SECRET HOME DÉCOR SWAP - entry closes January 21, 2013
 

I wanted to do something completely different and allow a large amount of creativity and surprise. So, for this secret swap, the theme is HOME DÉCOR.
Signups close: January 21, 2013

Ship by date: March 22, 2013 (Delivery confirmation required)

How it works:

*This is a secret swap for all skill levels.

*You will pick a room of your home in which you’d like a homemade quilted or quilt related surprise and your swap partner will decide on an item for you.

*Please make sure that all items have been prewashed and are machine washable on at least the gentle cycle, except wall hangings.

*All projects must include at least 2 different fabrics. Let’s stay away from anything larger than a table runner to be sure everyone feels like they received something comparable to what they sent, but also feel free to send more than 1 item that goes together if you choose an “easy” project.

*if you prefer to receive something gender specific, please add that info to your selected room when you send your info.

*I will try to match people up by room if participation counts allow. For example, if you request a kitchen item I’ll do my best to match you with a partner who requested a kitchen item as well.

*PM me when you ship or receive your item

Suggestions for each room:

By all means you can pick anything else that goes in that room that you wish, and a wall hanging is appropriate for almost any room:

>Living room: Candle mats, pillow covers, remote holder, mug rugs

>Dining room: Placemats, table runner, hot pads

>Kitchen: Insulated teapot cover, bar runner, potholders/oven mitts, casserole carrier, can/mug cozy, apron, grocery totes

>Adult Bedroom: Nightstand mats, pillow covers, bed runner, bed caddy (to hold a book/magazine, reading classes, and remotes)

>Child (specify gender and age): Pillow covers, pillowcase, jewelry or bow holders, doll quilts, bed caddy, travel case for art pad and crayons or pencils, toys, child’s apron

>Baby/Toddler (specify gender and age, if known): toys, burp cloths, bibs, busy books, play mats, car seat quilts, changing mats/kits

>Bathroom: Tank runner, candle mat, makeup bag, toiletry bag, decorative towels, travel jewelry bag

>Sewing room/Office: Scissor case, scraps/trash bag, sewing caddy, ironing board cover, mug rug

>Other: Tote bag, quilted purse, purse organizer, hand warmers, cell phone cover, eye/sunglass case, legal pad cover, checkbook cover

I am required to insist that participants send me a monthly PM to verify that they are still active in this swap and are working on their promised project.

I am required to insist that participants notify me as soon as they have finished their quilt and are ready to mail it.

Once I have received notice that both partners are done and ready to mail, I will send both a PM to let them know it’s time to mail.

I am required to insist that all participants send me verification of shipment, to include tracking information.

Participants are required to ensure packages will not arrive “postage due.”

Any and all other fees, such as import duties, taxes, etc imposed by the recipient’s government are the sole responsibility of the recipient.

Absent legitimate and reported mitigating circumstances, participants who have not fulfilled their obligation to ship by March 22, 2013 shall be deemed “late” and risk receiving Negative [Swap] Feedback.

Please keep in touch with me as required. Please let me know right away if something happens that will interfere with your ability to complete your project on time.

Swappers should treat each other as friends and focus on the fun. So … please be prepared to be flexible, patient and understanding if necessary and appropriate.

What to submit:
Board Name:
Real Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip:
Phone #: (this is for my use only in the event that a problem should arise)
Will you accept international partners?:
Any allergies?
Can you take and post photos?
Choice of room (with gender/age info if needed):
Your décor colors and/or theme:

Please read the swap rules at http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-20154-1.htm.

Once you PM me your info to join, please post in the group so that your swap members can get to know a little about your tastes and needs and the anticipation can begin!

sounds fun, let me think about it.

oh oh I need a pair of placemats.. likelyhood of my making them for me? NEVER. SIGN me UP! sent PM. I have never made a cover for something. that would be a challenge but a candle mat would be fun and most of theother ideas you posted. what a great swap. Love to make something fun. who needs chickens or roosters?? um kittens? um.. flowers! I have lots of floral in lots of colors! this will be a nice swap to do. something completely different or ..not if you are great at making one thing I say stick with it. make that!

I am so glad to see you are hosting this new event. Pot holders?? who cant use those? wow. good one dustysmom!

Wanda Lou, we'd love to have you!

Elisabrat, I got your info. You were first! Welcome!

I need to finish up my other committments first. If I can get my tablerunner and dq out the door and the last two boom blocks, I may be able to sign up. Have to finish the others first.

Ship by date has me thinking about it...there is enough time to come up with something and get it done.

I know ship by March 22 does sound good and I agree I could really use some placemats.

Wanda, placemats are something I have seen a lot of people mention they need on this site. Here's photos of some I made my boyfriend's mom for Christmas.

Here's the front:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]387188[/ATTACH]

Here's the back for the 2 to go on her bar:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]387189[/ATTACH]

Here's the back for the 6 to go on her dining table:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]387190[/ATTACH]

Whoo Hoo, I'm in!

Yay! I'm in! So excited. What can I tell you about me? My kitchen is red & white & beige. My livingroom is beige ( so I can change out pillows, throws & curtains). Bathroom is robins egg blue. I like tote bags (who doesn't), appliance covers (my kitchen aid could use one), placemats (everytime I make them - they end up as gifts). I could defintely go for a large laptop bag!( Jus' sayin'). I'd say I'm a beginner quilter but I have been sewing for quite awhile, so I quess for this swap I would consider myself experienced but not quite advanced. Did I say I'm EXCITED about this swap?!!! :p

Shannon

DM those are stunning placemats, I love the colors. I bet she really liked them.

Wanda Lou, thank you! Oh yes, she was very excited. It was supposed to be a surprise, but when she asked for a teapot cover, my boyfriend said "maybe she can make one to match the placemats she made you" and the cat was out of the bag. So, I made one of those too. Here's the pictures:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]387382[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]387383[/ATTACH]

It's a variation of the Amish basket square, which I'd added the corners to for it to be straight, so I just left off the top corners for this, and used Insul-Brite for the batting. I wasn't able to quilt this piece as much as I wanted to, because it was so tight when I got all the layers together, but I think it worked out OK. We took it all to her for Christmas and she used the teapot cover while we were there. The tea stayed at a hot to drinkable temperature for about 2 hours. Every time the cover went on or off, she'd look at me all excited and smiling. :)

I am going to have to make her a 11 cm x 12 cm handle wrap with velcro to hold it on though. The whole teapot is metal, so if they leave the handle up, it holds the heat in well enough that the handle is too hot to pick up. My boyfriend is going back to see them for his nephew's christening in 2 weeks, so he'll take that to her then.

It feels good when others appreciate your handmade gifts. I have a MIL that does not care real well for anything homemade but a grandmother that just dearly loves them and treasures them to the max!

How many do we have signed up for this swap so far?

Sewnsewer2, I have 4 on my list so far. Still trying to get the word out.

i have pm-ed my info to be in, so want to say also, love the placemats and i make stuff all year long and now its trying to keep the lid on it with a 3 yr old, so i tell her they are all surprises, well i will meet and great u in a few got to put little one to bed, asap, i will be back

Welcome Lovngrandma! We're now at 5!

I'm glad you like the placemats. I'm a bit of a placemat fanatic. :)

I am In!!! Thanks and i am looking forward to this! I live in a log cabin.. my decor is a mix of country, rustic, and traditional..(that's only because I can't make up my mind..lol) My kitchen is wood, sage green and a deep brownish red. My bedroom is periwinkle, and wood.. did I say I live in a log cabin? My great room is wood, i use a lot of sage green and reds. I just love everything. There is nothing that I would not like. I have been sewing for 54 years and quilting for 20. I do not hand quilt , tho. If my pal wants more than one of whatever i make.. send me a message! Thats all folks! Cannot wait!

p.s. i really love the placemats and tea cozy!!

ok im back,guess this is a like meet and great, if u did not read my profile, im a 50 yr old this year , and a grandma to 2 of the fairest princesses of all, and one i am raising, the other one i get to babysit, enjoy them both, a little bit about me,i love unique, different things, i love hummingbirds and snowman, but for home, well we are able to be paying off our mobile home this year so we are going to repaint all the bedrooms, well the 2 bedrooms, im doing a corkwallin my sewing room, and our room which is in the swap is going to the theme of under the sea--- jsut love ocean fish, clown fish bright beautiful fish and those coral rocks jsut so pretty, and of course im different so i love dolphins, the little girl had surgery and has been back in our room forabout 8 mnths now, i jsut cant do with the monoters, but we hae a ocean life night lite that shines on the ceiling, so so cool, and the brighter the better, jsut love bright colros and also love black as contrast, ,, we as a family love horses, and wildlife, little one is princesses adn fairys, hubby is fish and racing, and ks sity chiefs, and my son had to move home after losing his job for a bit, and he is into wild life and girls, lol, he is 23 and single, we are a quite diverse family , in as we all like the same thigns with a few special likes of our own, i watch comedys with him and he watches iceskating and gymnastics with me, and he watches his certain scary movies i dont care for nad im sewing, , and while he works and im having time doing all kinds of things we do dance moms, project runway, lofe teh hallmark chanel, and of course its not complete day with out DOra are the fairys lor sophia the first a new princess show, and of course my littel ponies, we all love horses, and even the gents watch a fairy show form time to time, well if anyone watns to knwo mor e ,, jsut ask, i do quilting and other thigns as well, do lots of handwork, the quilting will be hand done,, i enjoy these swaps and exchanges bless you all and have a stitchin fun and interesting creative day,

I have made a few sets but do not use them , as we eat in our chairs , for the most part, got to much stuff in my house , well a tiny kitchen , no room, but yes those are so pretty, the deep colors are rich and so pretty, i love the bright and also the bold and rich, not much on pastels and light , guess like my niece says her anuntie home makes a statement, hehe

Elainelquilt thank you so much and welcome to the swap! I love that you live in a log cabin! The thought of that conjures up all kinds of images and decorating options! I'm a big fan of the rustic look, but my idea of roughing it is the Marriot. :D

Welcome Lovngrandma, it sounds like you have your hands full but are loving every moment with them both. Under the sea for a room theme reminds me of the beach. Coral is one of my 2 favorite colors, so of course I think of the beach and think of lots of coral and seafoam green. I just did a batch of beach themed mug rugs for the admin people in my boyfriend's department and posted the photos on my profile.

Thank you ,
I grew up in La so no beaches there, that are healthy to swim at, but i love the aquarium fish, clown fish have been a fav of mine for many years and afer my husbad retires we want to go fishing over in Florida, he was to go Tarpan fishing fand i want to go Blue Marlin fishing, and i have been todl ther is a seaworld over there and i want to go to it, as i can walk under fish are around fish , jsut not under the water literally, cant stand the feeling of being confined, goggles and nose and all , not for me, i enjoy looking, and we ahve a fish tank here at home a 25 gal one with a like 2 fish but jsut gold fish for the toddler, i want a sale tank but hubby says i need to wait, and get a nice tank and put it in my sewing room, later when we add on, i get a an extension to my kitchen and an added bedroom to be my sewing room, east sun, andthen my plants can live and i can have fish, and my quilting and sewing and my blood pressure will go down and stay down, he and i are hoping anyway, lol, looking forward to his swap, i have made myslf like 4 sets of mug rugs, and also did some plastic canvas ones as ell, and crotched pot holders fo rchristmas , oh baby up , bye fo rnow

Lovngrandma, I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. We moved there when I was almost 5 and I moved away at 18-1/2. My dad was more into fishing than the beach, so I don't recall going much with him. After my parents divorced when I was 10 though, mom's boyfriend would take us to the beach with floats to ride the waves. That was the beach to me as a child. Our favorite place to go was Huguenot Park, which is at the beginning of the Inter-coastal Waterway. The waterfront of the park is shaped like a cursive U, with the inside being where the waves were. To the left of that was a quiet section where you could wade and watch the windsurfers, and on the right of the waves was a sea wall with a quiet area that was very deep. It's across the water from Mayport Naval Base, and if you were there at the right time, you could watch the aircraft carriers come and go from their long deployments or the carriers bringing loads of cars in from overseas. The quiet sections were also magnets for jellyfish. They would hatch their babies on the left side, and go to the right side to beach themselves to die. We were always fascinated with the live ones, how you could watch everything their bodies did internally.

The first time we went to the beach in Denmark, it was a tiny beach close to my boyfriend's brother's house. The kids had bunches of jellyfish in buckets and were swimming among them like it was nothing. I just couldn't make myself get in, even though they weren't the stinging kind, because of my experiences at Huguenot Park as a child.

hey things are soundy 'fishy' around here. one does not need placemats only shoot 101 other ideas right guys? ok tell me here who has too many potholders? I use mine til they plum die. easy enough to make do you make your own? no you gift them. then there are tablerunners, table mats those things you put in the center of a round table or small square table not long just .. well a mat to put under your hot dish or flowers.. what about dish towels? or fancy towels for the bathroom with fabric trim? or embroidered if your machine

been stung by jellyfish bore the results for almost half a year. hurt to shower sting sting sting. no snorkling with jellyfish is the final vote.

back to sewing come on in join along this is a fun no pressure swap. oodles of time to complete your project. Jan (JABA) on the board has made tons of placemats with her Diamond group boom swap. she used 12" blocks and put half hex on each end. They came out great. Lots of great uses for regular blocks which well quilters do rather well. wall hangings always room for one of those nice splash of color in your favorite fabrics/tones.

jump on in! the water here is warm!

Hello everyone.. I left out a few things.. I am 62, soon to be 63. Grew up on a farm so I love all things ftly working on 3arm related. Was a widow for a while and then I met the most remarkable man on e-harmony and the rest is history. lol. I have 2 grown sons with families of their ow. I have 2 beautiful grandsons, ages 2 and 12 and a beautiful grand daughter age 11. The 2 year old calls me "mema" and he is the true love of my life. I have been sewing for 54 years and starting quilting in 1990. I am currently working on 3 bed quilts and a huge quilt made entirely of civil war repo fabrics. Cannot seem to get enough of these fabrics these days. I have never used Batik and dont really care for them.
I also love 1930's fabrics. I ride a Harley and I am an avid gardener. I have a ginormous veggie garden and can and freeze. I also have many many flower gardens. I also love animals.. we currently have 2 cats that i rescued before i remarried. My faithful cocker died 2 years ago and i am ready for another dog.
My husband turned the neglected and dirty pool house into an amazing studio for me. I will post pics sometime.

I am really looking forward to this swap and getting to know everyone. well enough about me.. cannot wait to start!
Have a blessed and fun day!

I've been thinking about what I might want to ask for on this swap, and I'm so torn! There's so many things I could use. I need potholders (thanks Elisabrat for reminding me!), I'd love an Auburn orange and blue bar runner, a graduation themed (could be orange and blue too!) table runner, a bright abstract wallhanging to go over our king size bed or in the colors of my placemats to go in the dining room, bags are always useful, I need a smaller toiletry bag (my boyfriend calls mine an aircraft carrier :D), and I could go on and on!

Elisabrat is right. We make all these pretty things for everyone else, but swaps are the only way we get them for ourselves. Then they're so special to us that we don't dare give them away!

For those who don't already know me, I'm pretty simple actually. I'm a management accountant and the mother of a 20 year old, Dusty. My boyfriend is a professor and department chair at Auburn University. In the summer, we love to travel and boat, and in the fall we have season tickets for Auburn football (WAR EAGLE!) Now that the college football season is over, it's sew sew sew until it's lake time again. I also have a terrible addiction to Pioneer Trail on Facebook.

DustysMomma; i feel the same way. everything i make i love and it's always for someone else. :( So this is the perfect way for me to get something for myself!! :) I just wanted you to know that i JUST quit Pioneer trail the day after Christmas, after playing since the very beginning. I started when there were only 900 players. It has been hard for me to stay away but I am managing. have a great day!

wow my computer went nuts! lol. i meant to say all things farm related. sorry ladies.. i hate to type
have agreat day

hello again. surely others will sign up! think we need to sing the song in other forums? uh did you hit the doll quilt people dusty? or the mug rugs?

I love that your all introducing yourself. I am basically known as the brat around the forum. for some reason that is unexplainable to me :) I have a dry sense of humor that throws people right and left. Bugs me not at all so I just go with it. I am 51! have three grown babies now and one grandchild. Cats galore all rescue. Turkeys wild that I feed daily along with the coons squirrels gray fox and deer (those buggers come even though they are not welcome) and of course our skunks that live under the outter deck. other than that i feed my dh too. I am on dialysis so either you get me here energized and ready to go or wiped out. I also had a transplant last April so its been a tiring year. I know this year will be so much better. I am incredibly lucky to be here today. I never forget it.

now onto fun things: How about a running sign up list? this might encourage others to join seeing there is lots of room?

1. Elisabrat (tada I signed up first!!!!)
2. dustysmom (assuming your playing)
3. Elainelquilt
4.. (dont really know who signed up just winging it kids)

I posted it in the mug rug swap and the table runner swap, and I've been talking about it in chat. Elisabrat, if you know people doing others that will let us post it there, by all means, pass it around all you can! I'm afraid I don't know the doll quilt people, and I'd hate to pop in unannounced and ask to post in their swap. So, everyone tell someone else! It's a bring a friend swap! :D I'm joking, it's not, but do bring your friends!

Yes, I will be participating. I just haven't added myself to the list yet, lol. I want to be in the middle of the list somewhere, and I have to decide what room to ask for first. I've had "open" for rooms on the sign ups, but I fear leaving it too open and it keeping my partner from being able to decide what to make me. :D I'm an accountant, and leaving that many choices isn't in my nature, lol.

Eliasbrat.. know how you feel.. had a bi-lateral mastectomy recently and treatment. now i am undergoing reconstruction. So I also know that this year will be better!! We need to get more people for this swap! I am so excited to be doing this and meeting all of you!!

I'll play... I'll send the PM to sign up later today.

whoo whoo! another member of the swapperoos! Hi Traci!! Sock monkeys? have you seen the sock bunnies for easter? they are made with like pastel socks and the ears cracked me up. donkeys and owls.. have you been watching like some kid movies and getting things mixed up there? swap junkies are fat free. no health issues ever arose from being a swap junkie. I love the suprise coming in the mail. I also get some goofy thrill out of the quick turn around rewards. You my dear are not alone :)

I think you should do livingroom dustysmom or your kitchen. Go for kitchen stretch your senders thinking box. go wild! pick only like leopard prints with plaids .. now that would challenge me. only cause i dont have any leopard print fabric. not a single animal skin print. and they are SO popular and in this year.

Tracibug, we'd be happy to have you! I'll be watching out for your info & welcome! :)

Elisabrat, I really don't have anywhere in my living room to put much home decor, unless it's a throw blanket. I live with a minimalist who picked out and decorated this house with the expectation that he was going to be a bachelor. Not to mention, our house is not very well thought out, so we don't have much storage. I have a whole storage unit full of girly stuff though, china, crystal, curio cabinet full of Precious Moments, wall full of family photos, wreaths & other things to hang up on the wall. The only thing that's hung up in our house, since moving in July 2006, is a big mirror by the front door. I did 2 paintings I want to put in the dining room of Italian villa doors (we had a cool place here called Sips N Strokes for a while where you could go & they would walk you through painting the picture of the night). I think they'll still fit in with what we have going on with the new placemats in there, but I just haven't hung them yet. I have another painting I did of a vase that I could hang somewhere if I could ever decide where.

As for the kitchen, well who ever has enough potholders? I could also use placemats for the kitchen table, or a runner for our bar. I'm not into animal prints though.

I signed up, and very excited about coming up with something. I was a nurse, now a stay at home mom to my 2 year old Beau, 3 year old Jayla, almost 7 year old Marin on school breaks (she lives in VA with her mom), and ohr two English mastiffs; Jed and Mac. My house is eclectic mess! I have pigs in my kitchen, I went to the University of Arkansas so I'm kinda fond of them and a big fan of the University of Alabama. ROLL TIDE! I also like chickens because I used to have some, hopefully I will get more after we move. I would have to say my favorite color is green, any shade, but emerald green is my favorite (Green is also my maiden name). We are moving into a travel trailer at the end of this year for about two years as our house gets built, that will be a adventure. I'm new to quilting but I have been sewing for years! Looking forward to see what I can decide on because I have so many ideas!!!!

OK so sign me up too! Elisabrat should be posting info on the DQ swap thread soon so maybe a few will join in too!
I'll send pm shortly!

sikesjj - I would think you are a Razorback fan with your avitar! We are a household of Gator fans! GO GATORS! and then second place goes to Bama! Thrilled they won the BCS!

Elisabrat - thanks for sharing this swap.... should be fun...

Gotta think what I would like and for where... hmmmm

Welcome ladies! Bring a friend & let's have some fun! There's over 90 people signed up for the mug rug swap, and we're currently at 6, not counting me. I'm not sure I'd know what to do with a group THAT big, but it's going to be fun to see all the creativity when the pics start going up!

I've had someone join who has a need for their item to come from a non-smoking home due to health issues, so I'm going to add a question for smoking/pet free home to the signups (since I didn't think about that when I did the original list). I'll PM everyone who is already signed up for this info so I can add it to my spreadsheet as well.

I started my new job today. Everything went well, but I'm a firm believer that there's only so much you can squeeze into a brain in one day before it gets tired, and it's a tired day. A little rest, then I have to get on my sewing so I can finish 2 of the projects by next Wednesday for their trip to Denmark.

Nice job! I really like the colors!
K

Thank you Kiffie! I love those colors together too! The placemats were supposed to be a surprise, until the intended recipient mentioned wanting a teapot cozy and my boyfriend says "Well maybe she can make you one to match the placemats she made you." So I whipped one up in the last couple days before we left to visit them. Now I'm making a matching wrap for the teapot handle, because with the cover on it, it gets too hot to pick up when you want a refill. She'll want potholders to match or something like that next, I'm sure. :) Thankfully it's a stock fabric at Joanne and I have extra.