Holiday Swap Package Arrived Today!

[pharmarepgirl]

I received my holiday swap pkg from Sher(litehouse9) today!

She sent an awesome assortment of goodies:
Milk Glow soap from local soap store
Canterbury Natural Tomato pasta soup
Sher's Apricot Hot Pepper Jelly
TJ's Wild Mushroom Medley
Pacific Flavor Rasberry Soy Glaze
Seattle Chocolates
Singing Dog Vanilla
Chocolate Mud Mask
Handmade Bee's Wax Ornaments
Mt St Helen's Glassworks mouthblown holiday ornament
2 Liberty Orchards Fruit Delight bars
Ghirardelli Chocolate
Handmade Japanese Temari ornament



Thanks so much!!! I love it!

Kelli

[Canice]

Nice swap box! It's always fun to follow these threads

[Litehouse9]

Kelli (Pharmarepgirl) got my package today.. and I got hers as well! (can you tell we both love swaps???) I loved the package, had such fun things.

A print of the Pensacola Litehouse (I love lighthouses!!)
Bottle of Butt Rub spice rub BBQ seasoning
Big Jar of Pensacola Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Bottle of Key Lime Calypso Dip (looks so good!!)
Cool bookmark of Pensacola
Pensacola Xmas ornament (very cute with flip flops)
Box of Beignet Mix from Cafe Du Monde
Cajun Etouffe mix
Praline Pecans
New Orleans Gumbo File
Large package of Joe Patti's BBQ seasoning spices

( oops, have no clue how to put the photo I took in here.. Will have to wait for my husband to help me later...)

Loved the package, this is so fun! Esp. loved it cause I made my first ever trip to New Orleans last April, but didnt really purchase any food items or souvenirs to bring home (we were leaving for a cruise and I wanted to keep the luggage light).
So this is wonderful-- I ended up with all the food stuff, spices, mixes that I would have loved to purchase myself!

thanks so much, Kelli! Loved it... Sher

[Litehouse9]

I finally found out how to post a photo! Here is the photo of the fabulous items that Pharmarepgirl (Kelli) sent me in the recent Holiday Swap! I love everything..... Thank you again... Sher

[sneezles]

My package arrived today from Canada! Yay! Kayaksoup (Linda) was my partner and what a fun box of goodies:



All items are Canadian.
The bag is a lovely soft canvas and will get a lot of use.
The cookbook will be read this afternoon.
The banana holder is a hoot!
Two vinegars one balsamic and the other cherry...I love using vinegar as my dressing on tossed salad!
Birch syrup, I'm gonna have to open that after posting this because I'm very intrigued.
Pear sauce, wonder how that would be with pork...
And last but not least a box of Olympic chocolates, mmmm chocolate!

Thanks Linda for such a great box of goodies! I hope the US Postal Service is as quick as the Royal Canadian!

[Beth]

Originally Posted by sneezles

The banana holder is a hoot!

I was studying the picture and hoping there was more to your post. I was dying to know what the "blue thing" was. LOL

[sneezles]

Originally Posted by Beth

I was studying the picture and hoping there was more to your post. I was dying to know what the "blue thing" was. LOL

DS#3 says it's a ray gun!

[cangoss]

I had just put my english muffin in the toaster and the tea bag in the hot water when I heard the mail truck idling in my driveway this morning. The mail lady was carrying my Texas-sized swap package from Beth. Needless to say, the english muffin was cold and the tea was really strong by the time I got back to them.



She sent a combination pampering and tex-mex package, with lots of funky mexican stuff that I've never seen or heard of before, plus some homemade goodies including espresso rub, spiced pecans, and santa claus cookies. She also sent some texas-made soap and bath salts, cozy socks, a little stuffed animal, fancy tea bags and hot chocolate. I'm very excited about the hand cream that gets rid of onion and garlic smells too.
I can't forget the sharffen-berger chocolate-covered cocoa nibs, cupcake holders in hanukkah colors, and hanukkah candy. I"m sure I'm forgetting things, but this was just an overwhelming package to receive. I've never had a swap package quite like this!

Thank you Beth!

[Beth]

Candace, you deserve something extra this year and it was my pleasure to combine holiday swap and a pseudo Brownie Fairy package. I don't think I told you in my note that the honey is blueberry honey from a farm where we pick in the summer - very close as the crow flies, but the car has to take the long route. The pasta stars are a Mexican thing and fun for soup.

I got your package and was trying to find a few connected minutes to come and thank you appropriately. I am having an issue getting photos uploaded right now, but everything arrived just perfectly -- and the carrier put it in one of the locked boxes we have, so there were no worries about the squirrels or other critters finding the box first.

Candace sent me some lovely Christmas cocktail napkins (good for the family get together Christmas Eve), homemade peppermint back and peppermint crunch brownies (yum -- love mint and chocolate -- alone and together), Candy Cane Joe-Joe's [think Oreos but better from Trader Joes (you lucky duck!)-- not opening those yet -- have to save something], a measuring shot glass that I will use often and love, Yes to Carrots lip balm (very nice -- I get to try my son's new favorite, and mine is carrot so I can tell if he nabs it ), a glittery silver snowflake ornament, a luscious gardenia soap (my sister's wedding bouquet was gardenias and she was here when I opened the package -- she loved it too, have to watch that LOL), a lovely star- shaped candle (I share my moms thing for stars -- it's a Texas thing), and the cutest snowman card. Thank you so much for everything -- but sorry about the cold English muffin.

[avariell]

I got my package this week - so happy to see this thread bumped so I didn't have to search for it

Amy (BlissfulinTX) sent me an awesome package with some tasty treats from Texas. First of all, she sent me her family's Christmas photograph which was just about the cutest thing I have ever seen - if I ever get around to having a family, I am totally stealing her idea for a card. She included a very quirky book about Massachusetts, which I love! I cannot wait to find some interesting places to visit - such a creative idea to stick it in the box. Three types of salsa! Some delicious looking praline honey butter (I gotta bake now!), praline pecans, chicory coffee, beer bread mix, cute dog toy, beautiful sparkly snowflake ornament. Gosh, I am sure I am forgetting something! It was a delightful swap box to receive Thank you thank you thank you!!

Amy - your box was picked up yesterday, so you should have it soon!

Josie

[Beth]

How did I forget the barbecue sauce and the sun-dried strawberries. Can't wait to try them both. And the Jacques Torres chocolate bars that I put right by the computer (dangerous) to make sure I got the spelling correct).

Now -- a request, is the recipe for the brownies posted here anywhere? The band kids are going caroling tonight and I thought I might make a batch for them. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

[Bawstinn]

I received my swap package in the mail yesterday from Laurie!

I am holding off from opening it though, until she receives hers. I feel bad that between a sick little boy and the blizzard I didn't get my package out to her until a week after the date we had agreed upon for sending. Hopefully it arrives there by the end of the week.

[Laurielee]

I have never had an MP3 and want to try an Ipod to listen to music and dont want to buy a new one as I want to see if I will really get use out of it.

I am clueless as what to look at. I see many differnt types on Ebay and Craiglist.

What do you recommend for a novice?

oh and I tried those ear bud things and I have the smallest canals the one I tried did not fit Are there different sizes?

TIA

Laurie

[muriel3002]

I have small ear canals too, and the traditional ear buds hurt my ears. You will be able to find smaller ones for whatever devise you choose!

[Laurielee]

oops how did my MP3 ? get here?

Maria, no problem on the wait, just better to get more excited!

Laurie

[cangoss]

The brownies are the Ina Garten Outrageous Oreo brownies, but I used Candy Cane Joe Joes instead of Oreos (the whole box for one batch of brownies), and added crushed candy canes on top (which didn't turn out to be as pretty as I'd hoped it would).

[Beth]

That's okay -- they taste great. But do I want to give up the whole box of cookies to make brownies? That's a tough question.

[2HUNGRY!]

I got my swap package from Kyra last week -- I was going to wait and open it on Christmas but then we got snowed in and I changed my mind! It was a wonderful box filled with all sorts of goodies -- she sent local PB & J (a variety of jams really -- paw paw, vanilla-pear and FROG), maple syrup and maple syrup candies, buckeyes, Bath & Body works goodies, wild rice, popcorn, cookies and biscuits and a lot of other things!

Thanks Kyra!

[Blissful_in_TX]

I received my package from Josie (avariell) - wow, I don’t know how she was able to fit everything in that box! It was bulging! There were some Lush bath products which is super exciting b/c though I’ve *heard* of Lush before, I’ve never had any! Some jam and pickled cherry bomb that she canned herself, maple syrup and sugar from Ohio, Paw Paw relish (I had some with my tamales this morning – really tasty; I’ve never had anything quite like it), Ohio Red Popcorn (perfect for our Whirly-pop!)

For the kiddos, a sweet sheep for DD, a dinosaur book for DS, and a Ohio State pez dispenser. Oh, and there was a darling crafted coffee sleeve, some yummmmy chocolate and I’m sure I’m forgetting something. This was my first swap and a lot of fun…..I picked up a lot of ideas for next time. Thanks Josie!

[oct2189]

I got a wondererful package from aprilbride. It's full of fantastic German treats that I am not familiar with that I'm looking forward to. Also included a tea diffuser, German herbal tea, Stollen, a beautifully bound notebook, an ornament and a lovely Christmas card picturing her, her husband and her beautiful children!

[Lauren]

My package from ljt2r (Laura) arrived this week. Lots of great things! A flat whisk, cookbook with recipes from OH inns and restaurants, tea sachets, a bar of Vosges chocolate and homemade Espresso Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Mandelbrot which we've all been enjoying. I hid the chocolate.

I didn't already own a flat whisk and can't wait to try it out! I haven't participated in a swap in a few years and this was fun. Thanks Laura!

ETA: I just saw a recipe for a wrap with ham, apples and chutney, which reminded me that Laura sent a jar of chutney with cranberries, chillies and ginger. Love chutney!

[Laurielee]

I had 2 lovely partners this year, Bawstinn and Randi R.

Maria (Bawstinn) lives in Iowa and everything is from the Amana Colonies. Thre are peach, blackberry and rasberry jams, honey and a honey cookbook, tea and a Christmas creme coffee, a snack corn, and a cute rocking horse ornament.

Randi R made homemade cranberry sauce, capanotta and a jalapeno tomato jam. I made Brie kisses with this for a party and everyne loved it. A shopping bag that folds up to fit in my purse. Tahats great for when I only have a few items and forget to bring my bag in along with a resubable bamboo utensil set That I love htis slogan (reduce your Forkprint)! Along with other edible goodies and a little pot of Nandinas creme from MD.

Thanks again!!!

Laurie

[aprilbride]

My partner this year was Jill (oct2189) and I received her fabulous and very generous package last week...filled with goodies from her local Farmer's Market (the granola is fantastic, it's been my morning snack at work for the last few days) including nuts, a few different kind of jams, also Scharffenberger Chocolate Bars and a bunch of different Penzey's spices (most of which I've never tried, so I'm very excited to be putting them to good use).

Thank you, Jill..I loved everything you sent!!

Merry Christmas..
Claudia

[cchhbb]

I received my package from Lindsey on Friday. It was raining like crazy here and I found the package sitting out in the rain. I was sure I was doomed and had a package full of water. I opened the package and there was a new Wegman's bag on the top which shielded all the goodies from getting soaked. The Wegman's bag was printed with peas. I already had a tomato and grape bag so was happy to get another one to add to my collection.

She also sent grilled onions from Wegman's, some dino bbq sauce from her favorite rest., granola, and a card game for the boys.

Thank you so much for the great package. I can't wait to use all of it.

Cheryl

[cocoa'smom]

I received a great package from cakebaker (Peggy) last week (sorry for the delay in posting). She sent some great things:
-Chili Pineapple Bits (dried pineapple rolled in chili powder stuff) - delicious!
-A bag of California Almonds which I had to finally hide from my DH! I love almonds and often get the individual little bags from Trader Joe's, but these really tasted so much fresher and "almondier"!
-See's candies - a couple of chocolate covered marshamallow Christmas trees which my kids stole before I got a chance to try them and 2 cute decorated candy canes.
- Blonde Brownie mix that she made. I just have to add eggs, vanilla and butter. I'm looking forward to making those.
- Her family Lentil/Bean soup mix along with Sundried tomatoes, and a tube of tomatoe paste to help complete the recipe. That was so considerate to send those with the soup mix. The recipe looks amazing!
- Her dog, Izzie, sent my dog, Roxy, some cute dog treats. Roxy was delighted to be included! Thanks, Izzie!
- Some little winter note pads and a cute little donkey & man made of straw.
I hope I'm not leaving anything out - thanks so much, Peggy. It was a fantastic assortment of treats. Yours will be Fed Ex'd out tomrrow - should receive it on Thursday!

[Kyra]

I've been meaning to post and thank 2Hungry! for her great swap box. I received my package last week and intended to save it for Christmas...and then didn't! It was full of goodies and somehow she used ribbon for packing material; sorry I can't post a picture, but that was incredible presentation! In addition to the edibles (darling winter-shaped pasta, and salty savory crunchy snacks for me!!) I received a package of rainbow peppercorns, which I've never bought for myself so a great present. There was also a very cool collapsible silicone funnel, a super cute teakettle-shaped timer, and for local color, sesame seeds (to plant) from Monticello's gardens and buckwheat pancake mix from a local mill. Oh, and the best part was a 2010 desk calendar from the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria with a photo of Louie, the family cat!

Thanks again to 2Hungry! and to avariell for organizing.

[linsleyd]

Originally Posted by cchhbb

I received my package from Lindsey on Friday. It was raining like crazy here and I found the package sitting out in the rain. I was sure I was doomed and had a package full of water. I opened the package and there was a new Wegman's bag on the top which shielded all the goodies from getting soaked. The Wegman's bag was printed with peas. I already had a tomato and grape bag so was happy to get another one to add to my collection.

She also sent grilled onions from Wegman's, some dino bbq sauce from her favorite rest., granola, and a card game for the boys.

Thank you so much for the great package. I can't wait to use all of it.

Cheryl

I just sent you a pm! I'm glad you received everything and it wasn't soaked!

[MaryMorph]

I was very lucky to be matched with Melanie (Melman) from South Carolina for my first swap! Despite some technical difficulties early on, I think it was a hit!

Included in my box were the following:
1. Pesto and Gorgonzola crackers from TJ's---I've missed that store terribly since moving from Chicago.
2.) Salt water taffy---among my favorite sweet treats.
3.) Lush bath bomb---looking forward to taking some time out to relax in a sweet smelling tub
4.) Poinsettia ornament---the flower was brought to the area in the 1800s by a man named Joel Poinsett.
5.) Snowmen ornaments for my kids
6.) Covered pecans---Yum!
7.) Homemade toffee biscotti and lavender nut cookies---we've already broken into these and enjoyed them with a cup of tea!
8.) BBQ sauce from her BIL's restaurant.
9.) Some photographs of her lovely city.

It was a great package, and a fun swap. Thanks, Melanie!

mary jo

[Kayaksoup]

mine from sneezles arrived at the end of November, but I was remiss in posting here. she totally spoiled me and I am going to post a picture in a little bit with all the details. Just using this as a place marker to remind me to post here...

[Bawstinn]

Laurie - I'm glad that you liked everything!

I opened my box since Laurie finally got hers. Thank you! She was also kind enough to think of my little ones and the dog Inside was:

A bag of whole wheat pastry flour from a local mill
A bag of soup mix for a Mexican Tortilla Soup
Sweet orange almonds (I love almonds)
A Santa ornament (our tree in our entryway is all Santa's)
A bottle og blood orange olive oil
Blackberry honey
A couple of soaps - 'harvest moon' and 'Granny's apple cider'
A couple of dog treats from a local Barkery
Handmade Christmas towel
An apron for Madeleine - she already had it on

I never would have guessed the item for Christopher was a binky holder. I've never heard of one. It is 4 squares of fabric, sewed together, with a ribbon on one end. Hard to explain, but I gave it to him tonight and he was really intent on just playing with it. Two of the fabric squares have raised circles in them, plus the fringe all around it - he doesn't know what to touch first! I think he also likes it because it is very soft.

Thank you so much!