You Can't Always Get What You Want

UPDATE: I did receive a sincere apology message, which I wholeheartedly accept.  Communication is key, kids!  Thank you for all of your support. 

I've written many times about Swapbot, which I love so much - getting a new package from a mysterious stranger filled with goodies brings me so much joy, and sending one to someone else hoping to provide that same feeling thrills me as well. 

Which was why I was so upset yesterday to receive a few passive agressive emails from a swapper who had received two fabrics from me, one of which she didn't like.  I had sent two fat quarters, neatly tied up with some cute ribbon that I thought she'd enjoy - it was a request swap, so one fit her criteria and the other I thought she would like as well.  I'm not saying they were my favorite fabrics ever, but I had used the rest of the yard in other projects myself that were well received as gifts to friends. 

More Book Sharing

I am so excited to have found yet another source of free books!  I had previously blogged about PaperbackSwap, and just yesterday received my first book in the mail from a fellow member.  Woo hoo!

However, I know some of you were nervous about using that site because of virus problems they had been experiencing last week.  Not to worry - I have a much more low key, yet super simple way to snag some free books for you!

My friend Kristy has just started a blog with her mom Judy, and she is doing an informal book sharing club - check out her post here.  I've signed up for it, and now I need some reading pals!  All you need to do is mail out 1 book, and pick 6 new pals to join up by sending them the instructions.  If you keep the chain going, you'll get 36 back (woah!) 

Send me an email or write a comment on this post if you're interested!

Free Books!

I just found a cool new site that I am so happy to share with you - PaperBackSwap.com!



It's free to sign up, and all you need to do is post the 10 books you have and are willing to part with. Once you do that, you get 2 credits for free books to start, and can pick from any other title posted on the site by other users.

When someone wants your book, you ship it out, and when you want one, they send it to you (sender pays postage). You can get a new book for each one that you send. Sounds like a great way to get some new reading material, save some money, AND recycle - LOVE IT! Three of my favorite things.
So far I just posted three titles I know I have sitting at home, and already someone has requested one! You can also make wish lists for titles you want, and will be alerted when they are available.

Now I just have to decide what to get...cookbook? Fun novel? Crafty book? So many choices. Check it out!

(Thanks to my new swapbot friend/follower Karen (check out her blog here) for alerting me to this!)

**UPDATE: Apparently PBS has been attacked by a hacker and some members have gotten viruses. They say that the problem is resolved, but use at your own risk. Be careful out there, kids!

Tea Time For Two Swap!

I got my first swap-bot package in the mail today and I'm so excited!  Getting some sweet snail mail really is exhilarating, I'd kind of forgotten!  I received a cute tea-cup shaped note from my first partner and two lovely packets of tea - check it out.  (And please forgive the lame cell phone pick - I was just so psyched to share that I couldn't wait to get home and use my regular camera.)

Incidentally this tea couldn't have come on a better day - its snowing here in NYC so a nice cup of hot tea sounds perfect.  Especially since I've been nursing a cold for the past few days - thanks so much Deanna!

Make New Friends

I remember a song from Girl Scouts that we learned that went like this:

"Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold."

But then my dad changed it for me to:

"Make new friends but keep the old, one is mildew and the other's mold."

Oh dad.

I'm lucky that all of my friends (even those from Newtown, CT's Girl Scout troop 228) have more depth than precious metals and/or fungus. Most of them I've had for many years but I'm always happy to make new ones.

Here is my latest way: Swap-bot! It's this cool site that is combines pen pals, crafting, and the Internet all together in one super fun package! You sign up for swaps where you're assigned a partner and you have to make/send something to them, and they to you. You can usually use items you already have or those with very low cost so its a fun way to get a treat and spread the love with little/no money.

So far I've signed up for just an email swap to introduce myself to some new pals and learn more about the process, and next up I've signed up for a Big Fat Stuffed Envelope Swap and Tea Time for Two snail mail swaps. I'm so excited!

I will let you know how things go.

PS I ordered girl scout cookies last week. They arrive in March.