Jackpot!!

11 years ago

I found a box late last night; thought it was my daily delivery from Amazon but at closer look, Amazon doesn't put "Go Mustangs!" on my boxes. Hummm, maybe it went to a neighbor who redelivered it to the Home of the Mustangs.

Closer look and it wasn't from Amazon, it was from GWlol!

You would have to see it to appreciate the amazing wrapping job Lalitha did, the colors were like swatches from my dining room decorating project. She even wrapped the sheets of foam packing material. I thought it must be RiverRat's work.

These are the "outer gifts". All softball related cookie cutters and a Mustang cookie cutter. Perfect as we are having a "between games" picnic this weekend and I'm charged with bringing finger food dessert.

And to further warm my heart, cooking tools and a cookbook for my cooking projects with Lily with revolting recipes like Mosquitoes' Toes that Beau will love! Mira, Lalitha's 8 year old, helped with the cookbook.

Then on to the "inner gifts". Again, even the packing material was beautifully wrapped.

The "inner gifts" were amazing too; they include a selection of California products.
A ceramic olive dish, perfect, as I always serve olives to guests.
Olives with Orange & Fennel. I had to resist opening this jar, I'll use these to impress guests.
Raspberry & Violet Preserves. I did open this jar, it was fantastic on my English Muffin.
Bacon Toffee, enough said!

It was a good thing that I had plenty of help unwrapping all the gifts.

Yes, Brownie, thank you for your help.

Lalitha really did her homework. Great job, I thank you for your thoughtfulness AND your packing skills.

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Comments (13)

gwlolo
11 years ago
Cathy- So glad it arrived safely! I was first worried that the items would break, and then I was worried it was lost somehow. I had misplaced the UPS slip and was hunting for it all of yesterday so that I could track the package!

The olives, the jam and the chocolate are all local from san francisco bay area. Northern California has a strong foodie culture and the little shop in my town where I got the items had it packaged as a "San Francisco special gift basket" (ann_t ---> I believe that counts as 1 item :). The guys who run the shop were really excited about the swap and wanted to make sure that they did a good showing for bay area.. The packaging was a very entertaining process :). I got to select the wrapping paper and they even compared the colors to the jam to make sure the specific shade worked! H

Hope Beau and Lily enjoy making the baseball cookies. The mustang cookie cutter was delayed shipping and took forever to arrive. I barely made it to the shipping date cutoff.

Lalitha aka GWlolo
annie1992
11 years ago
Wow, another great swap box. I love that cookbook, I'm betting we'll get to see some of Beau and Lily's creations in the future.

I didn't even know they made a Mustang cookie cutter, what a great idea. All that and bacon toffee, how could it go wrong.

Nice "help" you have there, Cathy!

Annie
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centralcacyclist
11 years ago
What a thoughtful, and well researched swap box! The preserves and olives sound both unusual and delicious. Love that bowl. Bacon AND toffee all in one. Oh my! And everything is beautifully presented. I know Cathy appreciates the attention to detail.

The cookbook and kid baking set are adorable and all the softball goodies are obviously perfect.

Well done, Lalitha.

Eileen
KatieC
11 years ago
Ni-i-ice! What a fun and thoughtful box, Lalitha. Cathy I know you'll have a blast with the gkids (soooo jealous...).

You'll have to report on the bacon toffee.

I love that cookbook. I have Gross Grub and Gross Goodies but I hadn't seen this one, so I went to Amazon and there are three! Gotta have 'em.
wizardnm
11 years ago
That's a very thoughtful and fun gift. I love that the papers all matched the contents.

Nice job!

Nancy
ann_t
11 years ago
Now that is a very well thought out swap box. Love the olive dish and the olives.

Cute helpers!!

~Ann
artsyshell
11 years ago
Wow! Someone got spoiled :) Great swap box. Love the kiddie (hard to read but pretty sure that's what it says) pan baking set, and the cutters. Cookbook looks really interesting! Preserves and olive bowl are ALWAYS useful.
lakemayor
11 years ago
What a great gift. I love the cookie cutters. I'll be the kids will have a great time making cookies for the team.

I love the cat in the box also. But, I love cats!

Karen
whgille
11 years ago
Cathy, what a great and useful package you got! I can see you enjoying all your presents! Cute cats!

Lalitha, good job!

Silvia
coconut_nj
11 years ago
A great box. I'd have loved to see the guys trying to match papers to the items. San Francisco at it's finest. So love that you ordered a mustang cutter to go with the rest of the baseball theme. Very special box and those items that were in the gift basket certainly count as one. Smiles. Ya did great for the Bay Area Lalitha.

[former Oakland, Richmond resident]
riverrat1
11 years ago
Schweeet Swap Box! LOL Cathy! I do love a beautifully wrapped gift and Lalitha and I must talk about her perfection in wrapping ;-) Nicely done.

For real...bacon toffee? Lalitha? Source please? ;-)

This is an amazing swap box. Love the Olive dish!

Enjoy your bounty Cathy and just wow GWlol!

I too love the helpers!
jessyf
11 years ago
Great research work, Lalitha, you are hereby nominated to be the next 'Swap Spy' LOL. I really need to explore more of NoCal, I just love our state. Something for everyone. You put together a perfect box for Cathy!
gwlolo
11 years ago
Riverrat- The bacon toffee is from a local artisan chocolate place called Snake & Butterfly.

Jackpot!!

Comments (13)

gwlolo

annie1992

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