Tuesday 3 May 2011

The Big Brooch Swap!

Flower Press Brooch Swap
My blog is really close to 500 posts (wow!) and to celebrate I'd like to (finally!) officially announce the Flower Press handmade Brooch Swap!

The idea came to me about six months ago and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. I love brooches and I buy them all the time, but for some reason I've never made one. With this swap I'm hoping to inspire my own brooch making and yours too.

In my research I've realised that there are limitless ways you can make a brooch and the bigger problem will be choosing just one! You can make a brooch with patchwork, felt, acrylic, clay, broken pottery, embroidery, beading, wood, vintage jewellery, resin, perspex, fimo, buttons, metal, leather, glass, lace, doilies, crochet, knit, game pieces and ephemera, card or paper, veneer and more.

broochpic
handmade brooches I bought last year made by left Kristen Doran, right Erin Lykos.

Swaps can be lots of fun and give you a sense of community, they can bring inspiration, ongoing friendships and, in this case, you get a brooch too! I find they help fire creativity and its great to see what others come up with. This Swap is open to anyone anywhere (or if you only want to send locally leave a note in your sign up.)

I've set up a Flickr group for the swap to share inspiration, progress shots and finished brooches. I'll be sharing some photos of brooches from my collection and some inspiration mosaics. I'd love to see your favourites too, to share ideas and making. I've already found one great tutorial from Melissa of tinyhappy which explains how she makes her beautiful brooches, below.

In the last couple of weeks I've run the idea past a few lovely talented people to see what they thought. Luckily they were all excited about the idea and promised to join in. Thanks to lovely Kate for sharing her swap organising experience.
 brooches2
More of my brooch collection, a recent purchase from Anna Betts and a gift (the daisy brooch top left) from Melissa Wastney.
The Brooch Swap will run over two months starting from today. Sign ups will be open for a week from today until May 10th. Then you have seven weeks to make your brooch, until June 21st. I'm being generous with the timeline because the most important thing to me is that everyone follows through with their commitment. Please don't join if you aren't 100% sure you will come through with your part of the bargain. I know how those swap deadlines can suddenly appear at the worst time, and of course I'm happy to work around unavoidable delays.

To sign up leave a comment below with your blog or email and then email me directly with your name and address details (my email address link is up there on the left below the swap logo). I will send you your swap partner's details once nominations finish. Grab a Brooch Swap logo for your sidebar (on the left there) if you want and spread the word. Let the swap begin!!!

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97 comments :

  1. Hi, I would love to join your brooch swap- what a great idea for a swap :) Have put your swap button on my blog and will share in my next blog post too
    From Megan
    megan@mousehouse.co.nz
    www.mousehouse.co.nz

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  2. Righto, love. Count me in!

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  3. Yes I'd love to join in on this swap too! Been wanting and looking to join a swap for a while now. Email included in my profile.

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  4. I'll join in.. got no idea what I'll make, but I'll think of something. - I've never made a brooch before!!

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  5. Oh yes, I'm in in in! I have a small brooch habit... nothing could be nicer than a lovely swap fix. Email via my blog. :)

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  6. I am so totally in :) Thanks for hosting such a wonderful idea Susie! Kx

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  7. A brooch swap is such a great idea. I'd love to play along.

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  8. I'll have a go!!
    Great idea for a swap this!x

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  9. Lovely, thanks! Count me in x

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  10. I won't play along (I would feel only pity for the poor person who received my handcrafted effort) but I wanted to say that I think this is a fantastic idea!! x

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  11. yes please! Count me in for sure!

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  12. Hello! I'd love to join in the fun! Thanks for organising this.
    www.angelaosborn.com.au
    Email via the contact form.

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  13. oooh count me in! This sounds great.

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  14. yes! I'd love brooches so count me in, how exciting!

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  15. I would love to join - it will be my first swap.
    www.jacolily.blogspot.com

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  16. Great idea, count me in!

    www.millicentcrow.blogspot.com

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  17. Yes count me in - I am definately a brooch girl.

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  18. counr me in please
    Gem

    gemmajoy@hotmail.com

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  19. Yippee! I'm definitely in, and I've tweeted and facebooked it too because I luuuuuuuuuurve brooches. I have a drawer full of them, but definitely room for more!

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  20. Yes please!! theclipcafe@yahoo.com.au

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  21. Ps email link not working for me - please email me and i will email you back thanks!!

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  22. I am definitely in :D
    My email address is hajirhussein_11@hotmail.com

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  23. I am in for sure! wkatiedidnext@gmail.com or www.whatkatiedidnext-fabrications.blogspot.com

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  24. briansanunusualnameforagirl@blogspot.com

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  25. I love a swap! count me in as well :)

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  26. Yes please! Can't wait!

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  27. I would love to be in too! Sounds like loads of fun!

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  28. I would love to be on-board. Lucky me makes Brooches for a living! Would love nothing more than to do a swapsie!

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  29. I would like to join. A brooch swap is such a great idea.

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  30. Me too please!!! I loooooveeeee brooches!
    xThea

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  31. Count me in :) SconnieAndJam@hotmail.com

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  32. Count me in! bluebirdartanddesign@yahoo.com.au

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  33. How exciting! I love making brooches and receiving them too! My email is whiskerslane@gmail.com. Thanks! :)

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  34. Would love to be part of this. Thanks for organising it. Emailing you now...

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  35. I'd like to join in please! I love pretty brooches!
    http://flamboyantjoe.blogspot.com/

    Thanks, Emma-Lee

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  37. Oooh I've never done a swap before. How exciting! I'd love to join in.

    Michelle
    Snickerdoodle Creations

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  38. I love a brooch too so I'm definitely in! Very exciting.

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  39. Oh me please! I'd love to join in! Hope that's OK. How very very exciting. I am a brooch addict.

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  40. I am a fellow brooch fanatic - please count me in! I'm emailing you now...

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  41. I haven't done a swap for a while and love making brooches~please count me in!

    http://lagniappe-suesueb.blogspot.com/

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  42. yes please!!! I am in too ♥

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  43. i would love to join in!

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  44. yes please, I would like to join x

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  45. Hi I would love to join in please. Lots and lots of fun!

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  46. Sorry can't get the e-mail thingie to work on my computer. You can contact me via my blog.
    flaming-nora.blogspot.com
    Sorry about that. Computer can be a bit tempramental at times. Looking forward to hearing from you.

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  47. Thanks so much for showing my brooch! I would love to be a part of the swap.

    www.colourandsound.blogspot.com

    xx

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  48. count me in :), would love to try my hand at broochmaking!

    www.delartful.blogspot.com

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  49. would love to join in the fun

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  50. I'd love to join! Thanks :)

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  51. me too please :)

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  52. Oh yes please! I love brooches - so I'd love to join in.

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  53. Would love to join in. Thanks

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  54. my first swap! yes, please! great idea : )

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  55. Count me in, such a great idea I can't believe I've never seen a brooch swap before. Now to decide which brooch to make....so many possibilities it will be hard to choose just one.

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  56. Count me in! Sounds like fun :-)

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  57. Sounds like fun! I've just had a play with making a brooch for my Mum!! I'd love to join in!! :)

    christine at canz dot co dot nz

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  58. I'd like to take part too, I've been making some felt brooches recently and it would be a good excuse to make more:)

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  59. I'd love a chance to meet someone new and make something for them too!

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  60. Found your button for this swap at mousehouse and would love to join in. Its nice that your all inclusive so many swaps won't accept first timers or non-bloggers. My email is simmilucious@gmail.com

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  61. Oh yes please! Can I join in too :)x

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  62. I'm having a problem being able to email you...my computer doesn't have outlook7...whatever that means?! Ah to be a computer whizz!
    If its possible could you email me at
    loveandpeas(at)hotmail.co.uk and I can return my details?
    Sorry for the inconvenience!

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  63. Lovely idea-would love to join in! Just the inspiration I need to get back into making brooches...ta and will email asap...xkate

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  64. oh this sounds like fun ! i have never made a brooch before.If its ok i would love to join in.
    xo

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  66. Sounds lovely, I would love to join in to. It will be my first swap.

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  67. would love to play along please - just hope I am not too late...

    Beth.7@ntlworld.com (uk)

    Thanks : 0 )

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  68. wonderful idea i would love to join in!
    handmaderomance@hotmail(dot)com

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  69. I want to join too! hoep I am not to late- have been meaning to join!

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  70. Would love to join in too!!

    kiwiatheartdesigns@gmail.com
    www.kiwiatheart-leonie.blogspot.com

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  71. OK Susie, I'm taking up the challenge! (Gulp!)
    ; ) x Alisa

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  72. Count me in (eep). This is my first go at swaps and brooch making. Should be... interesting!

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  73. Yes, I'd love to join this swap, what a great idea. Hope I'm not too late - I'm just catching up on blogs after a few days of yuckiness!

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  74. I am so glad I found this in time! I love brooches!

    sweetlimes.com/blog
    limes.sweet(at)gmail(dot)com

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  75. THANK YOU EVERYONE! SIGN UPS ARE CLOSED NOW.

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  76. OH BUMMER Just found out about it today.

    DRAT drat drat

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  77. oh double drat!
    just saw the post today - about 2 weeks too late...
    any chance Sarah and I could swap?
    Luisa
    x

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  78. Awww! Just found it today and would love to join... :(

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  79. Grr... I just found this today, and it's exactly what I was looking for, fun creative, and swappy. Let me know if there's a way for me to join!

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  80. again ! again ! :D

    (i just found this, too)

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  81. HI! I'd love to join. What a very good swap idea!

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  82. I'm guessing it's way too late...
    I'd love to be involved in the swap if there is still a tiny possibility...

    Love your blog.
    xx
    Bec

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  83. Oh bother, just found out about it today!!!
    www.adrianachristianson.blogspot.com

    next year i suppose :(
    great idea

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  84. Me too..missed out.
    Cute stuff.
    I made a brooch out of felt, inspired by meet me at mikes and the Where the Wild Things..of Max and I wore it to work and one comment was it looked like a cat!
    Once I explained it they so the resemblance ...phew!

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  85. yes, what a lovely idea

    littlebubalishka.blogspot.com

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Thank you for dropping by and commenting :-)