{Giveaway is Closed}
When I started blogging back in early 2007, there was a special friend named Sandy who I connected with early on in the blogosphere. She is beautiful inside and out, as well she writes a beautiful blog and I had the pleasure of meeting her at the last 2 Blissdom conferences. She is just as genuine in real life as she is on her blog.
(me and Sandy at Blissdom)
One of the things that I noticed right away from Sandy’s blog is that she encourages her readers to open up their homes and entertain. Have people over. Share meals and share stories. Get to know others on a deeper level by sharing a meal. I love that and really would like to get better at it. Sandy really encourages that on her blog and now, in her new book, The Reluctant Entertainer.
Sandy was nice enough to send me a copy of her book and it is just beautiful. Every woman’s guide to simple and gracious hospitality is the tag line and it certainly delivers.
Chock full of Sandy’s own recipes, as well as real-life entertaining stories from Sandy’s family and home, this book is such a useful tool for opening up our doors to others. It’s filled with her own beautiful photos too that you will love.
I grew up in a Pastor’s home and we were always having people over to our house. My mom thought nothing of inviting a couple of families over after church on Sunday night for a meal. It might be nothing more than warming up left-over ham for ham sandwiches, chips and fruit, but it was a very memorable time for me, savoring friendships with those families and sharing a meal together. Food just makes everything better!
Sandy’s book is so useful as she goes through all the reasons why women do not want to take the time to have folks over these days. It does seem like the world has gotten busier and busier, with not enough time taken to slow down and savor friendships. Sandy’s book will definitely help you see the benefit of entertaining and getting out of your comfort zone. I would love to get better at this! We have people over very sporadically, usually twice a year for a big group.
Do you find yourself saying any of these things?
- I don’t know how to cook.
- My food never turns out.
- My house isn’t up to par.
- I’m just too busy.
- We can’t afford it.
Sound familiar? If you’ve had these thoughts, then this book is for you.
If you’d like to win a copy of Sandy’s book, just leave a comment here and tell me if you are a frequent entertainer or are you like so many and reluctantly open up your home to others. We all probably have some improvement to do in this area, I know I do.
I will have TWO copies to giveaway, so just leave a comment! I’ll draw a winner on Sunday evening.
I NEED this recipe book! I never know who is going to drop in at to eat, so I stick to food that is easy – but a little boring (even to me). Would love to have some new and different ideas. The Reluctant Entertainer sounds like an excellent source of inspiration.
I wish I did entertain more! Maybe this book will help!
I have been married for 38 years and used to entertain alot in our early years of marriage and enjoyed it. When we had children our weekends were so busy with their activities that we did very little entertaining. I did do family holiday meals and some people over for dinner now and then but that is about it. Now that our children are grown and live on their own I am just now returning to entertaining. I certainly have enough china (4 different sets) and 3 sets of silverware to enjoy planning my tablescapes with. I would love the book as I enter the return to entertaining. I’m sure I could learn alot from it.
Now that I am working full time along with raising three kids, I am not entertaining nearly as much as I used to.
I would love a copy of this book! I have our annual bonfire coming up and could use some ideas.
Growing up in the South, I use to be a frequent entertainer with my husband as a new bride. I learned about he challenges entertaining can bring, but that was many years ago. My husband passed away 10 years ago and I haven’t entertained much except for my family. Learning to come out of my shell was hard, but I am starting to get involved in life’s activities again and with the people in it. I have recently become engaged and planning on getting married in March. In between now and then I have many plans to fulfill and some of those involve entertaining family and friends. I have to meet his family soon. I would enjoy a copy of your book to help me know what I need to do. It has been a long time and I’m sure I will learn from your experiences.
I am petrified to entertain. We recently moved into a bigger house with a great kitchen and I’m still not comfortable with it. I’m always nervous. I wish I could relax.
I would love this book! We usually have family over but so need to reach out to others!
I love to entertain-just don’t find the time as much as I’d like.
Good story – and great reason to give away your friend’s book! Always good to remember that your friends are coming round to see you, not to eat expensive or complicated food.
I enjoy entertaining and hope to do more of it now that my husband and I are empty-nesters. What a great idea for a book and thanks for the opportunity, Rhoda, to win one!
~ “The ornaments of a home are the friends who frequent it!”
We are frequent entertainers, but I need a little “fresh blood” in the entertaining arsenal! Crossing my fingers…
Boy oh boy, is this ever a timely book. I was just discussing this with some friends the other day and saying how we have all been lax in fostering our personal relationships with our friends and family that just because our house isn’t clean or decorated just right or any one of a hundred reasons. We all really need to realize that tomorrow may just be too late to spend a little time with those you really care about.
That book sounds like me! I like to have people over (and we do) but I always stress about it! “The house isn’t clean enough,” “I don’t have any ice!” “there isn’t enough food!” “Don’t mess up the floors!”…etc…
I don’t entertain at my house because I don’t really know how to decorate it. Strange shaped rooms, built-ins, and of course the TV. I love to bake, but cooking is just something I’ve always had to do to feed the kids. Maybe grownup recipes would help!
We used to entertain a good bit in our old home. However, we have moved several states away and I find myself saying “our house looks terrible! We have so much to do!”
I like to entertain, but I’m on a tight budget so I do it infrequently.
I actually now have more confidence to entertain than I once had. But now I don’t feel that I have as much time to do it! Maybe I still think I have to have things perfect!
I hope that I win it!!! I find every excuse there is to not entertain, but I love it so much when I do actually do it. I am just such a procrastinator. I need the motivation and some really new ideas!!
Thanks for the opportunity to win this book.
I would love to own a copy of her book. I read her blog everyday, she is sooo inspiring!
Thanks!