Charlotte Patera

I found a nice framed print of this poster, below, at a thrift shop a while back.
At first, when I spied it from across the room, I thought it was the crewel, but then upon closer inspection I realized it was a print.

 I remember the cashier making a comment something like "Well, that sure is a nice frame, but I don't know about the picture."
Now I ask you: what in the world is wrong with some people?
 For one thing, um ...  nobody asked her.
 I was buying it, so obviously I wanted it for some reason, right? Like gee - maybe because I LIKED it?!
 Do you think, maybe?
Oh - and the frame is nothing special at all. It's just a plain frame. Whatever, lady.
Her comment was unwanted and not at all appreciated.
Because I think it's completely fabulous.

Anyhow, when I got it, I knew nothing at all about who "Char '74" was, because my print does not have that information at the bottom, that you see, above. I guess the person who framed it had cut off the bottom to fit it into the frame.
A Stitching Exhibition?! At The Nut Tree?!
We used to LOVE going to the Nut Tree, back when were kids.
 Well, I surely do wish I'd been able to see that exhibition back in 1975; it must have really been something special.
Some time later, I found a partial photo of the poster when I was looking through my copy of "Vintage Craft Workshop", a great book authored by Cathy Callahan, who used to write a wonderful blog called "Cathy Of California", that I loved reading. The book is outstanding - you can find it on Amazon.
(I also found an article about Cathy on another blog, "While She Naps" - you can find it here.)

I kept looking up information, and I was so surprised to discover that Ms. Patera had actually lived close to where I grew up!
I'm sad to say, she passed away one year ago today.
You can read her obituary here.
 Oh, how I wish I had known she lived in Cameron Park!
Because I would have loved to have had the opportunity to meet such a talented  stitchery artist and author!
 Honestly, I would have tried to call her or something, because maybe I COULD have met her - maybe I could have even seen some of her beautiful work, in person!
I also discovered that I already owned one of her books, when I saw the cover, I recognized it immediately, and went and found it on my book shelf.
I have written before about "The Applique Book", back in this post.
(Please go back and have a look; I think you might enjoy seeing some of her fabulous designs!)
And I had even written a post about one of her designs four years ago - The Artful Artichoke (click here to go back and read about it).
She authored other books, too, including some about Mola techniques, and this one, "Cutwork Applique":

And here are some examples from that book:

 The "Sun Symbol":

 And a gorgeous dress:

 Now I want that book, too, of course!
I'll find myself a copy, you can bet on it.
You know, I am not much of a needlework person, nor a seamstress, but I so greatly admire the talented women who are, and were, and all of the beautiful items they create/created with their handiwork.
And I just wanted to write a post about Charlotte Patera, so that if you have never heard of her before, perhaps if you come across one of her books, or see a photo of  her work, you might now remember her name, as well.
What a talented lady she was.

Cherry Crumb Cake: A Farm Journal Recipe

I found this old recipe I had hand-written on a piece of paper when I was going through some old stuff.

I knew it was from the cookbook, below - and I believe I had gotten it from Mother back before I had a copy of the cookbook.
"Farm Journal's Best-Ever Recipes", seen below.
I've written about the vintage Farm Journal cookbooks a number of times before, as they contain some of our family's all-time favorite recipes that Mother used when we were growing up.

This one just sounded good - and easy - to me, and I wanted to try it.

We liked it - but we didn't love it. I'd rather have cherry pie.

Honestly, I liked it better the next day, for some reason.

The can of cherry pie filling I bought to use was not really quite enough. You know how sizes of grocery items have changed over the years, right?
If I should decide to make it again, I would buy two cans and weigh out 24 ounces to use, which is what the recipe calls for.
But I'd probably make a pie instead! And I would use canned cherries, rather than cherry pie filling.
It's funny - I think I must have had this - and liked it so much - at the time, that I wanted the recipe. But I think my taste has changed over the years. There's another old recipe that I used to LOVE when I was younger, it was a cherry cream cheese pie, made with "ReaLemon" brand juice, I think, and cream cheese and maybe sweetened condensed milk. I don't think I'd like that any more, either. It sounds kind of weird to me, now.
So much so that I don't even think I'd want to bother trying it again - why make something you don't think you will like?
That wouldn't stop me from trying it if somebody ELSE made it, though, LOL!
(Please don't let my musings keep you from trying today's recipe, if you think it sounds good! The Farm Journal recipes are, by and large, very, VERY good.)
Try it, you might like it!

Potpourri Press Books By Irena Chalmers

I have a small collection of these fabulous little paperback cookbooks written by Irena Chalmers and published by Potpourri Press in Greensboro, North Carolina. All of mine were published during the years 1969-1977.
 This one, the only one that is NOT a cookbook, is the one that started it all for me,
 "Napkin Folding":

Here's one little bio and photo from the back cover of one of my books:

And here is another:

The first cookbook photo below, the "Cookie Book" is one that I do not have.
 I'm hoping to find it: I love the illustration on the cover:

I think I found nearly all of my others at thrift shops.
And I like the covers on all of them.
The next four volumes pictured here today all feature artwork by Bob Penny. 
"Crock-Pot Cookery":

"Lover's Dining":

"Cooking In Clay":

"Souffle Spectaculars":

"Wok And Tempura Cookery" was written with Barbara Farr and has drawings inside, also by Ms. Farr:

And "Crepes And Flaming Desserts" has cover artwork by Mr. Penny, with drawings inside done by Sara G. Skardon :

 In perusing these little cookbooks, I see a lot of recipes that I want to try.
Here's a Beef Stew recipe from "Crock-Pot Cookery":

 

 There are at least a half-dozen more that I do not have, but I'm still hoping to find them very inexpensively at thrift stores, rather than buying them on eBay.
Because I don't NEED them, you know?
 I'd just like to have them if I happen across them - and perhaps I will!

Chocolate (Cream) Cheese Pie, A Recipe From Farm Journal

 I made this creamy, delicious chocolate dessert yesterday:

The recipe actually comes from a cookbook we grew up with,
 Farm Journal's Complete Pie Cookbook, published in 1965:

I have Mother's copy, and the recipes in it are fabulous.
Some of our family favorites were the Frosted Apple-Raisin Pie, Crisscross Cherry Pie,
and the Best-Ever Lemon Meringue Pie, which really IS, by the way; it always got the highest bid when Mother would make one and take it to one of our 4-H Pie Socials.
Does anybody do Pie Socials any more? Our 4-H ones were fund raisers, and they were just plain, good, old-fashioned family fun. They were meant for the whole family to go, and we would bring our pies as donations, and then they were auctioned off. Maybe there was also a pot-luck dinner to enjoy; I can't recall.
But it was neat, and I miss stuff like that!
At our Gold Oak Union Elementary School Halloween carnivals, I remember also having a Cake Walk, and as I recall, working that - or participating - was fun, too.
 (I'm not sure now whether those were a 4-H Club sponsored event or if perhaps it was our 8th grade class to raise money for a class trip? Either way, they were enjoyable!)
 An array of cakes were donated by the club/class members and/or their families, and then we used a record player. There were taped out squares on the floor to walk as the music played, we'd stop the music, and then I guess we picked a number to determine the winning square? Your ticket(s) enabled you to "walk", and if you were the winner, then you got to pick whichever cake you wanted from the table. I mean, come on - how great is that?
All right, yes, I digress!
Those memories came flooding back as I was typing - so back to the topic at hand.

This is a picture of the pie from the cookbook:

And here is the recipe for the Short-Cut version:

 I didn't make the Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust this time, because I had some Cocoa Krispies in the pantry, and I found a recipe for a pie crust using Rice Krispies in an old magazine, so I decided to try that.
And then I also didn't feel like putting it in a pie plate, so I used an 8X8" Pyrex dish instead.

Here's the "crust" recipe, if you're interested:
Melt one cup of semi-sweet chocolate morsels with 1/4 cup of butter in a microwave-safe bowl for one minute or so and stir together until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
 Stir in 2 cups of Rice Krispies or Cocoa Krispies and press mixture into a lightly greased pie plate or square baking dish.
You could fill this crust with anything, of course; like ice cream or pudding, to create any number of refrigerated pies. It was definitely something new to me - and I really like it.
But honestly, this chocolate dream - I mean cream  (or do I?) - stuff is so delicious and so rich and decadent, I actually don't think you even need any type of crust. I think it would best be served as a wonderful sort-of Chocolate Mousse type of dessert in crystal goblets or sherbet dishes.
It's pretty fabulous. I love chocolate and I love rich things - but consider yourself warned, if you do not.
(I previously wrote about this pie back in my inaugural  "Then And Now" post, in June of 2008.
 (Click here  if you would like to go back and read that post.)
 I've also written about the Farm Journal Cookbooks more than once. Indeed I have, and for good reason.
All three of the Gold Country Girls have a collection of these fabulous vintage cookbooks, and I feel that the recipes they hold are worthy of a whole slew of posts!

A Charming Cookbook

Lori found the cutest cookbook at a thrift store on one of her visits here to Sonora. and the illustrations inside by Barbara Corrigan are so charming that I just wanted to share some of them with you today.
The title of the vintage (1953) cookbook is "Early American Recipes", and it was written by Heloise Frost.
First up, for  "Chowders, Soups And Stews", we see the lady of the house getting the large soup tureen down from the top of her hutch:

 (I love the framed silhouettes on either side in that one.)
Just look at all the kitty cats clamoring for some of her
"Fish And Sea Foods", below:

"Cakes 'N' Cookies" are next, and all I have to say is  "Yes, please; I would also like to sit in that nice big red wing chair,  a sweet kitty by my side, with a nice book in MY lap and help myself to some of those cookies, as well!"
I mean, there's even a footstool on which to place my feet:

It appears that this rising bread may have gotten a bit out of control, here in the illustration for the chapter on Breads, Biscuits, and Muffins:

Bringing a nice pot of "Vegetables" to the table, here:

(Don't step on any of those sleeping puppies or their Mama!)

We also have Jams, Jellies and Relishes  - ready for a nice slice of toast, anyone?
Looks like Fido is ready, willing AND able to help Junior out with his, any time!

"Fillin" Dishes" ( including a big turkey on the table) are precisely what you need to have ready and waiting when you are expecting company, who just happen to have been traveling over the river and through the woods - and snow - to reach your house.....

Early American Recipes that are "Smackin' Good":

Hope you enjoyed seeing the illustrations!

Just Popping (Or Hopping?) In To Say Happy Easter!

I'm busy today as I imagine most of you are, but I did just want to pop in and wish you all a Happy Easter, with the decoration above (which was part of the stash of them I found in my last post), and a couple of the dearest illustrations from one of my "thrifted" books.
"The Easter Rabbit", a little story from "Folk Tales Children Love", edited by Watty Piper, printed by the Platt And Munk Co., Inc., in 1932:

 And beautiful "Spring", seen below:

(My book is incomplete and I did not find any other names.)

This Bunny Cake was in a vintage cookbook Lori found at a thrift store last week:

And I'll end with one more decoration, this one in pretty pastels:

Happy Easter to all and to all a good day!

April Has Arrived, And So Have My Last Illustrations From "The Year Around Book"

All right, so no (April) foolin' around here - this post marks my last installment of my monthly posting from my vintage find "The Year Around Book", written by Helen Jill Fletcher and illustrated by the fabulous Jerry Pinkney.

 What an adorable Easter Bunny, and his eggs are the absolute best, too! I would like some eggs like those, please.
 April got a two-page spread in this delightful vintage book (not every month did!), and deservedly so:

 The page below is, I simply must say, my favorite one in the entire book, so perhaps it is fitting that it should wind up being the last one I'm sharing with you:

Because I love everything about it.
Happy April, everyone!!

March, From The Year Around Book

March is more than half-way through, so with St. Patrick's Day already here, and the official start of spring only a few days away, here, finally, is my page from "The Year Around Book", by Helen Jill Fletcher, with illustrations by Jerry Pinkney:

I began showing you these delightfully illustrated pages last May, so I've only got one more to go next month!
And then I'll have to find something else to share, won't I?
I hope you are enjoying your St. Patrick's Day.
Lori came over for one night, and we worked on our booth yesterday at Mountain Treasures.
We happen to have had the most glorious day here today, weather-wise, and I got to go to the Flea Market, which is always fun!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Birthday Books (Five Months Later)

I never had a chance back in October to write about my birthday, because I was too busy at that time, but I was perusing some photos, and I decided better late than never, so here goes:
First of all, my friend Robbi had given me these dear little birthday blocks in their original package, but I had to take them out so I could display them, along with the cute little celebrating kitty-cat ornaments:

My husband always asks me what I want - and this was one of the things I mentioned, so he got me a copy of the vintage Peter Max book, "Love":

And then my sister Tina got me this one, "Peace", and now my collection of four is complete!
 ("God" and "Thought" complete the set.)

 These little books are fabulous, and I'm delighted to have them all, now.
Peter Max is one of my all-time favorite artists.
Here's just one example of the pages inside:

And Lori gave me this Little Golden Book, "I Can Fly" with illustrations by the fabulous Mary Blair - another long-time favorite of mine.
She had found a great selection of vintage  Little Golden Books one day when we were at a thrift store together, and she remembered that I was incredibly envious of this particular one, an "A" edition.

 The illustrations are an absolute delight:

 So, although my birthday was months ago - and of course I said thank you at the time, thank you again, all of you - these are all true treasures to me!

January - A New Year, And a New Illustration

Happy New Year, everyone!
I wanted to be sure and share my January illustration with you.

 From my thrift store book, "The Year Around Book", written by
Helen Jill Fletcher  and illustrated by the illustrious Jerry Pinkney.

 "January is the first month of the year.
We celebrate New Year's Day January 1.
We have parties.
We wear fancy hats.
We blow horns and whistles."

 I didn't do any fancy hats, parties, or horns and whistles - we were in bed before midnight!
We still welcome and celebrate the arrival of the New Year, though!
Just in a quieter way, I suppose.
:)