Making A Memory

My daughter and I made a necklace the other day…

She’s all grown up now and currently lives in Europe, but last week she popped in for a surprise visit.

She and I have always shared a love of sparkly baubles, and I’ve designed several pieces of jewelry for her over the years. But after breakfast on Thursday morning, while we were perusing my collection of vintage beads, she decided that she would like to make a little something herself.

During that afternoon, we giggled as we spilled bags of beads all over the kitchen table in a myriad of glittering piles.

“A loooong necklace”, she declared, while experimenting with various colors, shapes, and sizes.

I should mention that this girl of mine was born a fashion maven, and although she hasn’t had much opportunity to make jewelry in the past, on this day it was immediately apparent that she was about to create something gorgeous!!!

Her Dad would have to dine later than usual that evening. At dusk, the table was still blanketed in beads! He said he didn’t mind though, as he shot us a tolerant smile.

When all was said and done, the necklace was breathtaking – a unique treasure, much like the young woman who created it!

Later, I realized that the thrill of viewing the finished piece and the fun we had during the process was only part of the experience.

In the end, the most important thing that my daughter and I made that day was a memory . . .

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Apple Season Recipe

Don’t you just love the fragrance of a crisp fall day? Autumn has always been my favorite season. Growing up in New England, I’ve had a front row seat for nature’s annual magic show of brightly colored foliage in a rainbow of rich hues. But besides the fresh air, the bright sunny days, and the glorious shades of the falling leaves . . . there are the apples! Perhaps you enjoy visiting an orchard at this time of year to hand-select your own fall apples, or maybe you enjoy watching the operation as cider is pressed.

But, even if you buy your apples already bagged at your local grocery, one thing is sure; the cooler autumn temperatures make this the ideal time to return to your kitchen and do some serious baking. No need to worry about heating up the house too much – those muggy summer days are behind us now! Something baking in the oven will do a nice job of taking the chill off a fall afternoon, not to mention offer an additional benefit – aroma therapy! Is there anything more wonderful than the smell of warm cinnamon and apples?!? It can cheer even the most curmudgeonly of roomies!

So, in honor of “Apple Season, 2008”, I’d like to share a recipe that was my grandmother’s. She’s gone now, but I carry many memories of her in my heart. She was delightfully funny . . . witty, actually!  She was the original organized homemaker, but then that’s really all that girls of her generation had to strive for. She was rather shy (but a great story-teller), very generous, and had a way of letting you know she loved you . . . without a lot of words.

I still miss her, but I know she’d be tickled that I’m sharing this recipe with you. It’s delicious and easy to make!

 Helen’s Apple Squares

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1 cup flour

2 tbs baking powder

1 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

3/4c chopped walnuts

3 large apples (diced)

brown sugar to sprinkle on top

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Mix together first 8 ingredients and

 Pour into a greased 9″x13″ pan.

Sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Cool and cut into squares.

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Yum!!!   🙂

We can call it “comfort food”, but I’m thinking that the true comfort comes from realizing that we are part of a nurturing continuum.

As we pass on recipes, ideas, knowledge, stories and love to our families and their families, and to our friends and their friends, it suddenly hits us:

Sharing with future generations is (as they say in the commercial) – PRICELESS!

Past Perfect… Refurbishing Grandma’s Bling!

Are you the recipient of a piece or two of Grandma’s vintage costume jewelry?

Is it in perfect condition?

If so – lucky you! 🙂

Chances are though; it’s in need of a little makeover, especially if it’s something that Grandma loved to wear. But even a piece with scratched beads, chipped crystals, or a broken clasp can shine again if you salvage the best parts and rework them into a new design.

To begin – remove any badly worn components and replace them with some pretty new choices! You can retain the “vintage look” by selecting coordinating vintage beads. Searching for them will be half the fun!

If you have daughters, consider making more than one item from Grammy’s favorite necklace. Imagine how special it would be to incorporate some of her pearls into a design to be worn on a granddaughter’s wedding day. Or perhaps a selection of her crystal beads could adorn the wrist of your high school graduate as she receives her diploma.

Whatever you decide, it’s a wonderful way to link the generations. You’ll be creating a keepsake that would make Grandma smile. Surely there’s nothing sweeter than to use a bauble from the past, to create an heirloom treasure for the future! 😀

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