Oh yes, I can show you now!

You all know that I got a little bit excited about the swap I was doing with Alexandra ( well, it was more a case of totally bonkers, over the top excited, lol ). We both sent our parcels off on Tuesday, and mine landed on her door step on Saturday, yay, yippee, woohoo! I am always nervous when I am sending things, afraid of them getting lost in the post, you know. So I was delighted when she sent me the loveliest email telling me it had arrived. Now what happened to the legendary German efficiency, eh? Alexandra's package hasn't arrived yet, but I am keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow.

But it means that I can finally show you the things I sent her in our French themed swap. We had decided that we would make a bag and fill it with bits and pieces. Ah. Me making a bag? I had made a bag once with my grandmother when I was about 14 years old, that would be about 40 years ago, lol. I didn't have a clue how to make a lined bag. I just couldn't get my head around it. I learn much better by watching then by reading, so I decided to try youtube videos. I found one, in about 14 1 1/2 minute installments, all over the place and in no particular order, rofl, so it took me all day to watch the instructions a couple of times. It didn't help that my computer is upstairs and my sewing machine downstairs, lol, I must have traipsed up and down the stairs 50 times. But a bag I did make in the end -


I made it with a beautiful old French damask ticking fabric, and lined with another striped ticking fabric -

I scanned this postcard of a beautiful French lady (from my collection), it even has a French stamp on it!

For me, that was the scariest part over and done with, I breathed such a sigh of relief. Next came the really pleasurable part, filling the bag with French themed goodies. Now, I have always admired tussie mussies, and I really wanted to have a go at making one. This was the opportunity I had been waiting for. Here is my French themed Tussie Mussie -

Another first, I finally got to use my German glass glitter, which I had ordered from the States! I filled the little cone with some vintage French ticking fabric and the cutest little sewing thread spool -

I wanted to make her a card as well, of course. I used an image from one of my beloved old books, which was perfect for the occasion I thought -


Had to include some French lace of course, some wound onto perfumed old dolly pegs and some onto French themed little tags

I had fun making a few small little envelopes, and filling them with tiny little treasures -

I decorated two little match boxes and filled them with buttons and little trimmings -

Whats next? This little pin cushion, made with one of those little baking forms I brought back from France in the summer -

A little cushion with a lovely French graphic, which came from a magazine the very lovely Floss gifted me last year -

A plain little heart, made with one of my favourite antique French ticking fabrics, ahh, those red stripes -

And then I chose some little French bits and pieces, which I had picked up at French vide greniers. An old religious book, with beautifully aged pages -

A Limoges cup -

Some vintage French ephemera -

And that pretty much filled the bag! I had so much fun and excitement, getting everything together for this swap and I can't thank Alexandra enough for suggesting it. Do have a look at her two blogs, her taste is exquisite and she produces the most beautiful treasures -
http://cottage-dreams.blogspot.com/ and http://xelasart.blogspot.com/

Of course I will you show you Alexandra's swap package to me as soon as it arrives!

Toodlepip xxx