BBM''s Blogger Secret Gift Exchange 2010

Drum roll please!!!!!!!!

A few days ago, I was in the kitchen preparing to go to work when these lovely boxes were delivered. 

The funny thing is, as soon as I got the box and looked at the address I knew exactly who had gotten my name in the gift exchange!

Before I go into detail about the giver of my gifts, let me give you all some background information.  Literal Gemini and I go way back.  When I say way back I don't mean ten years, even fifteen, heck we go back to a little nursery school in Glen Dale, Maryland by the name of ABC Early Learning Center.  Yes, that  far back!  She is my oldest and one of my dearest friends!  Through the years our families have moved to different parts of Maryland but we came together in 1998 as Freshman at Howard University, by happenstance.

Get up and WALK!  (Inside joke. Puhaaha!)

I have always admired her tenacity and intelligence.  She has so many qualities that I always wished I had one ounce of.   If I had a little bit of her stick withitness...I might be able to pick a job or career field and be successful at it.  But I digress this is a happy post.  Back to Literal Gem...her name fits her perfectly she is a gem and has a really big heart.  And that is why I love her!

Even though we find ourselves once again separated by distances large and wide, I thank God for the blogging community, it allows me to see her and keep up with her and that is really important to me! 

Okay, okay, okay...I will stop with the sappy trip down memory lane.  I will get on with the gifts! 

So I opened the first box and what did I find!

Exactly what  I wanted!  Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World!  I am out of town but you KNOW as soon as I get back to Nashville I am cracking this baby open and going to WORK!  I have been wanting this since March and for whatever reason did not get it.  Now I have it!  Yay!

I was jumping up and down at this point.  She could have stopped at that, but she didn't!  Because she rocks!

I went on to the next box, and what did I find!!!!  

At this point, I was jumping up and down and screaming.  My husband was looking at me like I was a fool.  He was digging the gifts, especially the gloves.  I was so excited.  I put the gloves on immediately.  Of course I started snapping photos.  Of course.

Hmmmm....can't see the ruffle detailing.  Must take more photos.

 Ahhhh yes!  That's much better!  They are perfect!  But there was more Holiday deliciousness!   A lollipop AND lip gloss!  She knows me so well she didn't get me lipstick...she got me lip gloss because that's all that I wear!  Peppermint! 

I have got to say, this Blogging Secret Gift Giving Diva stuck to the level of fabulousness she exists in on a regular basis...and I am truly thankful for the gifts!  Thanks Gem!  Also thank you BBM for thinking to do this gift exchange, I have seen it done on other blogs and wanted to do one forever! Now I have! 

Wonder when my giftee is going to get and open hers...I forgot to put a card in the box but my name is on it!  Im sure Im the only blogger in the exchange in Tennessee!

P.S. I am home in Maryland and I am so happy to be here!

Cookie Madness

I had a blast of a weekend baking a million cookies for the holidays.  I planned on doing four different types but decided to nix one because I wanted to stick with the classic holiday flavors, to appeal to even the simplest palettes.  Oh but then I threw in game changer!  I will get more into that on a different post!

I went about the cookies the same way I go about looking fabulous when I step out!  I went to Avenue this weekend, and even though they didn't have the boots I wanted, I still scored!

I got these cute shoes for 17.96 and this ruffle clutch for 6.96!  Ruffles are a theme and I feel like I embody the holiday spirit with this plaid top I got from Cato last fall!  I have been looking for a red tartan plaid blouse but haven't found one cute enough!  I'm still looking though!  I also got my hosiery from Avenue...it was 40% off of 5.00.  We plus sized ladies know how hard it is to find good stockings at a reasonable price!  

I'm trying to start modeling like BBM....she is my idol!  I'm also trying to post more OOTD posts like my other idols Literal Gem and Mrs. Hall so be on the look out.  I wear a stupid uniform everyday to work but once I get a new job, hopefully I wont have to!  (Yes I'm still on the hunt.)

Some of my other Avenue purchases over the past week.  (Yes they know me in there, by name!) 

These are the booties Im wearing above!

And these are replacing my favorite brown cowboy boots.  I had to throw the old ones away over the Thanksgiving holiday.  They were literally falling apart!  

I plan on doing several posts this week because I have so much to share.  Im looking feverishly for my camera usb...so that I can upload better pics.  Until then it will be crappy blackberry camera pictures!

Hohoho

I am so glad that I got the opportunity to be a part of BBM's Secret Blogger Gift Exchange! (click link to left for more details)  It was fun shopping for a stranger!  Here is the tissue paper that I wrapped all of her goodies in!

My process in shopping for this already fabulous lady was to stalk her blog.  I went back as far as i possibly could to gauge her style, and there were a few pieces that I thought would be great staples in her already delicious wardrobe!  I know the limit was twenty bucks...but I mean really!   No honestly I was able to stay close to that and that is what made the adventure so much more fun!

Last night I happened to go to Target and I found the cutest bags in the dollar bins!  I wanted to eat them they were so adorable!  So I snatched one up, I knew that my giftee would LOVE it like I did!  I was also sure to get busy tissue paper because I love the look of things that don't go together being put together!

I am really excited to give this gift!  I love giving even more than receiving, I mean that is what the Holiday Season is really all about!  Not only giving gifts but being a gift to others!

Of course I had to add some freshly baked treats to the bag!  Candy cookies!  One is filled with Reese's Pieces and the other with mini M&M's!  I only put two in the bag because I don't know if my Bloggers is watching her sugar intake for the holidays! 

Aha the finished product!  All ready to be mailed out!  My hubby runs the mail room for United Methodist Communications so he will be shipping this baby out today!  If I send it through regular mail it will be en route tomorrow, if I ship it UPS it will not start moving until Monday.  But at least I know it will get there!  UPS it is!

Secret Santa on the move!

Maryland on My Mind

This holiday season, my husband and I will be packing up our holiday cheer and taking it to Maryland!  My whole family lives there and I cannot wait to see everyone! And I cannot wait to see the signs that say Waugh Chapel!  Even though we probably wont even come that way from BWI...we will probably not get on the interstate at all because there is no need to.

Anyways...I am excited!  Can we PLEASE have a blogger get together.  Please please please!  

On another note...

Mr. Misss_E (my hubby and I have planned to have ROBOTS be a subtle theme in our home.  I have been wanting to do this for about a year now.  And I am just determined to make it happen, but robot prints can be a little expensive!  Enter ETSY. I found some really cute and wonderful things and I cannot wait to start working my design plan after the new year!

That's enough of that!  I have been in my pajamas all day, wasting away in front of this computer! I swear there isn't enough time in the day when it comes to perusing blogs and shopping!

Cold Cutie (FACT)

Fact: The blog you are now reading is the best blog you have or will ever read.  (Inspired by Dwight Schrute)

Sunday afternoon, after I finished am online final exam, I looked up to see snow falling.  Now, I live in Nashville and snow is not something I have seen often since moving here in 2005. 

Knowing what I know about this city's reaction to snow, I knew that the kids would be out of school for the next two days.  Which means I would be working one of those days, and be off the other!  Well right now I am enjoying my day off!  I took my fourth of six final exam and now I am waiting for my hubby to get off of work!

Why hello there!  Heeeelllloooooo! Helllllllloooohhh! 

I'm staying healthy by taking plenty of vitamins.  By plenty I mean I eat them like gummy bears.  by the handful.  Don't judge.  They taste delicious! I know you are thinking, "you fool!  you are hurting yourself by taking too many vitamins!"  But really.  Think about that statement. 

If i were to eat all the fruits and vegetables one could possibly ingest in a day...would I be hurting myself.  Eating just one is hurting myself!  I promise you...if you pop five of these babies a day and three or four vitamin C chewables...you will be feeling and looking as good as I do!

On another totally non related issue...I got my Secret Blogger and she is sooo adorable!  I love her sense of style and and her price awareness!  She doesn't know it but we have a lot of the same items of clothing!  I'm not telling who she is yet!  I'm not!  Oh no!

I have a few projects on the horizon for this week:

• Make several different pound cakes and figure out which one is going to be my signature.
• Exercise three times this week.
• Finish shopping, wrapping and sending Secret Santa gift.
• Waste countless hours watching The Wire
• Start working on button earrings.  First up leopard print.
• Get my vitamins nad minerals.
• Share more FACTS with those around me. 

Christmas Wishes

Christmas is right around the corner.  I am extremely excited because I will be traveling to Maryland to spend a week with my family.  My older brother and his wife has a baby girl in October and my younger sister had a baby girl in November in addition to my one year old nephew!  I miss my family so much and can not wait to see everyone and hug my mom and dad.

Our plane tickets were so expensive my husband and I had to sell blood and organs to pay for them.  LOL Needless to say the gifts  I wanted to buy myself and my husband wont be purchased any time soon.  Either way there are some small things I want that come in under the $20.00 range, which is extremely affordable!

I have been stalking these boots on the Avenues website!  They are only 24.99 and with the promo code AV101170 they are 40% off making them 14.99!   Its such a good price you can rush delivery if need be!  Checkmate!  (Size 9 1/2)

I adore this dress!  It is at The Avenue as well and would go great with some black tights!  If ordering one item you can get 40% off of this little baby and any fashionista would love it! (Size 20)

This would go great under a blazer and the riding boots I'm getting myself from The Avenue.  It would be a great accessory to my Afro!  (2XL)

This is so cute!  Rub knit cardigan! 15.80 as Forever 21 Plus!    The first one is 22 and the second is 24.  I know they are over 20 but someone in my family may be lurking.  Like say...my husband! 

                                           

Pier 1 Imports...isnt this the cutest thing you have ever seen!

      

Max. Brenner or anywhere for that matter, I'm not picky on this one!  I have been dying for a fondue set!

Vegan Cupcake Cookbook.

I am a pescetarian meaning the only meat I eat is fish.  I would like to get into vegan baking though.  I have been eying this book!

  This list isn't complete...but i have to go to work. I will be back to add more to the gift list!

BBM's Secret Blogger Gift Exchange 2010

Hey everyone!  I'm back!  I mean I still have 5 more finals but consider me back in full effect.  I love the holidays and could not bear to not blog during this time!  I have so much to say!  So I will take it one post at a time!

Yours truly has been chosen to participate in BBM's Secret Santa Gift Exchange 2010 and I am super excited!  This is a great way for me to reintroduce myself to the blogosphere after just popping in on occasion.  Myself along with Sixteen Fabulous Fashionistas will be participating in this event!  To get more info on these lovely ladies click the link to the left under my gorgeous new profile picture.

We are supposed to purchase gifts under twenty dollars.  That should not be that difficult, but knowing me it will be.  I love to shop and find wonderful things for the low low.  (Yes I said low low.  Don't try to act like you don't know what I am talking about.)  So this challenge is right up my alley. 

I live within walking distance of Target (I still drive), so I am in there at lease five days a week.  I even get groceries in there.  My bank account is taking a hit but its okay because they have so many things I love!  One of those things is in the twenty dollar range and would be a great gift for a lady who loves to feel super sassy all the way down to her fingertips.  Aren't these gloves just delicious.  I could eat them, but I would rather wear them!  

Now if you have a gift exchange somewhere else, these cloves are a little on the expensive side.  Especially if you are participating in several exchanges.  Target also has a few really cute options for closer to ten dollars.  

  

                  

The great thing about getting these online is that Target offers free shipping on any purchase over $50.00!  I love free shipping!  

Its cold outside and we all need to protect our soft hands and manicured nails! I'm sure any lady would love to open a box and see these babies sitting under the tissue paper! I know I would!