The media has finally caught up with you guys.  Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine has a how-to on this style of cuff bracelet in the summer 2005 issue.  I know because I bought the mag yesterday, and found the Craftster how-to today.  <Ack!>

Kudos for putting up a tutorial just as good, six months earlier.

Oh my god!  More early computer geeks!  In the 80's I was dating guys off of BBS's whom I contacted with my good ole' Apple IIe (the oh, so much better computer than the II+ I had before).  My boyfriend (sysop of a BBS, of course) used his Commodore 64 to work up the bogus scholarship letter.  Ah, for the good old days when only smart guys were online, and there were not many worries of running into majorly weird criminals.

To keep this message on topic:  When mailing gag packages, ladies, do not forget the greatest fear of all men:  The Tampon Box!  I sent one to my hubby in navy boot camp, totally all original packaging with just teeny weeny address labels on it.  Since while in basic training the guys have to open all mail in the presence of a supervisor, my man plopped the tampon box down on his superior's desk and asked if he really wanted him to open it in front of him.  The super shoved it back at my husband and told him to get it off his desk!

ratjen37:  Catheter boxes and viagra stationary?!  I have got to make some hospital contacts to score some of those!
StephInTheCity:  An evil package swap sounds great, but I do not think I qualify as a swap coordinator - I've been in only two swaps.  I'll have to check the rules.

Thanks, StephInTheCity!  With my friends, I have to be ornery!

When I was a senior in high school (way back in the 80's when only us geeks had home computers) my boyfriend sent me a mock scholarship letter.  I had no clue it was fake.  He had a great time laughing at me when I told him how excited I was to receive this scholarship!  Later in college, I sent a guy friend a letter from "the health department", stating that he tested positive for an STD, and the government was going to contact all his sexual partners.  He knew it was a fake, but his girlfriend saw it and just about had a fit.

...my husband thinks I could do great things if I would just use my creative powers for good!

There are many other fun things to send which should not offend those with delicate sensibilities.  Once I sent a kiddie toothbrush that transformed into Batman's car.  In my last package I sent an old fashioned style G.I. Joe lunchbox that I decoupaged to say G.I. Jack instead.  Then there was the smiley-face bath poof that he wound up using on the boat for many months 

My husband has the outward appearance of the perfectly uptight military gentleman.  I just love to send items that shake his image up a bit!

Another tip, leave his packages plain except for the address and return address only with your first initial and last name. They are at the mercy of whoever is handing out the mail, and little hearts, x's and o's should be saved for the INSIDE of the package. Of course, if you want him to do a gazillion push-ups...

I am a navy wife, and I try my best to violate the heck out of this rule!  Granted, my hubby had four years in the army before he switched and went through the navy's boot camp, so he was the crusty old man among the new recruits.  That was a long time ago, but I still look out for those oh-so-special boxes to use for sending his packages to the ship.

The latest was a box for a case of KY Jelly    All over two sides were markings for KY in several languages, plus I printed out a pic of a tube of KY and slapped that on a third side.  Another favorite was a full page newspaper ad for male get-it-up vitamins.  I packaged his goodies in a regular box and then used the ad to completely wrap the box.  I made sure that my mailing labels would not interfere with the funniest parts of the ad.

In reserve for future mailings are a box marked for Simple Solution Potty Training Aids (from a veterinary clinic) and a box for Boudreaux's Butt Paste (diaper rash cream).

My husband says I am evil because he has to hide in secluded places to open his mail.  Of course, I temper my badness by sending him homemade cards with sappy haikus and by sending him 4"x6" photos of activities back home as postcards.

Writer78 and I recently did an unofficial mini swap of Medieval/Renaissance favors.  There were only two of us exchanging favors, so I thought it would be okay to post pics here instead of in the official swap pic area.  If this is wrong, moderators please feel free to move this post.

Here is the belt style favor I made.  The general design of the bird is from a medieval woodcut, and I used different blackstitch fill patterns for different parts of the bird.  The stuff bordering the aida cloth from the black fabric looks like fraying (sorry, bad pic), but it is really black and white crochet cotton twisted into a cord.http://www.craftster.org/pictures/data/500/28004Bird_Favor_smd.jpg

Writer78 did not take pics and asked me to post hers also.  She made two embroidered pin back style favors tailored to my huband's and my interests, thrown weapons and birds.  They were nicely packaged in a box decoupaged with images of costumed people and had medieval army men to protect them from postal disasters!http://www.craftster.org/pictures/data/500/28004First_Favor_Swap_2_sm.jpg

Should anyone else be interested in an organized swap like this, there is a sign-up here:  http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=42417.0

Thanks for letting us tag team, Writer78!  Since we will be a charity case, let me sing our praises 

I am sure there are many more to add, but I know my friend's historical crafts include:  inkle weaving, knitting, spinning, embroidery (blackwork), sewing, and making floss covered buttons.  My historical craftiwork overlaps some of hers:  inkle weaving, knitting, embroidery (blackwork) sewing, woodburning, bookbinding, soap making, and making lucet cord.  I can also bone up on the following if anyone is interested in:  calligraphy, tablet/card weaving, and silk painting.

If I am lucky and my ithra class is not cancelled, I can add shibori to my list this weekend <keeping fingers crossed>

Please volunteer to be our partner...we will make it worth your while <wink>

I'm signed up!  I can't wait to get medieval on my crafts!


Before this swap got going, Writer78 and I did a mini-swap just between us.  Here is what we sent...

She sent me two embroidered favors, ren faire pin-back style.  The axe favor is for my hubby, and the bird favor is for me to wear with my costume.  She also sent a fabulous box with costumed people decoupaged on it, and fun little medieval army men!


I sent her a SCA belt style favor embroidered with blackwork, and about seven yards of inkle trim.  I forgot to take a picture of the trim before I sent it.

Very nice case!  It makes me want to dress up my dart case.  If I do that, maybe I will play darts more often!  Nice hummingbird tattoo, also.  I love that style of animal design.

Count me in!  I am always up for making more ancient crafty stuff.