Edit/ Update: Due to a rare GG system error, I was given two gifters and received two gifts. I signed up for a few rematches to make everything square!
Gifter #1: When I got this box in the mail and opened it, the first thing I saw was some VERY familiar packing material. I could immediately tell just by the wrapping and the delicately placed card on top that this was going to be special, so I waited a day before I opened it all up to make sure I could take photos and do it justice.
It always means a lot to me when someone puts so much effort into a gift, and this one was a joy to receive. Absolute 12/10! They even mentioned that the items purchased were from local shops and Etsy artists, which I appreciate immensely.
So, first of all, my intuition was right! This was indeed a gifter I had had before (back on the Life's A Beach exchange). (Note: I actually kept about half of the wrapping from that exchange to reuse, lol. You have the most beautiful wrapping skills and amazing taste. I don't know if I mentioned this in my preferences but my favorite color is green, so you nailed that, too!)
There were two books, neither of which I have. It can be tricky to buy comics for someone who buys and owns comics but, amazingly, I didn't have either of these. I adore Shuri (one of my favorite Blank Panther characters)! The 2020 Iron Man run by Cantwell is one of the few I never got because the fandom is really divided on it, but now that I have it, I'm excited to read it and form my own opinion. (Fwiw the art is lovely.)
There was also a set of 4 Stan Lee pins. Fun fact about me: I got to meet Stan Lee twice! Very cool guy.
The last item I opened was a wireless mouse. Believe it or not... I DIDN'T HAVE A WIRELESS MOUSE. This one lights up, which is cool. I'm using it now. The clicks are satisfyingly quiet.
The best part of this whole package, however, was the very first gift that I opened. It was the smallest and lightest, and there was a note on it that it was hand-made. Inside was a portrait of... IRON HAM. This absolutely sent me. It was the mash-up I never knew I wanted/needed until now. Absolutely made my night!
Thank you, gifter, it was wonderful to cross paths with you again. You knocked it out of the park!
Gifter #2: I really appreciated that my gifter was in communication with me the whole time to sort out the "extra gifter" glitch thing.
Their gift was totally worth waiting for! They sent along a rainbow Marvel shirt, a Marvel mug, and a bag of coffee beans. One thing I think is really fun about this gift is that I knew EXACTLY which exchanges they were referring to (Marvel vs. DC, Coffee & Tea, and Pride), and how all of the gifts tied in to each other. The shirt was Marvel/Pride, the mug was Coffee/Marvel, and the beans go with the mug! This was a really clever way of integrating multiple exchanges and making all the gifts work together. I'm extremely excited to try out the beans. My gifter included a note with each item and mentioned that they specifically purchased the mug to ensure it was dishwasher safe, which was smart. (I don't have a dishwasher, so not a concern, but I love the level of thoughtfulness that went into it!) The picture doesn't really do the mug justice but I just could not get the lighting right; it's a silver holographic print that really captures light and reflects it in interesting ways.
My second gifter also let me know that the coffee beans are from their favorite local roastery. I agree that the scent is stunning, and I can't wait to try them. Thank you so much!
iAlbatross