Amanda Rose Zampelli | the blog

Mug Swap 2014 | what I gifted & got

Happy Mug Swap 2014 Link Up Day! Today is the day that you can find links to a bunch of the mugs people were gifted and got for other swap participants over at ACUPPAKIM. Also, her recap of this year's mugswap.

Above is the mug I gifted for my swappee, Sherry Lynn French.  She described her taste as casual, and into the colors teal and lime green. 

I made sure to include some lime green pieces in her mug swap package, along with a stamp set (because stamps are fun), and a bag of my favorite cookies by Tate's Bake Shop.

I then wrapped her mug in far too much bubble wrap because you can nver wrap a mug in too much bubble wrap.

I strategically placed her goodies in a too-big box with too many packing peanuts and secured it tightly. Two days later I was tagged on Sherry's instagram image below:

I'm glad she liked it all because, as a swapper, you never really know if you got their style right. You shop mindfully, you decide on something, and then cross your fingers.  In the end, though, it's all about blessing someone, right?  

...and speaking of blessing others...

My mug swapper, Kelly Gonzalez, blessed me with this sweet doodled-on mug:

The message was exactamundo what I needed in my mind, in my soul, and in my heart.  They're some of the best few words a worry wart like myself can hear, so thank you again, lady. And that Bob Marley coffee was clutch. ;) So yummy delish!

I say this every year (last year & year before) but Kim: your Annual August Mug Swap is magical and uplifting.  Thank you for hosting yet again, and you can be sure I'll be back for the next one! 

august is for MUG SWAPPING!!

Not only is it Sister's Day 'round these parts once the calendar flips July >> August, but it's also MUG SWAP month!! This year will be my third year participating in A CUPPA KIM's annual mug swap.

I found out about this swap (where you buy a mug for someone after reading a bit about them, and you receive a mug from some other person who reads a bit about you) two years ago. Two years ago I gifted my swappee this mug with DIY tea bag tags (we're still instagram friends) and received this sweet Starbucks mug all the way from Florida! It's still one of my favorite mugs.

Last year, I gifted my swappee what I affectionately called a MUG SWAP-topus. It was all kinds of awesome, in my humble opinion, and I don't know how I'm going to top it this year! Haa! (click to see a round up of all the mugs blogged about for A CUPPA KIM's 2013's Mug Swap)

This year, the theme of Kim's mug swap is "blessing others". That's such a sweet concept because thought, time, and consideration is put into finding that mug (or should be) and how often does thought, time, and consideration get put into anything anymore?!?! ...let alone from a complete stranger. So, to me this swap reminds me that it's a blessing to participate. It's a blessing that something so simple as a new mug bought with someone in mind can brighten that person's day.

Check out the post on it, and I would say "go sign up", but turns out she hit MAX CAPACITY on day one. Sorry guys. Check out the posts on social media with the hashtag is #mugswap14, and the handle @CuppaKim. Hooray!

for Mug Swap 2013, I gifted a...

Haa haa!  ...at least that's what I called it.

It was a mug I found at PAPER SOURCE on the first day of looking.  I spent a few days after that initial find hunting for a mug, but none "spoke" to me the way that octopus one did.

I went back and bought it, and at the cash register as I was getting rung up, I spotted those tentacle legs.  The image above flashed before my eyes, and I knew I had to include them in my mugswap package, along with a cute sea-themed notebook set and matching pencils:

What you see below is how I packed my mug and goodies, and what my mug swap partner, Jen, opened up and saw:

I sent her a letter along with all the goodies, explaining my thinking behind getting her this mug, letting her know I visited her blog and how the mug's colors seemed to match her header (at the time). So fun!

I'd like to give a special thanks to ACUPPAKIM for hosting this Mug Swap once again.  I even got my friend, Elisa, involved this year - who thought it an absolute blast to hunt for, creatively package, and send out a mug to a complete stranger 'cross country.

Count us in for next year's round of mug swapping fun!

xOxO,