Dear ones,
Happy to have you stop by for today’s 2018 Mug Love Exchange reveal. This is the third annual mug exchange hosted by Stephanie at Wife Mommy Me but this is my first year to participate. Can’t wait to show you the beautiful mug I received!! Before I show off my treats, why don’t you pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea, and grab one for me, too, please.
We’ll begin with a little background about the Mug Love Exchange.
2018 Mug Love Exchange
Those of us who were interested in participating in the 2018 Mug Love Exchange were paired by Stephanie with another blogger. Then Stephanie sent out the name of our partner with the following directions:
Your budget should range between $10 – $15 BEFORE SHIPPING. You are more than welcomed to send additional goodies along with your mug. Link-up with me on Wife Mommy Me and share mug details on October 26th.
Not a blogger? No problem, share your gifted mug on Instagram with hashtag: #MugLoveExchange
My Partner
Guess who I was paired with? None other than the queen of the mug love exchange, Stephanie herself!! When she sent me an email to let me know we were paired together, she also asked me to answer a few questions.
6. Do you have kiddos? If so, what are their ages? I have two grown daughters and two young granddaughters but they don’t live in El Paso. BOOO!!
Stephanie’s Answers for Me
6. Do you have kiddos? If so, what are their ages? Connor, who will be 6 on 10/30.
There Are No Coincidences
Turns out we have several things in common. Stephanie recently moved to Texas from Ohio. She is very familiar with Tipp City, Ohio, the little bitty town where PC grew up! And we have both used Weight Watchers to lose weight. Stephanie is a Christian, bookworm, loves wine and carbs and so do I! Practically twins!
When I started shopping for the mug to send to Stephanie, I knew I wanted something different. Really wanted something fall-ish. But I didn’t want to go to a chain store like Hobby Lobby to buy a mug Stephanie could buy for herself. So I shopped some of the quirky little stores in one of my favorite shopping centers. Wound up buying an El Paso mug designed by one of our local artists, Candy Mayer. I also included a little clay angel and a bar of mesquite honey soap, both made by local artisans. On one of my recent trips to the farmers’ market, I bought some tiny clay cups and included one of those in Stephanie’s packages, some silver charms, and an inspirational card to carry in her wallet or purse. Should have taken pictures, huh?
My 2018 Mug Love Exchange Goodies
So, let’s get to the goodies. And girls, there were lots of them! Stephanie sent the nicest things. Beginning with a beautiful mug. I have one large mug a former student’s grandmother had brought me from their trip to Colorado. I use it every day for my morning cup of coffee. But now I have another nice big mug!
The colors couldn’t be more perfect! Love the fancy gold handle and the pretty little flowers. I know my morning cup of coffee is going to taste even better in this lovely cup.
Look what else Stephanie included in my box.
Trader Joe’s pumpkin bread and muffin mix. How I wish we had a Trader Joe’s. The closest one is in Albuquerque, 300 miles away. Waaaa!! This sounds like the perfect thing to mix up for breakfast this weekend.
And…
Darling tea towels. For those of you who know me well, you know that ‘let’s stay home’ is my anthem! PC loves to run around all weekend and I am usually game for Saturday but on Sunday I plead ‘let’s stay home’. Going to keep this towel out year-round.
And the magnetic notepad for my frig will keep me from forgetting things I need at the grocery store. When I run out of something, I like to write it down to add to my shopping list. Especially vitamins. I can never remember which vitamins or supplements I am running low on. Love that it features pumpkins, too.
See what I mean about being spoiled rotten? Thank you, Stephanie, for all of my goodies. Tomorrow morning will be my new cup’s inaugural run. I will think of you as I sip pumpkin spice coffee during my morning quiet time.
In the picture above you can see my former favorite cup as it has been deposed from its place at my coffee maker. Included it in the photo because it has served me well and I wouldn’t want to hurt its feelings! But it always seemed a little weird to be drinking from a cup with a snow scene in July.
Meet Stephanie
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Hope you will stop by to meet Stephanie and to check out the goodies I sent her. If you are a blogger, you might be interested in joining Stephanie’s cookie recipe swap, 11.12.2018, or her holiday home tour link-up, 11.30.2018, or her holiday photo challenge, 11.26.2018. Check with Stephanie about signing up for these posts.
Your Turn
Do you have a favorite mug you reach for every morning? Do you wash your coffee mug? I once worked with someone…can’t remember who or where…who refused to wash their coffee cup. Recollecting that I scrubbed it for them thinking I was doing them a service and they were very unhappy saying I had washed out all the seasoning they had built up in their cup. Tonight I did a little research about that theory, like the good librarian I used to be, and came across this interesting article. Now this notion makes perfect sense to me.
Thank you, Stephanie, for hosting such a fun exchange and for all of my treats. Thank YOU for coming by to spend a few minutes with me. Would offer to rinse out my coffee cup but think I will let it season a bit. Have a restful weekend.
Hugs and kisses,
Habiba
I am a mug hoarder I guess. At least that’s what Markus tells me. I just painted and decorated a new little cabinet for my kitchen so all my mugs have a happy place to live. The kitchen cabinet was simply not big enough anymore 😉 I’ll hop on over to Stephanie and see how I can join in on the mug trading next year.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Habiba, did you talk to Stephanie about her mug swap for next year? I hope you will join us. After I bought my mug for her, I received a catalog in the mail with the most beautiful mugs. Have it set aside for next year’s swap!
Love that you have a cabinet in your kitchen just for mugs. My PC is so afraid I am going to become a hoarder that I have to constantly weed out extras of everything. I had kept a plate, bowl and cup from an old set of dishes I had and it drives him crazy. Just loved the pattern and wanted to have a memento from my old set. I use it for the granddaughters when they visit.
Debs
Oh what a lovely idea to swap mugs! I love the one you received, so pretty and I’m sure your old favourite one will understand being made to step down from its pedestal! I have different mugs that I like at different times of day. (Yes I am weird!) First thing in the morning I have to have tea and it has to be in a china mug, tea tastes wrong in any other kind of mug! I don’t really like huge mugs or very chunky mugs and never go into Starbucks or somewhere like that as there is no way I could drink that much coffee, even their ‘regular’ is too much for me!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
The mug swap was so fun! Maybe you can join us next year? Love that you use a china cup for your tea. I can understand how it must taste better in real china. I like a hearty sized mug for my coffee and often eat cereal in my chunky mugs. Have always wanted some big substantial soup bowls or mugs. And we are eating so much soup these days, I am thinking I can justify buying some!
I am not into buying coffee out either. Waste of money in my opinion. And calories!
Dara
Funny, that person whose blog I read right before yours received that same mug with her initial on it! You got a nice package!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
The mug swap was great fun. Looking forward to joining in for all of Stephanie’s fun holiday activities.
Rebecca Jo
What a beautiful little delicate looking mug! It looks so fancy – like it needs tea in it & a pinky in the air 🙂
Penny Struebig
That initial mug is ADORABLE!! The mug exchange is so fun. It’s a great opportunity to get to know other bloggers. Nice to meet you!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Love my initial mug from Stephanie and enjoying my morning coffee in it even more!
Bri
You did such a great job on your reveal post. I loved reading it, how the whole process went for you, the question and answers between you and Stephanie, and then of course seeing the adorable mug she got you!!! I love the “L” on there. I have always wanted a mug with my initial… I just need to bite the bullet and get one. 😉 I saw the thoughtful package you sent Stephanie as well, and I love that you made it all from local shops in your area. Very fun post!!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you, doll, for the sweet message. I really enjoyed the mug love exchange and want to remember to sign up next year. Love that you do bucket list posts. So do I! We have a group who links-up together for our posts on the 21st of each month. We will share an update on our fall list on 11.21.2018, come link-up with us. I send out an email to remind everyone and include the link-up code. Let me know if you are interested. Also, we will share our winter bucket lists on 12.21.2018. And will do an update on 1.21.2019 and 2.21.2019! So keep us in mind.
Somehow my coffee tastes better in my pretty new cup. Stephanie found such a pretty one to send!
Hope you will come back by for a visit again.
Amy
What a great idea!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Stephanie is hosting a cookie swap for the holidays. So glad to have discovered her and to be participating in her fun activities!
Cindi
I love mugs. Especially white ones! I love how the coffee hits my lips and smooths over a white mug and into my mouth. It’s cool. Sometimes when a mug has a lot of decorations, especially around the rim, the edge feels bumpy. I guess its a texture thingie. And yes, I have a mug collection. All white!!! LOL.
Your mug gift is lovely.
Enjoy.
(I like coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon)
Leslie Roberts Clingan
All white mugs!! In different shapes? Would love to see a picture. I think you should do a post on your mugs. And then join the mug swap next year. I remember as a little girl, my mom having a cup of coffee or tea every afternoon with a bite of something. Usually a cookie or two. Sweet memory.