My Favorite Things Swap: My Goodies!

It's here! It's here! My swap package from my awesome partner, Amber from The Binkertation, came! I love getting mail...that isn't a bill. Getting things I order in the mail is also fun, but it is even more exciting when it is a surprise! The whole gist of the swap is to send someone a package of your favorite things and they send you a box of their favorite things. I have to say, I love my box. What I loved even more than getting my package was the fact that Mamarazzi matched us so perfectly! We are both working moms with 2 kiddos that are about the same ages apart, we both have advanced degrees and love cooking. More than the fun stuff (which is awesome), I got a new friend out of the deal.  Without further ado, here's what I got!

1. & 3. A yummy smelling votive candle and holder. I love citrus smell. It is so fresh and clean and will be a welcome addition to the bathroom!

2. A Burt's Bees Acai chap stick, which is hilarious because I sent her the same one! I can't live without it!

4. A Starbucks gift card. I am usually a Dunkin kinda girl, but I love to splurge every now and then and get a java chip frap from Starbucks. It is a guilty pleasure and I am looking forward to using it!

5. A Cooking Light Magazine. I have recently got back into meal planning every week and finding delicious and healthy meals can be challenging. I am going to use a couple recipes for next week's meals.

6. The sweetest card explaining why she chose each item! This is probably my favorite part of the box. I get super excited over these kind of things and it is so fun to see that she shares my joy!

7. The most awesome scarf!! I wore it the next day after I opened my box. (see below) and I think I have found a new favorite accessory.

8. A bright, cheery tank from Old Navy with a cute detail on the back. It is making me long for summer.

9. Gorgeous card stock. I love, love, love crafting and these will fit nicely into my collection. I already have a plan for the damask and the orange and gray one. :)

10. Godiva chocolate covered almonds. These are not in the big picture as I didn't realize Arielle had stolen them before I snapped the shots! I did take a solo shot. I love dark chocolate. In fact, I sent Amber something similar too. see, we were meant to be swap partners!

 I do not usually post pics of myself, but this scarf was too cute to show just laying on the table!

I am thinking of painting our room gray and I want to use the orange flowered paper in a frame for a project that I also saw on Amber's "From Pins to Projects" post! (The link to the original project is on her blog)

 Check out Mamarazzi, the amazing organizer of these swaps I love so much! I can't wait to go see all of the goodies that peopel got! Oh and check out Amber. She is awesome...plus you can see some of the fun stuff I made for her...since I stink and forgot to take pictures of it before I sent it. Ha!

Swap-a Roo!

I am excited to be back! I have been swamped with work and life, but I feel like I am not whole without my blog. I am jumping back in with a swap. What better way to get back into the bloggy spirit than to send and recieve a box full of surprises in the mail!

Swap it up!

I participated in Mamarazzi's "Favorite things swap" again. I just love these things! First, I love getting something in the mail that is not a bill. I also love when it is a total surprise, which doesn't happen if you just order something. I think my favorite part is deciding what to send and wrapping each little gift, because I'm weird like that. My swap partner Beth lives all the way on the other side of the country. She does really great DIY tutorials, so you should go check her out!

Here are all of the goodies I got in the swap...

Three pieces of dark chocolate cake (there are only 2 pictured because I couldn't
wait to eat one!) & a mini whisk (I have always wanted one of these, but never remember to buy one)

A book that I will start this weekend & a pound of locally (to her) roasted organic coffee. She must know that this 2 kid business is zapping every last drop of energy I have.

A lavender scarf that I think she made herself and you know how I loves me some handmade goodness & some perfume from a local shop near her.

...and last but not least, some pretty mineral makeup. I will have to try this if I EVER make it out of the house without my children again. Please...girls night..anyone...help.

P.S. I hate Blogger and their stupid bizaro formatting. What the what is going on with the pictures and text??

A few of my favorite things

That is what I get to swap with someone, thanks to Mamarazzi! It's time again for her Favorite Things Swap! I'm so excited. It was so much fun last time.

Ready! Aim! Swap!

Woo hoo!Swap time has arrived! I participated in Mamarazi's Red, White & Blue swap this week and it was so much fun. This was my first time doing a swap and lemme tell you I am addicted already! Mamarazzi did an awesome job matching me with my swap partner Sara. We are both pregnant, we both love to craft & sew and are originally from the Pacific Northwest (she gets to move back there next month, no fair!). The package arrived with 5 smaller wrapped packages inside. I love how she had instructions on them for the order in which to open them up!So here is all my loot from the swap:

1. A package of Red Vines! I love these things! They are a west coast staple at the movies. I had to explain this to my hubby and his brother, as they are true east coasters, and love plastic tasting twizzlers (yuck). Natey quickly helped me out with this part of my package!

2. A festive pair of flip flops from Old Navy! Sara flattered me by getting me a size 8. :o) Oh how I wish I had smaller feet. Unfortunately I wear a whopping size 10, but Sara is smart and included a gift receipt so I can go trade them for the jumbo size this weekend!

3. Four handmade burp cloths. They are so cute and I love the fact that she made them for me. They are soft and the perfect shape to throw over your shoulder and get spit up on by my baby girl coming soon to a nursery near me!

4. A handmade changing pad. It is super cute, plastic lined and the perfect size to thrown in my diaper bag and take with me. Even my hubby was impressed by this, and it is not easy to get him excited about something sewn!!

5. Last but not least are 3 pieces of fabric. Like I said, we both love to sew and it was funny that we both sent each other fabric (and a handmade baby item too). I actually just ran out of the black and red one and went to Joann's to get more and they were out! Perfect timing Sara!

That sums it up. I had a great time playing along with Mamarazzi and Sara for this swap. I made a new bloggy friend and traded some really cute stuff at the same time. Check out Sara's blog- Outta This World to see what she got from 'lil ole me! I will definitely sign up to do this again.

Red, white and blue favorite things!!!

Mamarazi's doing it again!! I am so excited to do this swap! I missed the last time as I was not quick enough on the draw. The theme of this round of swappy goodness is red, white and blue! I am so sure I can find tons of things I love to fit that bill! Oh I can't wait!