Round Robins and, er, Round Robins


A couple of times a year I participate in a decorating swap on the Cottage Living forums. The ladies there are super-nice and even though our tastes range from streamlined utilitarian to country to cabin-rustic to Shabby Chic, we all have a lot in common-- we all like a house to look and feel like a home.

So this spring "round robin" swap was a fun challenge. We were supposed to think "fresh" in our choice of items. "Fresh" as in clean air, cut flowers and newly budding trees-- and not in something designed to make the other person blush, in case you were wondering. We were also supposed to include one textile for the kitchen, one handmade item and something to help enable old-timey correspondence.

My swap partner, however, had indicated that she didn't have very good handwriting, (I know how that is myself!) and that she already had a lot of notecards she didn't use. She shared that her kitchen was in country blue and yellow, and she had a teacup border on a wall.

So this is what I went to work with.

The textile part was easy. Blue and yellow being abundant in choice, I selected a crisp new oven mit, a pretty apron in blue with yellow sunflowers, a nice hand-done tablerunner, and even thrifted a set of curtains (new in the package) with blue and white dishes on them. (I thought it might go with her teacup border, or could be used for the fabric.)


To further her teacup theme, I added four pretty yellow sandwich plates and a yellow printed cup and saucer...


You'll also see in the pic above a small blue and gold item... This is a cute little vintage address book -- perfect for a purse-- that I found and freshened up with a bit of paint. The book was a bit scratched to start with-- a bit too shabby and less chic. You can see before and afters here.



The final touch was two color-coordinated notecards, one bearing this cheerful bird friend... Yup, he's a round robin, all right.

Now because the swap itself WAS a "round robin" this meant my swap package would go to one person, but a wholly different person would be sending to me. I think the person sending to me has gotten tied up with other things this season-- it's been a really busy time of year for us all. So should anything arrive to round out this swap, I'll be sure to post.

But amusingly the swap almost didn't stop here. You see, in spite of the fact I sent my package just one state away, I waited two days... three days... four days... Still the package didn't arrive in the hands on my online friend. I was starting to think it had been rerouted to the Bermuda Triangle. Worse, I had been stupid enough to not have tracking on the package-- because again, it seemed to be such a simple transaction. Who could have known?

So because it certainly wasn't my swap partner's fault the postal service had a serious oopsy along the way, I'd started trying to pull together a second package. I thought you might enjoy seeing the cute Pyrex bowl and teacup I found for it...



I'd had no luck finding textiles to go along with them, but it turned out just as well. As when I returned home from shopping and checked my email, I had a joyous message saying the package had arrived. That was day five from when I'd mailed the thing, if you can believe it.

At least my swap partner didn't think I was some kind of fibber! :)

Well, anyway, that's the scoop on the latest swap. So like the red, red robin, it's time for me to go bob-bob-bobbin' along.

I hope you'll join me again this week for Treasure Box Wednesday. And if you missed last Wednesday, that post can be found by clicking here.

Hope spring is treating you well so far!

16 comments:

The Queen of Fifty Cents said...

Oh man, I just love both those teacups--she must have been thrilled with her package!

Jenn Thorson said...

Hail to the Queen- :) Yes, actually, she did seem really pleased with everything-- which delighted me as well. Mostly, I think we were both happy to know the package had made it intact and wasn't currently being enjoyed by some postal employee with light fingers. :)

Carrie said...

So far I have not participated in any swaps, but reading about your package for your swap partner makes me think it would be fun to put together a package with a theme.

Jenn Thorson said...

Carrie- I think you'd be really good at the swap package assembly, given your well-trained eye. Also, I think you'd probably have a lot of fun with it!

Lidian said...

That little address book is fantastic, and you painted it beautifully. I also like the oven mitt a lot! Actually, I like everything that you picked out.

Jenn Thorson said...

Lidian- Hope your week is going well for you there in the land of retro cookbooks. :)

I'm glad you liked the address book, too. The paint job I actually think could have been a little smoother.

But it still is an improvement on the scratches. It doesn't quite qualify for "making" something, but given the time I had, was the best I could do.

Rosemary said...

I love the things you gathered together for your partner. Love what you did with the address book.
You are so clever Jenn.
The mail can be so weird sometimes.
When my daughter was in college, she was only an hour away, and sometimes the mail would take 4 days to get there.
Have a great week,
Rosemary

Jenn Thorson said...

Rosemary- Wow, four days to go an hour away.... makes you wonder just what occurred along the way that got it delayed... Herds of traveling circus elephants escaped from their cages on the parkway or something. :)

Miss Shirl said...

Is that bowl pyrex? I think my mom has one.

Jenn Thorson said...

Hi, Shirley- Yep, it is Pyrex. You don't see the sunny yellow Pyrex much these days. But I really was sucked in by it! Tell your mom that vintage Pyrex is having a bit of a resurgence, and she might want to hold onto hers.

Unknown said...

Oh yeah, I'm a vintage textiles and soon-to-be-teacup freak (if you keep showing us those gorgeous old cups).

Anonymous said...

Jenn
It took almost a week for Rosemary to get my package. Granted I live on the other side of the universe err I mean country but I think that is ridiculous!

Boy I hope I get you next time, your package is stunning! Not that what I got was a bummer but you are the diva of the thrift shops around our parts. LOL

Jenn Thorson said...

Sher- ah, once the teacups get ya, ya can't go back!

Chyna- isn't it funny, I haven't had you as my swap partner for all this time? I also have never traded with Rose Mary or Memmey, either. Usually the person disappears off the boards after they trade with me. (Heh- hope I'm not running them off!) :)

Miss Shirl said...

My mom will hold on to it it was my grams. We have a lot of antiques. Like old plastic christmas ornaments and knick knacks from occupied Japan.

Jenn Thorson said...

Shirley- cool your relatives will hold onto some of these things, and appreciate the sentimental value of them.

Anonymous said...

Was so glad to have found your blog through Blogcatalog. I love thrifting and seeing what others have done with their finds!