Secret Santa Gift Swap Reveal!

I thought this was SUCH a fun swap with a great idea. Kelly from Messy.Dirty.Hair, Janna from Perception is Everything, and Tabithia from My Cliffnotes decided to host a giving season swap and it was actually a SECRET SANTA swap! We were NOT allowed to tell our partners who we were, but rather, they are coming around to our blogs to see if they can figure out who their partner was.

I played secret santa to Ricci from A Beautiful Mess. Ricci, I hope you enjoyed everything I got for you, Ricci. I had a LOT of fun choosing things out (boyfriend helped!) and I'm glad you were the one I was santa to. To see what I got her, click here!

Here's what I got! My secret santa KILLED it. Love every single thing she got for me.

Dunkin Donuts french vanilla coffee - PERFECT. Oh, hi Socks.

Apple Cinnamon Spiced Berry candle - I needed more candles! Burnt through my others already!

Cute little tumbler with floating snowflakes in it - LOVE. Hi, again, Socks.

WHAT. Something for ME? From Socks. My secret santa got something for Socks - whaaaat! How perfect.

   

As you can tell, he can't decide which ball he likes better but has been constantly playing with both.

The prettiest, most perfect scarf ever. I love how lightweight and how pretty it is!!

Secret Santa, THANK YOU!!! I'm still not sure who sent things to me, though! I'm going to go through the blog swap and see :)

Have a good day, y'all!

Strength and Courage & Blog Friend Package Swap #2 - Ornaments!

First, I wanted to start this blog post out by saying my thoughts & prayers go out to each and every person involved with the shooting in Connecticut today. I can honestly say that the teachers and staff members that had to protect their students are my heroes. The amount of courage it took by the staff members and students at the school was astounding. The strength of each person to go through such a situation is also astounding. I hope that each family finds the peace that they deserve & all my love goes to each and every person.

To those that responded, the emergency services, thank you. Your strength and courage also astounds me. It warms my heart to know that there are such great people out there willing to drop EVERYTHING to help others at a moments notice. Prayers and love go to each and every one of you, too.

On another note, Autumn over at "Mrs." in the Making set up this great swap. Each time she does these swaps, there's a new theme. Welp, this time around it was an ornament swap! How cool, right?!

I was partnered with Lindsay from Life as Lindsay. She was one sweet gal and sent me SO much more than I could have ever asked for.

First, I got this gorgeous Joy ornament. There were two ornaments, the other said "Cheers!" but it broke on the way to me... so it really said "heers!" - therefore, I couldn't put it up. But I'm in LOVE with the Joy ornament!

She also sent cute socks. Cannot wait to wear them around the house.

And she also sent a set of lipgloss by ELF. I love ELF products. They are perfect!

And as if I wasn't already spoiled enough, she also sent another package. BUT, I chose to keep it wrapped and will open it on Christmas. I cannot wait to see what is inside! :)

Lindsay, thank you SO much for everything. I love everything you got me and cannot wait to be surprised come Christmas for the last item you sent!!

Have a good night, y'all.

Ornament Swap Reveal

So, I participated in an ornament swap hosted by Rachel from Life as Mrs. and Christina from My Life, Laughs, & Loves.

I got paired up with the fantastic Esther from Esther Norine Designs. She one SWEET woman and is very caring. She's also absolutely gorgeous! I requested something that dealt with the fact that Cody and I are having our first Christmas together for real or something red because I like red. Well, Esther did AMAZING at choosing something out!!

She got me a new home ornament that's red!! How perfect is that?? I cannot wait to put it on our brand new tree in our brand new house. It's going to look so beautiful!

But not only did she get me an ornament, she also knitted a scarf for me! I love the colors and I actually wore it for the first time the other night out in the cold. It's beautiful and warm and just perfect.

Esther, you did an AMAZING job at picking out an ornament for me. The scarf was an added bonus! Thank you so, so much for everything and I am so happy I was paired up with you. You're an amazing woman and I cannot thank you enough!

Have a good day, y'all!

Fall Favorites Swap

Guess whaaaaaaat? It's time to link up for the Fall Favorites Swap hosted Mia from The Chronicles of Chaos and Kim at The K.O. Jewelry! I was partnered up with Kelly from Messy.Dirty.Hair.

Kelly was an AMAZING swap partner. She really knew me and what I liked! I'm really happy to have been paired with her. Below is what she got me. I LOVE IT ALL.

Confetti Nail Polish

 

Snowflake & Peace glittery ornaments

Christmas cards

 

Fall themed towel & oven mitt - perfect for our new house!!

Kelly - thank you SOOOO much for everything! I truly appreciate it and am so happy I was paired up with you. 

Don't forget about the giveaway & the Advent Calendar Swap sign ups!

Have a good day, y'all!

Advent Calendar Swap Sign-Ups!

Uh oh.. breaking bloggy rules today! BUT, I absolutely have a great excuse to be posting twice in one day.

Sarah from Notes from a Newlywed and I have partnered up to bring you all an ADVENT CALENDAR SWAP!

<div align="center"> <a href="http://missventrella.blogspot.com/2012/10/advent-calendar-swap-sign-ups.html" title="Advent Calendar Swap Button by ventrellasara, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8190/8141551302_e3d8a125c8_n.jpg" width="320" height="162" alt="Advent Calendar Swap Button"></a></div>

What's the swap all about? Well, let me tell ya! Sarah had the great idea to go forward with the Advent Calendar Swap and asked me to be the co-host. Of course I said yes because I absolutely LOVE the idea of making a hand-made advent calendar for another person to bring in the Christmas season! Here's the timeline we're shooting for for this swap:

October 31-November 9 {sign ups}
November 12 {partners assigned}
November 13-23 {get to know your partner & create the advent calendar!}
November 26 {mail day! mail out your calendar to your partner in time for December 1st}
December 17 {OPTIONAL link up here on the blogs!}

Below are some example advent calendars I found on Pinterest (yes, my addiction). I absolutely love each and every one and think they're all SO creative.

Tin Can advent calendar

Candy Wrapper advent calendar for each day!

Christmas Advent Calendar Cookie Sheet

Variety of Handmade Advent Calendar ideas

The possibilities for this are ENDLESS!

If you are interested in joining in the swap, and I hope that you are, please fill out the form below. Sarah & I are so happy to be able to bring this swap to you and we hope it has a great turn out!

ALSO: If you sign up, please make sure to go to my giveaway page by clicking the button on the bottom of this post and go to the 5th giveaway for the 31 bag - you get an extra 25 entries JUST for signing up for the swap!

Don't forget about the giveaway going on!

Have a good day, y'all!

Fall Favorites Swap Reveal!

Another Fall Favorites Swap with the hosts Holly from A Cajun Belle, Melanie from Fashionably Forty, and J from An Unstyled Life! This Fall Favorites Swap was similar to the other, where we got to know our partners and then send them some fall themed things - it could have been nail polish, pumpkin something, candles, scarves, pictures, ANYTHING that was fall related.

Well, I got partnered up with the amazing Micah, who blogs over at Unabashedly Me. First off, let me tell you that this woman is talented. And I mean TALENTED. She is a writer and has 3 books that have been published. I'm making it a goal of mine to read them by the time the year is over. AKA by December 31st. Anyways, she's so sweet and fun and caring and she sent me the most amazing things in relation to fall.

(Don't mind Jess... he wanted to be in the picture, too!) 

Micah sent me some Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla coffee (MMMMM), Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin lotion/body scrub, and two of my fav smelling candles - leaves & pumpkin cupcake. YUM.

She also sent me a pumpkin plate that broke... STINKIN' POST OFFICE!! And a bag of candy.... which I ate. I know, I know... couldn't help myself! I needed chocolate and that's what she sent so it was PERFECT.

Micah, thank you SOOO much. You are an amazing swap partner and an amazing person in all. Thank you for everything!!

As always, if you're EVER asked to do a swap or have the opportunity.. do it. You never know who you'll meet or connect with.

Have a good day, y'all!

I Made it For You {handmade craft swap}

Guess what, I participated in ANOTHER swap! This swap was just as good as all my others. I was paired with the ever so sweet Cheryl, who blogs at Spotted Around the School. She's probably the sweetest, most kind-hearted person I have ever met in my life!
Danielle from The Life of an "Ordinary" Wife and Libby from It's Never Too Late... Although I'm Always Late! partnered up to bring us the handmade craft swap. So I decided to make a few things for Cheryl.
But, I forgot to take pictures, so if you want to see them, head to her blog! But what I made... yeah. It didn't outshine what SHE made for ME. OH. MY. GOSH. I am in love with what she made for me! I told her my favorite things were Fall and the ocean/beach. So, what did she do? Made something in both categories!
First, she made this adorable fall hanging decoration that I could use during the Halloween season. It says, "FAITH - FAMILY - FRIENDS" and has a little crow at the top. Did I mention, she wrote on and painted AND decorated each of the things ON HER OWN? Uh, creativity!!

But that's not it.. she also sent me a jar filled with sand from Isle of Palms in South Carolina. Inside that jar was a baggie of shells. Now, if you know me, no matter what beach I go to, I HAVE to find shells. I'm obsessed with shells. So anyways, not only did she include sand and shells, she painted on the sides of the glass, "SAND... SUN... FUN!" How cute is she?!

Cheryl, thank you SO much. You were a perfect swap partner and are so kind, caring, and sweet! I absolutely love what you made for me and cannot wait to move to put them up! I think the hanging decoration is going to go on our front door while the jar will go in my bathroom as decoration :) I cannot wait! 
Again, if you have the chance to participate in a swap, DO IT. You will not regret it one bit!
Have a great day, y'all!

Fall Into Fall Swap

Another swap :) Can ya tell I love these things?! This time, the swap was a "Fall Into Fall" swap that Neely from A Complete Waste of Makeup, Erin from Everything According to Erin, and Tracy from Then I Got To Thinking hosted! The goal was to send some things that remind you of fall to your swap partner. Well, I was paired up with Nicole from The Southbay Newlyweds Plus One. And before I continue, you should probably go check out her blog AND her abso-freaking-lutely adorable baby boy, Andrew. Anyway, she found out what I liked and man, did she do good! We all know I love crafts (Monday Made It, anyone?) and that I love cards/stationary/etc.

So, Nicole got me a Days-To-Remember Calendar where I put in my own months and days with either stamps, stickers, etc. to remember days like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and other important dates! How cool is that? Along with that, she got me some stickers - not sure if this is what she intended them for, but each sticker is going to represent something in the calendar (blue = birthdays, yellow = anniversaries, etc.). I LOVE THIS, NICOLE!

Then, she also got me a Michaels gift card (YES!), a pack of Halloween cards, Bath & Body Works nail files (which has a glare.. I apologize), a hand sanitizer rubber thing to hold my hand sanitizers from Bath & Body, and a cute card. In that card, she gave me a little note to let me go buy my own hand sanitizer because she was not sure how it would ship! Nicole, I love your creativity :) And that's my Fall Into Fall Swap with the fantastic hosts and an amazing swap partner! Nicole, you did an amazing job and I absolutely love EVERYTHING you got for me. You knew me like the back of your hand and I surely hope you liked what I got you! In order to see what I got Nicole, head on over to her blog to check it out :)
 Like I've said on all my other posts, if you EVER get the chance to do a swap (no matter what kind), DO IT. You never know who you will meet, nor do you know what you will get. It's all a surprise, and I absolutely love it! Have a good day, y'all!