Annual Customer Appreciation Evening

On Wednesday night I held my Annual Customer Appreciation Evening.  It was a great event and everyone had a blast. 

Each year for the past 4 years, I have invited all of my customers to an evening of fun, food and stamping.  We have dinner - lasagna, spinach and strawberry salad, bacon wrapped dates and desert, There are LOTS of door prizes and I provide a make 'n take for everyone to do.

As usual, I completely forgot to take pictures!  I get so involved in the fun-ness of the evening that pictures do not enter my mind. Which is truly amazing because I am always taking pictures everywhere I go.  But I thought I would share a picture of the Bacon Wrapped Date appie that I made.  When I began this 4 years ago it was held in my studio (which is really my kitchen) and there was about 12 of us.  I made these little gems and they were a big hit.  The evening has grown each year, and this year was no exception.  I knew if I did not have the favorite appie that I would get flack, so I made sure I had lots again this year.  I used 3 packages of bacon, and there were only about 8 left at the end!  Here is a picture of what they look like ....

If you click on the picture it will take you back to the post I did in Dec of 2012 where I share the recipe.  They are quite easy to do, and are a mouthful of deliciousness.  We also collected food for our local food bank, and now I have 77 lbs of food to deliver today!

Thank you to everyone who came out to share the evening with me. It is my little way of paying back all of my customers for their continued support of me and my obsession of Card Making!

For the make 'n take, we made this cute Ghirardelli Treat Holder that I cased from Mary Fish ....

I just love all the gold we have to work with this season.  Stampin' Up! has come up with some wonderful co-ordinating products.  The base of the holder is a piece of Whisper White cardstock that is cut 5-1/2 x 2, then you use the Scallop Tag Topper Punch on each end.  Then it is scored at 2-5/8 and 2-7/8.  The washi tape is added on the front, then we layered the Flower Shop flower and the Petite Petals flower and topped them off with some Champagne Glimmer Paper that is punched with the Itty Bitty flower punch.  It is tied shut with a bit of 1/8" Striped Gross Grain Ribbon.  Then we slipped a Ghirardelli chocolate inside.

Maybe you can come and join us next year?  All you need to do is become a customer.  Contact me right away if you don't already have a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, I would love to become yours!

Happy stampin' . . . . .