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  • I can keep in my excitement NO LONGER! Are you ready?

                                             I’M GOING TO BE A HOME OWNER!!!

    I am so freaking excited. My house still has to pass inspection, but my offer was accepted so I have to tell all my blogging buddies because it’s pretty much all I can think about, and the reason I haven’t been posting about anything else. It is the cutest little house built in the 1940s in a great old neighborhood. It was totally the most random luckiest thing that my mom and I saw it. I literally said, "I think I want to start looking for a house" and the next day I was making an offer, crazy. Here is the front:
    Outside_1

    My dad on the deck. So what you didn’t see is a living room with a fireplace, two bedrooms and a tiny bathroom. Well anyway the day that I got shown the house (Thursday, ya how have I kept it a secret this long, I don’t know) I went down into the basement and was shocked, it’s huge! Like the same size as the main floor.
    Basement
    HELLO?!? What? This thing is huge! 12×34 plus a big dormer (future adorable window seat reading nook). I don’t know why this was never finished, it’s totally tall enough. This was the deal breaker for me. I envision a super AWESOME studio space.

    Okay so all this comes at a price. I mean the $200 rent I’m paying now at my mom’s isn’t really making a huge dent in my pocket book, but this will. So much so that I’m in the process of looking for a second job to supplement my Ribbon Jar income (which is still very small). And that wonderful attic? Well I won’t be able to finish it this summer. I’m going to start with the basement, where I will house Ribbon Jar and (hopefully) a renter. But I am determined. The house is just so me, and I’ve so longed for a place for all my things to be together ever since my parents separated about a dozen years ago. My own space, painting it however I like. Before I had this blog I rented a couple of places, both of which I did a lot of work on, just because that’s how I am. I like things clean and fresh. But it was so disappointing to never be rewarded for that, and not even get my full deposits back (bastards). So I’m scared and happy and everything all at once. And if for some reason the inspection fails expect me to whine and cry and sulk for a very long time. So that’s what I’ve been up to, what do you think?

    *And an update on the swap. We’ve got 10 people signed up so far, whoo hoo. We’ve got two non bloggers, and two internationals ("There’s a lot of cool stuff to be found in Paris, I assure you.") Don’t forget to e-mail me and then send back the confirmation e-mail after you fill it out.

    17 comments on I’ll Clue You In
  • Sign up now through July 5th – Please read through entire post for details!

    Okay ladies, let’s do it. Let’s swap, let’s get super cool stuff. I know I said ten people, but I think I 9 is enough (but more would be even better so sign up!). So on with the rules:

    -I don’t want this to be a "how much money can you spend" kinda thing in fact, I don’t think we should spend any (excepting postage of course). But I also don’t want this to be a "what kind of crap can I pawn off on this person" kinda thing. So here’s what I was thinking. Everyone who is signing up has a stash of goodies. Not just scrapbooking goodies, but cool vintage things, I’ve made a list of some cool things that could go in your box:

    -left over fabric from a project
    -weird labels you got at from that dusty box they have at work
    -fifty sheets of your favorite type of patterned paper and you might just be able to spare one
    -monopoly money, game cards, scrabble pieces
    -letter stickers, rubons, chipboard letters that spell something out for your buddy
    -origami paper folded into their likeness (or not)
    -postcards from your collection
    -sheet music from the concerto you have memorized
    -packets of tags and doo dads
    -one of each of the things in those cute little tins you have
    -a few of your grandma’s buttons

    (help us add to the list by leaving an idea in the comments section and I’ll post it up here)

    Cards

    (just got these Friday at a garage sale, and oh yes, I am playing the swap game!)

    -Everything has to be wrapped up cute. I’ve found this is a must. Little notes on things that people send you are just the best ("this would look so cute with that picture of your dog" or "I know if anyone can make this cool it’s you"). You tiny little scraps of pattern paper look a lot cooler tucked into a big envelope with a note saying "possibilities."

    -Absolutely anyone with a blog and a crafty sense of style is welcome to sign up. I didn’t know anything about the two people that started the swaps I’ve signed up for, but they both worked out great, and I think this will too. So yes, you need the blog. This is because your secret buddy will want to find out all about you in order to make you the coolest package possible. And when they are at a neat garage sale they can say, "hey blankety blank would like this!" Also if you smoke around all your crafty goodies please do not sign up because some people are very sensitive to those smells.

    -So to sign up do two things: comment on this post so we can all see whose playing, and then email me at amberlee23 (at) hotmail (dot) com (replace the at and the dot with the actual thing, just did that to protect myself from spam, not like I could possibly get more than I do).

    -By signing up you are saying that you will be cool, you will be fun,
    and you will NOT BAIL. After signing up I will send you an email to confirm and have you answer some questions (would you send internationally, what’s your address, favorite color, etc.). You have to answer those questions and email me back to be confirmed. Once I have that list match ups will be sent out (hopefully by July 7th). You’ll want to make a "secret" email so that you can email your secret pal and find out more about them with out them knowing who you are.  Our boxes are going to be sent out by August 4th
    (that’s a friday), so you’ll have about three weeks to gather stuff up for your buddy.

    *edited to answer some questions: it’s a one time things, one box, the free priority mail boxes that are the flat rate size or one of the larger sizes would work well (7x7x6 or 12x12x8). I’ll make sure I post what I’m putting in my box, and if you all do that as well we can get a good idea of what to send each other.

    *also a few blogless friends have pleaded with me a bit. And I’ve given in! If you are blogless and want to play just make sure you have a secret email address so you can get more information from your buddy. I’ll match up the blogless with the blogless and the bloggers with the bloggers.

    Sign ups end July 5th! Sign up now and cool things will happen!

    17 comments on Swap? – It’s on.
  •                                                                         edit

    Comment on the first thing that came into your mind when you read that, and comment baby. If you need help see the first Free Association Wednesday.

                                                                             edit

    6 comments on Free Association Wednesday

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