I can safely say I will never bring a gift that has anything to do with cooking. I wish everyone would restrict their gift donations to gardening items. Books on gardening are good items, garden tools, garden hats, gloves, aprons, clogs, lotions, trugs, soaps, seed containers, garden accoutrements such as a garden totem would be nice.

Food items are acceptable, but they should be substantial, for example a pie or a pan of brownies would be great, one or two slices of pie or brownies would not. Normally we save food items just for sharing though, so consider whether you would want to get a pie as a door prize. ( I think I would, but if I had a choice I might go for the garden tools first.)

Anyway, use your imagination when selecting a door prize to bring and before you bring some old, dated, tattered item that you haven't been able to sell at your last three garage sales, remember that it will likely be the last item left on the table after everyone has chosen the "good stuff" and you may actually overhear the comment, "what a cheesy door prize" from the picker-upper. Personally, I like to bring something that everyone says, "Ooh, I want that!"

IMHO-Cheryl

losin' my mind.

The title was supposed to be "door prizes, tho how we can have 'em when we *don't have a door*"

Aren't you glad that's cleared up?!

Cheryl's right, a couple of brownies does not constitute a prize;
remember the $10 value rule.

That rule's a virtual $10 value though, you don't actually have to go out and spend $10. I rarely spend that much, but if you use a little imagination you can put together a nice door prize gift from a few sweet items. One year I got a nice little plastic basket with 2 coffee cups, and a pair of garden gloves in it. This year I have some planted boots that make a really cute porch decoration (and a fun dog toy for a rascally mutt) and I usually like to bring some kind of 'goody' basket too. I also like to bring some little things to just give away for fun. Usually it's those tiny seed packets, but I didn't save any seeds this year, so I'll have to think of something else. And I will, the squirrels are turning the wheels in my brain even as we speak. Or I speak. Anyway you get the idea. Cheryl

It's a "party box" of candles, 3 or 4 hot pink pillars & some bright green ones for contrast, with a couple of "genuine synthetic silk" hydrangeas & a some glass saucers to keep the wax off your expensive linen & lace or plastic tablecloth!

Who else has got their prize ready?

Just as a reminder for any newcomers, you gotta bring a door prize to get a door prize-you no bringee, you no gettee.

How 'bout a box of garden spiders? Muddaubers luuuvv spiders! (Tongue firmly planted in cheek)

well....
maybe not garden spiders, but if this were the spring swap I'd say some cards of trichogramma wasps might work just fine!

I do plan on bringing something to swap (its a secret,hehe), but not sure if we can stay to the end. When do you normally do the doorprize? Get have to go on to Galveston after and need to leave by 1 PM at the latest.

Serenity, remind Sylvia that you have to leave and we can draw for door prizes before you bug out. Cheryl

Maybe we should do door prizes & Orphan's Table before lunch?

That way everyone is more likely to get to take part in everything before people have to start leaving for other activities.

thoughts?