Christmas day already seems like a dim and distant memory and we're only 19 days into the new year!

For the second year running I took part in Jo's Twelve Days of Christmas Swap. I enjoyed taking part last year, and this year was just as enjoyable.

Jo partnered me with April and we swapped parcels in early December.

April sent me a lovely array of gifts, all wrapped and numbered beautifully, and a lovely handmade Christmas card. She's a demonstrator for Stampin' Up UK and makes some beautiful cards, which you can see on her blog.

I opened my first gift on December 25th and continued opening one a day for the twelve days of Christmas.


My first gift was an adorable cat tote bag, followed by some mojito mint green tea, and then a mug cozy in soft pink yarn with the most adorable frilled button (April summed me up pretty well, don't you think?). Socks, pampering eye patches, and earrings followed, along with delicious marshmallow melts and the most amazing smelling sweet lemon sage hand and body lotion from OPI.

Glitter nail polish and mini nail files were followed by retractable animal print pencils and cute cat rubbers, a festive scented tealight, a card wallet, and to finish a hand knitted Christmas pudding with a Ferrero Rocher hidden inside!


A great selection of well chosen gifts I think you'll agree. Thank you April!

Sadly Jo has decided that not to run the swap again next Christmas. A few people who signed up didn't bother to contact the person they'd been partnered with, so some were left disappointed and without gifts. It's such a shame when people don't do what they say they're going to and let others down.

But once again I enjoyed the swap, seeking out suitable gifts and receiving them in return, so a huge thank you to Jo for organising the swap for a second year - it's a super idea!

I took part in the 12 Days of Christmas Swap this year organised by Jo at Through the Keyhole. The idea was to send 12 gifts, one to be opened each day of the 12 days of Christmas.

I was partnered with Alcea Rosea and this is what I received.

A box full of beautifully wrapped and numbered gifts, I was very good and resisted the temptation to open them all the day they arrived!

My first gift was a notebook with a cat on the front. Two of my favourite things right there! Some scissors which have been getting lots of use as I sew my patchwork quilt. A handmade decoration that was immediately hung on my tree. And two scented pouches with cute kittens on.


Another beautiful tree decoration, I think this is called tatting, but I'm not sure, perhaps it's lacing? It's beautiful either way. A large bell that I put on the tree near the bottom so the cats could play with it. Some chocolate (so good!), and another scented item that now resides in my sock drawer.

Some soap that I've yet to start using, it just looks so pretty tied up and wrapped in lovely material. I'm intrigued to see if there is enough material for me to use it to make a flower for my quilt. Some tweezers that I've used when crafting (sometimes I find I need to glue together tiny items and these are perfect!). I also received a chocolate lovers recipe book, of which this chocolate fudge cake will be my first bake. And lastly some chocolate with my name on. I love things with my name on, when I was a child my name never appeared on anything. My best friend was called Karen and she was always showing me her latest pencil case with her name, or a cute mug. The only time I was ever given something with my name on was when Karen returned from a holiday in Wales with a blue mug and my name printed in white. I was delighted!! To receive something with my name on as an adult really pleases me.

I forgot to photograph the gifts I sent to Alcea Rosea, other than this one of them all wrapped up!


Many thanks to Jo for organising a fun swap, and huge thanks also to Alcea Rosea for such lovely and thoughtful gifts.

Did you join in any swaps this year?