New Friendships and Blog Love Swapping

Blogging brings you into contact with lots of lovely people most of whom are spread all over the country and beyond so when you find a blogger that lives in the same town as you there is only one thing to do and that's meet up, which is exactly what Gem from Gem's Country Life Dream and I did on Thursday evening.
I've been following Gem's blog for some time and have enjoyed reading about her creations, her love of books, her charity shops buys and most recently her engagement to boyfriend James.
So when Gem partnered us together in her Blog Love Swap it was the ideal time to meet up have a chat and swap gifts, we arranged to meet at mine and after introducing her to my husband Paul and son Jack, Tomas was fast asleep and Rachel (who was so disappointed to find out that she would be out the night Gem was coming) was at a school play, we headed off to my workroom.

With a cup of tea in hand we settled down to an evening of chatting, finding out about how we started blogging, our mutual love of charity shops and much much more. The time flew by so quickly as we chatted away and we almost forgot about our swap parcels. We decided to open our gifts there and then, which did seem a bit strange at first but was soon forgotten as we opened our gifts. And neither of us felt at all odd as we photographed our piles of wrapped presents. Here are the wonderful gifts that Gem put together for me...

My wrapped goodies

 my unwrapped goodies minus a super cute blue plush penguin keypal which Tomas seems to have run off with!!!

 Chocolate love bugs - I'm eating these as I type! nom nom!

 3D scrap booking stickers I can't wait to use these as I've never tried scrapbooking before.

 some super soft heart socks  which means that i can now chuck out a pair of my old threadbare ones!!!

 A brilliant Keep Calm notebook (which I have had to hide from Rachel!!!)

 two luscious bath fizzers from LUSH - I tried the leap frog one tonight and it was in the shape of a frog with bright red lips it fizzed and popped and turned the bath water green and when I emptied the water there was a little square piece of paper at the bottom of the bath with a picture of a handsome crowned prince on which read "Prince Shaun was made to kiss you" now I don't know any Shauns but the prince does look surprising like my hubby with his ginger goatee and moustache and bright blue eyes!!!!

 We both gave each other books I can't wait to start this one.

 Our family mousemat is really old and has been used as a doodling pad I shall be keeping this beauty all to myself hiding it away each time so that no one can get their doodling pens on it (anyone else live with doodlelers - Paul and Rachel are the worst you can't leave any paperwork on the desk or they'll doodle on it!!)

I love all my gifts from Gem and it was wonderful to finally meet up with her and although (as Rachel and Paul keep telling me) I am old enough to be Gem's mum (only just mind!!)I hope that this is the start of a new friendship and we will be meeting, making and chatting sometime very soon.

Thanks Gem for being a wonderful swap partner and for organising such a lovely swap.