Amy keeping you and your son in my prayers.

Linda and Kim- I hope to mail your packages out by Tuesday sorry for the delay. I had to go to plan B.

Sent Cryptids package off yesterday.

Read today on Feb Fortress Anything but Flower topic from Erica that Darrin is definitely in need of our thoughts and prayers. Here's to a quick recovery!

I received my Happy Gumdrop Day package from sdmbr (Susie) yesterday!! How clever! There was a big box of Dot gumdrops (hubby's favorite), a very pretty glass candy dish with three glass decorative candies, a couple of pretty toole bags to put blossoms or gifts into, a package of small plant markers (very cute!!), a sample of "Candy" perfume, and a nice assortment of seeds from my list, Datura, Tithonia, Bumblebee tomato, sweet Sultan, sage, yellow Marconi peppers. Thank you, Susie. I have not sent your package yet. This morning, I asked my sister if she'd like a candy (from the nice glass candies). LOL I fooled her! She thought they were real! Thank you for the fun package, and I look forward to planting the seeds!!

I got back from my EKG today and found Margo's package waiting for me in the mail, oh happy day! After grabbing a soda and sitting down to open the mail, I got invaded my cats as soon as I began opening the envelope up. Now, Bump usually helps me open my mail and packages, but this time he was going nuts, biting and clawing at the envelope like a kid opening up presents christmas morning, and Grumpy was helping! Stella, like a good little girl, was sitting at my feet, and telling me to move things along and get that package open! I got it open and began sorting through the treasure trove inside, and then I found out why the cats were being so adamant....lol! There was a baggie full of catnip in the envelope, and the cats were smelling it! And the funny thing is, Margo didn't put it in not one sealed baggie, not two either, but three sealed baggies, and the cats still knew they'd hit the jackpot! I put three little piles of catnip on the living room floor, and instantly the cats were doing drugs! Grumpy ate his and began running all over to see where the vice squad was coming from. Stella became extremely mellow and lay on her back, legs wide open, and began meowing her "come hithers". And Bump? My little stoner not only ate his catnip, but rolled in it, doing flips, somersaults, handstands, and rubbing his own belly. You have never seen a cat enjoying his catnip more than Bump. And now? Well, now my 3 little nipheads are fast asleep, and the house hasn't been this peaceful since the last time we brought out the catnip. So, Margo, these thanks for the catnip are from me, but mostly from Bump, Stella, and Grumpy. You sure sent the good stuff... lol!!!

In addition to the catnip, Margo sent:

a beautiful card with an iris painted on it, which I'll be hanging up. I wish I could find a frame for it!

a silicone ice tray so I can make Michigan-shaped ice or chocolates

peppermint crunch fudge

spearmint-flavored Dentyne Ice

lifesaver mints

strawberry chocolate and red velvet chocolate tea (stolen already by my roommate)

and seeds: spearmint, chocolate daisies, sweet chocolate bell peppers, chocolate sunflowers, peppermint stick zinnias, penny royal (which I did not know was a member of the mint family either), and for the kids, cat grass!

Margo, I love it all! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

still working on mine to Cheryl, it should be out by Thursday!

Dan, at my gift shop, we package and sell fresh herbs and spices. That catnip is probably the freshest the cats have had next to fresh cut plants. Lol. I had the hardest time with my cat when I brought it home. I had to put it in my sons closet and shut his bedroom door. (He's away at college). I package it soma my times because I also didn't want your fudge tasting like catmint.

I'm glad you liked everything. I bought the card along with some others at a craft show. My intent was to try to make them myself by copying them but that just isn't going to happen. Never thought about framing them. Good idea.

I hope you're doing well. Think of you often hoping they get you all figured out and good as new soon

Margo

Margo, I've had to hide the catnip, still in all of those baggies, in my cupboard. Otherwise, Grumpy would've found and opened it overnight, and there would have been a serious party...lol! Here's a picture of Bump laying in the middle of the living room right now. Normally, he only lays down on ledges and in boxes, never in the living room. But, this is the spot where I put the catnip yesterday for Grumpy and Stella. Can you tell how relaxed he is?

I read the rules for this months swap and it said 5 packs of seeds and a small gift. I'm looking at the boxes being sent and I feel like a heel! I only sent Karen a painted Tee shirt and 5 packs of white blooming flowers for my choice of white Tee shirt day.

I'll do better next time......

Lol lisa. I feel the same. Kind of glad we were both on the same page for this one.

Ladies, please don't feel your packages were inferior in any way. Yes, many of us tend to break the rules but in no way mean to make anyone feel their packages are less than perfect. I loved what you two did in your packages and would have loved either one. Honestly!!! I have been swapping for years so tend to watch for sales and such and actually have a drawer full of goodies just for swaps unless I send particulars to a theme or fresh products. I also like to add a little more if I'm sending to the host as a Thankyou.

I hope you don't feel you have to step outside the box as far as rules go. When I sign up, I know the rules and even though I may break them myself, I never have felt any package I received was a bad one. I have appreciated each and every package I have received over the years because each one means I have made a friend.

Thankyou for voicing your thoughts and I hope I have made you feel better. I honestly loved your packages and would have loved to have received either one. Margo

Margo said it best! In any given swap rules are given as a minimum of what you can send to someone, and quite frankly, simplicity is always best! And let's face it, we all come from different walks of life and different ideas of what a swap box should look like. I've only ever seen one person complain about a box they received, and that was someone who felt that because they spent almost $100 on the box she sent out, she should have received something back worth that much. That might happen somewhere else, but it does NOT happen in the MNF group. Here we strive to give a little something each month of ourselves, look at the rules, and go for it. When I say put 5 packs of seeds in a box, that means everyone is going to receive at least 5 packs of seeds. Some people will receive 5 packs, but someone just might feel like purging their seed stash and their partner will get 20 or more packs. You just never know. And then there are people who like to see what the rules are and bend them a bit. I'm one of those. In a sewing swap we were supposed to send pincushions, but it's just as easy to sew up a chair cushion, so I sent one along with a pincushion from the same material. Honestly, I don't know which I enjoy more, making up a box full of surprises and goodies, or getting one in the mail. I enjoy both just as much.

No one needs to ever feel bad about a box they sent out. I have yet to see a box arrive at someone's house that I wouldn't have liked to receive. We're here first and foremost to make friends. Trading seeds and gifts is secondary to that. Through the original MNF group, many moons ago, I made lifetime friends who I've yet to meet in person, but have helped me get through some pretty bad times, as well as celebrate some pretty awesome times in my life. And that is what I want to happen now. We're here to reconnect with friends we haven't heard from in awhile, as well as make new ones. And enjoy some mayhem along the way.

These first few swaps, I've been trying to break the ice and get us all to know one another more. That's why, when I saw how many of us had some pretty cool "crafty" hobbies, I thought it might be fun to swap something in a swap, hence the March swap. If you remember nothing else about the MNF group, I hope you remember this: we're all in this thing called Life and can help one another in the valleys and the mountain tops.

Now, my sermon is over...lol! Have fun putting your boxes together, and as long as you send out one you'd be glad to receive, then you've done what you were supposed to do.

Phew! When did I get so windy??? Quit checking your watches, the sermons over. Now let's go out on the porch and enjoy some snacks, what do you say?

MARGO! Your dc# is 9500 1107 4639 6034 5176 83.

SHANNON! Your dc# is 9500 1107 4639 6034 5176 90

Suzie, your package is going out today with my rural carrier. I'll post tracking # when I get my receipt back tomorrow. Love, peace, and good health to everyone!

Thank you all for the kind words and support. I am truly glad lisa and I were partners. This month turned out to be a perfect pairing of partners. We both saw the same thing and in our mad rush to get things done here we are. I'm pretty grateful for that. I truly was happy with what you did for me. So no worries lisa. It turned out fine for us.

Nikki (cinnie0) your package went out today. Tracking number

9505500018226034000190

They said it should be there Friday.

I am usually the queen of over sending in a swap.

Thank you Ladies, its been a while for me in a group swap, I had taken a couple years off. I don't follow the threads unless I'm involved so I thought maybe it had changed to something more simple so I went with the rules....That wont happen again. lol

Lisa, you did fine, as usual. I've never heard of anyone complaining about what you put in your packages. And as someone who has received them in the past, the last thing I'm going to say is "Bravo! Bravo!"

Suzie, the tracking number for your package is 9505 5116 2167 6034 0392 72. It said expected delivery on Friday.

Tammy,

Thank you for the goodies that were waiting for me last night after work!

I hope you got my package ok; I know you've got alot going on right now, hope you'll get to post soon.

Thank you to Dan for my Hoodie Hoo day package. Dan sent a beautiful "mug rug" which he quilted and is just wonderful. Some of the best gifts are the hand crafted ones. He also included tootsie rolls and Russell Stovers caramel candies, (gone : / ) and seeds, seeds, and mores seeds. Two types of morning glory, chimney campanula, blue petunia, love in a mist, cooking sage, fern leaf dill, and early jewel tomato. Thank you to Dan!!! I am going to display the mug rug in the center of my table right now under my vase of flowers. It's too pretty not to be out.

Have a good weekend everyone. Margo

Uptreasa, I have no words. For Random acts of kindness day I have a received a wonderful box filled with goodies. I had to clear the table!

A harlequin romance book, to curl up with for these cold winter nights.

Some great stuff for my kitchen, where I spend most of my time: a potholders, 2 beautifully knitted squares, a flower dish towel, and a ampered chef sugar shaker.

Some essential oil with literature and a bath bomb/salts (usps doesn't like when use the word bomb), to make me feel wonderful. Not to frget the pearly necklace.

For the outdoors, a magazine, helpful hints almanac, a really pretty wind chime and a magnet.

Then to top it all off, a plethora of bean seeds: Cherokee Trail of tears, purple pod pole, Red Hidatsa, Kentucky wonder, Good Mother Stallard, and some Scabiosa papermoon.

I feel really spoiled, thank you so much for your kindness.

Suzzie

Linda and Kim I mailed your package today. I'll message you the tracking numbers

Margo, I'm glad you liked your package! I had some "help" taping it shut. Grumpy had to check out what I was doing, and Bump "tasted" the tape...lol! Those Russell Stovers caramel chocolates were good, weren't they? I had to sample them and make sure they were okay to send out...

Dan, my cat Tenny always goes for tape. I've always wondered why.

I am curious how your Bump got his name. Our Bump was found in the road along with other siblings but we could only catch two. He had a hernia and that is why he is Bump.

Yes delishuouso on the candy. Margo

Good Morning. Still sick over here but over the worst part. Am finally able to be up and doing little by little. I received Tashas package yesterday. Thank you very much. She sent a box of note cards, with a brain shaped sticky pad, a black hollyhock, a pink bleeding heart, and and some mountain mint(I didnt have this one) also she sent me a message saying the seeds are on the way. Thank you.

Tasha - Thank you.

I sent your package of yest. I hope you enjoy it. 9505 5131 8151 6036 0837 92 should be there monday.

Margo, Bump has his name because that's the name I woke up with the morning I went looking for him. I woke up knowing I was looking for a kitten named Bump, and the first, and last, place I had to look was the local shelter. He was trying to get out of the cage like he knew I was coming, and he was the only kitten there I felt an attraction to.

here's another update on the swap. as always, look it over and let me know if I've missed anything...

EricaBraun trades with clipclop received/received

littlecheryl trades with Linda Ruzicka sent/

cinnieO trades with grafton001 /sent

mcc371 trades with Val received/sent

cryptid trades with lorabell /sent

Karen Holt trades with ishareflowers received/received

dm_kelly trades with Bluee19 received/received

nottougly trades with Phylis received/received

amybabyboy3 trades with canyonwind received/sent

sdambr trades with uptreasa received/received

Smitties trades with Dan received/received

Dan trades with slm2118 sent/

Kim King trades with littlecheryl received/sent

Margo, thank you for the get well card! I've been feeling a bit hopeless and down these past couple of days and needing some cheer. Thanks!

I am way behind on posting this week, been working a lot.

I received Val's make a friend day and I was so excited to get it. Enclosed was 2 handmade placemats(love,love these!) and a pair of garden gloves- can always use these. Some awesome gardens seeds I apologize for not naming them but I already put them in my seed box. She sent a cute handmade bookmark which will come in handy in my planner. I also got some photo stickers that I placed on my fridge with my grandkids pics. Thank you Val for the awesome package especially the placemats!!! I am sorry for not posting sooner.

Have a beautiful evening everyone,

Tammy

I received Cheryl's package today and it was awesome! It had a little catus in a pot that fits perfectly on my window sill in my office (which is right across from the bedroom) and my cats won't eat it! How cool is that? Plus she sent a beautiful Visual Scriptures Coloring books with inspiring wrods and images..I can't wait to put my pencils to it. She also sent seeds which are: canterbury Bells cup and saucer mix, white swan coneflower, coneflower, cosmo sensation, cosmos candy stripe, cosmos bright lights, Bee balm, and bronze fennel...I can use all of them!

Thanks Cheryl for an awesome package! ((HUGS))

and my package to Cheryl is mailed! It took me a little longer than I had planned but it's gone!

You're welcome Linda! I just remembered today I didn't send the tracking number! Also I forgot to include a card...sorry but I'm glad it made it!! Ash Wednesday was harder than I thought :)

I'm glad the cactus made it in one piece. I tried to wrap it nice so it wouldn't get broken and the dirt everywhere

it came out perfect and it looks so cute on my window sill and the cats haven't touched it! Yours should be there by Thursday !

I received my package from Cheryl, Thanks so much, loved the seeds, the Pistachios, and the creative Dishtowels with the Pistachios on them, Did you make those Cheryl? Thanks so much, looking forward to starting some more seeds this week hopefully :)

Here's where we stand not on our trades. I'm only listing those which haven't been completed.

cinnieO trades with grafton001 ..................................received/sent

cryptid trades with lorabell ........................................................../received

amybabyboy3 trades with canyonwind ..................received/sent

Dan trades with slm2118 ..............................................received/

To those of you who have finished your trades... GOOD JOB!

To those who have sent, but don't know if it's been received yet... please check your delivery confirmation numbers and email me to let me know if they've been received or not.

To those who have not sent your packages out, it is important that you email me and let me know when you will be doing so.

Thank you all!

Cinnie0- I received you package yesterday. Thank you so much for the coloring book and markers, the cider and hot chocolate and of course all the great seeds.

Kim, I purchased the towels then I embroidered the design with my machine. :) glad you liked it!! I'm going to have to make one for myself.

Tasha Im glad you enjoyed it. I do a lot of coloring to relieve stress, turn my brain off, and to cope with depression and boredom.

Linda, thank you so much for the seeds, story, and cards. I will get a better look at it in Monday :)

Dan - If you haven't heard from cryptic/Darrin he has been in the hospital. He recently had to have his leg amputated. :(

So sorry.

Erica, thank you for the update. I've been wondering. Usually he's pretty talkative, so I was getting a bit concerned about Darrin.

Shannon, I'll send it again.

Shannon, did you get my address? If not, email me at bumpandstella@aol.com, and I'll send it to you again.

Happy Valentine's day

I received Shannon's package today in the mail. The side flap had torn loose and been taped shut, but most of it arrived safe and sound. The seeds were intact, as was a book of American documents and speeches, and an American flag patch I can sew onto my denim jacket. The Betsy Ross flag pole had snapped in half, but I think I'll use the flag in a quilt I've designed and partly sewn, so that's cool. The card was nice, and a necklace was missing, but maybe it'll be found by someone and put a smile on their face.

Thank you Shannon!

How do we stand with these three swaps? Can someone tell me? I'm sure Darrin will finish his when he's feeling better and out of the hospital. What about the other two?

cinnieO trades with grafton001 ..................................received/sent

cryptid trades with lorabell ........................................................../received

amybabyboy3 trades with canyonwind ..................received/sent

Ok, I'm good waiting until Cryptid is better and getting back into trading again. No rush for sure!

Hi Dan It was posted on the 9th that my package was received by Tasha

grafton001

Cinnie0-
I received you package yesterday. Thank you so much for the coloring
book and markers, the cider and hot chocolate and of course all the
great seeds.

Like
Bookmark
February 9, 2016 at 9:24AM

Lorabell, from the timing of this, I would have to say that you're upset because you did not get your first choice in the July MNF Yard Sale, which we held within the past hour. I'm sorry to hear that you did not receive your box from Cryptid for the February swap. To resolve this matter, please attempt to contact him about this. That is the only solution I can offer you. I'm considering this matter, and this swap, CLOSED.