Blossoms, RE Books, Aprons & The Nester’s GIVEAWAY Day!
Hey Friends, I’m super excited today because it’s a big giveaway day!
I’m getting closer to 1,000 posts here at RE, with my message of journaling about entertaining and hospitality going back to 2006. Yes, way back then, I shared this simple post:
With the best intentions, many of us think about entertaining, but never get around to it. Usually this happens because we don’t have enough time, we’re disorganized or our spouse isn’t interested in hosting a party, or even a small dinner! For many this blessing of gracious living for both the hostess and her guests never takes place, because of fear … fear of failure, unable to cook, unwilling to share their lives with others, fear of deepening friendships … they are intimidated and think the meal has to be perfect, or … they don’t have the lifestyle that says, “welcome.” (-my very first post on RE)
Hospitality doesn’t have to be complicated at all, and today’s little tip is to bring beautiful Spring blossoms indoors to spruce up your home a bit.
You might have read my post on forcing branches, but my real love is the elegant pink and white blossoms that are currently blooming in Oregon. Stunning!
Clip and put in water.
Arrange and bring indoors!
Along with these beautiful blossoms today, The Hip Hostess and I are offering an amazing giveaway for 3 WINNERS. (Thanks to The Nester if she sent you over.)
1 person will WIN all 3 of these items:
Signed Copy of The Reluctant Entertainer
Balcony Girls E-Book
Sheath Style Black a la Mode apron from The Hip Hostess2 people will WIN:
Signed Copy of The Reluctant Entertainer
Here’s HOW to WIN:
1. Leave a comment telling me what it is about hospitality or entertaining that bogs you down? Also, do you think your personality type affects your hospitality/entertaining style?
2. Join our Facebook pages and leave a comment telling me that you did (Reluctant Entertainer and The Hip Hostess)
{If you’re already a member, leave a comment. You guys get one too!}
3. Follow us on twitter and leave a comment telling me you did. (@SandyCoughlinRE and @TheHipHostess)
{If you’re already a follower, leave a comment. You guys get one too!}
This counts as three entries.
4. Facebook about the giveaway, and leave a comment, telling me you did.
5. Tweet about the giveaway, and leave a comment telling me you did. (using @SandyCoughlinRE and @TheHipHostess)
6. Blog about the giveaway, and leave a comment telling me you did.
It’s your choice to just comment, or do all six! So that is 6 chances total!
Contest ends midnight on Thursday, April 7th. Winner will be announced Friday morning, 4/8/11.
The Nester is featuring all of her sponsors today over at Nesting Place, so head over there for a kazillion more giveaways and chances to enter for some incredible prizes.
GOOD LUCK, Friends!
(I want to thank Debbie from The Hip Hostess for donating one of her classy aprons. The quality is superior. If you don’t have one, you’re really missing out. If you want to read more about Balcony Girls, go HERE. If you want to read more about my book, The Reluctant Entertainer, go HERE.)
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
I LOVE to entertain. I HATE to entertain. See? I’m totally torn on the subject. The idea of having our friends over for some great food and laughs is great. But I get myself too absorbed in the details of wanting everything to be perfect. I’m afraid my food will be horrible. I’m afraid no one will enjoy themselves. I’m nervous that every detail right down to the napkin rings has to be perfect and unique. I want people to talk about how fun and cute my party was for years to come. So how can anyone operate under that kind of pressure?? Your book sounds perfect for me. I’m soooooo hoping I win one, but if I don’t I’m going to go buy it!
I’ve been a Facebook fan for quite a while now. Love your updates!
I tend to let the imperfections of my house keep me from entertaining. I need to remember that things don’t have to be perfect in order for me to entertain family and friends in my home.
I already follow you on FB & I posted about you on my FB page!
My personality definitely causes me to worry about entertaining & making everything perfect. What are people going to think of me when they see how we live in our home. I have a fear of rejection so often do not want to extend an invitation. When I cast those aside, I enjoy hospitality.
I posted about your giveaway on facebook!!
I liked you on Facebook :)
I honestly don’t know why I put off having people over more. I always enjoy it when people are here and we have a great time, so I don’t know why I don’t do it more often!!
I liked Reluctant Entertainer of Facebook! :)
I subscribed to your blog! :)
I’m a perfectionist and so that bogs me down a lot. I want everything to be perfect for when my guests arrive. Plus I’m not very good at cooking. I’m about to get married so I better get practicing!
I am learning to think less “entertaining” and more “hospitality”. While I realize to many this is semantics, to me this means not striving for perfection, but going for more of a “come on over and hang out” approach even though I still make the food we love and a nice dessert and seek to make our company feel welcome. THis change in wording makes me feel less like I am preforming and more like I am visiting with friends!
Cleaning . . . oh my, I always have to get everything in order! But it’s worth it to be comfortable in our home and able to have guests over!
I get hung up on the “perfect”…perfect house…perfect food…perfect time. It makes me sad, because I know there will never be a perfect anything this side of heaven. I know I need to relax, but it’s very stressful!
pleasing everyone and making sure everyone is having a good time is what bogs me down the most…would love to win this book.
The hardest thing about entertaining, for me, is cleaning my house. I feel like everything needs to be spotless and I stress myself (and my husband) out.
The biggest thing that bogs me down is my hubby:> He’s such a perfectionist and I’m not. But I’m learning what the most important things to him are and getting them done so that helps a lot. I’m pretty outgoing (for short periods of time, anyway) so I think that makes entertaining a lot easier for me.
I think the thing that trips me up most with hospitality is just feeling like my house is too small. In some ways, I think – the more the merrier! In other ways, it does make it a challenge at times…
Tweeted! http://twitter.com/#!/Livinglessmom
The thing that bogs me down the most about entertaining is making the time for it–time to prepare, time to cook, time to have people over. My personality type–somewhat shy and a people pleaser, with some perfectionist thrown in definitely effects whether or not I have people over–I want every.little.thing. to be perfect first, and I want to make everybody happy no matter what.
I follow you both on twitter.
Follow you both on facebook!
I get bogged down with trying to get the house ready and keep my kiddos from making it a mess and I totally think my personality affects my entertaining or lack there of.
I enjoy entertaining whenever I do it, but a couple of my hang ups are feeling too busy and wanting things to be too perfect. My personality (tending toward perfectionism!) certainly plays into this. But, I am getting better! Would love to win!
I am already a member on your FaceBook page & enjoy reading your comments & suggestions! Thanks for the opportunity to win! :) Cindy Lynn