Typing on my smart phone is a challenge! So that's spice not spuce...

And I have to mention Sooz threw in a bonus for my bithday...a copy of Food and Wine (I love it and no longer have my subscription) , some sunscreen (yay!) And a gift that perfectly fits my personality, a bubble wand.

Thanks Sooz! You rock!

Sooz! What a great package for Bizzo! I've had the opportunity to meet up with Bizzo at the Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut! She is a blast and your package perfectly suits her. You did good! ;-)

Bizzo, Enjoy your package and your weekend in the Berkshires!

We want pictures! Nice haul. Sounds like a great kick start for summer.

Major cheating there, Sooz, it is 'one to three items' LOL. We might let you off the hook this time because you are a newbie, bwhahahaa.

YAY!!! And best of all I love her sets. Opens up the possibilities for the rest of us ;)

Can't wait to see your pics. It sure sounds like a lovely package.

Bizzo, have a wonderful weekend getaway and enjoy Sooz's gifts. Looking forward to photos.

You are so right Jessica. Great haul, but definitely a lot of cheating going on. LOL!!!!!

Loves2cook4six, Just a reminder, the theme is one to three items. Lots of possibilities even without cheating.

Ann

When I opened the box, the first thing I saw on top was a brown paper bag smiling at me:

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inside were small vials wrapped in bubble wrap, with a note...
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inside were ice pop flavorings - blackberry and strawberry!!!

Here's a picture of the flavoring and the ice pop molds.
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That was set #2!

Set #3 included the grill planks, grill sauce, and the zaatar spice (one of set #1's awesome big beverage bottles is in the picture)

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Here's a picture of the keystone from group #1: the metro collapsible "blanket" (picnic basket!!) with the hand towels
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and here's the whole haul!!!
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As I mentioned, Sooz also included some ice pop recipes, and a recipe for grilled chicken with the zaatar spice...
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one sample (from Oprah.com June 2011) is Papaya Agua Fresca Pops:
Place 4 cups cubed Mexican papaya (about 2 pounds of fruit) in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk in 3/4 c. water, 3 T. sugar, honey, 1 T lime juice, and 3/4 t salt. To finish, pour mixture into molds and insert sticks. Freeze until firm, about 6 hours.

Can't wait to try them!!

(in the first note I said I was celebrating a new weekend. I am, but I really meant to say I was celebrating a new decade. I have one of those birthdays on Monday! so this was GREAT Timing)

That was a great swap package!

Hope you enjoy your picnic basket et al., and have a great, wonderful, significant birthday!

Those are great gifts. I'm sure you'll enjoy all zillion of them.. LOL. But, OMG....lol... does this set a new record for cheating?? LOL.. this is fun.

coconut, you are going to get us all handslaps with comments like that ;) ;)

I am enjoying this so much. Love my swap items from beachlily but boy was/am I having a hard time with my own package that I still need to ship. LOL. So it's nice to see what others are receiving.

Glad the package arrived there before you left, Bizzo, and so happy you enjoyed it!

To me (for my first ever swap!), all the sets DO go together for the theme of summer--fun, picnics, BBQs, outdoorsy stuff, messy eating, yummy eating etc. :O)

Happy "zero" Birthday weekend, gal !

Smiles,
Sooz

Sooz, on my first swap, I WAY cheated too!!! and like you, I didn't really know I was cheating, I just created sets of things I thought went together LOL. I'm proud to be the happy recipient of your first swap. They really are so much fun! Believe me, I'll be able to start using things right away! :-)

That's a nice, thoughtful and generous swap. I think you done good. Lucky Bizzo.

LOL loves2. Hey, but Ann is now giving a prize if we keep in the limit.. lol.

I know Sooz wasn't thinking it was cheating. I thought it was a great box.

What a terrific box! Very, very summery. Enjoy!

I think it's a GREAT box, too!!! Thanks Sooz for all the thought you put into it!

I love the creativity of swaps, and I know you stuck to an interpretation of 3-sets!!! each item definitely goes with the others in the set as you so eloquently explained in your note to me!

That is a great box. Technically cheating, Sooz, but maybe you should get points for creativity.

I can say I've never cheated. nowait...no I can't. But this time, I'll be good. I willnotcheatIwillnotcheat...ooooommmmmmmmm......

Cheating or not, it was still a very great box and a good choice for Bizzo.

Have I cheated? Um.......I'm taking my advice from Bill Clinton and absolutely denying everything, LOL.

Annie

Just keep repeating that Katie. Say after me "I will NOT cheat".

Actually you have to be just as creative to put together a swap package with just three items.

Ann

Okay, y'all--before I retired, I taught "sets" for decades in my math classes and I can certainly offer oodles of rationale behind my groupings! LOL

Here's a new way to look at it if you wish (humor!)...for any item(s) that might be questionable as part of a set, well, the item(s) will automatically become Bizzo's birthday gift(s)!

Ta-daaaaah! See? No "cheating!" Her birthday is Monday so this works out perfectly--she just got herself a bonus of more b'day stuff if anything doesn't fit into a set! :O)

Celebrate the zero, Bizzo! As a former multi-subject teacher, you now have permission to *subtract* from your age, by one year, every year, until you are once again 21 years old! It's the new, creative, more gentle math!!!

Smiles,
Sooz

Great swap gift and sooooo very creative!

Nancy

WOW Bizzo! That is a lot of loot! Will get a lot of use over the summer. Nice! -maria

Thanks for the birthday gifts sooz! !!!

Awwww, Bizzo, you are very welcome!!!!

Happy B-Day, from one "zero" to another!

:O)

Smiles,
Sooz

Oh, Boy!! Picnic at Bizzo's!
Everything just looks happy and cheery!!

Good job, Sooz....even if it is cheating. hee hee.

Deanna

Wow, lots of cool stuff!
Sherry