swapmaine

Thanks to everyone that came out to support the Swap Soiree last week! We had such a great time, and everyone in attendance really seemed to have a ball! Thanks also to Amy Paradysz for writing a great article in the Press Herald! Read the article here, and check out a couple of the photos below.

Stay tuned for more swapping goodness this spring

courtesy of the Portland Press Herald

courtesy of the Portland Press Herald

TOMORROW NIGHT is our first ever Holiday SWAPMAINE Soiree! The first 20 people that show up who have pre-purchased their tickets will be receiving FREE DAY PASSES to The Portland Regency Hotel & Spa (a $30 value). Um, AWESOME. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, click here.

Alright ladies, the SWAP Soiree is only a few days away (next Wednesday, December 5 to be exact!). You can still purchase tickets online, just click here. BUT! If you’re looking to do a little local holiday shopping this weekend and want to save the service fee, just head on over to the Portland Flea-For-All to buy your tickets in person!

If you haven’t been to the Flea, you really should. They are an indoor flea market with vendors selling art and handmade goods, vintage clothing and accessories, jewelry, furniture, and much more. I was there the other day and happen to spot an adorable hand-felted penguin ornament, so obviously I’ll be there purchasing them in bulk. Come check it out!

To purchase your tickets in person, just stop by the Portland Flea-For-All on Saturday or Sunday from 10:00am to 5:00pm. They are located at 125 Kennebec Street (on the corner of Elm Street) in Portland. Plenty of free parking is available.

Thanks ladies, we hope to see you at the swap!

Laura
sweeter salt

Ok, so you’re only bringing five items to the Holiday Swap Soiree (have you bought your tickets yet?!). That means you really need to make them count. We need a strong pool of awesome stuff if everyone’s going to walk away with some sweet finds! What kind of items should you bring? Here are a couple of examples:

Cool bags and accessories. I love this vintage Dooney and Bourke bag, but I have one exactly like it in black that I wear all the time. Do I need two? Nope. Vintage goodies. This vintage plaid Pendleton shift dress (picked up at last fall’s swap!) is pretty great. But… sadly it is a little too big, and if I haven’t had it tailored in the past year I probably never will. So – to the swap! Sweater weather. Hey guys, it’s time to break out those sweaters. This gray sweater is super cozy, but it just looks a little off on me. Maybe it will look good on you? Barely used and worth a chance. This little H&M skirt would look adorable on someone (that’s not me). Let’s just say I have a little too much junk in the trunk to pull this one off. Someone needs this! Baby it’s cold outside. Um, the temps dropped and it’s time to bundle up. Some badass lady will look pretty amazing in this vintage leather jacket. You know who you are.

Come take my clothes guys, and have some snacks and a drink while you’re at it. Buy your tickets before they sell out! Seeya December 5

Laura
sweeter salt

Sometimes the thing that is hardest about swaps is parting with your clothes. You want to make sure you bring enough so you can bring more than you take, but you may not want to separate from that many items. Luckily, for this swap, you only have to bring FIVE items! In turn, this means you will only take home five items, but they will be special five items. You will not be bringing home any t-shirts or sweaters with holes in it that you may wear sometime around the house. Instead it will be a fun party dress, vintage blouse, great pair of denim, or new shoes.

When you are choosing your items, give it some thought. If everyone really looks at their closet and sees something they haven’t worn for months or even the past year, consider swapping it! Is it something special you are keeping for the right occasion, but the occasion still hasn’t come? Maybe someone else has the right occasion right around the corner. If everyone take the time to pick five really great items, the better everyone’s chance of finding the perfect items.

So the moral of the story is, make a little room in your closet by getting rid of nice items you currently own but don’t wear. You can now pass them along to someone who will get lots of use out of them and in return, take home five new cool items to fill that little space you just made in your closet. Now you lose the guilt and gain five items that work with your wardrobe and get new outfits and more wear out of the things you already own.

But if picking your five items inspires you to clean out all of your closets, you can still bring all those bags to your nearest Goodwill donation center. They are always in need of donations and especially during the holiday season. Goodwill always needs your help to keep their programs going!

After folding my laundry the other day, here are a few potential items i found I may be swapping (but i still have the rest of the closet to go through!) What do you think?

buy your tickets here!

ashley

ohsweetwilliam.com