Revel Box is a fun, new monthly box company that curates five to six handmade, seasonal gifts inspired to be simple, modern, and whimsical. The company was founded by Deanna, a self-proclaimed crafter, solo mom, teacher and pug owner! From the shipping materials, to the personal greeting, to the curated contents, every part of the box is thoughtfully curated and presented to you. Monthly boxes cost $42.00 each (incl. shipping) and are one-time purchases.

The Homespun Chics received this monthly box for review. All opinions are 100% our own.

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August 2016 Revel Box
“Readers and Writers Box”

I have been looking forward to the August Revel Box since the spring! I am obsessed with pretty much anything related to reading and writing. Mix in some Revel Box and it’s time to part-ay! This is one of my favorite boxes that I receive so I was eager to open it up and take a look at all of the beautiful handmade items that were chosen this month.

Deanna revamped her box offerings and I am LOVING the options. All boxes are one-time purchases and can be purchased monthly, seasonally, or even for special occasions like birthdays and other celebrations! All boxes include the cost of shipping and are a perfect way to make you or a loved one smile!  ?

The Costs:

Monthly Box = $42.00 (non-renewing)

*Monthly boxes currently available are June 2016, August 2016, September 2016, October 2016, December 2016, and February 2017!! 

MONTHLY BOX COUPON:  HOME20
Save 20% off your first monthly box!

Celebrations Box = $50.00 (non-renewing)

*Within one day of ordering, the recipient will be sent the first of TWO packages that comprise the celebration box chosen. The first package contains one of the items as well as a gift notification. The second, larger package will be shipped within 2-3 days following the first box. Options include the “yay, you” (congratulations) box, the birthday box, and the change of address box. 

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As always, Revel Box comes carefully packaged in brown paper tied up with string! This month’s package came with an August theme sticker on the bottom right corner.

No detail is too small for Deanna! She used school-themed washi tape to finish the presentation. LOVE this!

Here it is unwrapped! I LOVE the featured print on the box. Though I don’t see a signature anywhere, I’m 99.9999% certain this was created by Ideal Bookshelf (see similar print HERE). I am proud to say we have almost every book shown in the print. My favorite book growing up was the 1986 publication, Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch (3rd from the left). I will very carefully remove this print from the box top and will work on framing it for Little G’s room! It is too precious.

First peek! I’m so excited!

The August box arrived with an info card listing the items inside. There are five quality, handmade items in this month’s box. I love that the items are purchased from small businesses and independent artisans. 🙂 Yea! Small businesses supporting small businesses!! 🙂 [fist bump]

Night Owl Paper Goods “Making Lists” Pocket-Size Birch Notebook  | $10.50

This is the perfect size notebook to stick in my purse! I have switched back and forth between using my planner and just jotting things down randomly in my notebook. Sometimes it’s just easiest to make notes as I think of them. The Night Owl Paper Goods notebook is really lovely. It’s made with eco-friendly, sustainably harvested birch wood and 100% post-consumer recycled paper, both of which are completely biodegradable and recyclable.

The inside cover has a corresponding pattern that matches the front. My pocket notebook contains 60 unlined pages. I tested it out using a needle-tip gel pen and found that the ink held nicely with no noticeable bleed. The wooden covers are very thin and bend easily without breaking (so far). I’m looking forward to using this as soon as I’m finished with my current notebook!

Night Owl Paper Goods “Real Page Turner” Birch Bookmark | $5.00

The second item from Night Owl Paper Goods is this birch bookmark! It measures 2″ x 6.5″ and is thin enough to slide into a book without kinking the pages. I love the simple design and graphics.

The back of the bookmark says “I [heart] books” over and over again. This has got to be my new favorite bookmark. It is also 100% biodegradable and recyclable.

Doesn’t this bookmark look awesome nestled in my Harry Potter book?? Now if I could just be left alone long enough to get lost in its pages…

Ideal Bookshelf “A Wrinkle in Time” Book Pin | $11.00

Can you believe this is a handmade pin?? Because I can’t. This hard enamel lapel pin measures appx. 1″ tall by .75″ wide and is finished with gold-plated outlines. The design is based on an original drawing by Jane Mount. I received “A Wrinkle in Time,” though I have seen photographs of other boxes containing “Anne of Green Gables.” Both books are excellent and the pins are equally adorable!

The pin is secured using a gold butterfly clutch. I love everything about this pin and Ideal Bookshelf’s Etsy shop. I literally spent an hour perusing the shop, favoriting items and adding them to my Christmas wish-list… a girl can dream, right? 🙂 I. Want. Everything.

Hamutelet Zipper Canvas Pencil Pouch | $14.50

I love this pencil pouch. That’s all there is to it. The graphic is screenprinted onto light blue canvas. I love the design and want to showcase this pouch on my desk at work. With my pen addiction being as severe as it is, I’m always in need of another pouch/box/bag to stash away my goodies.

Hamutelet is an Israeli Etsy shop that is owned by Hamutal Elad. She uses only eco-friendly materials and techniques and takes inspiration from Scandinavian textile design and local images.

The inside of the pouch is made of cotton fabric. Mine is a pretty floral pattern, though I am pretty sure the inner fabric design varies. The pouch closes smoothly with a light grey zipper pull. The bag is sturdy yet soft. This will be put to great use in the coming days!

Revel Box Customized Book Plates (Set of 6) | $5.00?

Revel Box always includes at least one item that is customized with the purchaser’s name. This month’s special gift is a set of six book plates! These stickers are simple and cute, without being too cute. I am always glad to have book plates around since I tend to lend my books to friends and family more often than I probably should.

I tested one of my book plates out on my copy of David Sedaris’ Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls. The sticker is extremely adhesive and so you need to be absolutely sure you apply it correctly the first time. I think it looks great and I already feel much more comfortable lending my books to friends now that my name is in them! 🙂

My Thoughts

Revel Box really hit the mark with the August 2016 Readers and Writers box. One of my favorite parts of Revel Box is being able to explore the Etsy shops where Deanna sources her items. I am constantly discovering new artists and craftspeople that I love and find I can’t live without. I received four very useful items plus one cute bookish accessory. This is a good ratio for me since I love practicality.

The August box is one of my favorite Revel Boxes so far (if not THE favorite). This is a situation where I love everything I received yet would never have purchased any of these individual items for myself had they not arrived in my monthly box!

The value is great too, coming in at around $46.00, which more than covers the cost of the Revel Box! I know when I get on an Etsy binge (admit it, you do it too) and I add items to my cart from multiple shops, my shipping costs become astronomical. I know it’s because I only want one item from here and another from there — this is just another reason why I love Revel Box. Deanna handles all of that mess and creates a beautiful box of high quality items from shops she knows I will love, then wraps it up like a special gift and mails it to my door, hassle free. It’s perfect.

xo
Sarah

September Theme:  Fall Box!

For me, fall means pumpkin bread baking in the oven, caramel apple cider from Starbucks, cozy scarves, and Halloween. The fall box combines a few of my favorite things. You will receive five handmade items from makers all over the United States. – Deanna, Revel Box

Boxes ship September 15th, 2016, via first class mail.

Reminder:  All Revel Box options are one-time purchases! Be sure to grab your September box soon and SAVE 20% off your first monthly box with our code HOME20