Best for Last!!

Since Fall is my favorite time of year i was so excited to do this swap! catherine you are amazing. this orange wordle sign is so perfect! i love all the fall words, each one brings up an image or memory of thanksgiving.

can you say cute! i can't even believe how cute these are! genius :)

i love candy corn! and this stand was to die for! serisously all the work put into it, its perfect to display my constant diminishing display of candy corn. (everyone always knows that "auntie toria" has candy corn at her house:)) .

absolutely stunning! this is four feet across, it was the perfect completion to my fall porch!

love the hair things! and the earrings. everything was so amazing, i really love you cat!

as always catherine is so fantastically fabulous! and her swaps are insane! sign me up for the next one! :)

Thank You Genevieve!

I got some really adorable Thanksgiving items from Genevieve!

Decorative wood blocks:

A fun magnet board:

This lovely door hanging.
I needed something for my front door for the fall...this was perfect!

An adorable charm necklace inside a little decorated match box.

Some fall flower pens, a lovely holiday tin box, and these leaves were everywhere throughout the box as I rummaged through excited to see what I got.

A closer look at the tin box:

Thank you SO much Genevieve! I love everything! Now I actually own some Thanksgiving/Fall decorations. For some reason I always skip past Thanksgiving and buy Christmas decorations instead. :)

PERFECTION

I finally have time to blog my package. I got it forever ago.

I know, I know Catherine, I am a slacker on blogging:)

My package had an adorable headband with matching barrettes. I already had to tell my girls to BACK OFF the headband - it is mine. But they can share the barrettes. :) Check out the frame on the picture - have you seen a prettier one. I love the color! Okay, I saved the best for last. I had to take a close up picture of these pumpkins.

Can I just say perfection?

Thank you so much for my package. I love it!

chalkboard rocks!!! (it really does)

i first saw these rocks in the fall pottery barn catalog this year. they are called chalkboard rock fillers. you can buy them $16.00 for FOUR! or make them. all you need are some smooth rocks and chalkboard spray paint. spray them and let them dry for a day or so, then rub chalk all over them and wipe off (this has something to do with them being more writeable-i'm not sure, but i know it works). they have chalkboard markers in a bunch of different colors at the craft stores that are a lot easier to write with. they are a little expensive, so take your coupon with you.

while i'm at it...

i have to share with you what i am doing for our family's thanksgiving dinner table place settings to continue with the chalkboard obsession.

chalkboard chargers.

go here http://chalkboardchina.com/ChalkboardChina/collections.html

enough said...you can kiss me later.

And the winner for the most creative way to package a gift goes to...

... Jeanne!

What do you do when you don't have a box that's big enough for what you want to send? You cut up 3 different boxes, turn them inside out, and pull out the tape (of course!). I am seriously in awe over the ingenuity....and I won't lie and say that I didn't enjoy a chuckle as I looked out my window and saw the mail lady trying to hustle across the street with this massive box.

And the reason for this gorgeous display of box rigging is: a fabulous wreath! Would you believe that I've never actually owned a wreath? I have wooden candy canes that I put on my door at Christmas. In fact, I had just procured another wreath hanger as the last one was not to be found....but I digress. As soon as I saw this wreath, I wrenched the door open, flung aside the premature candy canes, and put my new, beautiful, autumnal wreath in its rightful place.

As the kids were not yet home, this lovely self-portrait (sarcasm dripping) was the only way I could think of to show off the apron that Jeanne made. I absolutely love this print. It's so cute that I'm seriously considering cooking food just so I can wear it (but I'm only considering). It even has these huge pockets, and the cutest ric-rac along the bottom. Darling!

And finally is this very thoughtful scrapbook for my family to write what they are thankful for. This is an extremely poignant gift as Tyson's Mom always tried to start this tradition. Since she's been gone 5 years now, Thanksgiving is not the same. (for starters: I dislike cooking and despise vegetables) But I think this cute book is just the thing to start a new tradition!

Oh, and PS....treats!

Thanks so much, Jeanne! I loved it all!

THANK YOU SARAH

Seriously!!! I love my package from Sarah. Everything was perfect.

I got an absolutely adorable Gratitude journal and jar. I am so excited for this as it will help my family all year.
There was also some fun headresses for Thanksgiving day and placemats for us to color.
Allegra loved her"baby turkey"

I loved this quote on gratitude and the frame was perfect. The blocks can spell either Give or Fall and I love the colors on them.

There were so many fabulous things in this package. An amazing banner that says Thankful(my daughter pulled the banner down while I was taking the picture). Also burlap napkin rings that are wonderful.

Thank you Sarah for a wonderful Thanksgiving swap.

i'm gonna rig the system somehow so i get crystal for the next swap too!

i love getting packages, but not just any packages...crystal's package!

check out this apron! as always, the pictures don't do it justice. the fabric is so cute, it has pockets and i love the ric-rac.

check out the detail.

next were these rubber gloves with an oil cloth ruffle. they are so bright and pretty! here is the dishwasher modeling them...thanks dear husband!!!( just think how soft and pretty your hands will be now :)

crystal has always made beautiful cards and these were no exception. they say "grateful for you"-i love them, and i've already used a few.

and then this snowman family. all i can say is A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E! the detail is amazing (byu hat) and they are all a little bit different. too bad i already took my christmas card pictures, cause this would have been a whole lot easier!

i mean c'mon, i look gorgeous!

my kids were SO excited about them. so they got the royal treatment and lived in a castle for awhile.

and then they went on a sleepover
and took a spin in batman's car.

after that, they were tired and so i collected them and put them somewhere safe so they wouldn't be harmed. seriously though, they asked to sleep with them that night, and i said...."NO! they're mine" like any good mommy would do :)

thank you crystal, you rock!

THANKS victoria for GIVING

when i picked victorias name to be my partner...i was SO dang excited because i know how talented and creative she is.

um...yeah. she outdid herself on my package. i was FREAKING out!

first off. these lace pumpkins. really? i adore the rustic stem contrasting with the chiffon ribbon and girly lace.
ok. these next two things are SO beautiful and totally unique. the wordart in the tray is all things pertaining to thanksgiving/fall/and my family.
the candle is a vintage canning jar filled with candy corn and she made it into a faux candle. its pErFeCt on my counter.

so you can see the detail on the candle.

these candy corn, not only did she paint, but she actually cut out the shapes by hand and used a dremel to make the lines. and again those darling crows.

this is why victoria is completely out-of-control. she PAINTED this mural. the wood is a vintage cabinet door. just LOOK at the detail. and it is all free-hand

another look

NO we aren't done yet!

next is this pumpkin rag wreath. i am just impressed how funky and different the fabrics are, and how well they go together. hand stitched stem and leaves. it is SO dang cute.

and then these pumpkins. SO dang cute by themselves, but stacked together. DARLING!!!

and it all came in this rubbermaid. seriously? now can you see why i was freaking out?

so thank you vic. i love EVERYTHING!!! you might "accidentally" be my partner next swap!

So Thankful, Josephine!

I was so excited to get my package from Josephine today! I honestly can't pick a favorite thing- I LOVE it all!!!

How cute are these painted fabric candy corn??? So creative and so fun!

This picture frame and saying is perfect for me. I love to eat and I'm always thankful for an abundance of food!

This is a shadow box filled with different patterned paper pumpkins. Again, so creative and cute and it goes perfectly on my shelf!



This pinwheel garland is absolutely adorable- I love the colors!



Thank you so much, Josephine, for such an awesome package! It added the perfect touches that my house needed to be ready for Thanksgiving. And again, thanks to Catherine for organzing another successful swap!!!

Thank you Jennifer Baring

This is what I got from Jennifer Baring, a beautiful glass, Pie Pan with a Pumpkin Pie Recipe, and everything i need to make a Pumkin Pie..mmmm....a beautiful serving knife, kitchen towel.. I LOVE>>>LOVE the 16 seasonal word blocks...Table Cover, Harvest Party Place Cards. a bautiful, oven leaf glassware, The Most Yummy candies in cute Triangles...Thank you so much Jennifer You made my Sunday a great one...Thank you..and see you soon...:)