An explanation for my absence and the $70 CSN Gift Card Winner

Yes, I do realize that this is the second post in a row I've started with an apology but bear with me! Sorry for not posting on a regular basis lately. I've had a lot on my mind the last few weeks and somehow the baking and cooking groups feel like a chore, so I decided to take some time off and post whenever I feel like posting.

Things that have been on my mind the last weeks were my trip to Paris, the operation my mother is facing for her neck hernia and going back to college to get a bachelor degree.

I feel now is the time to go back to college, however part of my problem is that I do have a mortgage to pay, so I must study part-time. The study that I find most interesting (International Business & Languages) is only taught part-time in Rotterdam, which is about 2 hours away from here. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle the travel twice a week 4 years long since I would have to attend classes two nights per week and study, do homework and go to work 36 hours per week... The sucky part is that this study is actually taught here in Zwolle too, but only the full-time version....

Other studies that I find interesting are Communication, HRM or Law. I would love to do something with languages, only option in college is Teacher English, German or French. Another great option was European Studies, since this is quite similar to International Business & Languages, but for a part-time student this is only possible as an online study, which I don't think is very suitable for me personally: I feel need the structure and commitment of having to attend classes.

So now that you know what I've been contemplating lately, let's get on to announcing the winner of that $70 CSN gift card!! Again I used the Random Integer Generator to pick a winner from the 20 comments on this post.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random integers, generated without replacement:

 4 

Timestamp: 2010-08-11 09:32:38 UTC

This means the winning comment was made by:
Hanaâ:

En ik volg inmiddels je blog (wat ik sowieso wou doen) :o) Ik Tweet van het weekend wel over je giveaway en dan kom ik wel terug op nog een comment te plaatsen hier.

23 JULI 2010 19:29

Congrats Hanaâ!!!

Update on the college plans

Today I found out that there will be no part-time study International Business and Languages in Rotterdam... So I guess that option is definitely out. Going to an information evening at my local college on August 25th....

$70 CSN Gift Card Winner

And the winner of the $70 CSN Gift Card was also determined by using the Random Integer Generator:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

6 

Timestamp: 2010-06-28 22:15:30 UTC

Comment number 6 was made by TeaLady: And You know I follow!!

Congratulations Tealady!! I do know that you follow!!! I will contact you via your blog!

Guess this Food Giveaway Winner!!!

A while ago I asked you all to Guess the Food above to win a surprise food parcel. Lots of you gave the right answere: it's Truffles!

To determine the winner of this giveaway I used the Random Integer Generator:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

4 

Timestamp: 2010-06-28 22:10:58 UTC

The 4th comment was made by AppleC: It's a black truffle. Spain is one of the main producers of these little delicacies. Lucky you!

Congratulations!!

Winner of the CSN Giveaway

A short post on this Sunday evening to announce the winner of the CSN Giveaway. The winning comment was number 8:

slush zei: I love the ramekins. I don't own any. Nor do I have prep bowls or mini bundts. lol

Now slush is actually Laurie of Slush a.k.a. out fearless leader over at Tuesdays with Dorie, so I'm very sure she'll make good use of both the pan and the bowls!!

Thank you all for entering the giveaway!

Giveaway winner!!

So the winner of my giveaway is Steph of Obsessed with Baking. Steph could you please leave me a message or send me an email to let me know which Rookworst you would like me to send you?

Steph is an amazing baker, I have seen loads of great recipes on her blog and tried some too (e.g. these Cranberry Orange Scones I served at my 30th birthday party) I love her New Moon-inspired Werewolf Cupcakes, go check them out: aren't they the cutest???

This means that the 12th cookie for my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies is the NYT Chocolate Chip Cookie!!

V.I.P. wanted: Winner of my Blogoversary Giveaway, a.k.a. My Favorite Things

Finally the time has come to find out who wins my Blogoversary Giveaway and gets to recieve a parcel with some of my favorite things!
To make sure that the choosing was impartial I used the Random Integer Generator, so here's the result...

The first random number that came up was 1. The first comment was made by Shelby (HoneyB):

Ok Marthe, I am not entering because I just won the cookbook and you also sent me some awesome chocolate too! I want to wish you a happy blogoversary though and I look forward to you guesting on my blog while I am on vacation! :-)

Since Shelby didn't enter the giveaway I made the generator pick another number....

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:21

Timestamp: 2009-08-16 22:03:14 UTC

This means my winner is.... Natalia, who said:

Ciao Marthe ! Happy blogiversary !!I totally forgot about mine !! What beautiful mix of presents ! For us it is very strange how you decorate the (san carlo) toast !

Congratulations Natalia!

The Winner of my big 3-0 Cookbook Giveaway!!

Yep, it's time for me to choose a winner for my giveaway!! I asked people for ideas for the high tea/afternoon tea that I'll be hosting for my 30th birthday on the 5th of July. It's still a couple of months away, but I like to plan ahead for special occasions like this one!


I received some great ideas:

• Steph of Obsessed with Baking suggested some lovely Cream Scones with Cranberry and Orange
• Marie of A Year from Oak Cottage entered a scrumptious Golden Jubilee Cake
• Liz of Cake of Death came up with the idea of making huge, gorgeous chocolate-covered strawberries.htm
• Kathleen of Cuisine Kathleen presented me with yummy Rugelach
• Shelby of The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch gave me a wonderful recipe for the perfect cucumber sandwich
• Gabe's Girl brought in the cute idea of mini versions of a tomato pie

As you can imagine it was very difficult for me to choose only one of these tasty suggestions: they all sound so wonderful! I had difficulties deciding on a winner because all of the entries are sooo different. Normally I prefer sweet over savoury, but in this case I loved each and every suggestion. But since I only had one cookbook to give away I did have to pick just one.....

I finally decided on a winning recipe and before I tell you who has won I'll tell you why this is the winner.... :

1. This recipe is supereasy to make.
2. This is a crowd-pleaser: out of all the entered recipes this is the only one that would actually be eaten by everyone that I will invite to my tea party because it doesn't contain any ingredients that someone won't eat.

So.... The winner of this cookbook is: Shelby of The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch! Congratulations!!

We have a winner....

All week I've been looking forward to today: today I'll go to Groningen with my Mum,

which is about a one-hour-drive from my hometown Zwolle.

A while ago I won some tickets from a magazine for the sneak preview of the movie Bride Wars that premiers here on March 26th.

Do you know the movie, have you seen it already??? Let me know what you thought about it, did you like it or hate it???

Now on to the most important part of this post: the winner of my Dutch cookbook giveaway.

At first I tried to let my pets pick the winner, so I tore up 35 little pieces of paper and wrote

the numbers 1 to 35 on them, folded them up and put them in a box.

Scott was totally not interested in the scraps of paper.

Senna on the other hand was far to busy with her grooming ritual to pick a winner......

So I had to resort to the very trustworty Random Integer Generator and

let it pick a winner, so here it is:

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:12
Timestamp: 2009-03-21 00:56:21 UTC

Comment number 12 was made by...... Chocolatechic:
chocolatechic zei...
Even with Mr. Murphy along for the ride, your cakes look fabulous.
As for the book, I'd love the second one, because I love traditional recipes.
17 maart 2009 14:51

Chocolatechic: please contact me through email, so I can send you
the Dutch cookbook you picked: