m. swap • no. 02

what do you find in your space. what's in your toolbox, on your desk, in your drawers, upon your shelves, pinned to your cork board. what items make life more simple. what are the supplies you stock up on. what inspires you. what do you love and cannot live without. what is sitting right there beside you while you work.

i'm hosting another little exchange shindig and you're all invited. the mellow+yellow swap was a big hit and a virtual partyland for me. thanks again. i hope you'll join in for a back2school swap featuring items that are found in your {work/craft/art} space. we all have our own tools of the trade and i hope you'll be willing to literally trade them, share them; expressing what office/art supplies help create and simplify your life. it's as easy as abc.

{back2school basics} • gather 3 items that are at once unique & useful. (useful to everyone, that is. not so specific that you'll send me knitting needles. i'm saving those for retirement. but yarn, sure, i'd definitely find a use for that.) be creative and practical. if you love them, then someone else will too. from postage stamps to rulers to ribbon to pencil cups. utilize the every day things. (i continue to tell my mother-in-law about my beloved double stick tape. it will change her life. and yours for that matter.) my favorite part of going back to school was the stocking up on supplies ritual. this year, why not swap some? pick simple items that will delight, no need for over-extravagance here. use your creativity and have fun with it.

{sign up} • email your details to marta{at}martacards{dot}com
the sign up deadline is monday, august 13, 2007.
• your name
• mailing address
• email address
• website / blog / flickr
• must be involved with at least one of the above choices.
• tidbit about yourself / yourstyle / yourlife
• please indicate if you are willing to ship internationally.

{swap} • you will be paired with a partner for the swap exchange. your partner's information will be emailed to you shortly after the sign-up deadline. the delivery date is september 1. please have your swap parcels postmarked by then.

{back2school pictures} • once the swapped package arrives, please post photos here for all to see (so we can ooh + aww). if you don't have a flickr account, simply email me a group photo of your goods and i'll upload them on your behalf.

i'm excited to glimpse into your spaces to see the tricks & tools of your trade. am already feeling the back2school bliss.

{in your space} • inspiration via flickr:
the basics
sketching calligraphy
nyc street studio
fabrics & thread
books & colored pencils
stationery & stuff
moleskin & maps
loose letters
collection of postage stamps
paints & brushes
ribbon drawer
classic clutter of pens
jars of goodness
springtime hobby

{cut + paste} • help yourself to a swap button for your sidebar. simply cut and paste this code into the “HTML/JavaScript” page element on your blog:

<a href=http://martawrites.blogspot.com/2007/08/in-your-space.html><img alt="swap"src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WuFh8qL5dQA/RrOeB7Dc1PI/AAAAAAAACnc/Q25nnaGNAPs/s1600/swapbutton.gif" /></a>