I’ve long been a fan of a good swapsies. Trading something you do or make, for something else you love, is the new economy, I reckon, because both people get something they seriously love from each other, kinda for free.

Connecting with people in this way is such a gift – it’s personal, uplifting and gratifying all at once! In the last few weeks I’ve engaged in some seriously awesome swapsies (plus LOADS of others in the last few years) and I thought I’d share my recent ones here with you here.

The first one with with the gorgeous Cathy from Angelwing Jewellery.

That’s not Cathy, that’s one of her necklaces, in case you didn’t know. But she’s just as cute.

Catchy and I became friends a couple of years ago, after I saw her silver jewellery in Bleeding Heart Gallery. To be specific, my tummy literally somersaulted when I saw her work! There were these little silver cloud earrings with silver rainbows arching over them and I just fell in love with. I didn’t get them that day (but I kept thinking about them), so I grabbed her card, contacted her with my ‘Oohs and Aahs’ and we’ve been great friends ever since.

(Incidentally, a couple of months later, I actually got those earrings in a swap with Cathy for an original artwork of mine. Se we’re kinda swapsie veterans.)

I love having creative friends, because we understand each other on a different level and often share experiences on similar things. Not that all my friends are creative. Quite the opposite. That’s why it’s nice.

So this past weekend, Cathy came along and helped me set up my stall at the Brisstyle Twilight Market. She’s great like that, always offering to help. She’s got such a creative eye too, and is almost as anal with balance as I am. That’s a good thing.

Cathy messaged me this week asking if I’d model her jewellery for a new product photo shoot. I jumped at the change, I LOVE a good collaboration! Plus I wanted to do something nice to say thanks.

Cathy came up with the idea of using my artworks and tattoos in some of her product photos to add a bit of colour. Loving how they’ve turned out!

Isn’t her work just divine?! She makes earrings, bracelets and charms too … Good enough to eat!

Check out Cathy’s gorgeous range here

So, that’s swapsies number one for the week! YAY! The next trade is with another jewellery designer I completely admire – Tess from Monkey & Mum. Check our these nuggets of handmade fabricky gorgeousness:

 

The one on the left, she made specially for me in these colours. And I LOVE it, I even wore it to yoga this morning! It fancies up seriously any old plain top. Very cool.

Oh and that necklace Tess is modelling up there on the right? Yup, that’s my fabric you can see in there! I swapped her that piece of my ‘You Make Me Happy’ fabric, plus a pair of my mini art earrings, for the blue custom necklace she made me. Aren’t they both delicious?! So now, we’re wearing each other’s work. Win-Win!

My final awesome swap to share with you is with Sam from Sam Covey Designs. Sam creates the most gorgeous photography and I’ve adored the shoots she’s done for me in the past.

Naww, isn’t my little boy gorgeous!?! Just look at that lighting. We’re frolicking in the trees! So scrummy!

So I the other day I wondered … Sam has bought my work and I’ve bought hers in the past … might she like to do a swapsies? I reckon she’d do an beautiful and creative job personalising a cool shoot for my online stuff, with pics of me behind the scenes with my artworks, maybe some shots of me painting as I go along, that kinda thing. I’ve never been the feature of my very own photo shoot before!

I guess the time has come. Dum, de dum-dum daaaaa! We’re gonna swap her photographic services for a custom artwork I’ll create for her upcoming anniversary!

WOOHOO!

We brainstormed over a cuppa this morning, the loose idea so far is to go up to her Grandparent’s Farm with all my art and take some cool photos of making art in nature, up on top of the nearby mountain and on the back of her Granddad’s old rusty utes. Ha ha ha – How cool will that be?!?! Rusty utes. How ocker of me.

We even talked about filming a little movie of the photo shoot on the day to share on here. It’s exciting! Still a few months off, but exciting! I’ll be sure to upload photos from our collaborations in progress as they unfold.

So it’s that easy! When you put yourself out there, you never know what magic can come of it!

Peace out, peeps, I hope you have a great weekend and have enjoyed the visual feast!

Love C xx