Jan 4th 2009 12:21:12 pm

Let’s start 2009 off with another fun giveaway! This month I have an original, pink, We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dial to giveaway to one lucky winner. The Crop-A-Dial is a craft tool which silently punches holes and sets eyelets and snaps. It can punch 1/8″ and 3/16″ holes through all types of material, including fabric, wood, and plastic. Portable and easy to use, the Crop-A-Dial is a favorite tool of serious scrapbookers and crafters.

To enter the drawing for this giveaway simply comment on this blog post with your answer to the following question:

What is one way you preserve special memories?

Each person can only enter this giveaway once. You must have a Swap-bot account in good standing (not suspended) with a valid mailing address to enter. You must include your Swap-bot username somewhere in your comment. You must comment on or before Friday, January 23rd, to be entered in the drawing. The winner will be randomly drawn on Saturday, January 24th. If you have trouble commenting on the blog, you can send me an email at rachel [at] swap-bot.com. Good luck!

66 Comments » Categories: Giveaways

Jan 2nd 2009 06:32:30 am

Happy second day of 2009! I think this year is going to be a good one. One of my resolutions is to be more crafty in 2009. Here are some links that I think will help with that goal:

• Interesting article: Despite the recession, Craft sales are actually up!
• This podcast is two years old, but it is still relevant: Crafty New Year’s Resolutions from CraftyPod.
• Also, 10 New Year’s Resolutions for a Crafty Person.
• Want to try making something new this year? Try this tutorial for how to make your own rub-on transfers.
• Are resolutions not really your thing? CraftStylish suggests keeping track of your “I dids” instead of your “To dos.”

No Comments » Categories: friday link love

Jan 1st 2009 10:43:29 am

What a busy time of year! Or, maybe a busy beginning of a new year… 2009, wow! Anyhoo, Travis and I were traveling over the holidays visiting our families and eating lots of yummy treats. We had planned on working on Swap-bot more consistently over the trip, but not all plans work out. We got back late Wednesday night and have been trying to get things back in order since then. Today I am really getting down to business answering lots of emails (and doing all of our travel laundry). If you wrote, please be patient. I promise to try to fix any problems. Don’t panic. I have a feeling 2009 is going to be a great year! xoxo

1 Comment » Categories: Announcements, General

Dec 22nd 2008 06:32:31 am

I am sure that many of you are busy celebrating holidays this week with your families, so I have chosen a less intensive, quick, and easy swap to feature this week: FIRSTS of the New Year Letter/Postcard swap. The requirements of the swap, hosted by iamjenii, are to send a letter or postcard to your partner describing your “firsts of the year.” From the swap description:

“In Japan, the firsts of the new year are important! So let’s share with each other what the firsts of our new years are. Your first movie, outing, detail somethings (positive please!) of your new year to share! Please write your firsts in the form of a letter OR a postcard. Also, you can include ticket stubs. photos or whatever you want. This is a simple swap to share with each other some of each others’ lives I know, so cheezy.”

The swap is international and you must have over a 4.7 rating to join. Each participant only sends to one partner (which makes this swap super quick and easy). A great simple swap to tackle in the new year after all the holiday craziness is done!

No Comments » Categories: Weekly Featured Swap

Dec 19th 2008 06:44:18 am

Swap-bot HQ is somewhat closed for the holidays (Travis, Rachel & Crusher are in Kansas City for a long trip), but we still found some fun links for you to visit in between your holiday preparations. Happy holidays! Have fun!

• Do you like making things out of paper? You must check out cubeecraft. The site has tons of free templates for paper “action figures” that you simply print and fold to construct. If you have fun with cubees, check out the more intricate Yamaha paper crafts.
• Super Naturale - A website “dedicated to the Do It Yourself culture in all its glorious forms.”
• The Anti Craft is an online zine about the darker– less perky–side of craft. The current issue is dedicated to Samhain 2008.
• This is a pretty cool tutorial for silk screening a t-shirts with simple craft materials you probably have at home.

No Comments » Categories: friday link love

Dec 18th 2008 06:00:53 am

Hello Craft is a blog about craftiness and so much more!

“Hello Craft is dedicated to the advancement of independent crafters and the handmade movement, as well as empowering small business owners and educating the public to the benefits of buying handmade and teaching the joys of making.”

On the Hello Craft site you will find essays, indie shop reviews, tips for starting and running an indie craft business, crafter interviews, a craft event list, and most importantly, a Hello Craft podcast. They are currently looking for phone-in submission for the holiday podcast. But if you are interested you must get your phone call in today (December 18th)!

Keep Hello Craft on your link list because they have plans to host a summit all about supporting crafting and buying handmade in Washington DC in 2009.

No Comments » Categories: website review

Dec 14th 2008 05:32:13 pm

We have chosen the random winner to the PhotoJewelryMaking.com sponsored giveaway… The winner is Sugarbug! She will be receiving a typewriter key bracelet kit and a typewriter key initial necklace kit from PhotoJewelryMaking.com. Congrats, Sugarbug!

Here is Sugarbug’s answer to the question, What is pictured in your most cherished family photograph?:

Sugarbug on 07 Dec 2008: “I have so many, but one of my favorites is of my son and me moments after he was placed on my chest.”

Thanks to everyone who entered the drawing. I loved reading all of the comments about your cherished photos. There will be another giveaway announced at the beginning of January, so check back.

xoxo

No Comments » Categories: Announcements, Giveaways

Dec 12th 2008 06:11:46 am

I was trying to find some good holiday links this week, but I was only moderately successful. Here is a mixture of holiday links and and non-holiday links:

• HOLIDAY: One of the best gift guides I have found - The Modish Holiday Gift Guide.
• HOLIDAY: This is adorable (and free!). Orange You Lucky has posted a wiener dog reindeer embroidery pattern.
• SEMI-HOLIDAY: Gourmet magazine has posted photos and recipes for their favorite cookies from each year since the magazine’s inception in 1941.
• NON-HOLIDAY: Living Creatively is an Australian community website dedicated to all things creative, like art, craft, design, urban living and fashion. The site publishes an online magazine of sorts and has a community section with forums.

3 Comments » Categories: friday link love

Dec 8th 2008 06:09:07 am

This week’s featured swap is for an adorable variation on Dotee Dolls: mini Dotee Dolls! The Itty Bitty Dotee Doll swap is a repeat of a previous version both hosted by adoptacritter. The swap is international with only one partner. Your dotee doll can be of any theme and color — the only requirement is that it must be tiny. The example in the photo is about 2.5 inches tall. You must have a 4.75 rating to enter. Sign up closes January 7th, and you must send by January 21st, 2009. Remember to read the full swap description before signing up.

For more information about Dotee Dolls, check out these links:

• The blog of the creator of dotee dolls: Dot’s Life and Art
• How to make a Dotee Doll video by smiles and sunshine
• Dotee Dolls on Flickr

1 Comment » Categories: Weekly Featured Swap

Dec 5th 2008 06:36:54 am

We are solidly into December and the holidays are approaching faster than the speed of light! You probably don’t have time for any distractions, but here are some anyway:

• With the economy officially in a recession we could all use a few more ideas for how to make and/or save a little extra money. Secrets For Money is a great source of ideas, tips, and strategies “To increase your capacity for all wealth currencies: money, time, health, and love.”
• Are you a style maven? A design diva? Any combination of the two? If so, you will like StyleDiva.com — a blog all about fashion, design, style advice, and more!
• Another great blog for all of us crafty souls: The Best of DIY. It has reviews and links to all sorts of DIY projects.
• Online magazines are all the rage. Craftier is a new bi-monthly online magazine that is getting great reviews. “The goal of the writers and editors is to make the world a craftier place through tutorials, inspiration, spotlights and community involvement.” You have to use the flash application, Issuu, to view the mag, which may slow up on some computers and internet connections, but it is worth it for all the great images and tutorials. (Plus they mentioned Swap-bot on page 38 of the current issue! sweet!)
• One more reminder: Enter to win the photo jewelry giveaway from PhotoJewelryMaking.com. The giveaway drawing will be held on Sunday, December 14th.

No Comments » Categories: friday link love