hey!
yeah i was in a band with jeff... well maybe it was a band, i'm not sure... we just sat around one day a sang random words in to a microphone a banged on pots and pans, it was all record so somewhere its on a cd that says "monkey punk" and i made t-shirts, so yeah i was in a band with jeff for like a month lol... someday (like when i'm twenty) me and jeff think we'll have a reunion tour and we'll play all of the big stadiums, while just screaming about santa catching on fire, frogs swimming in pasta and how they get those holes in swiss cheese !!!!!!!!!! well maybe we'll just play my basement
well that was all quite ridiculous!
-t

wait what? when you're 20? jeff is old now - avery island came out in 96 if i remember correctly (which would mean you were 4 if you're 14 like your profile says). are you just making this up?


(this is him:)

[BOBOLINK OF COURSE!]

Reveal time!!! I'm sorry it took me so long to post this!!!  These pictures are probably huge, but maybe not. Some might be different sizes because photobucket and flickr use different sizes - Bear with me please!

My FANTASTIC SECRET FOC sent me the following as a first package:




The second consisted of the awesome nauti and octopus:



The awesome third surprises of soldered necklaces, magnets, cds, shroomies and more!:



Fourth & Final!:


Whoooooooo was so kind and generous and sleuthy in her post-stalking-ness you ask?
Why, it was BOBOLINK OF COURSE!

Jess, thank you thank you thank you for making this one of the greatest swaps ever. I have adored every single piece with all my heart and your talents have blown me away with every package. You are my hero!!!

[THANK YOU]

I received my final package the other day, and I apologize for not posting pictures sooner!!! I've been really out of it, and this package deserved to be posted when it was received! (I'll also be posting this in a second to the reveal gallery, so, sorry if it looks "cross posted".)

My "store" package consisted of so many awesome goodies, my secret FOC really spoiled me this whole time! I am missing one item though, which I am currently in the middle of framing, yay! It is a lino cut (or possibly a wood cut, but I'm pretty sure a lino) of a blue octopus, and it's awesome! I should have it finished by tonight, so I will post up a photograph to show it off.
In this package there was:
- An adorable shell wrist pouch, it's seriously so cute and makes me want to go lay on the beach all day!
- A set of stretchy manta rays!!! Is it nerdy that I thought these were the most amusing things ever? I love little kid stuff and these were right up my alley. There's 4 mantas and 1 saw shark, and they rule!
- A pearlescent jellyfish stuffy (it is so pretty and elegant, and this picture will not do it justice) from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and a gorgeous photo postcard to match! Monterey Bay is my favorite aquarium in the world (and I've been to a lot, hehe) and I look at this postcard daily, it's next to my computer, which is inspiring me to get back to the west coast and visit my friends (and duh, run over to my secret FOC's house to hug her tons).
- The blue card was made from grasshopper in the sea swap, I love the vintage Santa Cruz postcard (because I lovvvvvvvve SC!) and also there was a mini envelope with an elephant illustration that's adorable. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be in the package because it was stuck to a piece of paper, but it's cuuuuuute! (FOC, I can send it back to you if it wasn't something you wanted to part with )



an up close picture of the postcard... these are purple striped jellyfish, they're such gorgeous creatures.

the jelly! my foc didn't want to part with this, and i can see why! i find there's something dainty and frail about jellies, which makes them so irresistable and beautiful. i think it looks extremely life like.


To my secret FOC, who I know now and am about to reveal (so keep your eyes peeled folks next door!), THANK YOU once again for making this swap so amazing, fun, and wonderful. You've picked such thoughtful things for me!

[THANK YOU]

Dear FOC,

I think you've probably decided that making my whole FOC experience the most magical, stupendous, exciting introduction to "friending" this website is like throwing me a surprise party with every single one of my friends round the globe while everyone eats tons and tons of delicious cake. THANK YOU for the two recent packages I received from you, the "large package" and the "surprise package" (the latter of which arrived today). Everything is absolutely magnificent, you are skilled in so many avenues that I'm in awe of your talents! You've dug deep and skimmed hundreds of posts (I can tell because of the Amelie stalking you did!) to find out the little things that tickle my fancy and I cannot express to you how appreciative & starstruck I am of that! You have gone above and beyond for this swap, and I cannot wait to find out who you are so I can race to your house and give you a big hug (... or you know... make you something hopefully as awesome as what you've kindly sent my way!).

Love! & Zillions of "thank you"s!
Jaami

Things I Know About My FOC
a. This person can knit like CRAZY - every knit item makes me drool.
b. This person is either from, or knows someone in, Santa Cruz. Not that I looked at the postmark. I swear.
c. This person must really really think I'm OK to be sending such magnificent swap goodies.
d. That said, this person is a very generous & possibly long time member of C-ster.
e. This person possesses a soldering kit! I shall find you!
f. This person has great taste because they always send adorable notes on adorable stationary & duh, look what they've made me!

OK OK, pictures now.

Package #2 contained two very very adorable knit treats - an octopus and another (oh how I coveted thee!) knit nautili! My collection is growing!


Package #3 contained a gorgeous soldered slide pendant (inside is a stamp with a lobster! Lobstas!), an equally amazing soldered slide pendant magnet (I love magnets!!! And to top it off, it's an Australian striped possum stamp! Thank you for catching my South Pacific roots!), an adorable stuffed mushroom (which he/she claims is their first, even though it looks like they've been knitting cute shroomies forever), the cutest little striped knit pouch with a mushroom button for the clasp, and a copy of the Amelie soundtrack (which, funnily enough, I'd said earlier today while working "I need a copy of the Amelie soundtrack to bring here with me" - FOC, are you reading my mind in advance?)




THANK YOU MY DEAR FOC!

[Thank You so much for all the lovely gifts!]

I received yesterday from catpants -- she is such a doll and sent such a wonderful package. Thank you Tracy! I love everything! I feel like I was definitely spoiled.
She sent:
 -- a nautical inspired jewelry / stash box (I am so in love with the inside!)
 -- two pairs of earrings | one pair with what I think is sea glass and shell and another with anchors
 -- a pair of bobby pins that have sailboats on them (I didn't get a picture cause I'm wearing them! )
 -- a set of embroidered pillow cases (she must've stalked me knowing that I am on a big kick collecting linens from craftsters!) that I simply adore
 -- a little felted "pocketopus"
 -- a wool pouch with an adorable whale felted to the back (which my sister seems to think she's stealing)
 -- a gorgeous slide pendant necklace. (I love this so much, it's so simple and elegant and perfectly my style. I cannot wait to wear it!)
 -- and a bunch of ATCs for me to put together in a frame

Thank You so much for all the lovely gifts!

lasandri is so cute. she sent me one of her first sewing projects, and i commend her for her patience & the quality of a beginning seamstress! i've tried to make the following fawn SO many times, i can't even tell you. every time i dive into it, i wind up swearing a lot and walking away from the project. she's got lotsa gusto in my opinion. i live on a lake and there's always a ton of deer in our yard passing through... like ten minutes after i took this picture two came by! i wish i had been tricky and snagged a fawn with a fawn. maybe next time
thank you lasandri for sending this cutesypoo deery to me & for sharing some of  your "first crafts"!

Homerof2 sent me this bag the other day, for my wish of a skipping style bag. Thanks Homer!

Bigmouth, I am so sorry it has taken me this long to get a picture up of what you sent me. I took the pictures and never posted them, I'm such a dork.

This is the wonderful embroidered t-shirt Bigmouth sent me for my wish of "something anchor or ship themed" (I have to get a picture of the generous extra she sent, which says "banjos not bombs" on it. It was a little too short for me, so I am turning it into a bag!). I apologize for not having a better picture... excuse the neon pink bra underneath the white shirt. Obviously NOT one of my better ideas (but I was at home, so, it's legal at home)



Thank you again Bigmouth, I love it

[so awesome]

Dear Secret Foccer (Foccer said like "Focker" in the movies... I know, I know... ),

Thank you for being so awesome and sending me what is easily one of the greatest things to ever have arrived in my mailbox. I tore open the package, all excitedly, and was even more excited when I saw what was inside! Ladies & gents, this lady (or gentleman???) sent me the most perfect tiny jewelry box -- some of my favorite colors and topped with a postcard painting of ships in a harbor. Then! Then she stuffed it full of these amazing jewelry pieces -- three pairs of earrings and two necklace pendants. There are anteater earrings (!!!!!!!!!!!!!), anchor earrings, and ship's wheel earrings. One pendant has an adorable ship inside and another has what looks to be a lotus blossom. I instantly put on the anteater earrings and just cooed for about fifteen minutes over the wonderful craftsmanship that was put into making these. I am so in love with every piece. She really went above and beyond by getting to know my likes, allergies & preferences for animal friendly items (faux leather cords for the pendants). And, she had asked if the gold was okay (as it irritates my ears) for the charms and I hope she's reading so I can say "worry not my dear, they are perfect!"

Thank you so much!

xoxo,
Jaami





Holy crap these photos are huge... I'm sorry!

[naturally]

OK ladies & gentlemen. I'm desperate. My mess has taken over what I am calling "Operation Cabeza Capture". So I turn to you in my hour of need.

Lately, my hair has been falling in this flat, boring, lifeless way (you know... aside the dreads from previous photos). This photo right here is well over a year old, and my hair is way longer now brah:


But once upon a time when I was hot and sexay, my hair naturally did this:


See the curlies in the front? I'd just wake up in the morning and they'd be all "SUPPPPP HOMIEEEEE!!!!". I think they changed neighborhoods because they never come to play anymore.

Any idea on what I can do for those little guys? It'd be neat to know how to get them back, or a product I could use, for when I'm feeling like looking "normal". Please and thank you.