Trades, swaps and treasures

I am still trying to get back to the routine of my 'normal' life. Now that Art&Soul has finished, I am reading other blogs, learning about classes that I didn't take, experiences that I missed and people that I didn't get to meet. Somehow I missed a lot of things... mostly because I am pretty closed, quiet and even shy... Of course, all of that changes when someone manages to see over my 'wall' and gets to really know me... but that doesn't help in big, spontaneous gatherings as the one I attended. Oh well... I am who I am and this was a huge step for me. Maybe I'll become one of the cheerful, fun and outgoing people one day in the future... Anyway - good thing is that other people are more open, because they would approach me and ask for trades. Here is a photo of the trades I received - some words, ATCs, pins, necklaces and a decorated box to store it all. It was great fun to trade! I was happy to see that some were using my papers and tags as collage material in their classes.The first little traded 1" square was waiting for me. A perfect tiny collage from Tejae.

She added a stack of the most beautiful vellum paper I've ever seen! It reminded me of my childhood, when I would trade delicate napkins with my friends (we called them Japanese napkins... I don't know if they were really from Japan). I'm not sure that I can use the vellum - it is pretty just as is...

My dear friend Connie visited me yesterday. She endured hours of me talking and talking about Art & Soul. And not only was she the most patient guest, she surprised me with a wonderful gift. I can't express how much I love this box! It brought tears to my eyes, even before she told me that the buttons were vintage, some from her mother's blouse... It is very special, just as Connie and I will treasure it forever.