A “Berry” Merry Christmas

You may remember that I am part of the Arkansas Women Bloggers group. The group had a Secret Santa ornament exchange. What fun!

The ornaments were to be handmade. Even more fun!

Little did I know when I signed up that I would be sick for a week and not really have time to make anything before the shipping deadline.

Fortunately, I had an entry in the county fair this year that was a handmade ornament. I was very excited about participating in the exchange, so I kissed my sweet little ornament goodbye and mailed it off to my counter part. There has been a little trouble with the mail. I was told she would receive it today. Fingers crossed! Since the exchange it cloaked in secrecy, you will have to surf over to the ARWB site and see if you can figure out which one I sent. Click the picture below.

The shipping deadline was December 10th. As soon as the 10th arrived I started watching for a package.

Hooray! It came!

This exchange is interesting because many of us do not know each other at all. That is the whole reason I joined ARWB. I wanted to get to know some of the bloggers in my area.

I was thrilled when I opened my package. Just look at that cute little box. Who wouldn’t be excited?!

There was an ever so thoughtful surprise awaiting me when I opened the box.

Not one, but THREE ornaments! Just wait, I’ll tell you more of the thoughtfulness.

My treats came from Brittney at Razorback Britt. Brittney said in her note that once she received my information she started snooping around my blog. She came across this post from last year. She saw the ornament that Chip and I made back in our OBU days. Turns out that Brittney is a Ouachita graduate too! We weren’t there at the same time, but if you went to Ouachita, you are part of the family. That makes us sound like mobsters! Let me say it this way…there is an immediate and special bond when you meet a fellow Ouachitonian. I am so glad to “meet” Brittney.

THE iconic building on OBU’s campus is Berry Chapel. Here is a picture Chip took on one of our visits a few years ago.

Well, look at what my Secret Santa did.

She took a picture of a snow-covered Berry Chapel and glued it in a cookie cutter!

I was so touched that she would take the time to do the research and come up with something so special. Thank you, Brittney.

The other ornaments are great too. I’m thinking she used an old Christmas card for the star and snowflake.

The edges are all glitter-fied. Sorry, I failed to get that photographed.

What a cute craft idea from someone who says she is not a crafter.

I hope you will check out the rest of the handmade ornaments that were exchanged. I’m off to track a package once again!

UPDATE (12/18): My Secret Santa Swapper, Jeanetta at Splendid Things, finally got her cotton boll angel ornament! Click here to see it on her tree!