The Misadventures of the Swap-O-Rama

I dove into the coloriffic swap-o-rama with full steam signing up (well attempting to sign up and arranging on the sly to partner up with another, like myself, that was too late to sign up for one of them) for both the US and the International June swaps.

Once it was official I lay in bed at night searching my memory and my imagination for anything that might suit the color schemes. I thought the Blue and Chocolate would really be a piece of cake because I love the combination so but, to my dismay, the only things I could find were way out of my price range, sorry, partner! I loved being on the hunt and, though I don't think my husband realized it, I was constantly searching shelves at any shop we went to for swap surprises.

I have to admit, there's a guilt factor involved in the swap that I wasn't prepared for--I spent money that I wouldn't even spend on myself normally-I support both my daughter and my husband (he's a lovely stay-at-home daddy and I'm sure I'll talk more about that fact of my life as time allows) I had a great time though and hope I found a balance between fancies and thrifts.

The Black and White swap had tested me further-I simply don't like the colors alone, but luckily came across the most pulse-raising sale imaginable at Urban Outfitters in the Mandalay Bay. We bought a pile of bed covers and blankets marked from $32 to $58 down to $3! Who cares what colors and patterns--I took one of each! For the swap I gathered up anything b+w on the sale shelves-a frame marked $16 down to $2...you get the idea- We were in a frenzy gathering up anything pretty for our humble home and I wasn't so sure my husband knew it at the time but anything I snuck into the pile that was black and white was going to be shipped out the following day!