Pocketful of Sunshine

I signed up for a pocketful of sunshine swap, basically we were to make a loaded envelope full of sunshine, or yellow items, we were to include ten items. I had started to make this flip book for the swap that required us to include 4 things from other swaps, and then realized almost all the pages were yellow, so I knew I had to use it for this swap.

 I had a bunch of yellow paper that was cut down to 4x6 for a swap, so I used that for the base. This is actually a journaling card, I added a heart sticker (swap) and some star stickers (swap), they are all gold and glittery and foam. I bound the book with some yellow washi (RAK).
Here's the first flip:

 Close-up of left page:

 I added a clear boot sticker (Hobby Lobby) and clear flower stickers (Hobby Lobby) and cut down a journaling card for the 'you make my world sparkle' quote (Hobby Lobby).
Close-up of right page:

 This journaling card (swap) is layered on two other yellow papers (swaps), I also added some trim (swap) to the top and bottom.
Second flip:

 Close-up of middle page:

I had these cute little 2x2 journaling squares (Hobby Lobby) that I added to the page with some yellow stickers (my stash).
Close-up of right page:

I added the fairy die cut (RAK) and the 'hello sunshine' piece (Walmart).
 Last flip:

 Close-up of third page:

 I added the oval die cut (swap) and the chipboard sparkly star (swap) and the gold stars (Walmart).
Close-up of last page:

I just added this envelope (swap).
Here's the envelope:

 I admit, I'm not that great at these, this is probably the 2nd or 3rd one I've done. Basically I covered it in this chevron paper (Hobby Lobby), I couldn't get it on there right, so there's a lot of wrinkling. I did the whole roll down of the top, I'm also not great at that, I might do something else for the next one I have to do. I know a lot of times, people use the terms loaded bag and loaded envelope interchangeably, but if they say loaded envelope, that's what I'm making. I also didn't have quite enough paper in my 12x12 sheet to cover the whole envelope (probably because it went on crooked), so I had to add a strip to cover up a bare spot. I flipped it over and used the back as the front. I added the pocket at the bottom (swap), and the 'you are awesome' journaling card (RAK) to the bottom here. I added the teacup die cuts (swap) with foam tape to give them a little dimension. I ripped a little of the bottom of the 'v', so I added the butterfly (swap) to cover that up, I also added the pinwheel (swap) to the top.
The back:

 I just fussy cut these flowers out of another paper to cover up all the wrinkling on the back.
Here's what I included:

 The flip book, a pencil, a wand I made, an 'Oh Henry' bar, an emoji sucker, some flowers, sequins, die cuts, lace and acetate pieces. I tried to have some crafty stuff and some fun stuff.
Here's what it looked like all packaged up:

It barely fit in the box, I put it in, I sprinkled a bunch more of those yellow flowers all over it. My partner was very surprised that I made the loaded envelopes to put all the goodies in, apparently we were just supposed to send the goodies.
Here's what I got from my partner:

I don't know if you can tell, but the papers in the back are embossed. I love that, it's almost as fun as getting die cuts. My favorite pieces are the giant chicken, the smaller felt chickens, the angel fish and the bunny borders.

Loaded mini envelopes

One of my facebook groups had a mini loaded envelope swap. I used Esther Luka's tutorial to make mine. I used a legal size envelope and basically closed it up and folded up the bottom to make the extra pocket.

This first one took on a love/Valentine's Day theme. I think it's because I started with the pink paper. I was excited to finally use these jar stickers I've had but never found a way to use. Instead of rolling down the edges, I cut the front into a V, mostly because I had stuff that kinda fell down and you couldn't see. I put some journaling cards, stickers, note paper, a tag, a pencil, a heart pic and probably a few other things in in.
Here's the back:

I used some of those Dollar Tree lace stickers on the back, the hearts on the top I got in a swap as well as the sticker in the middle. I just wanted something to put in the middle, some large thing that pulled it all together.
My next one was more of a travel theme:

I had gotten these travel notecards and envelopes at a garage sale. The inside of the envelope was covered in the background paper, so I covered the back, and part of the front with it. The pocket is covered in some paper from the Newsworthy paper pad from Hobby Lobby. I added the globe sticker (also from Hobby Lobby) to the front. I included stickers, sticky notes, washi, journaling cards, a paperclip, and probably more things to this one.

This is the back, the paper was already busy enough, so I just added this travel frame with a vintage photo in it.
Here's what I got back from my partners:

She used a tutorial that looked more like a loaded bag than an envelope to me. In lots of my groups, they use the terms interchangeably, but I like to make what the swap calls for.
Here are my goodies:

I stopped posting pictures of the goodies on my Facebook groups, because someone told me once she feels people think they need to keep up with all the goodies other people post. That makes sense, what I hate is when the sender decides to post what they sent me. This person commented about all the stuff they sent me, another one posted a picture of the back of their pocket letter. I love the feathers and the washi and the cards and the paper clips.
My second one:

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this one. It didn't look really like an envelope to me, but I could feel she put in her time and effort.

The goodies, I love how a lot of it is themed around blue and ballerinas.

Loaded Destash Envelope swap

I signed up for a loaded destash envelope on one of my facebook groups. We were to decorate a 5x9 or larger envelope and fill it with destash items.

Here's what I created:

 The background is from the Newsworthy paper pad from Hobby Lobby. The lace is from my stash. The paper didn't exactly cover the whole envelope, there was a tiny gap of envelope showing once I glued it down. I glued a piece of ribbon over it and added vintage buttons. The lady is from that Newsworthy pad as well. I also added the tiny wooden ruler I got in a swap to the bottom. If I was planning better, I would have done this to the back, and added a pocket to the other side.
Here's the back:

 I just added some more of the ladies from that paper pad.
Here's how I closed the top:

I used some scraps of paper from that paper pad, glued them to some binder clips, added some pearl bling and clipped them on the top.
We had a list of things we had to include:
15 stickers or 1 sheet, 3 embellishments, 6 pieces of patterned paper, 2 paper clips, 1 shiny thing, 15 die cuts and 2 pieces of ribbon 14 inches or longer, plus anything else we wanted to add.
Here's what I included:

Here's what I got from my partner:

 Other side:

 Goodies:

I'm a little disappointed, not only was it not the right size, I also feel she didn't include the minimum of what we were supposed to include.

Vintage Loaded Envelope

I signed up to make a loaded envelope through a facebook group, the theme was vintage.
Here's the front:

 I actually started with an envelope, I added some paper from an old paper pack in my stash. I affixed the front with vintage looking brads. The bottom has some vintage lace and seam binding. The flower is vintage as is the button in the middle of it. In this picture, you can see I started filling it with vintage photographs and some book pages.
The back:

 The top has some trim from a vintage shirt and some more lace. I'm pretty sure the postcard at the bottom is not vintage, but it looks like it, it's a pocket.
I also made a tag for my partner:

The background is a dictionary page. I layered on some pink patterned paper and a vintage photograph. The eyelet is actually vintage, the trim is 100% silk from China from a swap.
Here's what my partner sent me:

I had to take a picture before I took anything out, because I knew it wouldn't be going back in the same way.
Here's the empty bag and the wands:

 Goodies:

 More goodies:

 And a few more:

I love everything she sent me. She told me she didn't realize I was actually sending vintage stuff, even though I asked if she wanted me to load it up with vintage items. Then, she told me, usually people buy stuff from a store and make items to include in swap.

Valentine Loaded Envelope

I signed up to do a loaded envelope swap on one of my facebook groups. I hadn't made a loaded envelope before and didn't have any unused envelopes, so I basically made my own. I'm pretty sure I made it way harder than it needed to be. The requirement was to use a 6x9 manila envelope. I took a piece of double sided 12x12 scrapbooking paper, basically folded it, so I had a 3x9 piece, a 6x9 piece and a 3x9 piece, so the two 3x9 pieces folded up to each other on the front. This paper had a little white strip where it was attached to the paper pad at the top, so I tucked that under the edge of the bottom piece of paper on the front. I didn't like the inside color of the paper, so I added another piece of paper in the opening of the 'envelope'. I did cute down the middle and roll the flaps down, that was a bit tricky with all the tape going on in that area. I also added an extra pocket on the front and back of the 'envelope'. I thought it turned out pretty good and am now in search of double sided 12x12 scrapbooking paper. I do not have a picture of just the envelope itself.
Here's how it turned out:

 I used some vintagey paper for the pocket and some ledger looking paper for the front. I basically just wanted a base for the original 12x12 paper. I guess I could have easily just used a single sided, but I didn't think of that. I added some washi to the bottom of the rolled edge. I also added some felt trim underneath the rolled edge. When I was trying to roll it, it kept tearing, so I tried to cover that up with the trim. The hearts on the outside pocket were from a swap. I added pink marbled washi to help hold the pocket on. Whenever I make pockets and adhere them with tape, they always try to fall off, so I'm trying to make them stay better. I really wanted to decorate the pocket with vintage stuff, but I didn't like anything I put on it. I finally put some sparkly heart stickers and a sparkly love sticker I got in a swap.
I put a few heart picks I got at Dollar Tree in it, I also made a wand for my partner. I tried to pin the selfie pin to the felt trim, but it wasn't happening, so I pinned it to the rolled edge. There are project life cards and some heart doilies in the outside pocket.
Here's the back:

Again, I used vintage paper from Hobby Lobby. The roses on the top and bottom are from my stash. The quote says "art is therapy, music is medicine, love is the cure". It's spelled out in individual letter stickers from my stash, sadly I lost one of the "e's" and had to add another in pink.
There's more project life cards and a notepad in the back pocket. I also added a tiny heart notepad and a paperclip. I know I put in some candy as well.
Here's what I received:

 This is it all loaded up.
Here it is emptied:

 and the back/front? I don't really know:

 And here are all the goodies:

 and more:

 And a cute tag she made me:

E.L.F. Winter Swap

I participated in Esther Luka's Winter swap and it was so much fun. My partner was Julie, here's what she sent me, first look:

 Everything out of the box:

 These were in the bag in the back:

 Tons of lace, some eyelash yarn and a bag of buttons
The other extras:

I'm still working on this bag of candy, it's very good.
And here's the handmade stuff:

This is a loaded envelope stuffed with goodies
Here are the goodies:

 some ornaments, a couple paper clips. I love the pom pom snowman.
More goodies:

 Some stickers, washi samples and a handmade card.
I love how she did the washi samples, it looks so cute, I'm not sure I'll want to take them off.
And the wands:

I love it when people make and send these to me. They are so fun. I've gotten a few lately. I haven't tried making one myself yet.
And here's the loaded envelope empty

It's also beautiful. I've seen people getting these in the mail and saying how they don't want to take them apart and ruin how gorgeous they are. I made sure to put everything back in the way I found it. Though I do think I should have a special place for all my wands just to keep them together.
Here's her pocket letter:

 How beautiful is that? She told me it was her first pocket letter.
Here's the back:

 And the goodies:

 Lots of bling in there, paper clips and snowflakes
And some other stuff she included:

She said she read I wanted doilies, now I have quite a selection. I love all the snowflakes she sent me. I've signed up for a challenge and am thinking of doing a snowy pocket letter, they will be perfect.