sewbizgirl

Welcome, Quossom! Glad to have you in the Birthday swap!

Today I finished cutting and bought cards. For me, the easiest way to send the candies is in a big B-day card with room for 6 stacks of candies. So I have all my sets of candies ready to mail at a day's notice now! Even some extras, in case anyone else signs up.

ibex94

SBG -- you're just planning ahead cause you have grandchild tending to do in your near future. You're making me look bad. I don't have anything cut up yet....

petthefabric

Thanks for the mailing info. I’m thinking I need to get started

sewbizgirl

Yup, I've got all my cards ready to send and I'm working on a candy project while I wait for the baby call. I'm making blocks for the Illusion Quilt, which is a pattern online but I'm working it without a pattern.
https://bearcreekquiltingcompany.com...lusions-quilt/
My version is multicolored.

WMUTeach

Sewbizgirl, I am so thrilled that you are taking on the "Illusions" quilt without the pattern!

Welcome to another new swapper, Rebaquilts. She is new to us but not new to swapping on the Board. Welcome Rebaquilts.

Reba, you are just down the road from me. I am in Portage, just south of of Kazoo. And we have another member, Logcabin84, in Okemos. We Michiganders are three but Texas is in the lead with four.

ibex94

I have relatives near the Detroit area? Does that make me a resident of both Texas and Michigan??

So glad to see Rebaquilts joining us!

SBG -- your quilt will be gorgeous. And it will probably be finished before the baby is born! Can't wait to see it.

Quossum

Lone Star State represent!

I treated myself to a new huge cutting mat (the one I had, veteran of over 50 quilts, much much ridged in half-inch increments and has been retired to the role of batting-cutting mat).

I have put a fresh blade on the rotary cutter (anyone else get stubborn and wait way too long to change blades, only to kick yourself when you finally do and experience that effortless slice of a new blade? *sigh*)

And now…let the candy-trimming begin!

ibex94

Don't forget to fussy cut if you have really fun novelty fabric you are cutting up!

and I need to change my blade. Thank you for the reminder!

WMUTeach

I don't have my squares cut yet either. I do purchase envelopes from a dollar store, 9X6 with no metal closure, print out a greeting and add my return address and stamps ahead of time. Eventually I will I will pack my envelopes so all I need to do is add the address and a personal greeting. A bit of work ahead of time makes it easy to be a successful swapper.

HINTS:
*If your envelope is a standard white business envelope, tape the edges to strengthen the envelope.
*Add your screen name on the outside of the envelope. I just put it in my return address.
*Mail service is not as consistent as it has been in the past, so mail as soon as possible after the birthday address is
posted on the 20th of the month.

Janice McC

WMUTeach, thanks for the reminders about mailing. I’ve been out of the swap long enough to appreciate some little tips. With mail prices going up, I’d better get to the Post Office soon. I haven’t been cutting yet but will do so soon. I do like to do all cutting at once so I can prep the envelopes in advance then mail when we get names and addresses. I wonder if I’m the first birthday this year. I was almost always the last one when the swap ran March to February. It’ll be a nice change!