It’s been a couple of months since I got involved in a couple of Instagram creative gift swaps so I thought I would share them!
First of all, if you blossom with creativity and are not on Instagram, what are you waiting for? Instagram is full of so many amazing creative Australian & international people and it is such a creative community on there. Every like, share & comment is appreciated by the tonnes of small business owners, creative mums & youngsters making crafting cool again.
Recently I discovered the Creative Exchange, an amazing creative gift-swap created by the super cool Melbourne gal Sam Dunne. Instagrammers will know her for her amazing fabric pom poms!
The Creative Exchange is an awesome creative ‘secret santa’ where you are are given a fellow Instagrammer to Insta-stalk and put together a gift of 7 items to inspire their creativity!
There are two challenges to this exciting task – 1. don’t make it blaringly obvious that you are their Creative Exchange partner & 2. stalk them enough to gift them a box that will make them wonder where this friend has been all their lives, because you know them so well. Oh and to not stalk them so much that they need to take out an Insta-AVO.
The other creative gift swap I have partaken in is the Post-a-Parcel gift swap run by Nia Neve of Life & Co Blog. Here you are paired with a fellow creative genius from Instagram & can openly Insta-stalk each other and swap ideas. You have to gift each other 5 things to the value of $20 set to a theme. The latest one fit me perfectly – it was themed ‘Biggest Morning Tea’ to celebrate it being the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea time & participants all donated to the charity.
I tried to make sure my gifts were sourced locally where possible & supported small business, as so many participants are small business owners. So of course I had to make a trip down to Berry to source some fun gifts from the Berry Tea Shop, Sew & Tell & Haven & Space. I also made a trip to the sweet hidden shop Milk Thieves in Wollongong which is filled to the brim with handmade & ethical gifts!
Online I tried to not go too Etsy-crazy, but I managed to find some lovely gifs from Hannmade With Love (cardmaker from Perth), Amelia Herbertson (artist from Orange) and lots of washi-tape goodies from online craft store Sammy & Lola.
Note cards by Amelia Herbertson
Postcard Note Cards by Hannmade with Love
I had so much fun participating in these creative gift swaps & sourcing the gifts! Check out my Instagram to see mine all packaged up and my excitement when I unwrap mine!
There are so many ways we can use mail today to brighten up someone’s day and strengthen friendships beyond social media. Can’t make someone’s birthday? Instead of posting on their FB page, why not send them a card to keep? If you hosted a party, or attended a party recently, send a thank you card! Every person should really own a set of thank you cards so they can readily post one when they need to say thanks – Kikki K have some great sets here.
I will leave you with this little nugget of truth which all of my fellow creative gift swap participants can empathise with! There is nothing more rewarding than finding a card or letter or package amongst the bills, even if it is something you ordered online!
Stay safe, healthy & happy,
Rachel x
