Tuesday, December 4, 2012

My Winter Gift Exchange Experience

Have any of you ever participated in an online gift exchange before?  Well, Linda from Craftaholics Anonymous plans out two of them every year!  I wanted to participate in the last one but because it was so close to our wedding, I figured I better not try to cram one more thing in!  That being said, I was really excited to participate in my first one this winter.  Linda used Elfster.com to help organize and match people together.  This website can also be used to post your holiday, birthday, anytime wishlists for friends and family.



Even though I went into this entirely clueless, I was really happy with the way things turned out.  The woman I got paired up with is really sweet and seems like such a nice person.  Although I still wasn't sure what I was doing by the time I mailed her gift, I have learned a lot about what to expect and how to go about doing the exchange in the future.

I wanted to show my exchange partner off a little bit because oh my goodness she is crafty!  Here is what she made for me (keep scrolling, there are several things!)


How darling is this bag?  I LOVE the big bow on the front and see the picture on the left?  Those are matching pockets on the inside of the bag!  I was so impressed with her craftsmanship on this, it was so well done.  I immediately switched out the contents from my previous bag to this one.



This gift was actually a perfect gift and she didn't even know it.  Since I've been working in retail, I have seen a lot of people using coin purses and I have been thinking "I should get one of those".  Little did I know, that I was being made one!  What I especially love is how the inside has a different pattern.  So cute!



This is awesome.  It's soft but sturdy and is the perfect size for holding a variety of small crafting goods.  Did you notice that it is made from the same pretty fabric as the bag?  I have been trying to figure out how she made this and I am sure it's easier than it looks but I am impressed to boot!



This one might be my favorite of them all.  I saw that my partner had made a ton of cute pin cushions that she posted online and I almost asked if she could make me one- even if I just bought it from her!  I have been needing one but had not decided what pattern to have put on it.  She made this so perfectly fit for me (I don't know how she did it!)  My favorite colors are green and yellow, I love summertime and I love daisies (which is what that flower looks like, don't you think?)  I am still so tickled impressed by this and by her.


{I would recommend it!}
It's a little tricky your first time into the exchange world, but now that I have experienced it I can't wait to participate in my next one! I am so grateful to my partner for her hard work and brilliant crafting and I hope that she enjoyed her gifts from me as well.

Please note that although these pictures belong to me, the items pictured were not my creation and I do not take credit for them. I am going to talk to my partner and see if she wants her name/info mentioned to link ownership to them. However, I have included this blog name on the pictures so that her work is not floating around the internet without having a source. If she says yes to posting her links, you all should check out her work- she is very creative!

Happy Crafting,
Kelsie Ann

2 comments:

  1. WOW! She went all out! That was a fun exchange wasn't it? I participated too! How funny if we would have gotten paired up! ha! Smiles, Jill

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    1. Yes she did! She is very impressive! It was fun, I can't wait to do the next one. I saw what you made, it was adorable and very crafty. Me & my mom actually joked about that when I had told her to sign up. I bet that does happen sometimes! Thanks for stopping by.

      Kelsie Ann

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