I am really excited for this swap! I have been saving my toilet paper tubes for months and have wanted to use them in a mail craft — now is my chance!! Join me in the TP Tube as an Envie Swap. The swap is hosted by nlgrudis and this iteration is an Autumn theme. Here are the directions:

_“Get an Empty TP Tube (the center tube the paper is wrapped around). Cut two circles of cardboard or cardstock to cover the ends. Tape one end closed. Now stuff the tube with goodies. Fill with Autumn or Fall themed items……</p>

• photos, photo magnet frames, SD cards or holders, photo mounting corners, postage stamps, etc.
• Crafting how to DIY (templates, directions, etc.)
• Brads, eyelets, ribbon, Glue dots, Scrapbook paper and/or stickers can be rolled to fit in the tube.
• Small sewing notions (seam rippers, buttons, thread, etc.)
• Small hard candies or gum
• Tealite candles
• Key chains
• Tea bags, Single serve hot chocolate, coffee, drink mixes (kind you add to bottled water)
• Recipes or cooking
• Jewelry or jewelry making supplies
• Mini markers, pencils, pens
• Postage stamps, bookmarks or other stationary items
• Small paper punches or stamps or other small embellishments
• Something handmade

The possibilities are endless! Be creative, challenge yourself & have a blast!”</i>

Sounds very easy, creative, unique, and fun! It is international and open to experienced swappers with a 4.6 rating, or higher. Sign up by September 22nd.

Thank you to everyone who checked out Stash Slash and entered the giveaway for a free seller’s account.

The winner is… craftygirl!!!

Congratulations! Look for more giveaways in the near future!

I must be hungry this week, because I have a bunch of recipe links for you, like the delicious S’mores seen above. Cooking & baking are creative endeavors, too!

Food:

• You know that I am obsessed with S’mores and this week I have two delicious links for you… The photo above is of the Chai Tea S’mores recipe from design*sponge, complete with chai tea, homemade graham crackers. For another twist on the S’more flavors, try Bakers Royale’s S’more Bars.
• If you are up for frying things, these Apple Rings look like autumn deliciousness.
• And, you could serve this Pumpkin Pie White Hot Chocolate with the apple rings to complete the fall dessert extravaganza!
• Or, if it is still warm where you are, try these Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches.
• There is a whole lot of butter in this recipe, but I still might have to try it this weekend: Salted Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars. Wow!

Crafts:

• This is sort of a food/craft combo: Amazingly detailed, craft-themed cakes.
• I really like the wreath made from loops of scrapbook paper in this fall decor post (at the bottom) on the Heartland Paper blog.
• I want to try this cute Crochet Star Pattern. The little start would make sweet holiday ornaments…
• Pretty: a tutorial for jeweled hair pins.
• Um, ok… Felted Berets for Your Cat.

We need more crafts links! Please add some in the comments section.

Breaking news: As of this week, over 100,000 swaps have been hosted on Swap-bot! Wow!

Travis & I (and Crusher) have been running Swap-bot for almost six years and we never would have thought that so many swaps could have been hosted on our fun, little website. To celebrate this 100,000th swap milestone, I’m hosting a Swap-bot-themed mail swap — the 100,000 Swap!!

Everyone is welcome to join this easy swap. Each person will have one partner to whom they will send one piece of Swap-bot-themed snail mail. It can be a postcard, a letter, an ATC, an inchie, anything! The only strict requirement is that your item go through the postal mail and that it has some sort of Swap-bot decoration on it.

Let’s see how many Swap-bot creations we can send all over the world!

It is the official end of summer weekend… and I’m already thinking snow?!

• It isn’t winter yet, but I am keeping this beautiful snowball and snowflake wreath idea (seen above) in mind for the chillier season.
• The Richmond Art Gallery in Canada is having its first ever International Mail Art Exhibition & Swap and you are invited to contribute artwork. The deadline is October 1st.
• Eek! Martha Stewart’s Halloween issue is freaky looking!
• Maker Faire is coming back to New York! Find out how you can volunteer at the event.
• WipUp.net creator, Kathreen Ricketson, has a new quilting book out and it looks cute!
• Sixteen free printable party invitations.
• Your S’more of the week: Ultimate S’more Cake.
• Want something sweet, easy, and not too unhealthy? Try my friend, Jessica’s, Nutella Smoothie.
• These Strawberry Cake Kebabs would make a fun and easy party food.
• And, one more crazily delicious-looking dessert recipe: Peanut Butter Cup Brownies.

Have a great weekend!

Do you collect fabric, sewing patterns, yarn, or other textile and fiber art supplies? Are you always looking for more unique items to add to your collection? Or, would you like to reduce your growing stash by selling a few items? Let me introduce you to Stash Slash!

Stash Slash is “an ad-free community for fiber and fabric lovers providing a dedicated market so you can sell your unneeded stash — or buy fabrics, yarns, adornments, notions, patterns, books and accessories with an easy-to-use process from beginning to end. All sewers, quilters, knitters, weavers, basketmakers and fiber artists are invited to join. For a low-cost yearly selling membership the market is yours — without any listing or end-of-sale fees.”

Buyers can register for Stash Slash for free and browse and buy from any of the sellers on the site. Sellers pay a $20 yearly fee (only $15 until 2012) and can then list as many items as they would like. For more information, read Why Stash Slash Was Created.

To celebrate their launch, Stash Slash would like to give away one free seller’s membership to a lucky Swap-bot member! If you’d like to sell some of your stash, it is easy to enter the giveaway…

To enter to win the free membership, do one of the following things:

• Sign up for a free buyer membership on Stash Slash
• Like the Stash Slash Facebook page
• Or, follow the Stash Slash blog

Then, comment on this blog post letting me know which of the three items you did. Please also include your Swap-bot username.

You must be a member of Swap-bot to win. The giveaway will be open for entry until next Friday, September 9th. The winner will be randomly selected from all entrants, and will be announced on Monday, September 12th.

Good luck!

“There’s so many gorgeous colours and wonderful smells during this season. One incredible smell is a tasty dessert from our fall produce. Some of you have favourite cheesecake recipes (like pumpkin) or cake recipes (like carrot or zuchinni) or a favourite pie.”

That is a quote from the description of this week’s featured swap, Autumn Decadence and a Surprise. The international swap is being hosted by pinkrenegade. For this postal mail swap, you will have one partner and you will share with them one tried and true favourite dessert recipe you use at this time of year. ALSO send a small fall surprise that can be profile base but it really is sender’s choice.

An easy and flexible swap to help us celebrate the change of seasons!

Those of us on the east coast of the US are prepping for Hurricane Irene this weekend (don’t worry, Travis, Crusher & I have lots of water, food, first aid, etc — we will stay safe), but I still managed to get you a great group of links this week. woohoo!

• Those adorable unicorn cookies seen above are from The Decorated Cookie.
• You may have already seen this before, but it is too wacky not to share: Creative dog grooming by Sandy Paws. I like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle grooming style the best.
• A review of The World’s Smallest Post Service craft kit on Craft Critique.
• And speaking of postal mail, did you know you can send real postcards featuring your Instagram photos straight from your phone with Postagram?
• How to make glittery Galaxy Play Dough.
• More glitter: How to make glitter tape from Pugly Pixel.
• A new-to-me craft blog: Sew Country Chick.
• So bizarre in the best way: CSI Miami-themed cupcakes, complete with tiny crime scene decorations.
• Too cool! Han Solo in carbonite ice cube molds. I love Han!
• Be green this Halloween. October 8th is National Costume Swap Day.
• And because it wouldn’t be a link love without an insane dessert recipe: Cookies and Cream Brownie Cookies.

Everybody be safe this weekend!

It is always so thrilling when Swap-bot receives a little press! And this time it was a total surprise… a friend recently clued me into the fact that Swap-bot is mentioned on page 89 of the September 2011 issue of Disney Family Fun magazine. We are mentioned in an article about ATCs as a good place to find ATC swaps. That is definitely true!

If you ever see Swap-bot mentioned in print or online publications, please let me know! It helps me figure out how users are learning about the ‘bot.

School is starting up again! What teacher wouldn’t appreciate one of these handmade apple creations, like the beautiful apple cupcakes from HelloMySweet seen above?!

Are you a teacher? Has school started up already for you?