Only One Swap Allowed...

For me, that is! I kinda got wild...my eyes were waaayyy bigger than my energy level this summer...so for fall, I'm just doing this one...I'm sure of it...well, I'm pretty sure. (Except for the Silver Bella Swaps!) But, Artsymama's Sweet and Sinister Swap will be fun! And, this one is different - the swappers have signed up for the Sweet and Sinister blog where we will have our fill of sweet and sinister eye candy and great tutorials for the next several months. The fun has already begun. I can't be too booked, though, because I must save energy for Silver Bella. And it's getting closer.

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Remember when I said what a wallflower I was last year? Well, I read my own blog entry and got to thinking that it sounded like I didn't meet anyone! Which isn't true! I did meet a few of the girls I had been swapping/blogging with, and I ended up in the classes at tables with some very colorful bellas!

These two gals were the first two I ran into. I had never seen either one in person, or even a picture, really. I overheard someone say "speckled egg" and I knew I had to see her with my own eyes. I had participated in many of Heather's wonderful swaps and wanted to see the face to go with the lovely person I knew her to be from her swaps. I didn't get to see her much after that, but we've continued our on-line friendship. Heather has been a true inspiration to me, and without even knowing it, has given me the confidence to step out and try some things in the artworld I may never have done. Thanks, Heather!

And then there was Melissa, better known to many of us as Little Melfie. Again, so sweet and lovely, witty and very funny! I love to remember my first Silver Bella class, at Melfie's table, just listening to her banter with Hope. I met her through her Fairy Jar swap...one of my all-time favorite swaps to have been lucky enough to participate in. She leaves the bestest, most encouraging comments. I'm lucky indeed to know her, even the little bit that I do!!!

And my third friend I was looking forward to seeing at Silver Bella was none other than my swap partner for Melfie's Fairy Jar Swap, Natalea Kandefer, of Kandeland blog fame! I don't think I've ever seen a more prolific poster! She is a whirlwind of energy and spunkiness. I was blessed to be able to have her for a whole class, at my table, talking with me. She didn't stay for the whole Silver Bella weekend so I didn't get to see her again, but we've kept up with each other through blogs and flickr.

So looking forward to November when I can meet more of my like-minded blog friends. Makin' new friends, keepin' the old.