To party...or not to party...that is the question

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I have a love/hate relationship with the home party. I love to have them. I even like going to them. But nothing makes you feel more like a loser than no rsvps to your party.

The first home party I ever went to was Pampered Chef. It was in 1997. I was pregnant with Katie. And visiting my bff Cindy Sue who was living in Albuquerque at the time. She had a party while I was there...and it was just so much fun. I got all kinds of cool gadgets that I've never used. I don't know who I was kidding to think that I would use a crinkle slicer. So that I would have ruffle edges to my carrots. Or cucumbers. That I don't eat anyway. Or my Chillazine bowl. That is still lovingly packed away in my cabinet. In its original cardboard container.

But...one thing I got then. That I still use. Is my stoneware. I use it for anything and everything that goes into my oven. You can see some form of stoneware in every cooking post I've done. I love it. And there are so many other Pampered Chef things that I use daily. From my mini spatulas to my prep bowls to my big glass measuring bowls. I do love my Pampered Chef - crinkle cutter and chillazine aside.

Cindy was also the one that turned me onto Creative Memories. I tried to have my own show for that. But no one would come. I ended up going to the consultants house for a private lesson so that I could get started. And a year later when I started my own business - it was with much hesitation. But, I had a great 9 year run. And preached my message to the fullest.

Now that I think about it...Cindy turned me onto another home party: Usborne books. And she was even a consultant for them for a bit. On my first visit to see her in San Antonio 8 years ago...she had her first Usborne book show. And I was there to witness it. Even though I had food poisoning and spent much of the evening elsewhere. I love Usborne books, too. My kids love them. And I even bought some last week at the Homeschool Expo. I've had several successful book shows. And a couple that never happened.

In January, I had a Southern Living Party. And I had 15 people that came to my house. I was so surprised! And you should have seen all the boxes UPS delivered to me. That I then had to separate. And deliver.And hey...when I visited Cindy last month...we went to a Southern Living Party. Hmmm...why has it taken me this long to see the pattern of corruption?

So...tonight I am hosting a Pampered Chef party. Wish me luck. And hope that I am not a loser!

What about you? Do you like to host home parties? Do you like to go to them? What has been your favorite or most successful? What about least favorite - when you get the invite for a party for this company you think "yuck!" and there is no way you'd buy their stuff anyway?