My Vintage Family Cookbook

I’ve wanted to put together a family cookbook for years, but finally got the inspiration I needed when Basic Grey introduced the “Nook and Pantry” collection a few months back.  The line has the wonderful vintage feel of grandma’s kitchen and I thought it was perfect to display all of my favorite and cherished family dishes.  It’s amazing how recipes have the ability to evoke special memories of important people in your life or a special time.  That’s what makes this project so meaningful.  I will enjoy adding to it through the years.  Following are a few of the pages from my book….enjoy and feel free to try the recipes.  I can guarantee they are all delicious.

The album cover – The illustration caption reads “I only have a kitchen because it came with the house.”  Fits me to a tee.  I’m not much of a cook myself, which makes me adore these recipes that much more.   

The inside cover and opening page of the appetizer section.

I’m claiming this as my recipe because I changed one ingredient..otherwise I had nothing to do with it.

I cannot get enough of my mother-in-law’s Country Beans.  I love them so much, I ask her to take them on the road whenever she’s asked to bring a dish to pass.  Yum!! 

Every once in a while, Jay gets a cooking bug in him and this is one of his favorites to make.  I enjoy watching him play “chef” and take pride in his tasty bruschetta.

Opening page of the soup section

A staple around our house.  Tastes great with Doritos.  

 Main Dish section.  The window actually opens.  Cute.

Absolutely the BEST meal ever made.  It’s been our birthday dinner for most of our life – although my mom has tortured me for the last few years by not making it.  She would say that I’ve tortured her by forcing her make it all these years….it’s a pain in the butt.   This recipe is so good….hot or cold, so be sure to make enough for leftovers! 

This is the easiest meal to make and great to bring along as a dish to pass.  It has an addicting flavor and something I need to have at least once a month.  You know if a recipe includes crushed Ritz crackers and butter it MUST be good!

I have several Spaghetti recipes that are all a little different.  My mom’s is my favorite, but I haven’t added that one to the book yet.  This one is Nana’s which has a little sweetness to it.              Very good.

The opening of the dessert section.  The apron is adorable.  I also like how the ribbon treatment turned out…..I gathered it with a ripple effect which adds a nice texture.

 My Nana used to make these little “leftover” treats for us every time she made a pie and had extra crust to work with.  Delicious! 

This is my Birthday cake (Wendie’s too) that I’ve had every year of my life (at least as far back as I can remember).  There is nothing else like it in the world and the frosting is absolutely addicting.  My mom sure had a winner with this one. 

This cake is light, fruity and delicious!  It’s easy too.

This is a Betty Crocker recipe that I’ve adopted.  I’m not much of a cook, but I do like to bake (once a year or so) and this is my specialty.  It’s an interesting and tasty twist on pie.

 A recipe found in the Detroit Free Press….cute little fall treat.

A Scrapbooker is Born

Avery shows off her new scrapbook

 

My niece Avery stayed with us this weekend while her brother traveled to Flint with Mom for a hockey tournament.  I took her with me to scrapbook league yesterday, her first time scrapbooking.  League can be a long day, so I was crossing my fingers that she wouldn’t get bored.  She LOVED it!  I had a feeling I had a scrapbooker on my hands when we arrived at Scrappy Chic – she got out of the car and took a picture of the store! 

By the end of the day, Avery completed 16 pages to my 2.  My friends all know that I’m not the speediest at my craft, but when Avery pointed it out to my friend she got quite a kick out of it.  I walked away from the table for a moment and Avery said to Chris, “Aunt Beckie’s really slow, but I still really like her.”  Phew!

We had a really great day together and I loved watching her select her photos, write her name, draw pictures and play with stickers.  We bought a scrapbook for her to keep all of her new pages in and she spent the entire night (and morning) looking through it.  She was so proud to show Uncle Jay and Mom too.  My favorite page of hers is the first one here, which includes a drawing of her family – Mom, Dad, Avery and her brother Jack.  There is something so eternally precious about a child's portrait of her family.

I’m looking forward to bringing my new scrapbook buddy with me again sometime.    

Notice all the hearts drawn around the family…..

shows how much this girl is loved.

Woops…I think we have a duplicate picture here, Aves.

She laughs every time she sees Uncle Jay’s silly face in this page. 

What a clown.

 

She asked me to help her spell Disney World so she could write

where she was here.

The picture of mom and dad is a little off in timing with the Christmas pics, but she LOVES this picture and points it out every time we look at the book.  I thought the animals were a funny addition too. 

One of her favorite pages…..she wanted this cheetah paper more

than anything we bought that day.

Beckie Needs a New Bag

These days, my busy job has me moving a lot – meetings at different locations, working on-site at my clients office and doing a lot of work from home.  I’m actually really enjoying the variety, but my back doesn’t share my enthusiasm.  Problem is – you know me – any ordinary black leather laptop bag won’t do.  I’m looking for a functional, professional looking bag that is also stylish.  The last word in that sentence poses the real challenge.  I called out to friends for suggestions of where to find this elusive bag.  Thanks to their great suggestions and a lot of internet research, I’ve found a few bags that I really like.  Now I need help choosing.  Each bag has a unique style and personality and I love them all.  Please take a look at my selections below and let me know your favorite:

#1:  McKlein USA Glen Ellyn Laptop Brief: I love the ladylike shape of this bag, especially in winter white.  It’s charming and professional.  It’s a versatile piece that features a removable wheel and handle system, so the bag can be carried over the shoulder as well.  It features an organizer section for media gadgets, a front zipper pocket for miscellaneous items, a removable laptop sleeve and a retractable handle.  My challenge with this bag is that I love it most in white, which isn’t really practical for Michigan weather (it comes in black, which is pretty but not quite the same as this one).  Also, not sure it has a lot of room to hold a laptop AND tons of files. 

 

 

#2:  Clark & Mayfield Quimby Rolling Laptop Tote:  This bag has a perfect combination of stylish quilted fabric and a beautiful blue shade (my favorite color).  It has a professional feel, but is fun and less conservative than most business bags.  It has a nylon body and rubber coating on the bottom, so it should stand the test of time with wear and tear and easy clean ups.  The interior features a handy large fan-fold section to keep files and papers organized and pockets in the front and back add extra storage.

#3A:  Mellow World Lotus Rolling Laptop Bag in Brown:  Some might say this looks like a granny bag….but I think it has a lovely vintage style.   The tapestry fabric is different than anything else on the market.  The unique design features a large open compartment inside with one zipper pocket.   The handle stores in the zipper compartment when not in use.   While researching this bag online, I was a little disappointed with the lack of photos of the inside, so I have concerns about how much room really is inside, although its described as large and open.  As much as I love this bag, I wonder if it might be more appropriate as a handbag (the company does carry them)?   Below is the bag in a different color, which I also like.  If you choose this bag, let me know which color you like best.    

#3B:  Mellow World Lotus Rolling Laptop Bag in Beige

Sweet Valentine’s

A couple of quick examples of work with the Dear Lizzy line.  I made Valentine’s cards for my nieces and nephews.  The lighting on these photos doesn’t really do the cards justice (where is my sister when I need her?), but hopefully you can get a sense for the whimsical materials in the collection.  I’m looking forward to working more with it soon. 

The Birthday Boy

My nephew, Owen, turned one yesterday.  My sister, mom, Lilly and Owen met me for lunch in Greektown at Pizza Papalis and afterward we stopped in the delightful Astoria Pastry Shop for birthday treats.  Owen started walking a few weeks ago, so it was adorable to see him walking up and down the aisle, his eyes bugged out in amazement at all of the colorful desserts. 

We had a wonderful time together, but I think what means the most to me about the day is that it was all about Owen.  I woke up thinking about him and his big day and I went to sleep smiling about our fun time together.

A year ago, I hoped, but wasn’t sure what to expect of my emotions each year on this significant day.  You may remember that Owen was born on the 5th anniversary of my dads passing.  At the time, our loved ones helped us focus on the blessing of Owen’s arrival and comforted us with the thought that he would bring  new meaning to Feb. 17 – a reason to smile instead of shedding tears. 

I was certainly aware of the date yesterday and I thought of my dad often.  But I thought of him when I looked at Owen, and how much he reminds me of my dad with his blue eyes and cute little smirk…and how proud I know he would be of him, and of Wendie…who is the most wonderful, loving mother I know.  Instead of being sad, I was full of joy and pride in his legacy. 

I am so thankful, to God and my dad, for sending us this precious gift.  Owen is our treasure  - and really – could he be any cuter? 

 Happy Birthday, Owen!

Dear Lizzy

I was like a kid in a candy store today when I stopped into Scrappy Chic (the big girls candy store) to see the long-awaited Dear Lizzy line from American Crafts. 

Dear Lizzy is an adorable collection developed with Elizabeth Kartchner, arguably the most talented scrapbook artist around.  I have long been a fan of her work and a loyal follower of her fun blog…..I knew it was just a matter of time before she got her own line of scrapbook products.  Dear Lizzy is spring-themed and inspired by the concept of an outdoor tea party.  The collection features new and unique products like fabric paper, crocheted flowers, patterned paper, specialty ribbon and much more.  

I adore flowers, ribbons and all things feminine, so this line really appeals to me.  I fell in love with the pretty pink floral ribbon (featured in Elizabeth’s first layout below) and I love the fabric flowers she created in the second page.  I plan to use the pink ribbon on Valentine’s Day cards for my sweet treasures, Lilly and Avery.  * Note to self…I might need to look for something a little less girly for my little fellas, Owen and Jack. 

If you’re craving a little “scrap candy,” head on over to Scrappy Chic to check out Dear Lizzy.  Chris wisely has it displayed on the front end cap so you can’t miss it when you walk in. 

I’ll post pictures of my cards and other Dear Lizzy designed projects soon!

 

My Idol

I was inspired to create this page because of the special bond my husband has with his nephew, Jack.  It's really wonderful to see the two of them together - to hear them talk and laugh and play.   They just really enjoy each others company.  Typically, not more than a week will go by that they don't see or talk to each other.   Jay is an amazing Uncle and tries not to miss a thing that the kids do.  He comes to most of Jack's hockey practices and rarely misses a game.  He is always there and for that I think Jack idolizes him.   I don't think there is anyone that can make him laugh quite as much - or who he wants to disappoint less - than his Uncle Jay.

The photo in the layout was taken last fall and the pictures below it were taken this past weekend (look at how much his hair has grown!) at an event at Joe Louis Arena.  They had a great time skating together and touring the Wing's locker room.  (Note: Jack really does have teeth, he just doesn't like to show them.  We think he's a little sensitive about the growing back stage)

Not only is my husband Jack's idol, but he's mine too.