When I hit publish on this post, I will have officially completed my Project 365 for 2012. That means I took and posted a photo from each day in 2012! It may not seem like much, but this is the first year out of the 3 attempted that I actually completed the challenge. My roadblock has always been getting the photos uploaded, but as of today, they are all done!

I love looking back on my year in pictures. I print a Keepsy book for all of my Instagram pictures, but I think for my Project 365 I’m going to do a Blurb book so that I can have the words along with the pictures in a format my whole family can enjoy.

I plan on doing Project 365 again in 2013, so stay tuned for more posts. Along with it, my friend Heather has talked me into participating in Project Life as well. It should be a fun, new way to document our life!

Thanks for joining me on the journey! With that, here is my last Project 365 post for 2012.

December 1: Confetti Cookies, made and enjoyed for the Food Bloggers Cookie Swap

December 2nd: Ella giving daddy a lecture about riding on her scooter.

December 3rd: Leah chatting with Santa at our neighborhood holiday hayride

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Can you believe we are already done with the first 3 Sterling Vineyards Ultimate Host challenges? The search is now on for the 4th and final Ultimate Hosts and I personally think this is one of the best challenges yet!

For the search for the 4th and final Sterling Vineyards Ultimate Host, the theme is Hostess Choice.

Is a board game and wine-themed night your idea of an eventful evening? Do you love watching Mad Men, and want to design 60’s style drinks and bites of food? Be creative with your theme and complementary designs – this is your challenge to be as outside the box as you want to be. Watch the video on the Sterling Vineyards Facebook Page to find out more!

I’d love to see you in NYC and would be thrilled to see you crowned as The Ultimate Host!

Remember the winners of each challenge will get the chance to go to New York for a final competition and compete for the grand prize of $25,000! I’d love to see you in New York so head over to the Sterling Vineyards Facebook page today and enter!

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Sterling Vineyards. All opinions expressed are my own.

Alright friends, it’s time for your second chance to enter the Sterling Vineyards Ultimate Host challenge! The winner of the first challenge has been chosen and now it’s time for a second challenge. I know you all can rock this one because it has to do with one of our favorite things… dessert!

For this challenge, you just need to craft the perfect dessert and Sterling Vineyards wine pairing. Share a video, photos or just your ideas with Sterling Vineyards to enter! Official rules and details on entering can be found on the Sterling Vineyards Facebook page. There were just a handful of entries from challenge number one, so your chances are really good! (more…)

Last week I mentioned that I’ll be one of the judges for the Sterling Vineyards Ultimate Host Challenge. Just in case you didn’t make it over to the Sterling Vineyards facebook page to see what the first challenge was, I’m going to give you a little reminder. I’d love nothing more than to see a Dine & Dish reader in NYC in December (and to see you come home with the $25,000 grand prize)! I’m going to keep on bugging you all until you enter… you know that, right?

The very first challenge is Girls / Guys Night In. How would you, the future Sterling Vineyards Ultimate Host, throw a Girls / Guys Night In party? Put on your planning hat and share your ideas, pictures and / or videos over on the Sterling Vineyards Facebook page! Seriously, friends… they’ve made entering so easy. Hope you’ll check it out!

Hurry, because entries for Challenge #1 can be turned in through 11:59 EST on September 20th. 2012.

I can’t wait to see what your ultimate night in looks like! Good luck!

Friends, I’ve seen your parties… have even had the great privilege of being to some of them. You know how to throw a great event! Your Instagrams, Facebook updates, Tweets all tell me that you could easily be “The Ultimate Host“. I know you might be thinking “Me? The Ulitmate Host?” Yes, you!

If you have a flair for entertaining, a house where every occasion big or small is a celebration, friends and family who turn to you for awesome party ideas, then YOU could very well be exactly what Sterling Vineyards is looking for! I know so many of you have it in you, and now, it’s time to be recognized for it!

So what’s this all about? Well, I’ve partnered with Sterling Vineyards on their 2nd annual search for “The Ultimate Host“.

I’m joining judges Padma Lakshmi (Top Chef), Tori Tate (Thoughtfully Simple), Jillian Tohber (Catch My Party) and Aryka Randall (The Fab Femme) in a quest to see who can rise up to the hosting challenges set forth of the next several weeks. You can find out all about the Ulitmate Host Challenges on the Sterling Vineyards Facebook page. I’ll tell you this much though… this December, four finalists will be flown to New York City for a finale event where host extraordinaire Padma Lakshmi (plus myself and the other judges) will help Sterling crown the winner. Plus the final four will be competing for the grand prize of $25,000 and the title of Sterling Vineyards Ultimate Host! Now that’s worth a party, right?

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be sharing my take on each of the challenges. Don’t wait for me though. Head on over to the Sterling Vineyards Facebook page to find out the official rules and enter today! Hopefully I’ll see YOU in NYC in December! Good luck!!

Photos courtesy of Sterling Vineyards.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Sterling Vineyards. All opinions expressed are my own.

For Picture Black & White – Lining Up

Data: Nikon D300, 50 mm 1.4, ISO 400, Shutter Speed 1/250sec, f-stop 2.5

Edited in Photoshop using the Totally Rad Lab plugin, sterling B&W