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| I went to DC this weekend to see Paula Deen (SQUEE!!!) and was so tired after the trip downtown and all the walking and all of the hassle on the metro... when much to my surprise there was a present for me on my porch...  4 beautiful balls of yarn and my size 4 needles that I wanted... And the needles are beautiful too. they are lantern moon and feel so nice... I've started knitting my new opal yarn into socks (but I messed up so I will email my sister tomorrow and have her explain the pattern again). I also got some fortissima colori sock yarn ( from Italy in the colors of the ocean), a beautiful kettle dyed wool from Uruguay (in beautiful reds and purples) and a ball of Classic Worsted Tapestry from Universal Yarn inc. All so pretty. Thank you Dani for your generosity! I am so happy! - Mood:happy
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| Argh! When my schedule is messed up, I forget to do everything! Extra-late catchup Fibergodmother report GO! *anime hero pose* The last two weeks have seen all sorts of packages arriving! How fun! Look at all the neat stuff that Dani got from Rebecca! Lisa got her package from me! Yay! (I should've photographed it before I sent it. Sorry!) Melissa got a bunch of stuff from Jennifer W! I got two *awesome* books from my fibergodmother! My husband is being all sorts of mean and not telling me who sent the package, though! Well, more to look forward to when I go home at Thanksgiving! (feel free to reveal yourself, though!) Rebecca got a lot of adorable Halloween themed things from Jennifer R! What a cute bag! Tracey blogs about her package here, but there's also this cool Flickr thing she did! Ok, I'm easily amused by Flickr tricks. The package was awesome, too ;) And Tvini hit the jackpot with her green-themed package from Tracey! You are all so generous and thoughtful! It makes me all sniffly! If you haven't gotten anything yet, please do tell Melissa or me! I swear that we now pay 3x as much for postage and get 1/2 the service! (or maybe that's just because I moved from a small town to a large city.) And if I just missed your update, feel free to yell at me! I do my best, but I've been in training all week and my brain is full :) And... next Friday I'll be driving through the wilds of Tennessee (land of the dial-up only connection.) I'll try to remember to do a Thursday update! Take care! - Mood:chipper
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| I got my package, which is made of pure 100% awesomeness. Unfortunately, I can't find my camera to take pics, but I'm trying very hard to resist tearing into it too much until I can get goot photos. Seriously, this package rocks. Thank you so much, Tracey! | |
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| Fabulous package from my Fiber Godmother arrived! I wish my camera was working, so I could post a pic, but I'll have to settle for descriptions.
2 skeins of purple WoolBamboo (yum, I've been fondling this yarn at the LYS) Bath fizzies and shower gel (I love spoiling!) and a CD from a local (to her) RenFaire artist-what fun to hear someone I don't know! Thanks so much Michelle-you rock! | |
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| Hello! Did you miss me last week? My husband moved our wireless network out here, which means that I had no internet at all for most of the weekend :P So, here's a two week catchup for you! Jennifer (W) got her card. So did Lisa. Tvini's two cards from her godmother. (Dratted overachieving godmothers!) And Rebecca got buttons from her godmother as a clue. How mysterious! And Dani's already gotten her FiberGodmother package! Rebecca puts us all to shame. Remember, you only have until Sunday to get your package in the mail! Keep your eyes out for your own package, and share the joy when you get it! (I think seeing what everyone sent is my favorite part!) - Mood:excited
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| Yep, it's me again! Boy, the weeks go by quickly! (The minutes, though, those crawwwl by.) So, by now you should have gotten something in the mail from your Fiber Godmother, but the post seems to be taking its dear sweet time about it! I wouldn't worry too much. I know that the post here likes to sit on mail for a bit to make you worry. So far, only two people have posted about receiving their cards, so if you haven't received yours yet, you're in good company ;) Melissa's fabricstraviganza is helped along by her FG, and Cate got her card, too! (I love her yarn pirate icon!) I hope you're having a great Friday! Remember, there are only two weeks left to get your package out! :) - Mood:cheerful
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| Y'all -- I've already received a package from my "Fiber Godmommy!" I need to take some pictures, but will have to wait for daylight (probably Friday, when I work from home). My FG sent some pretty fabric, stationary, fruit snacks (already eaten by hubby), Halloween candy (cherry Nerds!) and some yummy-smelling lotion. I'm so lucky!
Thanks, FG! | |
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| Woot! Matches are going out today! Have you gotten yours? Remember to check your spam folder! If you haven't gotten a match by this afternoon, contact either ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.1) crazycatladymel or me and we'll get things straightened out! Almost all the questionnaires have been filled out! If you haven't gotten yours done, yet, it's a good way to make your Friday go a little faster. Your fibergodmother is probably ready to start collecting things and just needs your input! Gosh! We only have eleven godmothers this round! You're going to have to work extra hard to keep anonymous! How do you plan to keep your identity a secret? - Mood:excited
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| We probably all have that drawer where things go that we get in other swaps (or as gifts) -- the things that are nice, but don't particularly suit us but would (eventually) be perfect for someone else. Many of us probably also have a sizeable stash we can shop from. I know one person in this group that routinely shops from her stash and spoils her partners ROTTEN.
For FiberGodmother, this is totally cool. (Did you think I was going to say something else?) Just don't forget: this is a special swap, all about the spoiling, so please make sure that the items you select will really suit your FiberGoddaugther! Check out the questionnaires, blog, etc. to get a feel for her tastes.
It goes without saying that non-yarn items be new, in-package, unless you decide to send something extra and mark it as such. Or, if you find something that your partner collects that isnt' available new.
In truth, this entry is a reaction from another group of swaps I've been in. They're small, and not so much about the spoiling, so I don't get bent out of shape when every second or third package has nothing at all to do with my tastes or "likes list." Those items go into my "swap box" -- perfectly good items that don't suit me but might suit someone else. I'm not really worried about this group -- just stating the obvious, for the record. | |
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| (Re-posted with date corrections: sorry for the confusion!)
Sign-ups end: September 7
Partners assigned & sent out: by September 14
Official Start: September 14
- Note, letter, etc. by September 21
- Package by October 14
Fiber Godmother Round 2 ends: October 21 (package needs to be received by this date)
Out-of-pocket (minimum, not including postage): $20
Don't forget the Domestic Tracking if you're shipping w/in the US!
These are the minimums. It might be hard to start shopping now, unless you know of a favorite thing you intend to share no matter what, but you can start plotting now, to send "tease" emails via sites like Virtual Florist (doesn't require real email address) or similar (wouldn't hurt to send yourself a test just in case). You can plot with friends to have postcards or even packages shipped from different locations.
Don't forget the possibility of a generic email ID. I have gmail invites for anyone that wants one (email me at l8bloomer (sign above the number 2) gmail (period) com). You can set gmail up to display any outgoing name for that account, plus forward incoming mail to your main account. The only thing you really have to remember is which account you're replying with! (Said the woman who forgot the FIRST time) | |
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| Between now and Sept. 13th, please post the following questions (& your answers) on your LJ/Blog. Do your best to make the questionnaire easy to find - at minimum let naiadkitty or myself know where it is so we can add it to the index. You can also post/comment about it in the community by replying to this post. Share as much information as you feel comfortable. The more you share, the more your Godmother can learn about you and your preferences. If you feel that a question is too knitting-centric (I'm a knitter, so I might not know the best questions to ask), feel free to redirect your answers, or add comments to the end. Fiber Godmother Questionnaire
General Fiber Questions:What are your fiber-related hobbies? (Knit, Crochet, Spinning, Needlepoint, etc.) - How long? - Which are you *most* into? - How would you classify yourself in this craft - beginner, intermediate, advanced? - What is your current fiber-related obsession? - What are your favorite items to make? - What are you making right now? - What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? - About the fiber:Your favorite yarn(s) (brand or type)? - What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? - Is there a yarn you've been dying to try? - Are you a fiber snob? - About the tools:Hardwood, Bamboo, Aluminum, Plastic? - For knitters: Straight, DPN or Circular needles? - Favorite gadget? - Anything you've been wanting to try? - About you:Do you pamper yourself? Or do you generally come last? - What does an ideal day off/free hour consist of for you? - Are you allergic to anything? - What is your family situation? (Partner, spouse, kids, etc.) - Are you owned by any pets? - Your favorite color(s)? - Any colors you just can't stand? - What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) - Least favorite? (Maybe you're not "allergic," but it makes you want to die) - How do you feel about candy? - Any dietary restrictions? - Is there anything that you collect? - What is your favorite holiday? - Do you have an online wish list (e.g. Amazon, Things I Want)? If so, share the link. If nothing else, it will give your Godmother more ideas about your likes/dislikes. - Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? - What kind of music do you like? - Any special requests in case your Godmother wants to make a CD for you? - Favorite movie(s)? - Any "fan" stuff? (e.g. Firefly, Wonder Woman, etc.) - Anything we missed? Tell, Tell! | |
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| It's been almost 18 months since round 1 of Fiber Godmother ended, and I'm feeling the need for a GOOD, positive yarn-swapping experience. To that end, Fiber Godmother will be run again, starting in mid-September! What is it?: A secret pal-type exchange for Knitters & Crocheters. The idea is to both spoil others and get spoiled yourself.
"Fiber Godmother" was started last year in response to the some other huge swaps, where the sheer volume of participants made it difficult for organizers to keep on top of things and made it easy for slackers to flake on their commitments. Some people have had excellent experiences with these swaps, but others have not. So, Fiber Godmother is smaller (no more than 20 participants), shorter and with a lower minimum outlay than some other swaps. There are LOTS of swaps out there. This one is different, because of the size and scope. People that play nice get to play again.
It will be invitation or referral only, and will be kept small (20 or under) again. Former members and other invitees can refer another participant, but must vouch for them and should be prepared to act as angel in case that person flakes on their obligations. (I don't think this is going to be necessary -- I have a good feeling about this swap!) We'll open this up for referrals once I've heard from all of the invitees. We will probably not have room for all of them, and inclusion is at our discretion, etc. ("We" being naiadkitty & myself - the co-moderators.)
There are 2 parts: sending a great, spoilery package; and acknowledging the goodies you get. In the case of the bigger swaps, my own personal experience was bad on the "downstream" end -- the person I sent to would NOT acknowledge my packages, and I've heard the same from others. So in addition to requiring the obvious part (the outgoing package), we added an easy requirement: you need to make a post on your blog about the package you get. Not any kind of a stretch for most folks, right? You'd do it anyway, right?
Requirements:
- Ability/willingness to meet at least the minimum commitment (below)
- LJ/blog which they actually update (none of this starting a blog and adding 1 post to qualify). Ideally, I'd like everyone to have an LJ ID so they can post to this community. I'm not making it a requirement, but it would be nice. This LJ does not have to be used in any way except to post to this community.
- Questionnaire posted in one or both places: your blog and/or this community by the start date. We'll do an index of questionnaires so everyone can find their partners.
- Pictures are nice, but not required. If everyone that can do so will take a picture of their outgoing package, that will probably cover anyone who can't take one of an incoming package.
Minimum Commitment:
- 1 anonymous snail-mail card or letter, mailed during the first week. More missives are welcome, even encouraged, especially if you can get friends in other locales to mail them to confuse things a little.
- 1 package, value totaling ~US$20 (min.), not counting shipping, sent before the close date (which will be 4 weeks from the start date (mid-September). Everyone should have their package by 1 week past the close date (if you're shipping outside of the country, please ship a little earlier). For those shipping w/in the US, you'll want to get the Domestic Tracking #. It's ~75ยข; if a package goes astray, you'll be glad you spent the little extra.
- Entry on your own blog/LJ "bragging" on your package. You can also post to this community. This is the easiest part of the swap!
What goes in the packages? Fiber! Knitting needles, cool gadgets, etc. Items that you think another knitter/crocheter will appreciate. Maybe something they wouldn't buy themselves. Other pampering items are good, like local chocolates, or other craft items you make. Do you make soap or other bath items? Or bead? (Stich markers are always nice.) Maybe you can make something for their pet. Hopefully the questionnaire will give you some good ideas about their likes/dislikes. You can come up with a theme and design the whole package around it, or part of it.
Other Details: Not required, but recommended -- try to find other ways to keep in touch w/ your partner. You can get an anonymous email via Gmail (I have tons of invites if you need one), or other free email providers (just don't do what I did: I have my "secret" email set up to forward messages to my regular account. I forgot that and replied with my real addy. I have to be very sure I log out of my main account and into my secret one before emailing my SP.) Sites like "Virtual Florist" let you send "flowers" without including an email address.
The key is to have fun, and maybe make new friends. I'll post all of the participants on the community sidebar.
If, at any time, you find that you can't "play," you need to let me know immediately. Accepting gifts when you can't - or don't plan to - reciprocate is not fair.
I don't want to get too "policey" this time around. Other swaps I've joined require that all participants email the host/ess whenever a package goes out, with the tracking #. Let's hope that isn't required, because I SO don't want to deal with that! The hope is that by keeping it small we'll be able to avoid some of the troubles the larger swaps have.
Having said that, I will post the names of anyone who takes packages and doesn't do her share, and you won't be allowed to play again. Seriously, I don't anticipate this being an issue with an exchange this small, but this way, everyone knows what's what. | |
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| Hancock's had some yarn themed fabric--some that had skeins of yarn, some with knitting needles, some that looked like knit......all very cute! I think I'm going back to get some for a new knitting bag. The question is--which one? | |
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| Well, I finally got my Fiber Godmother package! A long story involving lost mail, crazy ex-flatmates and finally me not checking my PO box for a while (oops) - none of which I might add is girlgonemod's fault, she has been nothing but patient and kind through the whole debacle! As well as very good at picking lovely things to send to me! I'll post pics up on my knitting blog when I get a chance. Thanks to everyone who was involved in this swap, but particularly to crazycatladymel and naiad_kitty for organising it, and itgirl and girlgonemod for being such great swap partners and for having such interesting knitblogs as well! Hooray for new friends :) | |
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| It was Dad's deer tags... :(
I might go down to the post office where I used to pick up my parcels and see if they are holding it there for some reason. | |
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| Firstly, I think the package from my fiber godmother has arrived - there was a package slip in my PO Box yesterday, but unfortunately the post office had just closed. I will pick it up today! I'm hoping it's not the deer tags my Dad is waiting for, but probably not since they usually fit in the box.
Secondly, my fiber goddaughter, Rebecca/itgirl is extra special and is getting a third package! (ok, only because I didn't package the second one well enough and the snowglobe broke, oops) I asked her what yarn she wanted but she didn't answer, instead I got a great drunken email because she knows I like them :P
So Rebecca, you get mystery yarn again! Um, just as soon as I find another snowglobe. The shop I bought the first one from has run out. Unfortunately, even though I live in a tourist Mecca, the shops seem to all be going upmarket, merino this, possum that, Maori carvings and greenstone necklaces and not a humble snowglobe in sight! | |
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fibergodmother
