Artfest Trades

I thought I would dedicate a whole post just about the trades from Artfest. There were so many of them that I came home with THREE bags full.

I bought one of the messenger bags Teesha had made up and I am so glad I did. I have long wanted a good messenger bag to haul my art stuff in and this one is so big and roomy, it's perfect. I put all the pins I received as trades on it so I would know it was mine. (Gotta love the little buttons!)

Lots of people made trades with collage sheets, special papers and ephemera packs. I love getting little bits of stuff that are new to me to use in my artwork. I know I used a few things out of those packets over the retreat. One packet I got had not only papers, but some porcelin dolls-some heads, some armless dolls, some whole dolls. I thought those were really interesting! Mary made me a cloth tote and filled it with yummy bits.

Some of the other things I received as trades were ATC and small collage pieces. I even have a beeswax ATC and an encaustic collage. a couple of ladies made bookmarks, which while simple, were really very nice. Melissa gave me a wonderful little moleskine journal she altered. I can't wait to put little bits of stuff in it! Someone else made a long skinny book with collage all over it. One lady brought flower seeds from Alaska, which I thought was really creative!




This last picture is of all the jewellery piece I was given. Anyone who knows me well knows I LOVE handmade jewellery. There were glass pieces from Tracy and Stacie .

My friend Janice made me a wonderful soldered paperclip bookmark. Donna made a great moon pendant which I enjoyed wearing. Mo gave me the altered tea tin you see full of goodies for my classes. The silver bird came from Deb, my new dear friend (and roomie) from California. (Love ya Deb!!) Nadine, bookmaker extraordinnaire made the beautiful leather book necklace for me.

Lots and lots of wonderful stuff, all made and given in the true spirit of friendship. It was so great to participate in the trades and I would encourage anyone going to Artfiberfest to make trades. It doesn't have to be anything fancy-everyone made something different and everything was received with gratitude. It's not about being competitive or worrying your trades will measure up. It's about meeting and connecting with other artists and sharing a small part of yourself. If you didn't have anything to trade, people still gave you stuff.

I know for me, it was utterly delightful to have someone come up and say hello and extend their warmth and friendship. It wasn't about what you got, but what you gave. Sometimes I would walk back to my table during class and find goodies had been left for me. *Bliss*

Thank you to everyone who traded with me-I love and appreciate everything I recieved. Now to make trades for Fiberfest!!

*Click on pics to see them bigger!*