Delicious or Disaster

What's the most elaborate, complicated meal you've ever cooked? Was it a triumph for the ages, or a colossal fiasco?

I'm not much of a cook and haven't often have a lot of people together family or otherwise to prepare a big meal, so I guess I'd have to say any of the Thanksgiving or Christmas meals that I've cooked. I'm a bit amazed by it, but I actually put out a pretty good spread when I do it. I really never had any instruction either. At some point it was something that needed to be done and I figured it out.
The only really fancy thing I cooked once was when I had a subscription to a little monthly Martha Stewart cooking magazine and I made Beef Burgunyione (I give up. I can't figure out how to spell this word). Really I did! And it turned out really good too! I also made a dish from one of those magazines that included chicken and artichoke hearts. Michael really liked it and I cooked it more than once. I liked it too, except for the artichoke hearts, so Michael had to eat all of those. He was not unhappy.

Christmas Countdown

Well folks, in only a few days the countdown to Christmas will begin. I made this tonight for Landon. He will paste a cotton ball on to each spot on Santa's beard and on Christmas day Santa's beard will be full and fluffy white. It turned out pretty cute, especially considering that I pulled it together really quickly. I think he'll have a good time with it?

Weekly Deals

It's Tuesday and I'm right on time this week to let you know the deals for the week. Yeah!

Alphabet Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Price: $7.95 $5.96 Argyle Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Price: $7.95 $5.96 Fancy Fan Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Price: $7.95 $5.96 Label Petite Curly Punch Price: $12.95 $9.71 Merry Monogram Stamp Brush Set - Digital Download Price: $9.95 $5.97 Rosette Designer Bigz Xl Die Price: $42.95 $32.21 Silver Sparkle Dazzling Details Price: $2.50 $1.88

If you see something you want to order---as usual you can give me a call or you can order yourself on line. Unless your order is $150 or more, please use the hostess code #AQS24YFT.

Advice Column

Today's challenge...............
Have you ever faced a difficult situation when you had to choose between sorting it out yourself, or asking someone else for an easy fix? What did you choose -- and would you make the same choice today?

I didn't have a situation where I got an easy fix (I think that's what I was hoping for), but I did have a situation where I sought advice.
I was having a problem with a gal from church and since I HATE confrontation of any kind, I was just kind of shutting down in her presence. It just felt like she was sucking the life right out of me and instead of dealing with the problem, I avoided it.
I sought advice from two different trusted people and instead of lifting the problem off my shoulders, they both said I needed to have a conversation with her and deal with it. UGH!! This was a conversation I did not want to have.

I must confess that I didn't  handle it immediately, but the next Sunday during a Bible study on prayer that we are having before church service, God stopped tapping me on the shoulder and instead chose to holler in my ear. The leader of the study talked on the fact that we are told in the Bible that if we come to the Lord with our offering with something between a brother, we should go and take care of the situation and then return with our offering to the Lord.
All right already!
I got up right in the middle of study and went immediately to go have a talk with her. It went so well! I had no idea what I was going to say, but the Lord stepped up for me (Big Surprise) and gave me the right words. The situation was completely and instantly solved. I'm so thankful , because I am around her quite a bit and having the bad feeling between us was SO uncomfortable.

So in answer to the question--I did try and get outside help, but they didn't let me get away with avoiding my problem, by basically saying "Put on your big girl pants and deal with it." In the past I literally would have just avoided the entire thing,and hurt her feelings by my attitude, acting in a less than Christian way. In the end, I'm so glad that I was forced into dealing with it. It gave me a boost to my confidence in what I am able to step up and do with the Lord's help and made my interactions with this person easy and comfortable.

December's On It's Way!!

December is nearly upon us so it's time to give you all the December class dates.

My Stampin' Up workshop is going to happen first this month since it is a Christmas stamp set. We will be working with Festival of Trees and the coordinating punch. They are bundle priced! I love these bundles which save us a bit of money.

The workshop will be at 6pm on Thursday December 4th. The fee is $10.

Then we'll skip a week and I will hold my monthly Card Class on ThursdayDecember 18th. The fee for this class is $20 and we make 7 or 8 things in class.

Finally comes Paper Pumpkin Club. This is the problem one. It would normally be on Thursday the 25th, but since that's Christmas. It obviously won't work. If I were to skip to the next week, it would fall on New Year's Eve, so I've planned our club meeting for Monday December 29th. I hope that works for you all. 

Then there is also my extra workshop using the Noel Paper Pumpkin kit. That workshop is planned for the afternoon of December 13th at noon. The price for that workshop is $15 which includes all supplies. Just bring your regular tools and your favorite adhesive and we are going to make a whole pazzle (Yes, I just said pazzle) of great Christmas projects.

That's it for December. Hope I will get to see some of you.

Just contact me if you are interested in signing up for any of this fun.

For the time being, I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiiveng in a few days. I hope you are surrounded by family and friends and that your tummys get full of yummy, yummy food.

Tonna

Best Day Ever

My job today is to tell you my idea of a perfect day. What would I be doing?

That changes at different times in my life, but right now it would be spending the day with Landon.
That little boy never ceases to make everything in the world seem wonderful.
Maybe we would go someplace with Mom and Dad and of course Levi.
The day we all took off and went to Bishop's Pumpkin Farm was a really great day.
A couple of weeks ago I was over at their house for some reason and I got to go watch him drive the toy truck that his Aunties got together to uy him for his birthday.

 Just yesterday I talked with him on the phone and that was great too.
I love just to hear him call me Grandma. It's just the way he says it.
I guess you're getting the idea that I absolutely adore him.

Yup---That's my idea of the best day. Anything with Landon.

Noel Paper Pumpkin Workshop

Hello Everyone!!

The November Paper Pumpkin kit from November last year was SO cute, but I got started one month too late to take advantage of it. Well....As a demonstrator I have been able to get my hands on a bunch of those kits. I just love it! Do you remember me showing you the adorable little stars all stitched together in a string?

This is a picture of how the cards were supposed to be made with the kit, but I have lots of ideas on how to make them even cuter!

The kits are on their way and I am going to hold an additional Paper Pumpkin Club meeting to play with them. You do not have to be a member of my club to come and there is no obligation to join Paper Pumpkin. The price for the workshop will be $15 and will include all supplies except the stamp set, the accompaniying ink pad, and your personal adhesive and basic supplies. You will make several other projects in addition to the card made as the kit suggests. At the end of class there will be a drawing for the stamp set that was included in the original kit.

The class will be held on Saturday afternoon December 13th at noon.

The place will be announced as soon as I know how many people will be coming.

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There are a limited number of spots for the workshop so sign up ASAP to grab a spot.

Tonna