside I sewed in a SUPER weak magnet. . .probably should have been patient and bought stronger ones, or a real clasp, but that's what I get for being impatient.
This is what it looks like expanded.

crafting skills

Life has been too busy in May. First I want to exhibit my crafting skills, fun finds, and packages sent to me!
Crafting skills:
Still waiting for pics from everyone else, since so many people have been asking about pictures of presents I've given people.
Freecia's Christmas present:
Yes I've learned how to make felted animals.


Melissa's Christmas present/birthday presents:


Pouch with lining on the inside. . .I know it doesn't match, but I will be making more of these that will match. I've already got orders from people to make them one! Haha.

My new red scarf, I've been saving this yarn for a while now. I'm happy with the way it turned out.

April showers, bring May flowers

The end of April was rainy, dreary, cold, and cloudy.
April 8 - Maulik came to visit me in Berkeley (finally). We checked out the museum, tried out Vik's Chaat House, and, of course, walked down Telegraph. Here's the SUPER belated b-day present for him!

April 16 - Easter. Example of some of the Easter goodies for ppl!

fun packages

I'm holding off on my "knitting projects" post until I get more pics of the stuff I gave ppl.
Instead, I'm going to post fun packages that I've received from people in the mail. I'm totally into "freebies" from websites. It started with some snowbunny stickers I got in the mail and a couple fun bren-again packs.
Freecia sent me a CUTE jellyfish card earlier this month. If you can't really read the pic it asks, "Do jellyfish get gas from eating jellybeans?" Hehe!
I found this funny website which gives an interesting twist to the term, "paper doll."

Let's see, so I guess I haven't posted in a while. . . here are my updates.
In January I ended up knitting like crazy. If ppl who I gave presents to could please send me pictures of all the things I knitted so I could post, that would be great. Here's one of my favorites from the season. . .my Noro bag!

and a fun scarf!

and some cute pom poms!

Feb. 5: Full Thread Ahead Super Bowl yarn sale. My mom and I went a little crazy! Haha. I went to Yarndogs to get roving, and learned how to make wool animals.

These went into little Valentine's Day packages for friends!