Craf-TEA!

Two months ago, I and Ela decided to do a private tea exchange. And I immediately felt my crafty wings elongate and take flight... We both love tea and we both love crafts... and she definitely is among the people who inspire me all year long and due to whom my craft expenses have risen sky high in 2008 - simply because they inspired me to experiment with other forms of craft than cross-stitch. Good occasion to wink-wink to Staci about my eyelet purchases this year :)

Since I had lots of time to prepare that exchange and because I loved the theme of this exchange, here's what I came up with... you have already seen what Ela sent me a few posts below.

Oh, and a prelude note. It might seem like I'm boasting about this exchange. But I have to admit to you that this is one I loved making. And, if you think I am happy with ALL my finishes and that ALL are nice, I'll be more than glad to list at least a few horror pictures. Actually I've been glancing this week at a box with old WIPs turned to UFOs and finishes that I really don't know what to do about. Trust me, the only good answer is to keep hiding them very deep (I guess I should be sentimental about my old creations, BUT... - of course, many were okay, but some... puhlease don't force me to exhibit them here! LOL).

Here we go... First, something I combined from two freebies (I will list my sources in a free moment if anyone is interested) - one was a template for a shoe, the other a tea freebie... My brain got fried in the process, but I came up with a shoe with lace, some bits of fabric, a button, and a free-style text saying "Let's have a cup of tea" in French. Over one. Ah, that one was a challenge, I tell you, I mean the sewing and the stuffing part. But I'd have gladly kept it for myself... :)




Then there was this up of... tea masked as hot chocolate :) aka my first attempt at more ambitious felt work. Sigh... another piece I would have liked to keep but I knew I'm sending it into VERY good hands :)

Some lavender & peppermint tea...

A cupcake kit for sewing from the FatQuarterShop... Please ask Ela to make it ASAP! :)

Some tea-related charms...

A pack of exquisite Singbulli darjeeling tea..

Some yummy, yummy goodies, including some cranberries in maple syrup..

A hand-made card... with cross-stitches, of course! :)

Among the goodies, this hand-made tea bag filled with fragrant roses... definitely not for drinking :)

I was so glad to hear that Ela liked it all... I've had tons of fun preparing it!