Handmade Heart Swap

After nearly four years of writing this home/family/craft/all sorts blog I thought it was high time I hosted my very first handmade swap. I myself have taken part in many swaps in the past ( it has been way too long ) and if you have never taken part in one before, you should perhaps consider this being your first one. I have been moved so much with some of the most thoughtful things that have been sent my way and I myself love to send things made with a whole heap of love.

So this is how it works....   

The theme for this swap is all things HEART related, be it colour, shape, love, I think you get the idea. A heart theme is one very close to my own heart as some of you may already know Master Poppins had a cardiac ballooning at only 3 months old and weighing less than a newborn due to his prematurity. I shall be forever grateful to his cardiologist and his team at Alder Hey who performed the procedure. Like many of you, perhaps you have a fondness for hearts around the home and I think you can never have enough ;) A total of five items should be included in your parcel and postage costs should ideally be kept as low as can be, the best things come in small packages lets remember ;) Sign up shall close in one weeks time, the 27th of May and then anyone who has signed to take part I shall pair up. Over the next day or so after sign up closes I shall publish a blog post letting you all know who your swap partners are ( it may be a good idea to keep your eyes peeled around then ) and I shall include blog links so you can get in touch and learn a little more about each other. If you don't have a blog you can still join in and I shall include your twitter/facebook page link if you have one when it comes to the pairing up post. I would like everyone to be able to take part, so international readers are welcome to get involved too, though please confirm when signing up by commenting on this post if you are happy to post internationally or UK only. Obviously this makes things easier when pairing you up. I think a month is a fair time to get those crafty hands working so swaps should be sent out on or before the 27th June to your swap partner. Although this is called a handmade, so sewn, knitted, painted, crafted, crocheted you name it swap, you of course may pop in a thrifted ( not expensive) heart related item or two if you wish in your parcel as part of the 5 items and chocolate MAY be an added extra ;) You could chat about this with your partner when I have paired you up. 

IMPORTANT: There is NO skill level required in this swap, and it is not a competition or about who made this that or the other better than anyone else. This is about sending the love, and all skill levels may apply within, believe me, even with my wonky sewing lines at times the love is well and truly there. Receiving a handmade gift is just the loveliest thing ever and hopefully if you join in this swap you shall see what I mean. If for any reason you are unable to send your swap partner their swap please let me know asap and then I can perhaps pair them up again. I hope that explains it all and of course it would be lovely if you do sign up to share your love by posting this little badge on your blog sidebar with a link to this swap for others to see if they want to join in too. I thought this one I made up was rather pretty for your blogs.

I shall be back with a post about who is paired up with who, and so I don't look a total billy no mates and no one wants to join in, luckily myself and Clare who I got chatting with on Instagram about doing a little swap are already signed up. So, at least two of us shall get a pretty parcel through the post ;) Don't forget to take photographs too when your parcel arrives and I have also set up a little Flickr Group in the hope ( fingers crossed) that many join in to share their heart photographs. All I ask is that you put in as much love in your swap as you would like to receive yourself and everyone involved shall have the bestest time ever :)

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