Birthday Grams 2013!

Was it me or had this thread gone missing for a couple of days? I went to post something on it on Friday and it was nowhere to be seen.
Thank you to Libby and Hayley for their Birthdaygrams - I love them both and will take pics tomorrow.

I don't know, Kat. It may well have gone walkies for a while. I saw the new thread you posted.

I've received my birthday gram from Lauren. She sent me a really sweet angel card, angel charm and some stickers.

This means I've received only 4 birthday grams so far, I hope the rest arrive soon as my birthday was 3 weeks ago...

@Joss, I hope yours turns up soon - I'm getting a bit worried now as it had the goth swap in with it :/

Here's what I got from Hayley. The ring is especially cute - it has a little cat with a fish

And here's what Libby sent me - I'd love to try some macrame and the bracelet has really inspired me. The bag is beautiful too

You're welcome Kat.

@Joss- I never received from Lisa or Pam, both US- and Pam sent twice- so i'm wondering whether it might be the US postal service! And I never received yours either All EU and UK ones turned up okay as did the one from Sally in US, but hers was very late.

All mine have been okay, and I think all the UK girls have been okay with theirs being received, so it might be an internation thing. Such a shame..

It does seem worse than usual for things getting lost. I expect one or two things to get lost occassionally, but this is getting silly...grr.

Glad you like the bracelet kat. I loooove doing macrame! Let me know if you would like me to point you towards any tutorials. The bags were fun to make too, I did 4 altogether and put some in my present box for xmas.

My post from the US gets lost about 90% of the time, that's why I don't swap with people in the US anymore. Out of all my swaps that were sent to the US, I've only ever received 4 (most of my swaps have been with US or Canada, both get lost). I hope they do turn up though...

Ok I've just resent a bunch of packages to everyone whos missing from me. I tried to make them bigger, not just something that fits in a regular envelope size. Bright packaging too, triple checked all addresses and sent them out Monday. I am doing a candy swap with Hayley so I tossed in a super new bday gram also I did a little "pay it forward" thing on my facebook and owed one to Joss so I put it together with her new birthday gram too, I'm hoping that larger packages will not go missing as easily! I haven't done a lot of new swaps since being back in this small rural town, and I'm starting to question their post office, they might still be running on the pony express :S Everyone keep an eye out please and message me if you get one! Thanks gals! (fingers crossed)

The thing that confuses me is that more packages seem to have gone missing the later into this swap we get. I don't mind when people say they are late sending out, I've been late with a couple of mine, but it's getting a little silly now. The only one of mine that has gone missing so far is the one to Joss and that might just be late. I'm not sure what the usual time for sending from the UK to S Africa is. I've been taking pics of all the international birthdaygrams I've sent and I'm trying to remember to hang onto my proof of postage so I know when I sent things.

I've been late sending a couple of mine too, but this is really getting silly. I sent a package to the UK for another swap and it took almost a month to arrive!

@Arty, you didn't mention getting my birthdaygram but you didn't mention not getting it either, I assume you got it?

@Mary I haven't received it yet but haven't checked the post this morning.

I just checked the post today and had a Birthdaygram from Lauren A very pretty stitched card with handmade earrings and a magnet. Thank you Lauren - the earrings are the same colour as my nail varnish so may put them on in a bit.

Still no more birthdaygrams in the post for me =

I agree with Kat/Libby- it seems to have gotten worse the longer the swaps gone on, and I think many people like me & Kat, have had all theirs arrive okay but had a lot of trouble receiving. Its put me off doing the swap next year I think, as theres just no way to guarantee everyone receives everything they should. It's no one's fault really, its just weird, as international swaps in general the last year have become more risky, I've noticed even experienced vets have been off the swap radar the last year.