Start The Year Off Right! {Giveaway}
Many people start the year off with resolutions, but since I tend to break them so easily, I like to do GOALS. On December 10, two years ago, I added this entry to my list of goals:
When I wrote that, I did it with good intentions, but who knows what would have happened if life hadn’t set in. Within a month, my beloved grandma, Nanny, passed away.
Few people in life are lucky enough to have what I did with her. Nanny wasn’t often the perfect ideal grandma type, but she loved me unconditionally, even when I didn’t deserve it. She would literally do anything to help me. And despite her shortcomings, she taught me a lot about strength and family and being able to smile, even when life didn’t turn out quite as planned, and for that I am forever grateful.
I knew for a very long time that Nanny’s time was coming to an end, but I guess it never really seemed real until the day before she was gone. Dad called and told me I really needed to think about going to see her.
I usually managed to avoid it, because I was terrified of seeing her so very sick, but since she was no longer able to call me daily, I knew it was time.
When I got there it was as bad as I had imagined. She was painfully thin and unable to speak, and even though I cried the whole drive down, I was determined not to let her know how scared I was because I knew she would worry…and I didn’t want her to worry.
The tough face plan didn’t go so well after I arrived. One of my last memories of Nanny is me turning into a bawling mess while she struggled to tell me that everything would be okay.
It was so very backward in every way…I should have been conforting her, but that was my Nanny, always trying to mend my broken heart.
NOTHING prepared me for the void I felt when she left this world. Suddenly baking became a refuge, my distraction. Now, almost two years later, here I am.
A lot of it is surreal. This time of year takes me back. Sometimes I cannot believe so much time has passed. I have learned SO much and made friends along the way that helped to fill the hole that was left when I lost Nanny.
It also takes me back to those very first days of surfing the net, looking for any and every bit of available information on decorating cookies.
The first website I stumbled upon happened to be Karen’s Cookies. I was absolutely, utterly, and completely amazed at what I found. There I sat in the Hyatt Place during our Christmas vacation, enchanted and ordering every cookie cutter and sprinkle I could afford with my handful of giftcards.
Fast forward to now. Since Karen’s Cookies was the very first cookie door I ever opened two years ago, isn’t it appropriate that for my first big giveaway of the year, Karen so generously offered to provide most of the supplies needed for a prize that I have been dying to give away for 2 months?! For my very first prize of the year, I have, with Karen’s help, managed to put together a wonderful gift! This month’s prize is…
This kit has all the supplies I use to decorate cookies on a daily basis…among them, my favorite icing tips and gadgets, my preferred food colors, icing bottles, DISCO DUST and much much more!
Now, I apologize for the tears. {Nanny didn’t like re-hashing the bad days} And I didn’t mean for this to turn into a sad tale, especially since this is a giveaway…But overall, this has a happy ending. A wonderful new story from the end of another, memories that will always make me smile, and the knowledge that Nanny is just as proud of me now as she was when I was a kid and would draw silly pictures of all of her pals. She carried on every single time like I’d given her a Rembrandt =)
All this said, I really hope this kit falls into the hands of someone who needs it as much as I did at the beginning of my journey, or someone who is as passionate about cookies as I am.
First of all, you can head on over to Karen’s Cookies FB page and “LIKE” her since she was kind enough to do this for me. That’s reason enough to like her in itself. And if that doesn’t convince you, one looksie at her cookie website will!
If you already do “LIKE” Karen, just tell her hello, and come back and let me know…she and her hubby Mike have some of the best service and fastest shipping, AND she has this great habit of always tucking a surprise in each package. You gotta love that!
For a second entry, I just want to keep it simple. Leave me a comment telling me your fondest memory of your “Nanny” {Everyone has a Nanny, whether you call her *or him* that or not}…
There are no rules about what you share, I’d just like to give everyone else a chance to share something special about their loved one.
Remember, each comment IS AN ENTRY, so post each one separately, AND leave a way for me to contact you.
I will choose a winner next Thursday using random.org, so keep your eyes open =)
*and as always, tweeting this giveaway is a free bonus entry*
Since this is a giveaway post, I had a few birthday cookies in the archives that seemed appropriate. Afterall, winning is almost like receiving the gift of all birthday gifts. {That is, if you are into cookies of course =)}
Liked the site on FaceBook under Babette Perrin
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I liked KarensCookies!
http://kandidkatie.blogspot.com/
My favorite memories of my Grammy are still being made. We had an awkward relationship when I was a child but now we talk on the phone all of the time. She has recently lost her sight and doesn't cook much anymore so we will spend hours talking about recipes I have been making!
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My best memories are actually of up baking cookies together! I would love to continue our tradition.
Shared the love on facebook!
I love playing Gin with my grandma, We can play the same game for hours and laugh the whole time!
Both my grandmas are (were) crafters. I've learned SO MUCH from them. My late grandmother taught me to crochet. She also polished my finger nails, and I always fell asleep while she was doing it. She also taught me how essential are daily vitamins and daily application of vitamin E lotions.
My fondest memory of my nanny was when he would take me to the cafe to meet his friends and have coffee, I would have a piece of pie and cocoa while he talked with the men. Everytime I eat banana cream pie now I think of him. I also signed up for karen's page on FB.
went and liked Karen. thanks for showing her to me!
I just "Liked" Kern's Cookies!! She does beautiful work.
My fav grandma memory is her teaching me how to knit and fixing all my "dropped" stitches.
Oh and I officially "Liked" Karen on FB too!
jenn(dot)groh(at)gmail(dot)com
liked her on fb
I am fortunate to have more than 1 grandma, 1 of which I do call Nanny, whom I really have a lot of special memories with, since she lived across the street from us; but camping with her has to be the best memories. My Granny (who passed away when I was 14), lived in our basement and she taught me how to tie my shoes. And my Grandma George (I couldn't pronounce her real name so I called her the same name as my grandpa {George}), passed away last year, which was really tough, cause I lived with her too, actually all of us grandkids did at one point or another, and all my memories of her make me miss her, but I will be eternally grateful to her for my strength and for teaching me french from a very early age.
robinleanne80 (at) gmail (dot ) com
My fondest memories of my grandma were of Christmas. She always made traditional Italian treats. I miss her.
I just Retweeted your post 🙂 @ina9107
Love your talent 😉 God Bless youu
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I liked her on facebook!
Oops! I misspelled Karen, sorry. 🙁
The thing I miss about my Grandmother was that she would call me Shelly. That was her name for me and no one else called me that. I miss her.
My Sister and I spent the summers with our grandmas, watching tv and anxiously waiting til 3:00pm before she would let us go to the pool in the afternoons so that we would be at the least amount of risk for a sun burn.
My fondest memories of my NANNY is when she taught me how to make her homemade apple pies. It took a lot of patience, because I wasn't a very good cook then. But it was the time that we got to spend together that really mattered.
i like http://www.facebook.com/pages/KarensCookiesnet/42673312675?v=wall
i remember all the wonderful cookies my grandmother would make for christmas. even though she passed 20 years ago, her recipes are favorites when it comes to this holiday… or any special occasion really
I love my Grandma because my fondest memories of baking are making cookies in her kitchen when I was little. I hope to share this passion with my own grandchildren some day.
My grandmas way of helping us get over bad dreams was a big slice of cake in the middle of the night. I bet she wondered why we always had bad dreams at her house! She was the best.
One of the most treasured memories I have of my Grandma is the way she would cup my face in her hands and say things like "beloved", "precious", "treasured girl". She loved me unconditionally. [email protected]
I liked "karen's cookies" on facebook. [email protected]
My Grandmother was polish and barely spoke English at all. We still managed to have a wonderful relationship and she always seemed to know what I was saying.
There are so many good memories. She was an extremely important person in my life, her and my Grandfather were the only ones who ever hugged me when I was a child. I loved watching her bake..her wrinkled, soft hands kneading perogie dough for Christmas dinner or kolaczki cookies for our dessert. There was a lot of love in those hands.
I miss her. I lost my hero the day she died.
My Nana is always in the kitchen making something, whether its the most amazing food or desserts! I will eat anything the woman touches, she is amazing!!! She is how I started into cookies and cakes! I had no idea I was capable and I decided for my son's first birthday I wanted to do my own cake and cupcakes and my Nana was the one who found all kinds of different ideas and bought me the things I needed to get started! Without her I would never have known anything of the cookie decorating world! And I LOVE that I can accredit her with this new love of mine!!!
Audrey Womack
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Oh I also "liked" Karen… she's awesome!!!
one of my favorite memories of my grandma is the way she used the "F" word. yep you heared that right. my grandma use to curse worse than a ruthless teenage boy lol. still to this day my family imitates the way she would react to certain things. she would never hold back when it came to telling it like it is or expressing how she feels. you go grandma! xox
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I don't just Like Karen's Cookies, I LOVE her site!!!
My fondest memory of my Gram was while she babysat me. We would watch the Golden Girls & eat Ice Cream. She was the epitome of a Southern lady. She worse makeup and jewelry while gardening. Love it! Kelly Ham
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My grandmother on my dad's side passed a few years ago. I was lucky that I lived near enough to her the last few years that I could see her about once a month. She was a bit of a princess (having been the mum of 3 boys) but she loved us all. I remember when I was about 10 I wanted to sew my mom an apron for christmas. Granted I had some sewing abilities, but I was 10. She helped me with that and I remember that weekend really clearly. The apron was awesome (white and green striped half apron) but it was such a great memory.
email is alyssamoser at gmail dot com
I liked Karen's facebook page too 🙂
I like Karen's cookies 🙂
(yours are AMAZING too by the way)
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My fondest memory was when we went shoe shopping! I still miss those red patent leather mary janes…
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My favorite memories of my Granny involve our afternoon playtimes with the carved, red, wooden birds she kept in her cupboard with a miniature china tea set. She acted out the best stories with these birds, and after her death, the birds are what I asked for in her belongings.
Loved my paternal grandmother. She passed away a year ago and I think about her all of the time. She was the biggest fan of my baking! She was the best critic and always sampled my treats. I miss her.
my best ever memory of my annie was walking with her…we used to walk and talk and just love each other…i miss her so very much even after 20 years!!!
"Liked" Karen's Cookies on FB! 🙂
My grandmother is an amazing person, she has been a role model for me ever since I was little and has taught the meaning of strength, family and love.
I remember riding with my dad to pick up the babysitter…. I liked to hunch down below the front seat, cover up with my blanket and make ghost sounds the whole way back to our house…. I bet the sitters must have been wondering what they'd gotten themselves into!
My Grandmother inspired my love of decorating. She was always trying something new, painting a piece of furniture, rearranging chairs. She "repurposed" things decades before it became trendy. Grandmother always kept up with popular culture, even into her 80s. She never let the hard times dampen her spirit, never lived in the past. What an amazing role model she was.
I "liked"Karen's FB page…and LOVE her shop!
I remember one year making Christmas cookies with my Grandma, I felt like such a 'big girl'. She was so patient and helpful. I think this spurred my first 'taste' (literal and figurative) of baking and the confidence I needed in the kitchen.
[email protected] (Michelle)
I’ll try to put this to good use imemeiatdly.
My "mamaw" made the best macaroni and cheese..with about 3 lbs of Velveeta cheese, but it was so delicious. I remember helping her and to this day, cannot seem to get it just like hers. Maybe one day…I miss her terribly.
I *liked* Karent!
I liked Karen's page 🙂
– Jill
My favorite memory: my grandma taught me how to knit & sew…she also encouraged me to use my imagination while baking. At 5, who knew you could make chocolate pancakes in the shape of animals? My grandma did!
My fondest memories of my "Nanny" (I call her Mimi) involve her unconditional love for me and all the times she was there when it seemed that no one else was. – Jill
I "liked" Karen. Her cookies are beautiful.
I liked Karen on FB
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Linda
My favorite memory of grandma was watching her and grandpa argue over the best way to make mac and cheese. It was so funny! I really miss them both.
Baking and cooking and more baking. I remember being so little that I had to stand on a chair to cut out the cookies with her at Christmas time… she was patience and unconditional love, and after she passed away, I've worked to share all of those same things with my own children,. And hopefully, some day my own grand children. The blessing of that kind of love passing through the generations is truly one of the greatest gifts she gave me.
My mema was the best, Miss her so much…[email protected] I forgot to put my info. sorry
Linda
I 'liked' Karen! I enjoyed looking at her pictures…she makes beautiful cookies.
I have many fond memories of my "Nanny" – I call her Grammy. She's the one who taught me how to bake, cook, sew and do all other things domestic. When I was little, I would get up early and bring her coffee in bed. Now we like to sit around and have a nice glass of wine…we're a Catholic family =)
I am so sad… none of my comments are showing up. I liked Karen's cookies on FB
I said Hello on KarensCookies.net FB page – I'm already a fan 🙂
Love the giveaway!!! Thanks 🙂
My favorite memory of my mema is when we would ride in the car and she would sing… you are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey, you'll never know dear how much I love you, please dont take my sunshine away!!! I love my mema… she used to give my brother and I a bag of goodies before we would leave her house… cookies, apples, whatever she had in her kitchen… i loved those!!!
I just "liked" sugarbelle on facebook
I meant I just "liked" karen on facebook
My maw Maw worked at a private catholic school during the week, and came home on weekends bearing choclolate for me, and her 6 pack for her, lol! We'd play games, and play jokes all weekend on everyone. I miss her
left a 'like' on Karen's page. you guys have inspired me to go on my own cookie decorating adventure!
my Ah-ma (in Taiwanese) is such a sweet, kind lady. unfortunately, i have not seen her in over 10 years as she lives in Taiwan and I reside in the States. but from what i remember, she has such an open heart and very warm spirited. i'm hoping to go back in a couple years so she can meet my son! 🙂
Karen, Thanks for the reminder to Be Present in the monemt and not worry about the past or the future. So many of us spend a lot of time and create a lot of extra stress for ourselfs by reliving the past or worrying about the future just like you mentioned. I am going to pay more attention to the hand right in front of me. I always enjoy your shows and look forward to the next one.
I went to "Like" Karen's Cookies and I think I can already feel my wallet emptying! How have I not heard of this before? 😀
I liked Karen's Cookies C:
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We lost my grandma a little over a year ago. I have a lot of great memories of her, but my favorite memory actually comes from the last couple of years of her life. I have an 8yo son who absolutely adored her. He was just a little guy then, and every time the family gathered for anything he would spend an hour or more on her lap telling her stories. They might have been about eating ice cream, or about chasing dinosaurs, and she always swore she believed every word of them. Seeing the two of them together was priceless.
My fondest memory of my Nana is my entire childhood. My mom was Widowed when I was much younger. My Nana took care of me and my brother day and night as my mom worked. I love all the baking I did with my Nana.
I <3 you Nana Pink!
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I "like" Karen on FB!
I have known all of my Grandmas, Great-Grandmas and even 1 Great-Great Grandma! From these wonderful ladies I have learned to cross-stitch, sew, cook, bake pies & can. But I have never learned to decorate anything 🙂 I would love to win this package so my Grandma and I can learn to decorate cookies together!
I have the best memories of Friday night dinners with my Nana at her restaurant… I miss her terribly and she's been gone almost 20 years….
My favorite memory of my Grandma is making a shoe box doll house complete with a little muslin doll with bright yellow yarn hair. She helped my sister and I sew them. I remember making a bed and a little mirror for the wall with her help. She was always helping us make little crafts 🙂
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My favorite memory of grandmother was she would read me bible stories. She died when I was 5, but I remember the stories she would read.
I liked Karen on FB!
katwilg1(at)gmail(dot)com
My favorite memory of my grandma was when she taught me to knit. I was all thumbs at the age of 6, but she went on to make my Barbie a knitted skirt.
katwilg1(at)gmail(dot)com
My memories are so similar but it was my papa !!! I am from a predomenantly Italian family but lost my mother at the age of 10 so lost touch quite quickly with all of my relatives & built walls that lasted , which seemed a lifetime , but my papas memory I clung to . I was his favorite as a child , I would guess because of my rebelious nature , it reminded him of himself 🙂 He was strict & with very little time to smile & seem happy ? For some reason he liked to laugh his heart when we were alone 😉 He used to say ,”When you hear papa cough , come get me & we will hose the lawn !” You see , I used to get in trouble cause my Uncle had to mow the lawn & I loved to hose … so my Auntie ,papas daughter would get so angry but would never say anything to papa …I would run to him when I heard his cough & he would hold my hand , walk past my auntie & haul out the lawn chair , sit me on his knee with the hose & that was our time !!! He used to chew snuff so he would giggle while I was hosing & tell me to snuff this stuff that made me sneeze … That was my time to make papa laugh … I clung to him & was left with a lifetime of smiles after he left … His memory lives on as if he were still here , as if he never left 🙂 Thank God for the memories & for this cookie site as well as Karens’ & Sweetopia with Marian !!! I understand … I feel like I know you & appreciate the three of you more than you know !!! Cheers & to a New Year filled with love , laughter & good health 😉
My e-mail is attached to the reply button so wasn’t sure if I needed to add it at the bottom of my Papas memory page ? Darlene 😉
As an up and coming cookier I ran into your website a few months ago. I have been perusing your site and other but I JUST found this post and was stopped in my tracks. WHY HAVEN’T I FOUND THIS BEFORE AND WHERE CAN I GET ONE? As I said I am an up and coming cookier and it would be so much easier if I had a set. That way I would not have to go from one site to another, or from one store to another. Please help!!!