Jane's Tomato Basil Soup

My mom has to be my "official" introduction to the kitchen. She let me scoot the kitchen chair up to the side of our beige Formica table, add some ingredients to the batter after she had already thoroughly mixed it. "Just making sure I did it right," she used to say and give me a smile. It made me feel very important and grown up! Making favorite recipes bring back these memories and helps me feel very satisfied with a yummy food creation in the present.

"Eat food. Not too much.

Mostly plants." ~ Michael Pollan

My sister, Jane, gave me this great recipe. I really like the flavors in a good tomato soup, especially when you add fresh basil. Bon Appetit.

CREDITS: "SENDING BUTTERFLY KISSES" FROM MOONLIGHT JOURNEY.

March Recipe Cards

This biscotti recipe has been in my family nearly 40 years. I used to make these cookies for my son, Brad, when he was a toddler. They are easy to make, and have a truly amazing anise flavor.

It's funny how these simple little cookies have created such a lasting and constant memory of my small little boy all these days of my life.

Enjoy!

CREDITS: STORYBOOK CREATOR 3.0 BY CREATIVE MEMORIES, "TEA TIME" ENVELOPE BY MOONLIGHT JOURNEY.

A Magical Combination

Ahh . . . the possibilities a meal and your husband of 44 years can bring . . . so perfect at the moment. Fresh shrimp from the Pacific, homemade pasta, herb Italian dressing drizzled over a beautiful tossed salad, a couple shots of tequila, topped off with fresh crusty rolls, while relaxing on a balcony overlooking the ocean.

La Dolce Vita Ristorante

It's all about sitting down at your favorite restaurant once again, after a five year absence. I remember the wooden chairs, the antique mahogany bar, the green checked tablecloths, green cloth napkins, and the oil and balsamic vinegar in the middle of each intimate table while soft romantic songs play in the background. Then glance up and the vast ocean at sunset is before your eyes!

I've thought about this Italian Ristorante in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico so many times. It's funny how all the special moments shared with the one you love often centers around food and drink. I really can't explain why this restaurant happens to be my favorite restaurant in the world. Probably just sharing it with my favorite person is the real reason.

February Recipe Memories

A couple of years ago, I joined a recipe card club with some of my artistic friends at our local scrapbooking store. As time went on, I realized putting food together is an art just like everything else in life. Over this next year I will be receiving about 120 cards that measure 5" X 8." I have a special roll-top recipe box to hold them all, which really makes the journey of each month even more entertaining for me!

These were some of the cards I created, as well as, a couple of the special ones I received.

"Pa Pa's Delectible Crepe Recipe Card" designed by myself.

It is so inspiring to display my recipe cards on my kitchen counter as I begin a meal. I suppose my favorite meal is anything that's simple, or down-home cooking. I do enjoy stepping out of the box once in a while by coming up with ways to go all Italian, or do another meal all Mexican. I love traveling as it is such a good opportunity to learn more about local cultures and unique foods. I can't seem to get enough shrimp in my life.

Recipe card designed by Sherry Reiber

Recipe card designed by Andrea Wright

I wish I had more time to really develop my skills in cooking. I have a vast collection of cookbooks and family recipes just waiting to be made into really clever designs. Hopefully, you can dream along with me as I share a little bit of my kitchen.

CREDITS: "MEN WITH WINGS" BY MOONLIGHT JOURNEY, "CONSERVATORY" 2-SIDED PAPER BY 7gypsies, 'VINTAGE EPHEMERA & PHOTOGRAPHS" RUBBERSTAMP COLLECTION BY TJ DESIGNS, LLC, & RECIPE INSPIRED BY ELIZABETH MAXSON.

Manly Man Cards

"Life is a succession of moments."

"To live each one is to succeed." ~Corita Kent

I've been working on some greeting cards for my monthly card exchange. When I first saw these images from Moonlight Journey, I just knew I had to try making something using these destinguished gentlemen!

I am also back and running with my repaired computer. It started acting up right at the beginning of the One World One Heart Giveaway, and was in the shop three times in the past two weeks. Hopefully, everything will be fine. You just don't realize how your life changes without your computer!

CREDITS: BRAND NEW "DASHING MEN" IMAGES FROM MOONLIGHT JOURNEY, "IMAGINED" RUBBERSTAMP FROM PAPER BAG STUDIOS. QUOTE FROM CREATIVE MEMORIES, "DELIGHT DIGITAL POWER PALETTE" USING STORYBOOK CREATOR 3.0.

OWOH Giveaway Winners

Thank you so much, Lisa Swifka of Whymsical Bohemian, for giving us the opportunity to share a little of ourselves during this tremendous blogging event. It has truly been an amazing adventure! Each year gets even more thrilling when you to drop by and visit so many wonderful blogging artists from around the world.

I am pleased to announce the winners of my two special gifts.

Prize No. 1 "Woodland Mittens" goes to:
Birgit of Swapping Howdies,
Munich, Germany

Prize No. 2 "Dusty Rose Wrist Warmers" goes to:
Jenn of Just Jenn Designs,
Williamsburg, Virginia

Both Birgit and Jenn have been sent emails for their addresses. Thank you, everyone for all your kind comments and words of inspiration.

One World One Heart Giveaway

This will be my third year

participating in the

"One World One Heart" event.

I love flying all over the world

and checking out

some of the best blogs ever!

These two weeks will allow

you to meet people

that you probably would

never have discovered,

if this event was unavailable.

It is such a fun way to find some

fantastic inspiration. I will miss that

this will be the final year. Sigh!

I really should introduce myself

more than I have in the past.

Perhaps this will entice you

to share my life and art,

and we may even become friends.

Ever since I was even a child,

I have always loved doing artistic things.

I spent a number of years

making fabric quilts

and began knitting

when I was ten years old.

Then came more than a decade

of traditional scrapbooking

my heritage family photos.

I even spent a number of years

designing layouts

for a local scrapbook store.

My biggest leap in art

was discovering

art journals, ATC's and Altered Art.

That is when I really got hooked.

I love any kind of paper,

old photos, especially sepia toned ones.

I adore all Somerset Studio publications.

For as long as I can remember,

I have always liked old things.

I enjoy taking photos, assembling vintage

style collage art,

and sometimes I even cross

over to Country Western and Gothic themes.

There's nothing like reading a good mystery novel

and stories of the "Old South."

When I first purchased my

Canon SLR digital camera,

there was another huge turning point

in my artistic career.

I became obsessed with

learning more about the beauty

of digital art, and promised myself

I would become proficient at this.

Since that opened so much

visual excitement for me,

I began posting some of my

digital creations and then

was asked to become

a design team member

for Moonlight Journey.

It's been uphill ever since.

Their images are just stunning

and motivating to me!

Recently, I have been involved in a

monthly artistic recipe card swap.

My family recipes are

slowly evolving into

treasured little pieces of art,

which are dropped lovingly

into protective sleeves especially

for a recipe card binder.

This process has

triggered my desire

to become a better cook,

get all my recipes organized and copied

for future generations.

Plus, I can appreciate

the importance of eating more

natural and organic foods.

Over the years,

I have become more

in tune with the true beauty

of nature, friends, family,

art in a whole new way, and

less about what I don't possess.

Afterall,

it is much more important to

truly enjoy the present.

And ta da , for my prizes!

Prize #1

Mittens, Woodland Colors

25% Wool & Acrylic, Washable

Prize #2

Garter-Stitch Wrist Warmers, Dusty Rose

100% Acrylic

Please leave a comment

and a way to contact you.

On February 17, I will email you

for your address

and then mail you

your gift within 3 days.

I sincerely thank you for

stopping by and

sharing your talents!

Come back and visit me anytime.

Nancy

A huge thank you so goes to Lisa Swifka, for all your devotion to this galant extravaganza. Without you, this would not be possible. To link back to the participants in OWOH, click HERE.

Sweet Chickadee Mugs

For almost 200 years, Pfaltzgraff has provided America with gorgeous dinnerware. I have wished for a set of "Winterwood" coffee mugs for quite a while, and this year I received these sweet cups for a gift during the holidays from my daughter-in-law. As green is probably my most favorite color and chickadees are just too adorable, this set of mugs will grace my morning table each and every breakfast from now on.

I would really like to own a set of dinner plates after having received these cute little cups and side plates. There are a number of items that coordinate that I keep admiring. Would you believe they have already sold out from the holidays?

And, now for a cup of

Wild Sweet Orange herbal tea......

and maybe an

apricot or raspberry kolacky.

January Recipe Cards

Above recipe card by Nancy Van Hoose

"Alice in Wonderland" images

available through Moonlight Journey.

Above two cards created by Sherry Reiber

Some of the images above

available through Sherry on

her Creative Memories website.

When my sisters and I were growing up, my mom was the best cook. Oh, how all of us remember some of her specialties like Beef Stroganoff, Lemon Meringue Pie, or fresh Apple Pie. I remember my mom for her Spanish rice.....which caused me to wish I could go to a friend's house for dinner on the days it was prepared. But always on my birthday, she made me a Burnt Sugar Cake, which I absolutely loved with "Mrs. Purdy's Creme Frosting."

Once again this year, I have joined a recipe club where a dozen gals exchange their family recipes artistically on a 5" X 8" card. It is more than just getting a beautiful card. It is a monthly retreat where we tell our stories, share our talents, our skills, our secrets, and how each of we women journey through our lives.

Many thanks to each and every one of my recipe card friends for letting me get to know you a little bit more, hear about your gardens, farms, and discover different lifestyles than my own.

And so, let me share 12 months of some of favorite recipe cards in the future year. I regret that I cannot post each and every card I receive due to time restraints.

Just Carry On

A couple of weeks ago, I dreamed about yarn. Knitting dreams are kind of common for me--for you see these colorful socks have a serious mistake in them. I discovered the error after I had already completed a whole sock and half of the next one. Sheesh! Now what?

Do I start ripping it out after more than 30 hours of work? Or do I make another one with the an identical knitting issue. Well, I decided to just keep the mistake again so they match.

I guess, no one would even know but me, but sometimes my desire for absolute perfection gets the best of my unspoken mind. The socks fit just fine, and they do have a kind of clever artistic flair. I will find the beauty in them no matter what. That's what knitters do.

Country Music Cards

"Music

washes away

from the soul

the dust

of everyday

life."

Sometimes finding the time to create art becomes a little more difficult. I have so many ideas, and just not enough time in the day. With the holidays now past, I can once again focus on all my unfinished projects and all the new stuff I need and want to begin!

These cards are a work in progress for my art group. Every month I need to muster up 15 cards using a rubberstamp that all of us are required to use.

For the month of January, our stamp was this chair image from Paperbag Studios. I thought it might be fun to try something a little bit "country."

The stamp image was scanned and digitally enhanced in Creative Memories Storybook 3.0. Then I added a background, a banjo and a cowboy boot image from Deviant Scraps. The card itself was cut from a Martha Stewart paper pad called "Bandana," which I distressed with a Tim Holtz distress ink pad called "Rusty Hinge."

CREDITS: PAPERBAG STUDIOS, MARTHA STEWART, TIM HOLTZ, DEVIANT SCRAPS, & CM STORYBOOK 3.0.

Happy Holidays

Friends, family, fellow bloggers, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! I have had a year's worth of joy to thank you for. I love receiving your encouraging comments, thus helping me to focus more on my art, my family and the blessings of life. I am so grateful for my health and the unpredictable joys of each day.

We all know that these are stressful times and I pray that this message finds you at a place of peace. My prayer for you and your loved ones this Christmas is that you can focus on the abundance and make it a point to chuckle now and then.

Take care of yourself this year!

Merry Christmas to all.

Nancy

Winter Wonderland

Yesterday we spent almost four hours traveling across and back the upper peninsula on our way to Marquette to do last minute holiday shopping. There is not much salt applied to roads up here, mostly sand. It looks rather slippery, however, it is not. Our first stop was the North Pole, in Christmas, Michigan. My mom had her Christmas cards to mail. How cool is that to have your greeting cards postmarked with "Christmas, Michigan" on every envelope?

Check out these street signs!

Our holiday visit is rapidly coming to an end. My dear husband has been so patient with three ladies for the week, driving us all over the place. He usually refers to me as "Miss Daisy" when asked what have you been doing this week with those back home. Tomorrow we will have to sadly pack up again on our long drive home to southern Michigan. We will, of course, stop in Mancelona to visit my daughter, Amy, and her husband Derek to spend a few days enjoying each other's company playing cards and more Christmas celebration.

I am keeping warm and knitting some last minute gifts for family back at home. I think it may be time for some of my sister's fabulous hot chocolate. Jim Carey's movie "A Christmas Carol" is scheduled for tonight's viewing pleasure.

Downtown in Grand Marais, Michigan

Main Street in Grand Marais, Michigan East Side

This is the town where my mom and sister live in the upper peninsula. It is a very small town that is really quite lovely in the summer months. The winter months can be very brutal. The view of the bay is very picturesque. It is a great place to relax, feel the warm summer breezes, however winter can be menacing.

Main Street in Grand Marais, Michigan facing South West Side

Mini Street Plower, Grand Marais, Michigan

Medical Center, Grand Marais, Michigan

The post office in Grand Marais, Michigan

Tomorrow I will try to post some photos of the lake in it's winter fury.

Greetings, again, from the north country.

Nancy

Holiday Visit to the Great Up North

Grand Marais, Michigan USA

Lake Superior, December 2010

Was it the "storm of the century?" Oh my goodness, it snowed and it snowed. We were trapped in the house for three days, but finally took a trip to town to see the waves on Lake Superior yesterday afternoon. It was brutally cold, windy, and the air chilled you to the bone.

Agate Beach, Grand Marais, Michigan USA

This is the famous agate beach in December. It is usually a nice warm beach that I visit in the summer months, so seeing it this way was incredible. We held on to the railing of the beach viewing deck literally, while the snow and sand blasted your face with a 35 to 40 mile an hour rate. Whew!

There are more photos to follow in the next few days. I have been having a great time craft supply shopping, and enjoying the company of my mom and sister in the upper peninsula since last Friday. It is difficult to stop playing to post the progress of the trip. I promise to show more very soon.

Over the River and Through the Woods

As the holiday season has officially arrived, my hubby Chuck and I will be making a call on Grandma (my Mom), and my sister Peg way up north in the upper part of Michigan. We have never made a trip to Grand Marais in the winter time. It will certainly be a major challenge if we are bombed with a huge snowfall.

I've wrapped a pile of gifts, packed my suitcase with art supplies, and began jamming clothes in another. We will probably be gone about 10 days. I can hardly wait to see their Christmas tree! Our ETA will probably be this Friday afternoon.

We love to watch movies when we get up there. Did you know that there is another Red Riding Hood movie lurking on the horizon? This flic was directed by the first Twilight director, Catherine Hardwick. It looks like the big bad wolf is doing his number disguising himself as Valerie's (Amanda Seyfield) boyfriend (Shiloh Fernandez), but really is a werewolf! The scenery looks absolutely gorgeous. Something to sink my teeth into this coming March in 2011. Ha! Ha!

I am going to be "back in business" on December 20th. I really want to show you photos this time of Michigan's beautiful winter scenery. It is like walking into the movie Dr. Zhivago.

(Remember to pause my music if you wish to view this trailer).

Hopefully, I can post some photos along the way. Have fun enjoying this special time of year.

Nancy

Flapper Knit Hats

The 1920's have always fascinated me. (For that matter, so have the 30's and 40's.) So much happened. I am especially fond of the music that was born at this time. During the 20's came the birth of the Flapper. The Flapper was everything new and modern. I have put a little modern twist to these children "Flapper" hats with bright and bold buttons. I feel that vintage buttons would really be perfect, but as these are for my family's Christmas gifts, my nieces may just prefer the buttons of today.

So many people believe that the women's movement started back in the 60's. I actually believe it started back in the 20's. The Flapper gave up the restricting clothing way before the liberated women burned their bras!

These adorable hats are less than a day project. Click on over to Justine from New Zealand at Just Jussi Knitwear Design. The pattern called "Poppy" is free! Thank you for sharing, Justine.

Father Christmas Greeting Card

"My Beard"

by Shel Silverstein

My beard grows down to my toes,

I never wear no clothes.

I wraps my hair around my bare,

And down the road I goes.

Here is the first in a series of Christmas cards I am making using this extravagantly bearded fellow. This vintage bearded man image was a freebie from Tumblefish Studios. I have been loving the creations that have magically formed.

CREDITS: "SIR BEARDSFELLOW" COURTESY OF TUMBLEFISH STUDIOS, RUBBERSTAMP IMAGES FROM STAMPINGTON, HANDWRITTEN MERRY CHRISTMAS RUBBERSTAMPS FROM PAPER INSPIRATIONS, MISCELLANEOUS FABRICS FROM JOANN'S, AND BLANK CARDS AND ENVELOPES BY RECOLLECTIONS. BACKGROUND "CALISTO CHRISTMAS' BY ANNA GRIFFIN.

Mini Christmas Card Banner

Making this miniature Christmas pennant banner is not very complicated, when you use these adorable digital collage sheets designed by Becky Loyall of Moonlight Journey. I printed each tiny banner approximately 3" in height. They have recently added "craft projects" to their line of beautiful art. As soon as I saw this digital pack, I just knew I had to do something cute with it.

I think it just might turn out to be a very special Christmas card!

"Go ahead--it's Christmas--

decorate every little thing in the house."

~ Mary Engelbreit

CREDITS: "BELIEVE" pennant craft project from Moonlight Journey, "Vintage Market Alphabet" from Tim Holtz Alterations die cuts, "Christmas Cheer" Grand Adhesions from K & Company, Ranger "Stickles" in turquoise, and sari ribbon.