Out Of The Box Sampler {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to those who entered!}

Personally, I love handmade items. I could spend hours browsing online and only make it through a tiny fraction of all of the wonderful shops and boutiques out there, but still end up saying, "I'd like one of those... oooh, and one of THOSE... and maybe a COUPLE of these..." But who has the time for that? And where would I even start?

Therefore, when I first heard about Out Of The Box Sampler, I knew that it was the perfect way to get a taste of some of the best-of-the-best handmade sites without having to scour the web to find them myself.


I don't think our mail has ever smelled so good! After unwrapping our beautifully packaged Out Of The Box Sampler, I felt like a kid in a candy store ready to rip it open and dig inside. As Big Sister E and I pulled out each gorgeous candle or tasty snack or bar of soap, I kept taking more and more deep breaths to fully enjoy the delicious aromas.

Filled to the brim each month with samples from at least 15 - 17 different businesses, Out Of The Box Sampler is an ingenious way to try a large selection of products in a variety of categories to discover which ones you will like. In the March Sampler Box, we were treated to a multitude of votives, soap bars, tarts, bath bombs, cards, caramels and SO many more handcrafted goodies!


After we finally had all of the items laid out, Big Sister E's eyes were frozen on the popcorn balls from Silly Sophia's Snacks, an adorable Etsy shop that I otherwise would probably have never discovered. As Out Of The Box Sampler makes sure that any food items are always fresh when the boxes are sent out, these tasty treats were as scrumptious as if they had just been made in our kitchen. Big Sister E definitely approved!

As well as all of the unique and handmade samples that we found in our Out Of The Box Sampler, there were other generous surprises as well. Included with the list of contributors and shops involved, many of the businesses included a coupon code for a discount for future shopping at their store. What a great way to try out so many online retailers, select your favorites and then be able to go back and get a deal buying more.

And that's not all. Out Of The Box Sampler loves to add surprises in their boxes as well, so you never know if you'll find a raffle ticket, discount on your next box or more. I kept my eyes open for a winning gold coin in our March Box, but unfortunately, didn't find one. There's always next time!

Whether you're looking for an introduction to some of the best candles, one-of-a-kind jewelry, cards, gourmet food and luxurious spa items or are looking for a unique surprise for Mother's Day or an upcoming birthday, Out Of The Box Sampler makes a distinct and special gift. Even better, each month will present you with many more new shops to enjoy!

Thanks to the generosity of Out Of The Box Sampler, one person will get to experience Christmas in April when they discover all of the samples from a multitude of wonderful companies, because...

One lucky person will win an April Box from Out Of The Box Sampler!
ARV $25!

To enter to win an April Out Of The Box Sampler: Visit Out Of The Box Sampler and sign up for their newsletter (found in the column on the right). You'll receive exclusive news on contributors, samples, prizes, coupons and more!

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Out Of The Box Sampler on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook, follow the Out Of The Box Sampler blog with Google Friend Connect and/or join their forum.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

WIN an Out Of The Box Sampler (ARV $25) for the best handmade items @thxmailcarrier from @samplerboxes! http://bit.ly/bgfrMM #win #giveaway

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect (see sidebar), subscribe to my RSS feed or subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to Thanks, Mail Carrier and Out Of The Box Sampler. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on April 8th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Michelle at Out Of The Box Sampler for providing a March Box for me to review as well as an April Box for one lucky giveaway winner. The perfect way to shop handmade! The opinions shared are my own and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.