The $13 Happy Mail package for April signups is a matchbox filled with tiny things. I’ve wanted to do this again for a long time and I’m so happy to have the chance with Patreon.
Back in 2007 when Asking For Trouble didn’t quite exist yet, I organised a Springtime Matchbox Swap with some crafty friends. You had to decorate a matchbox, fill it up and send to the next person on the list and you’d get one in return. It worked really well and there were some really imaginative boxes (and some less so, as always happens with swaps). Here’s a few photos I could find – sorry they’re all so terrible but we all had rubbish cameras back then!
This is the box I received from Jo (who now runs Penny Black, a post office/shop whose logo I designed). I have this displayed in my type drawer and some of the stickers are still inside. It’s such a prettily-designed matchbox too.
This is a very blurry photo of the box I decorated for Claire (who I’ve collaborated with a lot on the craft fair zine and cross stitch patterns). It’s covered in paper from Amsterdam with a handmade felt flower.
And an even worse photo of the contents! Claire deleted her Flickr account so I only had a tiny pic that I’ve blown up. Some of the things are stickers, a handmade badge, some buttons, a ladybird pushpin, a ¥5 coin and Puccho chewy candy.
This is the box my sister Nicolette put together, decorated with a kirigami geisha. She was more generous than me with a ¥50 coin!
And this is the box she received from another crafty friend including handmade jewellery.
I also have 2 more matchboxes on display, both later gifts from matchbox swappers.
The badass bunny is a little handmade ceramic brooch by Tiny Supply and too cute to wear. The Instant Comfort Box is by Kim’s Little Monsters.
I have probably raised your expectations far too high now but hopefully you will enjoy your matchbox from me as much as we enjoyed these. Would you like me to post about some of my favourite items in my type drawer of tiny things too?
