The Summer Sampler

I almost totally forgot to blog about the most recent box of loot I got from The Sampler! I heart The Sampler so and I try and participate as often as I can, this month I had a bunch of earrings shipped out. What did I receive in my box of goodies you ask? Well I’ll tell you.

First up a whole lot of swag like postcards, business cards and flyers. I flipped through them, but mainly recycle them. No I don’t throw them out, I throw them in with my own swag with all my orders I ship out. So in other words I get swag from The Sampler and then I stick in one or two pieces with each of my orders that I ship out and keep spreading the word for those people.

I really thought the two postcards made out of old board games were really clever. They are made by a company called Chickeney. I got one that was a checker board and another that was some game with 70’s graphics and birds chirping. She covered the back with a heavy card stock and typed in all the details like where to put your stamp and sending address.

I mentioned my cute bobby pin I got from Nut and Bee last time I posted about The Sampler, but this time I scored a cute card with an octopus and the hotdog! I swear octopuses are hot right now. I said it forever ago when I got interviewed at Craft and I just noticed they mentioned in the New York Times article about the Renegade Craft Fair. Annette over at Nut and Bee has her finger on the pulse of cutting edge craft trends and ubercuteness. This reminds me Nut and Bee and Naughty Secretary Club are both winners of the Fred Flare Next Big Thing Contest. Have you voted for your top designer so someone can win $1000?

Who doesn’t love vinyl stickers? Especially ones with veggies bathing in soup. I know I do and that is why I was happy about the 5 mini “Let’s Eat” sticker set from Orange Pop.

There was a small baggie of artful gift tags in my package by Little Tile Gnome. Come time for the holidays you can never have too many gift tags, especially arty ones.



I don’t handwrite many letters but if I did I would use the exquisitely packaged handmade map envelope from Donovan Beeson I received. What I am really excited about is while perusing her Etsy store she has a book made from vintage envelopes that is adorable! The concept and the sparrow covered envelopes curls my toes.

I heart gnomes so I was drawn to the little 1” button by Noms. When I followed the link to their Etsy store there were oodles of adorable hand painted clay gnomes begging to call my garden home.

It always makes me happy to see fellow Craft Mafia members in The Sampler, even happier when what they contributed is something I will want to wear and use. Polka dotted button earrings from Pepto Girl Industries of the Sacramento Craft Mafia fit the bill perfectly!

Remember the other day when I had insomnia? One of the blogs I wound up on was that of Sierra Bailey from Manic Trout. When I opened my Sampler package there she was again in the form of a bottle cap magnet with pink fuzzy dice inside. I already put it on the magnet board in my dining room.

My favorite in the pile probably had to be from Enamor. There was a small acrylic ant pin that I heart. The picnic packaging was also an adorable touch.

Other fun goodies included a copy of Bust, excerpt from Croq, Bath Goodies from Sheba’s Secrets and a free pattern from Pretty in Punk.