What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Swappity Swap Swaps

 I don't participate in many swaps anymore.  But, since I am one of the Goodness Girls, I do participate in our swaps.  Rebecca had the idea for a Vintage Christmas Corsage Swap, but we all got busy with the holidays and it never happened.  So, we decided to have a Vintage Valentine Corsage Swap.  I was paired up with Heather - who has a blog, but it is private.  She is very talented!  She sent me a box full of goodies, even though we only had to send a corsage and a sweet Valentine Treat.  Thank you, Heather!

She made her corsage out of paper - lots of rosettes, flowers, buttons, baubles and even a wee bottle of glitter are hidden amongst the layers of flowers.  She used music paper, colored paper, cardstock and other goodies - it really is a piece of art!  I am not a corsage wearing kind of person, but I have it on display and just love it.  She also included a box of German Chocolates, a wooden postcard, an ornament and that wonderful cloth covered box in the background.  I loved it all.  Thanks again, Heather!
I had a hard time initially trying to make a corsage.  I couldn't come up with something that I liked and looked like the sort of things that I like to make.  I gathered up a bunch of glittery picks, hearts and berries and added them together, but it still needed something.  I added in the pipe cleaner spirals and it was starting to look more like me.  Then it hit me - spun heads!  So, I added in a little spun head couple complete with their Valentine finery.  In the end, I think it turned out cute and Heather seemed to like it too.  I also sent her some Conversation Hearts and Hershey's Kisses.  I also bought her a Diamond Ring Ring-Pop, and I would have sworn I put it in her box, but just last night the cat came out from under the table wrestling a ring pop.  Darn thieving kitty, anyway!  (Sorry Heather)

I also received my box of goodies from Sarah's Heart to Heart Swap.  I have been participating in this swap since the very beginning.  Sometimes I think I should bow out and give someone else a turn and then I think - "Heck with that" - I like the goodies too much to stop now!

Here's a montage of all the fabulousness.....

 A love banner.

Tart tin repurposed into a photo holder - made by Jane.  She always makes a wonderful Valentine for this swap.
Love this elephant - reminds me of a kiddie Valentine from school.  So cute!
Such a bad photo (I need some SUN for photo taking) - This squirrel says "I'm nuts for you".  Love it!
Decorated Doily and a Valentine Collage Necklace.  I can't wait to wear it - I hope I get to leave the house before Valentine's day!

Sweet sewn heart with felt flowers.

An embellished pocket made of book pages.
A decorated Chocolate box - WITH chocolates.  Ingenious!  And, yummy!

Sarah made these cute nut cups with birds and flowers. 

A neatly crocheted heart - that took time to make 14 of those!

This little Post-It notebook is so sweet - it has inspirational saying stamped here and there on the pages.  I am going to keep this one in my purse.  Love it!

 For my contribution - I made these glittery boxes.  (Photo stolen from Sarah's blog :D)


 Inside the box, I added a miniature deer, a bleached bottle brush tree and a wee toadstool. 
The tag read, "My Dear" which tied it all together. 

(Would it be weird to admit that I already have an idea for next year and I may or may not have already made a prototype to help me remember it when V day rolls around?????)

Last year I hosted an egg swap.  I've had people asking about it and I have decided I will be doing it again, with a twist.  Easter isn't until late April, so we have some time before I need to announce it.  But, if you are interested - be ready!

8 comments:

  1. Can't go wrong with those magical spun heads...cute corsage!

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  2. I just loved my glittery shadow box. I love toadstools ( I had a whole feather tree full of them) and it was the perfect touch inside your glittery box. It was so much to participate in this heart swap. I'm the one that made the embellished candy boxes. Thank you again.

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  3. You are not weird. I have my idea for next year too! In fact, I had the idea the. very. minute. I mailed my Valentines or I might of switched them out. I am looking forward to the egg swap. I am doing a left over idea from last year. And yes, I have a prototype. :)

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  4. Loved your glittery "My Dear" boxes. Too cute! Happy Valentine's Day.

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  5. I always kick myself for being late to the Valentine's day swap! Argh. But I'm in for eggs for sure again this year. :)

    Love both of your creations. Thanks for helping out with the corsage swap, it was fun! I may host an Easter one on my blog. That just seems like a corsage holiday to me. Hmm, as does the 4th of July . . . .

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  6. I love the idea of a swap (and am embarrassed to admit I've never heard of one outside of Christmas ornaments or Christmas cookies). I wish I could be part of a creative swap like this! Love the things you all made for each other!

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  7. Hello hello fellow Heart to Heart swapper! I LOVE my sweet matchbox! I'll be photographing everything tomorrow- I do hope you like the banner I made this year.

    Like you, I was looking at valentine materials today and sure enough, I got another idea for next year's swap! I need to mock it up and tuck it away!

    Thank you thank you thank you, and Happy Valentine's Day!

    Michaele

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  8. I am so glad you enjoyed your corsage and goodies. I also recently started a new blog that isn't private to put my crafty things on it.
    www.fiberwhimsyandpaperietruffles.blogspot.com
    I know I loved the package you sent me!

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