Here in the land of blogging, especially amongst the creative
and crafty blogs, there's this wonderful world of "swaps." In a nutshell, with a swap, you sign up with whomever is coordinating that particular swap (there's always a theme of some sort) and then if you get in, you are given a partner--and your partner can be across town, across country or even on the other side of the world. Then you create and/or shop or thrift or whatever and then your partner do an exchange of goods--actually goodies
seems a more appropriate word. There are mini-swaps with color themes
and candy swaps and there's even an apron swap, I believe. The ones I
am most intrigued by usually involve making something by hand with a
heavy leaning toward things that involve fabric and thread or needles
or yarn or felted wool and buttons and so on. But here's the rub--I
don't sew or knit or crochet or any of that. I take buttons to the
tailor to be sewed back on, I am that lame.
I was hyper-giddy when I stumbled upon the Kids Music Swap over
at jumilla bugs' blog. (Thanks for organizing, Tracy!) What a brilliant
idea and hey, I dig music and even most of Sam's music. I get mucho satisfaction making custom cds for friends and I love
putting things into packages and sending them off. I even know how to
create my own playlist on I-tunes. I can do this! So I signed up and we got in. We being Sam and me because we were to swap with another family's kid(s). And here's the cosmic, kismet part--my swapping partner turned out be Sally (and her sons, of course!) from shim & sons, and I've been loving her blog for several months. She does delightful and fresh things with stationery, tags and labels and such. And we all know what a paper slut I am.
So we had a blast coming up with music for her two boys ("Do you think they'll like this one, Sam?" "Mom, everybody likes 'Hinky, Dinky, Dee." Oh, of course, how could I not know that?) and we threw a couple of other little things in the box. With all the action around Mother's Day and my niece Claire's birthday, I spaced taking a photo of what we sent them. But last night, after enjoying our strawberries, a little package appeared outside our door. (Welcome to Chicago where it's not uncommon to receive your mail as the sun goes down.) Sam literally tore into it, and the first thing we saw was a lovely blue package with Sam's name on it.

Sally made Sam this exceptionally plucky apron for Sam. With a romping cowboy & indian theme on the pocket. "Look, Mom, he's looking down the rabbit hole! Where'd the cowboy go?"

I asked Sam to put it on and model it. But he said no, because we weren't baking just then. But then he had another idea on how to use it.

That's my Sam. Anything but anything can become a cape. Well, maybe we'll whip up some scones or cookies this weekend and Sam can wear it the other way. Then he went to work on the next package.

This is the cd that the Shim clan created just for Sam! What's so great is that it has the entire Beethoven's Wig, which my sister has always raved about but I'd never heard and They Might Be Giants and about 30 other tunes. (I did not know you could fit 47 songs on one cd!) We listened to songs happily as we prepared supper last night.

And in a stunning act of swapping generosity, Sally sent me a boxed set of some of her cards. Am I lucky or what?

And I so love the sticker that was on the outside of my gift I just have to share it.

All in all, the Kids Music Swap was absolutely full of delight. For both Sam and you know who. A simple but real connection was made between a warm and giving family out in Oregon and a funny little trio living in Chicago and we were brought together by the blogging community, music and the US Postal Service. Very nice indeed.