12 Days of Xmas

Hostess Gifts

2011-01-05T05:45:00.000-08:00

No one was as surprised as I was when I discovered a couple of extra gifts had arrived with two of my 12 Days gifts. The first was this glitzy little doll, from Tricia Anders. She's now hanging just above my desk so I can glance up and see her delightful little self. Every girl needs a little "glamma" in her life. I love her folky face too. Thank you Tricia!

The second was from Barbara Atwell. She always wraps thing so elegantly, that I almost hate to unwrap them. Almost!

Inside were these pretty eco-printed notebooks.
I thought it was pretty funny how well she knows me-my gift this year to everyone was a trio of small notebooks packaged in a personalized jersey drawstring bag. Clearly, great minds think alike! I look forward to using them. Thank you Barbara!

Truth be told, it's an embarrassment of riches, both in terms of gifts and friendships. I feel quite spoiled and while it really wasn't necessary, I am grateful.

So...that wraps up this year's exchange. The blog will go quiet once again until next fall when we begin 2011's exchange.

I wish you dear reader, the happiest of new years and hope that you've enjoyed watching our brand of magic unfold.

Redux: On the 10th Day of Xmas...

2011-01-04T16:36:00.003-08:00

...Barbara Atwell gifted each of us with a gorgeous linen and cotton pincushion. Each one had a fabric covered button or two attached as well. (She made these as well!)

The reason this is being posted in the New Year is that this little gem got caught up in the holiday rush and the posties just managed to put it into my hands this afternoon. Ah well...a gift is always welcome, no matter when it arrives. Thanks Barbara for patiently waiting for your gift to be shared here.

Be sure and pop back here tomorrow for the final wrap up of our 2010 exchange. I have a couple lovely hostess gifts I'd like to share with you.

Magic #13

2010-12-24T06:25:00.000-08:00

And last, but certainly not least, Penelope Harris used a newfound skill to create these amazing plaster plaques for each of us. This was the gift each of us opened on the day when everyone else was opening our gift. Thanks Penn for being our Magic #13!

On the 12th Day of Xmas...

2010-12-24T06:21:00.002-08:00

A trio of handmade mini journals, housed in a personalized jersey drawstring bag and neatly bound in an embellished band came from paper princess, Lelainia Lloyd.

On the 11th Day of Xmas...

2010-12-23T06:14:00.000-08:00

Tina Abbott used her encaustic and photographic talents to create these nature themed canvasses for each of us. She captured a wonderful sense of the Pacific Northwest.

On the 10th Day of Xmas...

2010-12-22T06:26:00.001-08:00

....I am haunting the post office! The 10th day will have to remain a secret until the elves deliver...the reindeer are runnin' behind! No matter-gifts are ALWAYS welcome, whenever they arrive!

Check in tomorrow, as we carry on with Day 11!

On the 9th Day of Xmas...

2010-12-21T06:12:00.001-08:00

Rose Momsen designed and quilted these wonderful pictoral wall hangings for each of us. There's a lovely poem on the reverse about the summer and winter hills. Inspiring!

On the 8th Day of Xmas...

2010-12-20T06:07:00.002-08:00

What girl doesn't love a beautiful and unique handbag? (Buttons!!) This creative accessory was made by Deb Trotter. Deb says each one is different, so I am hoping the other ladies will share photos of theirs on their blogs.

Here's a close up of the photo panel on the one I (Lelainia) received. Good to know Canada is known for its great moose! *giggles*

On the 7th Day of Xmas...

2010-12-19T06:05:00.000-08:00

There's nothing like spreading the joy of the holiday season and thanks to Sherry Smyth, we'll be able to do that each time we send out one of her gorgeous photo art cards.

On the 6th Day of Xmas...

2010-12-18T06:02:00.000-08:00

Leave it to Dawn Livera to create an earth friendly recycled sweater doll. She's sure to bring good vibes to our studios in the new year.

On the 5th Day of Xmas....

2010-12-17T06:27:00.000-08:00

Amy Huff made us these cool hand soldered pendants. She crafted the bezels and set "diamonds" in the rough. Gotta love industrial chic bling!

On the 4th Day of Xmas...

2010-12-16T06:18:00.000-08:00

We opened this adorable hand etched copper house charm. It has a mirror set into the center and a vintage key dangle. This charming and thoughtful gift was the work of Deb Galcik.

On the 3rd Day of Xmas...

2010-12-15T05:59:00.000-08:00

Who could resist the charms of this FUNky butterfly ornie? Tricia Anders always puts her unique stamp on every delightful thing she does.

On the 2nd Day of Xmas...

2010-12-14T05:57:00.000-08:00

This super cool perpetual calendar was made by Maria Lamb. It's not only pretty, but useful too!

On the 1st Day of Xmas...

2010-12-13T05:51:00.000-08:00

We're kicking off the holidays with a festive bird pendant and Rudolph fridge magnet, the playful creations of Jennifer Conway. What fun!

WOOHOO!!

2010-12-12T13:01:00.001-08:00

Just a quick note to let you know that TOMORROW we begin to unwrap our presents, one by one right up to and including Xmas eve. Please stop by tomorrow to see the magic unfold!

Parade of Presents, Day 11

2010-12-10T06:27:00.000-08:00

Woo! Sneaux has already arrived in Cody, WY!! Our fabulous pressies from Deb Trotter were chillin' just before she sent them off.

Parade of Presents, Day 10

2010-12-09T06:42:00.002-08:00

Merry Merry! This is Lelainia Lloyd's little giftie for everyone, to be opened on Day 12 (the last day, Xmas Eve) of our exchange.

Parade of Presents, Day 9, Magic #13

2010-12-08T06:39:00.002-08:00

Lucky number 13 comes to us from Penelope Harris! It's a weighty little package...I wonder what's inside?

Parade of Presents, Day 8

2010-12-07T06:36:00.000-08:00

Don'tcha just love brown paper packages? We do! Dawn Livera (Misti), is reducing, reusing and recycling for Day 6! There's nothing like a "green" Xmas!

Parade of Presents Day 7

2010-12-06T06:32:00.002-08:00

These mysterious and magical goodies are making their way from Deb Galcik's home to post boxes far and wide. We'll see what's inside on Day 5!

Parade of Presents, Day 6

2010-12-05T06:28:00.001-08:00

These handsome bundles travled all the way from Texas and are the work of Amy Huff. We'll see what they reveal on Day 5 of our exchange.

More to come!!

Parade of Presents, Day 5

2010-12-04T06:10:00.000-08:00

It's beginning to look alot like presents! Don'tcha just love the vintage look and feel of these ones? That's the work of Maria Lamb and we'll be enjoying what's inside on Day 2 of our exchange!

Parade of Presents, Day 4

2010-12-03T06:05:00.000-08:00

AWWW! Look at these little imps waiting to seal their way into our post boxes! They come from the hands and imagination of Tina Abbott, a little magic for Day 11 of our exchange.

Parade of Presents, Day 3

2010-12-02T06:31:00.000-08:00

OOOO!! Pretty! Shiny!! A whole basket full of goodies, made by Rose Momsen. We'll have to wait till Day 9 to find out what's underneath that iridescent wrapping!

Parade of Presents, Day 2

2010-12-01T06:46:00.001-08:00

Look how holly jolly this gift from Sherry Smyth is! We'll find out what's inside when we open it on Day 7.

Parade of Presents Day 1

2010-11-30T05:41:00.001-08:00

These lovely gifts will be ringing merrily as they travel to post boxes far and wide. They come from Tricia Anders and will be opened on Day 3 of our exchange.

12 Days of Xmas Exchange 2010

2010-11-23T08:22:00.003-08:00

Well, it's that time of year again! I am sitting here, scratching my head, wondering where the year has gone. In any case, I am excited to share that our annual Parade of Presents will begin posting right here, in a few days. We will be sharing our wrapped gifts starting on November 30th.

It's mind-boggling to think that this is our fourth year of this exchange and I am thrilled to know that it's bringing as much happiness and excitement to everyone as it was the first I kicked off this crazy idea in 2006.

So...we hope you will stop by each day between November 30th and December 24th and see the magic unfold! In the meantime, be sure and poke through our archives to see what's been gifted in years past and check out the links to this year's participants' blogs.

Wrapping Up 2009

2009-12-25T21:17:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all my wonderful friends for taking part in this year's exchange. You've outdone yourselves and I hope you had a wonderful time unwrapping the magic each day during this holiday season.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to Lisa Ryder for kindly pitching in and providing all the beautiful photographs of the gifts each day for our blog. It was a huge help and you did an amazing job. Thanks Lisa!

Wishing everyone a safe and peaceful holiday and a new year full of creativity. Thanks for stopping by!!

On the Thirteenth Day of Xmas...

2009-12-24T06:00:00.001-08:00

...Penelope Harris gifted us with this handy monogrammed sewing kit. It has everything you'd need to do some quick sewing or repairs-needles, threaders, thread, floss a tracing wheel and more!

She made the cover from vintage shirting fabric she found in the UK, cardboard and felt which she button stitched all together. She hand embroidered our initial on the front. The pages inside are also made from felt and are embellished with ribbon. She added a button and elastic closure. I am sure we'll all be using these kits! Thanks Penn!

Technically, there is no "day" 13 of Xmas, but gift #13 is the present we opened on the day everyone else was opening our gift. I came up with this extra "day" to ensure that no one had a day where they didn't have something to enjoy. Thanks Penn for being our magical #13 this year!

*Photos by Lisa Ryder

On the Twelvth Day of Xmas...

2009-12-23T05:04:00.000-08:00

...Ruth O'Connor wove her magic with her crochet hook and this beautifully intricate verigate snowflake ornament was the result.

She stiffened the snowflakes and added crystals, beads and ribbon to hang it by. I can't imagine how long these took her. They are so delicate! Thanks Ruth!

Join us tomorrow for our final gift!

*Photos by Lisa Ryder

On the Eleventh Day of Xmas...

2009-12-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

...Lisa Ryder made this delightful mixed media mini canvass! I love miniature art and this is a wee treasure!

Can you image a whole bunch of these 2 x 3 1/4 inch masterpieces grouped together on a wall? I can! Wouldn't that be fun?! This might be the beginning of that collection! Thanks Lisa!

*Photo by Lisa Ryder

On the Tenth Day of Xmas...

2009-12-21T08:16:00.000-08:00

...Jeanette Jansen added more bling to our collection with this pretty skeleton key necklace. She added some beads and findings to the top and strung it on ball chain.

We are going to be some stylin' girls! Thanks Jeanette!

*Photos by Lisa Ryder

On the Ninth Day of Xmas...

2009-12-20T09:52:00.000-08:00

...Jennifer Conway put her doll-making skills to use and came up with this fabulous lady for our gift.

The top half of the doll is made from paper. The body is a piece of tea dyed linen and she embellished the skirt with gorgeous lace and added some beautiful buttons as well. The body is perfectly weighted with batting and sand so it can stand up on it's own. She made a couple different styles of her doll, with different faces and embellishments. What a great gift! Thanks Jennifer!

*Photos by Lisa Ryder

On the Eighth Day of Xmas...

2009-12-19T05:48:00.001-08:00

...Liz Smith knitted us these pretty Noel banners in deep red, patriot blue, light grey and sage. The letters were cut from taupe felt and she added coordinating buttons at the top as well.

This is a really cool idea and a fresh take on making banners. I hung mine on my tree! Thanks Liz!

*Photo by Lisa Ryder

On the Seventh day of Xmas...

2009-12-18T05:45:00.000-08:00

...Maria Lamb made us this playful stone tile tic tac toe set. One side of the tiles has her joyful watercolour artwork...

...and the other has the X's and O's. This will be great fun on family game day and when not in use, a beautiful piece of art to admire. Thanks Maria!

*Photos by Lisa Ryder

On the Sixth Day of Xmas...

2009-12-17T09:10:00.000-08:00

...Misti Ko (Dawn Livera) made this wonderful string of handstamped prayer flags for each of us. She also included her zine which talks about the tradition of prayer flags, how to make your own and online resources to check out.

Misti has invited us to string our flags up in our own yards so we can enjoy them all year long. What a great way to start the new year! Thanks Misti!

*Photo by Lisa Ryder

On the Fifth Day of Xmas...

2009-12-16T06:14:00.000-08:00

...Lelainia Lloyd created a cell phone cozy from Basiv Grey fabrics and a sneauxman cellphone charm out of frosted glass beads.

Isn't he precious? Fun, from the frozen north!

*Photos by Lisa Ryder

On the Fourth Day of Xmas...

2009-12-15T06:45:00.000-08:00

...Tara Finlay made this sweet ribbon and paper charm. Each one has a different fragment of text, so it's unique. What an amazing piece of work!

She wrapped her packet with a length of recycled sari silk fibres and I think I will string my charm onto it. Thanks Tara!

*Photo by Lisa Ryder

On the Third Day of Xmas...

2009-12-14T05:06:00.000-08:00

...Barbara Atwell gifted us with this amazing paper pixie, mounted on a vintage wooden child's alphabet block. See the Santa in the balloon?

She always comes up with such creative ideas and this one is a gem! Thanks Barbara!

*Photos by Lisa Ryder

On the Second Day of Xmas...

2009-12-13T05:56:00.001-08:00

...Kathy Strittmater created this lovely textured copper and silver pandant for each of us. She did a beautiful job hammering "imagine" into the metal and I love the silver heart charm dangling from the bottom.

Woo Hoo! We are off to a wonderful start. Thank you Kathy!

*Photo by Lisa Ryder

On the First Day of Xmas...

2009-12-12T05:50:00.005-08:00

...Amy Huff gifted us with this fabulous doubled sided soldered pendant. I love the glitterery accents!

The reverse side has a snippet of vintage book text. What girl doesn't love a little bling for the holidays? Thanks Amy!

*Photos by Lisa Ryder

Parade of Presents, Magical Number 13

2009-12-11T06:00:00.003-08:00

Why 13? Well the secret is that I came up with a "spare" gift so that on the day when everyone else is opening yours, there's a gift for you to open!

We don't reveal what magical #13 is till the very end because it needs to stay a surprise for everyone! The ever-clever Penelope Harris has the honour of making that gift this year.

Parade of Presents, Day 12

2009-12-10T06:00:00.001-08:00

Aren't these gorgeous? They are the creativity of Ruth O'Connor, for day 12!

Parade of Presents, Day 11

2009-12-09T06:00:00.001-08:00

Yummy bundles, all the way from Lisa Ryder in New Zealand will tempt us till day 11. We can hardly wait!

Parade of Presents, Day 10

2009-12-08T06:00:00.002-08:00

Ringing the holiday season on day 10 is Jeanette Janson with these wonderful musical parcels.

Parade of Presents, Day 9

2009-12-07T06:00:00.003-08:00

These beautiful bundles came to us from Jennifer Conway. Can't wait to see what they hold on day 9!

Parade of Presents, Day 8

2009-12-06T06:00:00.001-08:00

The travelling gnome has made his way from Liz Smith's house, across the pond to our homes. See what's inside on day 8!

Parade of Presents, Day 7

2009-12-05T06:00:00.002-08:00

What delights has Maria Lamb prepared for us? We;ll have to wait till day 7 to find out!

Parade of Presents, Day 6

2009-12-04T06:00:00.002-08:00

Dawn Livera (Misti Ko) wrapped her gifts ala Nick Bantock! We'll see what lies within on day 6!

Parade of Presents, Day 5

2009-12-03T06:00:00.003-08:00

This is Lelainia Lloyd's pile of presents all ready to go for day 5!

Parade of Presents, Day 4

2009-12-02T06:00:00.003-08:00

Tara Finlay gifted us with these little beauties! Her gift will be revealed on day 4 of our exchange.

Parade of Presents, Day 3

2009-12-01T06:00:00.002-08:00

This not-so-plain brown wrapper is our gift for day 3, from the clever Barbara Atwell!

Parade of Presents, Day 1

2009-11-30T09:25:00.000-08:00

Behold the crimson boxes of artsy delights, created by Amy Huff for day 1 of our exchange!

Parade of Presents, Day 2

2009-11-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

These elegant packets are the work of Kathy Strittmater and we'll open them on day 2!

12 Days of Xmas Exchange 2009

2009-11-29T19:45:00.003-08:00

Hello everyone! It's that time of year again! We're kicking off the 12 Days of Xmas Exchange with the "Parade of Presents"! Starting tomorrow, November 30th, at 6 PST, you can stop by daily right up to and including Dec. 24th and see all the beautiful handmade gifts we're exchanging this year. Each and every one is a work of heART.

For the first 11 days we'll be sharing photos of our wrapped gifts and then after that, photos of what was inside each one as we open them. We'll begin with two gifts in our parade tomorrow!

Be sure and bookmark this blog or join the RSS feed so you don't miss out on any of the artsy goodness!

The Third Annual 12 Days of Xmas Exchange

2009-08-07T08:52:00.005-07:00

Welcome to the 12 Days of Xmas blog!

Imagine, if you will, a group of artist friends exchanging 13 handmade gifts through the mail. Each person carefully saves the gifts they've received. Beginning December 13 they will open one gift a day for each of the 12 days of Xmas. Can you imagine how delightful and exciting that would be?!? We could-that's why we're doing it again, for the third year straight!

Be sure to visit us often, towards the beginning of November 2009 as wrapped gifts are sent out around the globe. We will be sharing our goodies online right through to Xmas Eve, so come and share in the fun, even if only vicariously! We're not only creating gifts, we're creating magic!

Lucky #13...

2008-12-25T06:06:00.000-08:00

...and finally, Lelainia Lloyd's gift, which was the one that was opened by the ladies when everyone else was opening their gift.

Lelainia sent a package of inspiration. It included a 12 Days of Xmas mixed CD to get everyone into the holiday spirit, a secret holiday recipe, to munch on in the studio while working and a special package of ephemera included to start the new year off right.

Lelainia made each of the ladies a hand painted wishing star ornie to hang on their trees or in their studio to bring them luck and inspiration for the new year, each one bearing the first initial of each participants' name.

We'd like to give a special thanks to Ruth O'Connor for providing the photos of our gifts each day. Ruth, you did a fantastic job and it was *so* appreciated.

Also thanks to Lisa Ryder for filling in in a pinch one day.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!

On the Twelfth Day of Xmas...

2008-12-24T06:01:00.001-08:00

...Debra Cooper sent us brightly coloured bird ornies made from batik fabrics. The birds were sewn and stuff and Debra crochet a hanging loop which is attached to the top.

On the bottom of the bird, she's attached a wild assortment of fibres with bits and bobs made from wood, glass, stone and metals danging from the fibres. It reminds me of things a crow would steal and hide in its nest. Very cool!

One more gift tomorrow, lucky #13!

*Photo courtesy of Ruth O'Connor.

On the Eleventh Day of Xmas...

2008-12-23T07:20:00.001-08:00

...Liz Smith gifted us with these folky bird ornies, made from homespun fabrics. She added a length of tea-dyed twill tape for hanging. I love how they are so soft and old-timey looking.

Join us tomorrow for day 12!

*Photo courtesy of Ruth O'Connor

On the Tenth Day of Xmas...

2008-12-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

...Barbara Atwell sent us a trio of incredibly unique ornies. Barbara used vintage images of children, printed on thick paper.

She cut them out and sewed them to a backing piece of paper, leaving enough room to stuff them and then added a small thread at the top with a star to hang them by. Beautiful!

Two days and three gifts left-don't miss them!

*Photo courtesy of Ruth O'Connor.

On the Ninth Day Of Xmas...

2008-12-21T07:06:00.001-08:00

...Lisa Ryder created these wonderful collages using bits and pieces of her collected ephemera and a circle punch. The result was wonderfully modern style graphics, with clean lines. Sometimes there is such beauty in simplicity. Each collage is a one of a kind.

Lisa also gifted us with a set of 12 of her Artist Trading Cards. Each one a delightful mini piece of art. Now the question is how we will display them...I am thinking they would look really nice matted and framed.

See you tomorrow for day 10!

*Photo courtesy of Ruth O'Connor

On the Eighth Day of Xmas...

2008-12-20T05:55:00.000-08:00

...Fiona Mortimore made us wonderful linen stitched ornies. They remind me of Swedish style needlework. The print is on tea-dyed linen and then Fiona did a running stitch outline on each and stuffed them.

She also made each of us a lovely bookmark from gorgeous Amy Butler fabrics and complimentary fibres. So pretty!

Join us tomorrow for day 9!

*Photo courtesy of Ruth O'Connor.

On the Seventh Day of Xmas...

2008-12-19T06:03:00.001-08:00

...Dawn Supina altered men's ties to create these little pouches and embellished them with beaded trim.

What was inside???

Little cards of encouragement! There was one giving each artist the permission to play, to dabble in whatever artistic pursuit she sees fit and to enjoy the process. There was another granting permission to make mistakes, either real or perceived and not dwell on it, but rather to enjoy the art process. There were also some award cards, for an added ego boost.

This is a great bundle of encouragement and I bet each of us will come to a place in the next year when we will need it and it will be right there, waiting for us. What a creative and unique gift!

See you tomorrow for day 8!

*Photos courtesy of Lisa Ryder

On the Sixth Day of Xmas...

2008-12-18T05:40:00.000-08:00

...Ruth O'Connor crocheted the most exquisite lace cuff bracelets. As you can see, she made a variety of colour ways. Mine is dyed a gentle aqua blue and has deep red beads sewn around the perimeter of the focal point. The design is a flower with 10 petals and in the center of the flower is a red mother of pearl button. (I never knew there was such a thing!)

The cuff fastens with another button and somehow Ruth guessed the exact right size. It feels so soft and comfortable on. This is absolutely lovely.

We're at the half-way point and everyone is feeling incredibly spoiled! Check back tomorrow for gift #7.

Photo Courtesy of Ruth O'Connor

On the Fifth day of Xmas...

2008-12-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

...Arlene Travnik created these lovely multi-layered fabric wallets for each of us. Each layer is just delicious. There is hand tatted lace, snippets of paper, old postage stamps, buttons, charms a vintage images all of captured beneath a thin gauzy layer of fabric.

Inside, are 4 pockets the perfect size for credit cards and then the long pocket for paper money. Each wallet is slightly different, all of them are beautiful and intricate. Every time you turn it over, you see some new detail you didn't notice before. Amazing!

On to day 6 tomorrow! Come see what treasure is revealed.

*Photo courtesy of Ruth O'Connor

On the Fourth Day of Xmas...

2008-12-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

...Jeannine Peragrine sent out a whole neighbourhood of beautifully handcrafted houses. Each one is lovingly textured, hand painted and embellished according to each artist's favourite things.

The house shown here was gifted to Ruth. It's a lovely burgundy and was embellished with scrabble tiles, rub-on curly cues and a bingo chip.

Mine (Lelainia's) is vintage aqua, to match the colour of my studio and reads "In each new day before me some new beauty lies." Isn't that just precious? My house is embellished with a rusted skeleton key, an old wooden spool and a bingo chip and has an interesting texture to it.

These will be treasured!

Stop by tomorrow for more fun on day 5!

*Photos thanks to Ruth O'Connor

On the Third Day of Xmas....

2008-12-15T06:00:00.001-08:00

....Amy Huff gifted everyone with these playful game pendants. Each game piece has a soldered frame skillfully created around it. One piece is a vintage domino (almost looks like ivory!) and the second is a vintage letter tile. Amy made each letter tile the first letter of each person's name. The game pieces are strung on a length of sliver ball chain.

What a fun piece of jewellery! Come by again to see what's unwrapped on Day 4!

*Photos courtesy of Ruth O'Connor

On the Second Day of Xmas...

2008-12-14T06:00:00.003-08:00

...Penelope Harris gifted everyone with precious and wee alchemy books. The cover is made from salvaged upholstery swatches and decorated with fabric tacks. The spine is tied with gold cording.

Inside are gold pocket pages with a set of 18 alchemy cards, each one a delightful piece of art in itself. I am sure each of us is busy pouring over the interesting details of each and every card.

Very cool indeed!

Drop by tomorrow for gift #3!

*Photos courtesy of Ruth O'Connor.

On the First Day of Xmas...

2008-12-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Photo by Ruth O'Connor

...Kathy Strittmater gave everyone these wonderful pendants created from an empty shell casing. The casing is wrapped with a scrap of ephemera and silver curly cues. It reminds me of an ancient scroll.

You would never guess that this pendant is made from a shell casing unless you were to have a close look at it. It's impressive how Kathy can look at something like this and see the potential for something beautiful to come of it. Amazing!

Stop by again tomorrow to see more gifts!

Day Thirteen

2008-12-12T07:33:00.002-08:00

And last but not least, the 13th gift. Yes, we know there are only 12 days of Xmas, but this will be the gift each person opens on the day everyone else is opening theirs. This way they will have surprise gift to enjoy too. Magic #13 comes from me, Lelainia Lloyd, from my little corner of the world, British Columbia, Canada.

Day Twelve

2008-12-11T07:29:00.002-08:00

Swathed in fabric, this present comes from Texas, handmade by Debra Cooper. Can't wait to untie the ribon and see what's inside!

Day Eleven

2008-12-10T07:24:00.002-08:00

These goodies were just waiting to go out the door at Liz Smith's house. Mailed from England, with love.

Day Ten

2008-12-09T07:22:00.002-08:00

Brown paper packages all sewn up mean no one can peek at Barbara Atwell's gift! Genius wrapping from the gal from Michigan!

Day Nine

2008-12-08T07:19:00.002-08:00

Lisa Ryder's gifts made their way all the way from New Zealand, wrapped so prettily in polk a dots and paint chips!

Day Eight

2008-12-07T07:15:00.003-08:00

These goodies had a long travel across the pond from the home of Fiona Mortimore in Australia. Goodness from afar!

Day Seven

2008-12-06T07:12:00.002-08:00

Day 7's sweet goodies come from Alberta, Canada from Dawn Supina. The tiny cards are adorable!

Day Six

2008-12-05T07:08:00.002-08:00

OOO! What a lovely fan Ruth O'Connor's gifts make! We can't wait to see what she sent from New Zealand!

Day Five

2008-12-04T07:05:00.005-08:00

If this isn't a picture of holiday goodness, I don't know what is! Arlene Travnik of Alberta, Canada decked the halls with her festive gifts.

Day Four

2008-12-03T07:01:00.005-08:00

Who wouldn't want to fund one of these cheerful packages in your post box? They were wrapped with love by Jeannine Peragrine from Virginia.

Day Three

2008-12-02T07:30:00.003-08:00

I bet good things come in small packages. These delightful little boxes came from Texas, from Amy Huff.

Day Two

2008-12-01T07:30:00.006-08:00

Day two comes reagally wrapped in gold from the hands of Penelope Harris from British Columbia, Canada . I wonder what treasure it holds?

Procession of Wrapped Gifts

2008-11-30T07:37:00.008-08:00

This year we will be kicking of our gift opening with these beautifully wrapped goodies from Kathy Strittmater in Colorado.

Our gift opening begins Dec. 13th and runs all the way until Xmas eve on the 24th. Till then, please visit daily to see the goodies arriving in our post boxes. Let the fun begin!

Xmas 2008

2008-11-29T10:00:00.000-08:00

Hello folks! The wheels for the one, the only, the original 12 Days of Xmas exchange are in motion! We will begin posting pics of wrapped gifts on November 30th, so remember to check back and join us for all the fun!

In the meantime, feel free to check out the blogs and websites of our participants, listed to the left.

See you tomorrow!

The Final 2 Gifts of 2007

2007-12-24T12:46:00.001-08:00

Penelope Harris was responsible for gift #13 for group 1 and she created these wonderful fabric books for each of the ladies. The books were made from swatches from fabric sample books.

Each page is something special-acetone transfers, hand embroidery, a poem she wrote.

Rubber stamping, little pockets...

The theme of the book was nature and was just so thoughtful and tactile.

And last, but not least, I (Lelainia Lloyd) was gift #13 for group 2. I created this folky house ornie for each of the ladies to keep in their studios to remind them that being an artist has its ebbs and flows and that they should be gentle with themselves when experiencing this. The rules of being an artist is a quote, though unfortunately, I don't know the source. I hope it serves as inspiration for the coming year.

And that folks, is a wrap! THANK YOU to each and every artist for pouring your heart and soul into this exchange. You have outdone yourselves with you generosity and creativity and it was a pleasure hosting. It's been wonderfully rewarding to see my friends connecting and appreciating one another's talents, which is precisely why I do it.

THANK YOU to Caren, Ruth, Jennifer and Kelly for helping out with photos. Much appreciated!

And THANK YOU to all of you out there in cyberland for coming along for the ride. We hope you enjoyed our brand of holiday magic. Please visit our Valentine Blog in mid-January as we prepare to celebrate Valentine's Day. See you there!!

On the 12th Day of Xmas...

2007-12-24T06:05:00.000-08:00

Kelly Snelling made each of the ladies in group 1 this pendant made from a photo she took of a statue of Jesus.

She placed the photo under thick faceted glass and then created the bezel from polymer clay.

She made twisted wire jump rings, hammered clasps and frames for ceramic beads and added semi-precious gemstones along with her handmade clay bird beads on a leather cord.

Here is a close up of some of the detailing on the back.

As you can see, each necklace is a little bit different. Some of the stones used were faceted chalcedony, amazonite, pearls, jade, dark blue tiger's eye, mother-of-pearl, and quartz.

Crystal Neubauer created this lovely little bird pendant for each of the ladies in group 2. It hangs from a leather cord. The brass bezel has been antiqued on the reverse and the collage has fragments of old script. What a treasure!

There are 2 more gift to post-lucky #13, which I will share later this morning. Stay tuned!

On the 11th Day of Xmas...

2007-12-23T09:21:00.000-08:00

Erika Tysse created beautiful personalized stationary sets for each of the ladies in group 1.

Each lady had their monogram on their stationary, which Erika did by gocco printing and hand stamping, making them all wonderfully unique. What a treat!

Deb Trotter created these wonderful circle books for the girls in group 2. She researched everyone of the ladies and created a piece of art, along with a poem depicting each artist.

Deb then colour copied each of the pages to make one for each artist, giving them the original of their page in their own book.

This is the original page Deb made for me. She just did a ton of work and this will be such a sweet keepsake of this year's exchange.

*To see all the pages in Deb's book, please visit her blog. The link is on the right.

One more day and 4 gifts left!!

On the 10th Day of Xmas...

2007-12-22T09:45:00.000-08:00

Caren McNee created a beautiful handmade ornament for each of the ladies in group 1. She hand crochet little bags to hold each of them.

Inside was this amazing handpainted, folded ornie that tells the story of her life and love of South Africa. (She now lives in NZ.)

On the back it says "Come and share my world... nature, home, friends and dreams of Africa".
It can be displayed freestanding or hung from the ribbon.

Liz Smith created this wee chunky note books for the ladies in group 2.

Inside are all kinds of fun elements-tags with buttons,

old bits of sewing ephemera,

and old playing cards...I imagine Liz did each one to suit the lucky lady receiving it. Since I am a sewing ephemera junkie, that's what's decorating mine. It's just so lovely!

Two days and 6 gifts left to share!

On the 9th Day of Xmas...

2007-12-21T06:06:00.000-08:00

Dawn Supina created this altered button card ornie for the ladies of group 1. It has hand dyed lace, German text, fibers and embellishments on the front.

On the back you can see the actual pearl button card it's been built on. How inventive!

Trudy Mclauchlan hand stitched this adorable embroidered lavender eye pillow for the ladies in group 2. My guess is that it was made from a vintage tea towel. It's adorable!

3 more days left!!

On the 8th Day of Xmas...

2007-12-20T05:57:00.000-08:00

Deb Lewis' gift was opened to reveal this beautiful beaded tassel pendant for the ladies of group 1. The colour of the beads reminds me of fresh raspberries. This is a wonderful creation!

Arlene Travnik's gift was opened by the ladies in group 2 and inside we found this gorgeous little fabric book. The overlay is tulle and the items on the cover are captured in little pockets so they float. The stone on the front reads "A Winter's Idyll".

There are also little floating elements on the back cover. The stone on the back reads "Favourite Things".

Inside, the signatures are made from crumpled paper bags. This is a gorgeous book to fill with mementos of the season.

See you tomorrow for day 9's magic!

On the 7th day of Xmas...

2007-12-19T06:45:00.000-08:00

Ruth O'Connor gifted the ladies of group 1 with this sweet little house bookmark. Ruth lives in New Zealand where it's the middle of summer right now, so this is her imagining our winter season.

Fiona Mortimore gifted the ladies of group two with this fabulous quilted birdhouse collage. It has wonderful patchwork layers, lace and buttons, along with snippets of text.

The colours are just delicious. (The aqua matches my studio walls!) What a treat!

More magic tomorrow!

On the 6th Day of Xmas...

2007-12-18T06:21:00.000-08:00

Linda Koch created this little altered paper bag for the ladies in group 1. It has a sweet little collage on it and red and green jingle bells dangling from the handle. Inside are some vintage book pages.

Pilar Pollock made this amazing articulated doll for the ladies in group 2. It has an Edward Gory feel to it and she has built up beautiful layers of paint, paper and stamping for her dress. This is incredibly fun and unique!

Day 7 arrives tomorrow. See you then!

On the 5th day of Xmas...

2007-12-17T05:33:00.000-08:00

Maija Lepore made these handy magnetic boards for all the ladies in group 1. The "r" and heart are magnets. How clever!

Kristen Robinson gifted the ladies in group 2 with this gorgeous hand felted pouch. She added toile, ticking and a vintage shoe ad to the front. I love the little bird-it's *so* Kristen.

What will day 6 hold? Stay tuned to find out!

On the 4th day of Xmas...

2007-12-16T08:41:00.000-08:00

Melissa David made this cool artsy pendant for the ladies of group 1. It was fashioned from copper and metal bits and pieces, malachite beads and features a polymer clay face. It hangs from a beautiful copper chain.

Kathy Strittmater created this pretty ATC from vintage text and handmade the beautiful polymer clay heart in the center for the ladies of group 2.

She also crafted this stand for it, using a piece of vintage sliverware. I love how the tines were manipulated to form a heart. Very creative!!

Every day is another wonderful discovery of just how talented and creative these artists are. Back tomorrow with more gifts!

On The 3rd Day of Xmas...

2007-12-15T07:58:00.000-08:00

Amy Huff created this playful soldered domino necklace on a leather thong for all the ladies in Group 1. Very cool!

Barbara Atwell made each of the girls in group 2 a delightful box of vintage stationary. There were notecards, envelopes, a post-it notepad book, bookmarks and a sweet little shipping tag collage. What girl wouldn't love that?!?

On the 2nd Day of Xmas....

2007-12-14T06:05:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Rowland made these utterly charming earrings for the ladies of Group 1. The coins say "Liberty" on them and are accented with black beads and silver danglies.

Cece Grimes created this funky assemblage figure pendant from a vintage brass safety pin for each of the ladies in Group 2.

We all love to have artsy bling and both these gifts are fantastic!

Back with Day 3 tomorrow!

On the 1st Day of Xmas....

2007-12-13T07:59:00.000-08:00

Edina Tien made these exquisite monogrammed shabby chic banners for the ladies in Group 1. This is Caren's, hanging in her garden in New Zealand. Aren't the details lovely? Little paper flowers, bits of vintage ephemera and wall paper, tissue paper rosettes and rayon ribbon. MMMM!!

Debra Cooper made the ladies in Group 2 these hand embroidered artsy clutch purses. All the materials are vintage or recycled.

This one is Deb T's and she wanted to share the cute fabric on the inside too.

Debra made them in a variety of colours and designs. How pretty!

See you tomorrow with day 2's gifts!

12 Days Canadian Style!

2007-12-13T07:33:00.000-08:00

While I wait for one of my helper elves to get out of bed and open a gift so she can send me a pic, here's Dawn Supina's basket of goodies out in the Alberta snow. Hopefully they're back inside where it's warm while she's opening #1.

Back soon with day 1 revealed!

Three, Two, One...

2007-12-12T06:52:00.000-08:00

Here's one last look at some of our goodies. This is Ruth O'Connor's pile of presents just waiting to be unwrapped! Join us TOMORROW for the first day of gift opening and watch as the magic unfolds!

More Piles of Pressies!

2007-12-11T06:23:00.000-08:00

The goodies were piled on the mantle with care-it looked liked St. Nicholas had already been there! All the gifts have arrived at Debra Coopers house!

Everything made its way safely to Trudy McLauchlan's home in Australia!

ONE MORE DAY TO WAIT!!