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Hey all, by now I hope all your packages are on their way to your partners, and that you’re just eagerly awaiting yours to arrive now! You still have another week to create your marshmallow buddies (EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE!!!)… we’ve already received one entry… I can’t wait to see what ideas you come up with! So.. onto our final topic of the week… remember to blog this on your blog and comment here for an entry into the Topic of the week contest!
As we head into those doldrum parts of the Winter season (thank you very much Puxatawney Phil for seeing your shadow yet again)… It makes you dream of the seasons you love… What is your favorite season? What do you love most about that season? and… What is your favorite thing to do NOW to keep you from stressing about MORE winter to go?
Yesterday my family took a lovely trip (I’ll blog about this in more detail after I get the kids off to school of course)… to an indoor waterpark here in the Poconos. What a wonderful day we had… I’ll leave you with a taste of summer….
I want to apologize for not being very active on your blogs this past week or two… I’ve been insanely busy with my children’s school schedules and then came down with the stomach flu. I’m alive enough to sit at the computer for a few minutes today.. so I wanted to get on here to tell you all that I feel badly for not getting online more in the last week or so…
Also I want to remind you that tomorrow is technically ‘mailing’ day… you should have your packages ready to go! If not, please be sure you communicate with your pal regarding your timeline so that all lines of communication are open here. If you have already mailed/received.. please comment here so we can start keeping a list of those who’ve received… and also do take a photo of your buddy and email it to the hostess email (cocoaswaphostess at gmail dot com) so that we can enter him/her into the buddy contest!
An additional reminder… regarding contests… everyone is eligible for all contests.. even if you didn’t donate a prize.. so please.. enter as often as you can!
It’s time for my favorite contest… and you have until February 14th to do it in too.. so don’t worry!
It’s the Marshmallow contest.
You’re going to make a Marshmallow Man! Or woman. Or animal. Or alien. Really… whatever your little heart desires.
The Rules:
-Must be made from marshmallows and toothpicks.
-Must have some sort of yarn content.
-Must represent a living creature (mammal or reptile or alien)
Other than that, make your sculpture however you like. Could be a family. Could be one solo dude. Get creative, get imaginative.
Then, take a picture and e-mail it to Michelle at the group email account. Entries must be received by Saturday February 14th (midnight-ish)
DO NOT POST IT ON YOUR BLOG. Not yet anyway. You can post it after if you choose.
Once we have all the submissions, we will post the photos on the blog. Then the vote.
Scan through the entries, and cast your vote for you favourite by e-mailing your choice to the hostesses. You can only vote ONCE and you CANNOT vote for your own submission.
So, you’re thinking…that we’re nutty.
you’re right.. and this contest is one of my favorites!
here are the top three winners from last year’s contest: Adorable aren’t they!
So.. get those creative juices flowing… and constructing… we can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Hello everyone! I really enjoyed reading all of your cocoa recipes/preparation techniques, and special secrets to the best cup of cocoa… I’m surely going to try a bunch of them.. YUM! Last weeks topic is one that gets you and entry into the ‘topic’ contest… so there are no prize announcements today!
Today’s topic will get you an additional entry!
Marshmallows/Whipped Cream – The big debate.
How do you prefer you top your cocoa? If you like marshmallows, do they need to be the big ones, little ones, homemade, gourmet, flavored? If it’s whipped cream, is it fresh, the kind in the can, flavored? Or are you a fluff gal? Or… do you like your cocoa naked? Tell us about how you top off your favorite cup of chocolate!
This week is Catholic schools week at my children’s school. I will be busy with a LOT of daily activities there, so I may not get to reading blogs until the weekend. Know that even if I don’t comment on your blog every week, I do go and read!
Hello everyone! I’m so sorry it’s taken me so long to post the winner of the Scavenger hunt. I wanted to be sure to get to everyone’s blog and read some posts as well as check on the hunt… there were multiple answers to most questions… and it seems there was a bit of confusion over some of the answers… sorry about that.. I didn’t mean to confuse!
For winners I’m drawing a random number using random.org of the 13 entries into the contest. Here’s what I got:
Posted on January 19, 2009 by hollyshooksorneedles
I hope everyone is getting a chance to know your swap partner and the other swappers as well. I was looking at the different blogs and it looks like we had a good turn out for the Scavenger Hunt. I liked that to start it off, it gives you a chance to get to know each other, we will have another week where you visit other blogs as well. You still have til tomorrow to post your Scavenger Hunt answers, I just needed to go ahead and get a topic up.
As for this weeks topic: I know we have all answered in the Questionaire what flavor and type of Hot Cocoa we all like. I remembered back before Christmas I was watching the Food Network ( which I love) and one of my favorite shows is Paula Deen, she served her boys some delicious Hot Cocoa. I never thought of making it, I always just grab some packs or can at the store. So, I thought we would share some Cocoa recipes this week. Please share how you would make your Hot Cocoa. Please post on your blog and leave a comment here saying you did so for another entry for some wonderful prizes. So to start the Topic off I will share the recipe I saw that inspired me for this week.
White Hot Chocolate: by Paula Deen
1 cup White Chocolate Chips
1 cup Heavy Cream
4 cups half-and-half
1 tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Whipped Topping for Garnish
Directions
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine white chocolate chips and heavy cream. Stir continuously until white chocolate chips are completely melted. Stir in the half-and-half and vanilla extract. Stir occasionally until heated through. Dollop with vanilla whipped topping.
Paula also mentioned on this show you could add crushed peppermints on top or crushed in the bottom. This is really good and I bet it would be good if you substitue for half chocolate chips. Its good, because as you can see it’s loaded! Can’t wait see the different recipes.
Enjoy!
Holly
** Michelle Here.. ** Just wanted to add a note. I’ve added a page highlighting info on our contests. There’s a tab at the top of the screen that says ‘Contests’… so check it out…
Posted on January 15, 2009 by hollyshooksorneedles
Head over and wish Michelle a Happy Birthday! She has been wonderful hosting this swap. She is an amazing friend and Mom going in 101 directions usually with the kids. Michelle, I hope you have had a good day, you so deserve it ! Sorry I tried to get this up at work but the hospital blocks me from logging into wordpress to post anything and I just got home from school. This is my first post and I hope it works.
**Anyone who’s donated prizes can play! If you should win we’ll be sure to give you a prize that isn’t the one you donated**
Hello everyone… welcome to week one of ‘getting to know you’ in the cocoa swap. Our contests are designed to get to know our group a little better… and what better way to start than with a scavenger hunt.
Look through the blogs/cocoa swap questionnaires (you may have to scroll to find them on some blogs) of our group to find the answers to the following… there can be multiple answers to many of the questions… you have all week (till next Monday, January 19) to answer. Post your answers on your blog and comment to this post when you’ve posted your answers! Your comment here insures your entry into the prize pool!
1. Who wants to try plant fibers?
2. Who wants to learn to crochet?
3. Who collects yarn?
4. Who loves yellow?
5. Who doesn’t like fruit flavors?
6. Who loves Malabrigo (who doesn’t??? hahaha) ?
7. Who has one mitt to go to finish her Endpaper Mitts?
8. Who’s favorite animal is a dog?
9. Who likes to paint?
10. Who has too many stitch markers?
11. Who likes Bailey’s in their cocoa?
12. Who likes Starbucks salted caramel cocoa?
13. Who can’t stand vanilla flavored cocoa?
14. Who’s favorite animal is a hedgehog?
15. Who might stab themselves over Neon Yarn?
16. Who’s oldest UFO is at least 15 years old?
17. Who likes crystallized ginger?
18. Who likes whipped cream in their cocoa?
19. Who likes marshmallow fluff in their cocoa?
20. Who needs stitch holders?
Have fun!!! Happy hunting… Holly.. you can do this contest and qualify for a prize if you want!!!
Good morning everyone! By now you should have heard from your secret partner.. and I hope that you have managed to at least exchange one email between each other. If you have not yet heard from your partner, please let me know so I can contact them directly. I know that we get busy at times but it is important to at least be in touch with your partner every other week at a minimum.
Before I forget I noticed a ‘problem’ in my pal information email that I sent y’all last week. I had noted that your packages needed to be received by Feb. 7th and that date is incorrect. You shoul receive your packages by Feb. 14th.. and in most cases you should mail by the 7th please note that date.. I don’t want to short you a week in your preparations!
I have been remiss in mentioning a few things… first,… my swap co-hostess Holly. Holly is the sweetest gal you’ll ever meet. We met through a swap in fact. She had me as her downstream swap pal in the Coffee Swap at the end of 2007. We connected immediately and have been close pals ever since. She’s like a sister to me! Holly was recently accepted to Nursing School, so she’s really keeping herself busy with her two boys, work and school.. and then.. this swap too!
Also, I’ve been remiss in mentioning our sponsors… The sponsors are donating a prize item for our various contests Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
In no particular order…
Kathy – Kathy and I met through Weight Watchers website. She’s a lovely woman with an amazingly cute grandson. Kathy has an etsy shop with her friend Shelly, and she will be donating a skein of sock yarn.
Darcy (and Leslie) – Oooh Darcy and her friend Leslie have designed a sterling and bronze cocoa swizzle stick.. doesn’t it sound cool!! Leslie has a shop selling her other knitting goods And.. as it turns out… she’s from my (original) neck of the woods…
Michelle – Yes me… I have an etsy shop with handmade stitch markers. I don’t mean to make a gross plug for my shop (I’ve actually neglected it a lot these last few months)… it’s just that I love doing the beading and have plenty of supplies around to sponsor a prize for one of our contests!
Monica – Monica and I also met through swaps… she’s a doll. Monica is donating a ‘blog revamp’. Monica is great at designing blogs… so whoever wins this prize is quite lucky!
Laurie – Laurie has a Hyena cart shop and has generously donated a gorgeous skein of BFL 102G Hand dyed by her in Strawberry Cheesecake colorway. Doesn’t it look luscious!
If there’s anyone else who would like to sponsor a prize feel free to let me know! I’ll gladly add you to our list!
Speaking of prizes… I will be posting our first contest a little later today! Check back ok!
Hello ladies! I’ve gotten ALL of the swap partner emails out. Please.. check for them and if you don’t have yours, check your spam filter and then email me so I can get the info to you.
I hope you all are working on your questionnaires and getting them on your blogs… I’ve seen a number of them posted… I have a fun contest planned for next week, and will (in the next day or so) get the sponsor info added here on the blog. We have some really neat sponsors!
I’m stuck with a sick child at home and honestly it’s making me batty.. I apologize that I haven’t gotten the sponsor info up already.. but it’s coming… I promise!
