Hi all, happy Monday to you.
I know I promised oceans views and they are coming soon, promise! But first I am really excited about something and I want to share with you- I have decided to create custom journals that include my photography in them! They are up for sale over at Blurb.com right now. I have ordered several books (for family gifts) and let me assure you that Blurb does a fantastic, professional job on their orders. Each journal includes 40 pages with at least 3 of my photos (black and white) on the inside pages. The photos mingle in with lined pages for your to fill. These might just make a perfect stocking stuffer *wink*.
A little about what you will find if you hop on over to the site…
There are two journals that are primarily food-centric. One is for keeping notes on your kitchen adventures, meals, meal planning, grocery lists, restaurants you have visited or would like to try. This would make a fantastic hostess gift for your holiday hosts or that foodie in your life. The other journal would be perfect for the new moms and dads out there- it is a baby’s first food journal. I know I liked to keep track of what I fed the Kid-O, how I prepped his first foods, the reaction it got upon first taste and if there were any adverse allergic reactions (we had none, but my sister-in law quickly realized that peanuts and tree nuts were out for her little man). This would make a nice addition to a baby shower gift, maybe a basket full of feeding utensils and the journal?
The other two journals are inspirational notebooks- Each would be a perfect place to keep track of the joyful moments in your day, those things that you are grateful for or perhaps a place to track that new year’s resolution journey you are about to embark on or to keep a list of goals. Perhaps you just keep it in your bag so you can jot down little things throughout your day that you don’t want to forget (call mom, practice yoga, read this book, make reservations for Friday night date with hubby). Maybe the photos I have included will spark a poem or a short story.
Interested? go have a look, here is the link.
Because I have been really luck in the past few weeks with giveaways- I have failed to mention that I won an I heart NYC t-shirt from Cate atTribecca Yummy Mummy and a sweet little bag from Heather at Shivaya Naturals. I am going to hold a give away and one lucky reader will win a hard covered journal of their choice.
To enter, leave your name and a working email address as well as telling me your favorite holiday kitchen delight. If you would like to be entered twice, mention and link to this giveaway on your blog (email me about it so I know to put your name in twice). I will close the contest doors on Lucky Friday the 13th~ good luck!!
Vanessa! These are terrific!
I love them.
Going to get a closer look now!
Your journals are fabulous. I’m definitely picking some up for holiday gifts. Does that count as shopping locally?
I have two favorites – making the gravy from the turkey as my mom always let me do that part and I was quite proud (and, still am) to get it just the way she liked it, and, dough being rolled out for pies. I can picture, in my mind, all the perfect imperfections on the edge of the rolled-out dough, layered over flour sprinkled on the dough cloth. I remember this from some of my earliest days in the kitchen with mom.
What a great giveaway. I love your photographs and I love journaling. My favorite holiday kitchen delight is candied nuts, especially pecans. I am going to put a link on my blog…now I have to find a photo 🙂
Theresa
tmarks14@aol.com
those journals are AWESOME. favorite holiday kitchen delight….that is hard….there are so many. well, besides my own hot pepper jelly (ha!), i’d have to say my mom’s pecan pie, or my grandmother’s seven fish stew on christmas eve.
ecav824@gmail.com
Congratulations Vanessa on opening your shop! What a beautiful idea, I wish you well! I would love to receive this wonderful gift!
My grandfather always roasted chestnuts over his wood stove each Thanksgiving while he was still alive. The smell and the sweet warm taste is something I will never forget! He always took so much time with us as he scored each chestnut and added it to the pan it always felt so magical to me : ) Off to go check things out!
Genius!! What an awesome idea! Your photography is super inspiring!
My favorite kitchen delight for the holidays must be my mom’s pumpkin log. I don’t even remember how she makes it but it’s pure perfection in your mouth! Anything with pumpkin in it has to be… right!?
vanessa! what beautiful creations! blurb really does a lovely job. i used them last year for grandparent brag-books of babychop. : )
these look like they should be on the shelves of barnes and noble, or williams-sonoma.
my favorite holiday kitchen delight is a sweet one.
my grandmother used to make these cookies called “ting-a-lings”. they are simply just chocolate covered corn flakes, left to cool in little clusters.
yum-o-rama.
i’ll make them when we meet! xo
Both are great ideas! My favorite holiday kitchen delight is the box of Christmas cookies my mom gives me each year (it’s the same tin box she refills every year with traditional cookies she bakes – each of us siblings has one!).
PS you have a wonderful and interesting job!
Gorgeous! Your pictures are lovely!
My favourite holiday kitchen delight is making food with friends. Really, I don’t have a love for a specific holiday food as long as I’m making it with friends (and wine) I’m so happy!
<3
Beautiful idea. Love them.
hmmm….my fave kitchen holiday delight would have to be ‘russian tea’. my mom used to make it every year for gifts…layer powdered lemonade/tang/instant tea in a jar and there you go! stirring a heaping tablespoon into a glass of hot water (mom’s fire king mugs) makes me feel hugged by mom.
suthindaze-1 (at) yahoo.com
like the journals Vanessa, I think I may get one..Happy Day to you!
Beautiful idea and cute journals.
I love for holiday delicatesen, the meal my grandma make for us. She is a simple and great cooker. And she is 90!
Smiling Hello:)
My fave holiday delight is to have dinner with relatives here, then my mother’s breakfast dishes, a box of turkish delights and a piece of browni with a hot cup of turkish coffee.
Thanks to Jane, I got a chance to reach your lovely corner and read inside with big open wide eyes. You can contact me via welcometocrossroads (at) gmail (dot) com
Thanks for offering such giveaway, kind of you.
Happy warm autumn wishes to you~
I realy like them so I’m in 🙂
mmm favourite holiday kitchen delight? A big pan of old fashion hot choclate and a lot of people to share it with!
So I’m an idiot and reread that you also wanted us to post our favorite kitchen delight.
Mine is just being surrounded with family while I cook. I love these journals, and your photography of course.
Hi found your blog through Jane at spain daily – what a great giveaway!
Favorite holiday kitchen delight? Cookies! I generally spend a weekend making them to give away.
I may be reached at shirley_lemay (at) yahoo (dot) com
Choose me! Choose me! (or if not, I’ll have to buy one!)
Favorite holiday delight? Homemade peppermint bark.
my email is barbaramccracken@yahoo.com
Thanks!
I love candy cane cookies. I look forward to them every year.
mary@theprovidentwoman.com
I have a giveaway on my blog. Click on the WHAT IS IT? Giveaway picture in one of the right sidebars to get to it.
theprovidentwoman.com
Hope it’s not too late to enter. I hate to admit it but my kitchen CRAVING is coffee first thing in the morning!
Love the journals! email- crinklebein (at) yahoo (dot) com
lisa
They look wonderful! My favorite holiday treat is Tom & Jerry’s- a hot frothy eggnog in the sweet little 1940’s Tom & Jerry Set we found in a thrift store!
Do you ever get the urge to record the travel stops of a shipment? My journals left Chicopee, MA on the 17th and then left Willington, CT yesterday. Fun to see their journey. 😉 Can’t wait to get them!