It's FiNALLY HERE--AVAILABLE FOR SALE on Amazon!

I am very happy to FINALLY announce that printed copies of The Cookbook of Culinary Elegance are NOW AVAILABLE!  This Sunday it will become available as an e-book as well.  My family and I have decided that 20% of each sale will go to the Armstrong Auditorium Building fund!  Check it out for sale on Amazon at:  http://www.amazon.com/Cookbook-Culinary-Elegance-Features-Ingredient/dp/1481007386/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355499508&sr=1-3&keywords=the+cookbook+of+culinary+elegance

The Cookbook of Culinary Elegance!

Got the last proof back from Amazon yesterday and so excited.....The Cookbook of Culinary Elegance is almost ready to be distributed.  All of the prepress is done and approved...I just have to finish the e-book part of it which will only take a few minutes since I already converted the files in the correct format.  EXCITED!  Above is me holding my proof copy that arrived yesterday!  Two years of so much cooking now in my hands and this was a special project b/c my dad and I did all of the recipes.  I have also decided that 20% of each sale will go to the AA Building Fund.

Honey from the Mc Carty's & Homemade Roasted Almonds from Anita Burks!

 Excited to have made my first purchase from friends Matthew and Christy McCarty.  They "raise" their own bees and extract their own honey.  I was THRILLED to get in on their last batch extracted and have to say, I have NEVER in my life tasted honey with SO MUCH FLAVOR.  It's delicious!  Makes me wonder what they do to the honey in the store even if it says raw and natural!  See their label below.

Anita Burks brought me over a healthy treat at the end of the work day yesterday at my desk.  She soaked raw almonds overnight, and then roasted them in her oven in coconut oil and sea salt.  Yummy!  Thanks Y'all!!!

Mens Necktie Designs

Mens Leopard Necktie.  Very silky to the touch.  Designed this tie two years ago gave original to friends, and just made another TWO last week.  One will be for sale at CCoatsOfManyColours and the other will up for grabs locally.  My personal favorite tie design.  :-)

 front view

FINALLY finished this tie that I was able to design a few months back.  Very nice fabric.  I plan to hang on to this tie and gift it out.  Not sure who to gift it to, but usually if someone does something nice or I notice they are working hard I'll grab a handmade tie from the stash and gift it.

Speaking Kind Words Goes A Long Ways

It's amazing how treating someone as you would want to be treated and even better goes a long ways.  I was at the post office mailing off a Scents of Happiness order and the mail clerks at the counter looked tired and worn out and weren't being very kind to the many people, especially this time of year w/so many people coming in mailing off packages.  Instead of being grateful for the post office workers people in line were grumbling about having to wait in line so long causing the workers at the counter to get even crankier with customers.  Well, I was NOT trying to be a hero or anything, not my place, and I've done my share of complaining, but I told the lady in line by me that people are so spoiled and how the post office workers were probably worn out and also tired of hearing complaining customers.  She agreed and immediately changed her frown to a smile.  When I got to the counter, I thanked the clerk that helped me and told him how much everyone really appreciated their hard work b/c without them none of our packages would be handled.  Instantly, not only the clerk that was dealing with me, but all the clerks that heard, no joke, perked up and started smiling and treating people better, and the customers that had heard were acting more respectful towards the mail clerks.  As I was walking out of the post office I was thinking how I long for the day when people will live the way of give instead of get and will genuinely build up each other instead of tearing down.

The above photo of a glass of champagne has nothing to do w/this post.....just thought it was neat.  Took it the other night after getting home after 9pm.  Long day.  Wish Melissa Brown had been around to take a decent photo...I was pretty much unsuccessful at capturing the bubbly stuff with bubbles; at least a few bubbles show

Thanksgiving 2012 Group Photo

Our Thanksgiving Group Photo that my brother took with his remote control camera in front of his house.

Thanksgiving 2012 Photos!

Thanks to David Savage for taking this shot of Jamie Hawkins and myself at Thanksgiving Dinner.  Great shot, love it!  We all enjoyed Thanksgiving at my brother and sister in laws house! All Pics are up now at royaltruecolours.com for those with password access.

Love this shot of Robert Glennon that I got before dinner in my brother and sister in laws kitchen.  Looks like he's thinking, OH NO, she caught me working in the kitchen.  ha, ha! 

Mrs. Heyer and my sister in law Sonia are working something out in Sonia's kitchen before dinner.

A beautiful Thanksgiving Turkey decorated by my mom!  We had two turkey's.  My mom baked this one, and Sonia baked another one.

Love this pic.  My "adopted" neice and nephews, the Welsh kids!  Ansley, by the way, is great!  I got tired after eating too much, yeah, and had to lay down, and Ansley came and gave me this great back massage to help me relax.  What a sweetheart!

 My brother and Sonia eating with some of their dinner guests.....let's see, Anthony Chibarirwe, Robert Glennon, Kyle Tremblay, Benjamin Tauer can be seen in this pic.  I think I see a sliver of Lauren Eames shir on the other side of Benjamin too!  :-) 

 Benjamin Tauer carves the turkey.  What a great carver he was!

 My parents enjoying their meal.

Jamie Hawkins and Tiffany Watson, and Tiffany's mom, here all the way from Mississippi, enjoying their meal.

 Sean Welsh enjoying his meal; where's his wife Gladys, she's missing.....

FOUND HER....should have known, she was in the kitchen putting last touches to something.