There's Junque in My Trunk!

Well there IS. Junk in my trunk, that is.

My best friend in high school used to (very affectionately, of course!) refer to me as "Duck Butt." The girls in my family definitely don't have little dare-e-airs. I'm spelling that phonetically because I have no clue how to spell that word.

I must also mention, though, that the rear view was actually the very FIRST view of me that my husband had and he was.....well he liked it! ;) And he says he was even more pleased when I turned around, except that I was holding "some guy's" hand. Can you tell I love this story and of course make him re-tell it now and then?? ;) Two years later we officially met, became friends and the rest is history! Although he will shake his head in embarassment that I am blogging about this, these are the details we bloggy buddies love to hear about one another, aren't they? The funny little details that only our bestest pals know? :)

Oops! That's not the "Junque" the title of this post is referring to! Oh well...you didn't mind that little aside, did you? ;)

"Junque in the Trunk" was one of my very favorite swaps that I have participated in, hosted by the very sweet, Heather Kowalski of Pretty Petals. Heather paired me up with Ginny of Twinkle Pink and of course I was thrilled! I admire (and have quite frankly OGLED OVER) Ginny's incredible textile art and am in awe of the amazing Marie Antoinette pieces she has created. So when I found out she was my partner for this swap, I was very happy.

So without further ado, here is the INCREDIBLE confection of a swap gift that Miss Ginny sent to me. I gasped when I opened it and didn't stop gasping as I pulled out the contents. It is quite simply EXQUISITE. I am going to show you TONS of photos since I know you will enjoy each and every one.

The "trunk" itself is a gorgeous fabric-covered box with a lid simply SMOTHERED in sumptous vintage millinery. The center of the lid top is the yummiest pink velvet that is actually a pin cushion! Ginny and I share a love of textile art and this box will be my most treasured pin cushion.

The inside of the lid is also a pin cushion!

Inside the box I found a treasure trove of incredible British bits, bobs and outright yumminess! Ginny knows what I like, that's for sure!

The box itself was wrapped up in tissue but there was also a second tissue-wrapped parcel that I waited to open. And oh my goodness....look what was inside! Miss Marie herself!

I just about died, as you can imagine! I have never seen anything quite like this special figurine. The hair is "real" and the skirt is layers of lace. She is quite simply a confection!

Thank you, Sweet Ginny, for this lovely swap gift! I am so grateful. I love every bit of it!

Next is what I sent to Ginny. I painted a pre-made wooden "trunk" from the craft store and altered it a bit. I used vintage sheet music, old ivory crepe paper and even a tiny snippet from a vintage button card that reads "made in the U.S."! I added a "G" to the top of the box for "Ginny." I was having some "light" issues the day I took these photos, so I hope you can overlook them and use your imagination just a bit.

I filled the inside with some of my favorite ivory and sherbert-hued yummies.



I even found an itty-bitty dollhouse-sized "trunk" to put tiny treasures in! The inside of the box is lined with a gorgeous vintage wallpaper.My favorite thing was this vintage broach. I remember reading a post Holly wrote about how "freeing" it is to give away some of her favorite things that she's been "hoarding." I think this is the first swap that I have really done that...not just buying things for the purpose of giving to my swap partner but actually giving her some of my favorite items I've collected (and hoarded!). It was such a wonderful feeling, especially since Ginny and I figured out very quickly through emails that we have very similar taste. It was so much fun seeing and practically drooling over the finished product and knowing that Miss Ginny would love it, too!

Well I thought I would not blog today and would just play with my kids. After a week of vacation and concentrated time together, the blogging, emailing and processing photos I did yesterday felt downright neglectful. But here I am again! They are playing so nicely, though, and who am I to interrupt that? ;)

Rather ironically, my children are actually playing ZOO. How appropriate! Andrew has no idea he is an animal, of course, but just naturally fits the part. Maybe I will go join in and pretend to be a sleeping lion.....