FOTESS: November – Early December “Christmas Stocking Exchange”
FOTESS requires that you be a member in order to swap with this group. FOTESS stands for Friends of the Earth Simple Swaps. For more information about membership contact me Jeanne (sandlapper_rose) or Lisa (PaperFinch). Our other “membership lady” can't access Houzz right now so try me or Lisa if you want information about membership.
Our theme for this month “Christmas Stocking Exchange” will carry over into December. Shirley (sjc48) was signed up to be hostess for December but I don't know if she will have access to the group by then so I just “spilled over” a bit into December. If Shirley is back in touch for December, she will likely host a Christmas card swap so I think we can manage both if she wants to be hostess for that swap. Otherwise, we will just continue to chat on this same heading in December.
Please sign up for this swap by Nov. 10 and mail your package by Dec. 8. That deadline should allow you to send your package at a slower speed (and at less cost) if you like. The stocking can be any kind (bought or made) and should be about 8 – 12 inches in length. When I say handmade, anything goes. Do something fancy or make it out of anything even kraft paper and glue or gift wrap and decorate it a bit. Just make it stocking shaped. No one will judge your artwork. As for contents, again – of your choice: garden related things can include bulbs, garden magazine (even one from earlier in the year), garden gloves, cookies, candy, seeds, note pads, pencils, markers, individually wrapped tea bags, etc. Make sure to pad things adequately if something might break. There can be non-gardening items as well.
Once I match partners, if you want your partner to open her stocking as soon as it gets there, you can let her know. I say this in case there is something perishable or something she might want to use to prepare for the holidays … or you can ask that she wait to open it on Christmas or Christmas Eve. Include your return address on the package so each person can post when her package arrives.
If you don't celebrate Christmas but want to participate, let me know and the stocking can be sent with a winter theme.
Later in November, I'll post a heading for people to sign up to be hostess for each month in 2019. Please consider helping out.
I want to participate! I love Christmas stockings.
Whether you sign up for the swap or not, watch for our fun holiday games!
Comments (158)
sandlapper_rose
5 years agoHere's the picture on our last card.
The answers are: the golden grains, horses, sunset (the sun is low in the sky and the wagon is filled with hay representing the end of a hard day of work), no, white and red
Points for this last card are Annie 3, Emily 5, and Mandy 2. Thank you to everyone who played the games.
Emily is our winner with an amazing number of points! Congratulations to Jayeanne and Emily who won our two games. I hope the vintage card game was fun. I tried to find something where you could just guess a quick answer and not be tied up looking for information on the internet.Other than the swap, this wraps things up for awhile. Jayeanne and Emily, I will mail out your prizes soon.
It's time for me to buckle down and work on my swap for my partner!
Jeanne
smitties
5 years agoRelated Discussions
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Comments (150)I received a Birthday Card today from Erica and it was filled with these fantastic seeds. French Lavender Liberty Classic Snapdragons Violet dusk Penstamon Carthusian Dianthus Can't wait to grow these beauties. Thank you so much Erica. Well we have almost made it to game time: 8:00 a.m. the fun begins. See you ladies in the morning. Shirley...See MoreFOTESS-Giving Thanks to our Friends November Swap
Comments (142)Heidi, that white stuff is ugly!!!!! The difference in inches is ridiculous. I find the weather folks get everyone so worked up with their forecasts. Warm weather here today. Put the outdoor decorations up since tomorrow is calling for rain and high winds. Ugh....See MoreFOTESS CHRISTMAS 2022 SWAP
Comments (77)Margo 2 points Nicole 6 points Jeanne 2 points Ruth 2 points Nicole you are correct. Very interesting the spider webs. Wonder where they get the spider webs? Thank you Nicole for the Birthday wishes. Jeanne my favorite cake was black walnut and Mom made it every year for me. Lucky we had walnuts at this time of year. I picked up my walnuts this year and the squirrels have eaten almost all of them. True story about my Birthday. When Mom enrolled me in school she entered Dec. 25th as my Birthday. All through school I thought I was born on Dec. 25th. Well when I turned 16 I had to prove I was 16 to get my drivers license. I went to the Franklin Court House to get my birth certificate and what a surprise, it said my Birthday was Dec. 24th. I just stood there looking at it. When Mom got home from work I showed it to her and said what is this about? I was born at home and Mom said the local Dr. was upset that I was taking a long time. He kept telling her he had to get home and put toys together. She swore it was after 12:00 midnight and she don't know why he put 12/24 on the birth certificate. I told her she should have went and got it and made sure it was right but oh well. From 16 on I have used 12/24 as my birthday....See MoreFOTESS November swap - "I am thankful for ......................."
Comments (79)Good Morning Y'all We have a beautiful sunny day going here. We did have our first freeze Sunday night, but it was for a short period and didn't kill all my plants. I didn't feel up to covering or bringing in anything. I still have plenty of flowers blooming and picked a handful of late green beans yesterday. Tatsoi is looking great and needs to be cut today. Turnip greens got planted late and are still tiny. I don't know if they will have time to get big enough before being frozen. I'm hoping to at least get enough for the holidays. Bingo Words Baked Ham Friendsgiving...See More
canyonwind
5 years ago
l1oness
5 years agol1oness
5 years agosandlapper_rose
5 years ago
amybabyboy3
5 years agosmitties
5 years agocanyonwind
5 years agosmitties
5 years agoMandy, received your wonderful package today. I went ahead and opened it. I found
a pretty stocking with an orange in the toe of it. This made me smile because my late grandma used to put oranges and nuts in Christmas stockings.
two beautiful hand crafted cards. i wish I had talent.
Jergens hand lotion. My favorite cause I have always loved this scent.
Cute pair of Christmas socks.
Ghirardelli chocolates are in the cute little box in pic. Yum
brownies for dessert.
Sweet william, pinks, snapdragon, and poppy seeds.
pretty notecards
A cute paint set with a bird. Will do this later. It's a great destresser for me to paint.
and lastly, an awesome box of doterra essential oils. I'm started getting into oils about 6 months ago and these are great.
Thank you so much Mandy for the wonderful and thoughtful box of goodies. You just put a lot of brightness to my holiday. Margol1oness
5 years agoMargo - the orange is a tradition in my family too. My mom always puts an orange in the toe of the stocking (sometimes an apple too)... so in my head, that is what belongs in the toe of every stocking! :-)
I finally got a picture of the cute items you sent - thank you again!
Mandy
Beth Brownberry
5 years agosandlapper_rose
5 years ago
Michelle Reynolds
5 years agonottougly
5 years agosandlapper_rose
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agonottougly
5 years ago
brittneysgran
5 years ago
pinkiris
5 years ago
gardengirl37232
5 years agosandlapper_rose
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoShirley, my stocking did indeed arrive yesterday, but it was late in the day when my husband walked out to get the mail so I am just now posting. The stocking is wonderful - absolutely love the soft Santa design!
Shirley included a card, a gift package tie on, a beautiful hand painted Santa ornament (done on an egg shaped gourd), a December note pad with a magnet (we use these for our grocery list so very handy), candy cane chapstick, coconut snacks, an orange scented sweet treats soap, and a plaque that says, "Faith is inspiration for the future."
I've included 2 pictures since I want you to see how cute the stocking is! Thank you, Shirley.
Jeannepinkiris
5 years agoJeanne ... thanks so much for the game prize, love the notepad and the Ferrero Rocher hazzlenut milk chocolates are DELICIOUS ... wow ... they are gone! LOL
thanks again Jeanne
pinkiris
5 years agoMichelle ... thank you very much for the wonderful handmade stocking, Love it! you are so creative and talented! several beautiful handmade gifts, a beautiful handmade necklace, 'infinity' perfume, Skin so Soft handcream, handmade soap, beautiful flowers with butterflies bag with zipper that included a matching pen, red votive candles, candy canes, LOTS of seeds! a beautiful handmade card and the most unique ornaments I have seen in a very long time ... I just absolutely love the ornaments Michelle ... did you make these? They are precious. Thank you very much Michelle for the most wonderful Stocking and everything you had tucked so neatly in there ...It felt like Christmas opening everything. Wishing you and yours a blessed and healthy Merry Christmas and Happy New 2019 year. Thank you Michelle!
Michelle Reynolds
5 years agonottougly
5 years agopinkiris
5 years agonottougly
5 years ago
beth_b_kodiak
5 years agobrittneysgran
5 years agoJeanne, finally able to sit down and post my wonderful stocking you sent. I'm sure you made the beautiful stocking and also the cover for the Kleenex. I will be carrying the Kleenex in my purse to show it off. I am having a cookie party on the 18th of this month so the cocktail napkins are perfect. I will also be serving the spinach dip with the mix you sent. Jeanne also sent emory boards, craft sequins, Hershey candy, a pocket pad, stamping gear, fomosa lily seeds, a Christmas card, and honey straws. I have never seen the honey straws so delighted with these. Jeanne had each gift wrapped and it was such fun to open each one. Thank you so much Jeanne for this great stocking filled with all these goodies.
canyonwind
5 years agobeth_b_kodiak
5 years agobeth_b_kodiak
5 years agoAhhhhhha, I figured it out!!! and here is my first photo. My stocking is red abd black plaid with a furry top and the itens inside are also wrapped in fuzzy happy fabrics.
I opened a box that contained a nice salt and pepper set designed as grape leaves and fruit. I'm mighty proud of my grape vines here at the Old Folks Farm, and will enjoy having these for year round in the kitchen. Also, as you can see... I dug around inside and found some yummmm candy. Nice work Annie. THanks
canyonwind
5 years agoBeth Brownberry
5 years agoamybabyboy3
5 years agosandlapper_rose
5 years agocanyonwind
5 years agosandlapper_rose
5 years agopinkiris
5 years agobeth_b_kodiak
5 years agoThanks again Annie. Seems that somehow Houzz has put my facebook name onto my Houzz messenger. How or why they did that I have no clue. Sorry for any confusion. That explains ( I think) why when you send me messages from here I get them in my mailbox but Houzz won't let me answer them
More goodies from my stocking
popping corn, LOTS of candy, two big bars that are G-O-Ne already adorable Hershey chocolate ornament and a wonderful bees wax. That feels and smells sooo good. great surprises Annie. You are a super Santa
Beth Brownberry
5 years agosandlapper_rose
5 years agopinkiris
5 years agosandlapper_rose
5 years agoMichelle Reynolds
5 years agoMichelle Reynolds
5 years agocanyonwind
5 years agoamybabyboy3
5 years agoFaye, Merry Christmas! I opened my gift this morning and I am overjoyed with everything! Thank you so much! The monkey is so special because my little brother had one of those sock monkeys as a kid and every time I see one I think of him. I am going to send him a picture so he can see it. The ornament is also so special and reminds me of my grandparents that are no longer with me. I love the macrame and this was one of my favorite hobbies as a young adult. I can't wait to hang it up. The stocking with the plaid snowflake is adorable and the journal and pencils are something I can really enjoy in my quite time. I love the precious card that you made with the Snowman and snowflakes! The cutting board is awesome and will definitely be used in the kitchen. I have been seeing those chocolates advertised on tv and thinking I would love some! Yum! The body spray smells amazing and I will keep it with me in my purse. I also thank you for the seeds which I will be winter sowing very soon, I so appreciate everything and all the thought and care that went in to my gift. It is all so special! Thank you so much and hope you have a very, very Blessed New Year! Amy
sandlapper_rose
5 years agonottougly
5 years agoAmy I loved the stocking you sent to me also. I really liked the Flutter Ball. I have it hanging up now. For some reason I really like it. I liked the chocolate covered peanuts also. Thank you for everything you put in my stocking the Gardening Gloves, Screen Saver, the
Christmas Memo Book with Pen, Snowman Stickers, Gingerbread Cookie Recipe Kitchen Towel and these Seeds:
Nasturtium, Dwarf Alaska Mixed
Coleus, Rainbow Mix
Marigold, French Dwarf Double Mix
Forget-Me-Not
Thank you very much for everything.
I hope you and your family have a blessed Happy New Year.
Faye!
beth_b_kodiak