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 tweeted about this giveaway.
My entertaining “bogged down” is making sure I have a clean house at the same time as I have tasty food. One or the other is fine — but both? I’ve learned that for me, the “stress” is less when I entertain at our cabin or at the park instead (but I still entertain at home). I really enjoy impromptu, drop in guests for a meal. I think they are my favorite kind.
I love to have people over. I don’t go over board with worring about the little things like the decor. I know it’s more about the time spent with the people that make it. It wasn’t always such a pleasure. I used to get nervous about having enough food, etc. But it always works out. Though it does seem like hubby has people over at the end of the budget week. It still works out.
I “liked” the hip hostess on facebook
I love to cook for people and enjoy having them over. Various things bog me down: 1) the cleaning before and after, 2) being proactive enough to plan ahead with the invitation and; 3) the guest list.
The first is fairly self-explanatory. My house is usually orderly (no kids), but I have three big dogs so there is a volume of floor cleaning that has to be done that’s pretty huge. The second is simply looking at the calendar with my partner, choosing a date and getting the invitations out. If we do that, we often stop at the third…who to invite. Unless it is specifically just one or two couples, the list quickly becomes huge because of either the connectedness of some of the attendees, or difficulty prioritizing who to invite ‘this time’.
Does personality affect this? Most likely the Myers-Briggs ‘P’ part of my personality impacts the desire to plan too far ahead.
I am following the hip hostess on twitter
I just “liked” you on Facebook
What is bogging me down lately is two things. First off, no one ever invites us back. We’ve invited hundreds of people over and no one ever invites us over – it’s a cultural thing here. They enjoy coming over but it isn’t their culture to reciprocate – so it gets old always being the hostess. The second thing is insecurity on my part. And as to my personality…. usually I’m pretty outgoing and that helps.
I still get bogged down in trying to make everything “perfect”! But the good news is – I’m better and telling that nasty voice to pipe down and just go for it anyway.
We LOVE having people over, and are so excited to use our new backyard space we’re already planning our Memorial Day BBQ!
I am following you on twitter
Great Giveaway! The thing that bogs me down is getting the house ready. I work full time and so sometimes certain things slip a bit – mail gets left of the counter, dog hair in corners. I keep my house clean but it’s just different when I have people over. I get a little freaked out when unexpected guests arrive as a result. As for my personality – um, I’m a little controlling so I always want everything perfect.
I get nervous when I have a lot of guests for dinner. Sometimes it’s because my grandsons want my attention and I get side tracked easily.
I am shy by nature so yes, I think that bogs me down in terms of making the big move to invite others over. I work full time and manage two teenager’s schedules so making entertaining work is sometimes a challenge. I do great if I can plan a dinner with others and we can divvy up the work.
I never know what to cook for a large group of people and also, I get tired very easily. With all of the preparation and then the actual event, I get worn out- but then I have to clean it all up! That’s what bogs me down.
A difficulty for me is that I’m not a very good cook. Personality wise, I am more of an introvert…but it doesn’t affect hospitality…I just invite one person or one couple at a time.
I am a fb book fan!
I think my personality is suited towards entertaining and hospitality but my fear of my kids behavior/working around bedtimes etc makes it difficult to invite people into our home as often as I’d like! The appearance of my home used to bog me down but I have gotten past that!
I want to win!! Yay!!! :)
We have four kids. A couple years ago we were inviting people over left and right. Then we just kind of stopped. The kids are busy, so when they are not we often just want to be together. Maybe we just need to get over it.
I follow on Facebook!
I follow on Twitter!
I never know what to cook or am so paranoid it will all go wrong!!! Or… I just want to do SO much in such a little time!!
My thing is the menu. I want to try to please everyone, and I’m always afraid that I’ll run out of food, so I prepare way too much!
already a follower of both you and Hip hostess
FB’d it!!! Love getting the word out about your blog