Challenges and Swaps

I've signed up for another couple of things - just can't resist... Actually I always find it helpful to have something to be aiming for - nothing like a deadline to improve my creativity! And they give me a really good reason for trying new ideas and techniques too. This month I'm going to be working on Blotted Copy Book's Duelling Crafters' Challenge. Vonnies rules are as follows:

• Your starting object must not cost you any money. So no charity shopping it up. I am watching.
  
• You can spend no more than GBP£10 or the equivalent (USD$15, CAD£17, AUD$20, €11) on supplies to alter your starting object
  
• A flickr group will be created for this project and all completed projects must be submitted by 9pm on Friday May 29th 2009.
  
• The winner will be selected by vote which will be hosted here. Voting will open at 9.30pm on Friday May 29th 2009 and will close on Friday June 5th 2009.
  
• Any soliciting of votes will mean a penalty against the entry with possible disqualification. Play nicely, please.

When I first read Vonnie's post I was really interested in taking part but couldn't for the life of me think of anything that was within my capabilities! We have some lovely chairs that I would love to repaint and re-upholster but there's no chance that I could manage that between now and the end of May! It would be rather a scary steep learning curve. Then a week or so later I remembered this tie of my dad's that I found when we moved in here (his old home). I kept hold of it because I really love the fabric and because it was my dad's 'going out' tie, so it reminds me of lovely family occasions. And I wondered if I could make myself something with it. My initial idea is to use to make a wallet for my business cards. Think it cold look quite cool with the right lining fabric and a funky vintage button. I'm really looking forward to using the fabric.

The other thing I've signed up for is Kerry of PennyDog Jewellery's Garden Swap. The rules for this are:

• You must make one handmade item in a garden theme, this can be something for the garden, or something with a gardeny theme- insects, flowers, etc.
  
• An item of a crafty nature that your swap partner can use in their own crafting- fabric, buttons, stickers, etc
  
• An edible treat- chocolate, cake, etc

Really looking forward to making a start on this one - I have some ideas, but I want to do a bit more thinking first. My partner is Christina of SpoiltPig and I want to make sure that I send her something that she'll like!! I've been having a look at her excellent resin jewellery in her SpoiltPig Folksy shop and I am a bit scared because she is clearly a trendy young person & I really am not... But hey, it's good to be swapping slightly outside my comfort zone so I'm looking forward to it.