Wow! I hadn't realised how long ago this swap started, my summer was so ridiculously busy at work it just flew by. On returning from my far too short holiday, I was greeted by the best thing ever! My steampunk swap parcel from Jane Doe 

I'm in the middle of using my remaining holiday to blitz the house tidy so it took me a while to take the photos etc as I accidentally buried them in stuff while I was tidying 

But without further ado, my items:

Firstly, a beautiful ring in wirewrapped brass


A mini brass candlelabra (so cute)


An absolutely fantastic clock made out of an old set of scales (I can't wait to finish tidying so there is space for this in the kitchen  )


and last but not least, a hand felted shrug/bolero in steamy colours that fits perfectly (and will look very nice over my corset or anything else really. Sadly my photo of it is a little fuzzy I just realised  ah well. You can see how well it fits, although it isn't as dark as the photo suggest.


Note also my rocking crafting/workmans trousers that I picked up while on holiday. 

Anyway, I'm halfway there on finally sorting out the crafting room so must dash again. Thank you Jane Doe for such a wonderful swap!!!

Angel parcel on its way! I even managed to do a teaser pic, my first ever! 



Sadly, the photos I took of me in the hat were not so good, will see if I can get my DB to take one of me properly as my taking of photos of myself clearly needs work.   

My camera is being terrible about the photos, so if you have any good ones of the items I missed, do post them Psyche, my photos don't do the items justice.

I ripped open the box before anyone else arrived at work, but restrained myself from a proper opening until I got home.

Scientific stationary! There are some really nice pictures in this, I might have to use these as invites to my next steampunk/time travel tea party

A cute top hat with veil, not modeled on me because my hair was wet but it is lovely. I will be wearing this next time I have a corset outing.

A lovely pair of bookmarks and a fantastic set of cog stamps (I could only find my red ink but you get the idea) awesome!


My camera refused to focus on the choker with the double strand of black pearls, which is a shame because it is lovely as well as fitting perfectly. The picture with the mirror in it also refused to come out. Will see if I can try again tomorrow when the light is better.

Also not pictured, bear shaped maple syrup bottle (mmmmm), postcards and cd rom of Canada, and a lucky penny magnet.

Thank you psyche!

Well, having heard nothing from my partner, and not having received anything so far, I suppose I can at least post the photos I took. I stupidly forgot to take photos of the frame before I sent it. 

Full set here http://www.flickr.com/photos/midnightoak/sets/72157604921972399/

a selection of my favourites. My partner mentioned liking animals so I was inspired to take photos of both real and statuesque ones around the various places I call home.

I am so nervous waiting for my parcel to arrive (in both directions) that in order to calm myself I attempted some cog biscuits  They weren't brilliant for a first attempt but I thought you might like the photoshoot I then but them in 

I am SO glad that everything got there in one piece!

It was a pain to photograph but here is a close-up of the tea cup and strainer:



It is an outline drawing of the ship Serenity on the filter section (the idea was that she would "float" in space inside the cup. The red Chinese characters are the ones used for Serenity in the film.
And the quote says "We may experience some turbulence..." on the outside of the cup and inside on the base..."and then explode"

I also forgot in my note to say that the glaze is food safe and apparently dishwasher resistant.  And I could not resist sending you tea called "Monkey king" 

Loved this swap, so sorry I sent late (my feedback is justly deserved)! Thank you redheadskydiver and Harvey for making it so fun!

The busiest most stressful week EVA and it ends with me coming home to see a box resting on the sofa, boyfriend..."Oh yeah I meant to tell you that had arrived" (as he had the week off and we had been in town before going home) 

I squeed like a little fangirl  Plus I am going to a Serenity LRP next weekend so it was PERFECT timing! How did a parcel get from Australia to here so fast? Must have been travelling firefly class 

The shinies!
This was really hard to photograph but so very pretty, "does what it says on the tin" SHINY!


And more shinies, this time Inara based, and a lovely colour, I will have to wear this to the LRP.


The item that made me giggle in glee and shout out best thing EVA! My very own Bobble-headed Geisha (my boyfriend thinks she is scary but I love her). Makes me wish I had a car so she could sit up front all the time. Instead she is getting pally with the locals.


and the second thing that made me squee! They are so pretty as well. I am definitely taking these to the LRP so my sister can juggle them 


As if that wasn't enough I also got a notebook for my crafty shiny ideas, a keyring, magnets and stickers!


and on top of all that! 
Buddha ball tea, a soft toy Bilby and some chocolate!


I may have to cancel Christmas, it will only be a disappointment after all that

It made me work twice as hard on making Harvey's swap parcel, so I hope you like what I made. I feel ridiculously spoilt!

FINALLY I manage to post pictures of the fabulous stuff I received (I was trying to yesterday but my computer refused to recognise my camera...sigh.)

Anyway, here is what I received. 

To start with a bag my mum was incredibly envious of:

Pretty colours, and it is huge, has internal pockets and an elasticated umbrella holder. But the best bit is the big internal pocket with this on:

Too cool for words.

I also got a book to put all my time travel ideas into and the scariest girl doll ever (I love the little clown):


And last but certainly not least, my very own gymbag! Complete with period appropriate bbc logo


I have used the big bag already travelling back and forth to my parents, you could fit a small car in there 

THANK YOU! I hope you like my stuff, this parcel gave me serious swap anxiety (not least because I was late).

My parcel arrived! Just in time to pick it up before we went away for the weekend


Sorry about the not brilliant photo, my camera isn't the best.

I got an excellent storage box in which to store some of my tea, and tea paraphernalia, TEA, a tea strainer, a book to catalogue my teas into (which has separate pages for different types of tea ), a book on how to read tea leaves and making my room smell lovely, a set of teabags for putting in the bath, which I may use to make my house smell of Christmas.


Close up of the coasters and the cute bath teabags. Love the little heart tags!

Thank you Laurio, I feel spoiled rotten 

Occasionally I get insane ideas that just won't stay buried. What with trying to organise my craft room, they are beginning to happen more and more often as I try to use up my stash.

So I was planning to go to the local monthly goth night and wanted above all else to finally wear my new black corset. Except that I did not have anything to wear with it. Luckily for me it was the Halloween special event and I had large amounts of otherwise useless grey lining fabric. So a plan was born. 

On the Wednesday I sketched this:


It should be pointed out that Wednesday evening I was out watching films and Thursday evening I was expecting to go to singing class, so I knew I would have only Friday night and Saturday to make this... 

On Thursday after singing I cut out three rectangles that would nominally make the top...on Friday I cut out some rough shapes after a skirt I already owned for the two layers of the skirt and grabbed a rectangle that looked long enough to be the apron. I then went to bed.

So on Saturday I started with the obvious next step of cleaning my bedroom before a friend pointed out that I needed to wear something that evening 

So I sewed the skirts together, as I thought I would then at least have something to wear.



This was the back of the apron, I wasn't planning on putting anything on it but it was just asking for some fabric roses and tails. I also textured the second layer by cutting into it and adding some thin strips.


I just love the apron, it came out so much better than I expected.

So with one hour to spare, I finally finished hand sewing the collar and fastenings to the top, and apart from mirror imaging the design (d'oh was designing in the mirror!  ) it turned out scarily like what I had drawn.



It was all worth it for the compliments I got when I got there too. Usually I just feel a little like the odd one out, so was quite pleased.