Love Grapic 45!

I'm working on this album for Emily's senior pictures.  The paper is from Grapic 45's Curtain Call collection. Here is a link to the G45 blog. Check it out. There are some beautiful things posted there. (If the link doesn't work the first time, just come back and click it again.  Typepad is trying to sell us a blog service, lol.) Need  say I'm just a little behind.  She had some of the photos taken in antique clothing that we picked up at a vintage shop in Austin called Amelia's.

We had a ball with the photographer! Her name is Kelli Hughes from Kempner TX.  She is a very talented lady.  The album is a work in progress and I will post it when I'm finished. Until then I will keep you in suspense!

Not so Swiss steak?

Today I'm sharing one of my Mom's recipes for Swiss Steak.  I can't for the life of me figure out why its called "Swiss" when it clearly contains Italian seasoning... Oh well, I'm not one to argue geography, or argue with my mother.  By the way, I rarely ever measure anything....

Thick sirloin steak cut into strips
1 green bell pepper cut into strips
3 cloves of garlic or more if you don't have a date. Chop it up.
1 yellow onion sliced
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon or so of Italian Seasoning
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
 3/4 cup all purpose flour
olive oil
Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan on stove and turn on medium heat. Place flour in large bowl and add a little salt and pepper. Dredge the sirloin in flour and throw it in the pan to lightly brown. Add the Italian seasoning.

 While the meat is browning, throw in the onion, garlic, and bell pepper.

Add the crushed and diced tomatoes.  Add the bay leaves.  Allow to simmer on medium to medium low for at least an hour.

This is fantastice served over mashed potatoes.  I think my Mom and Grandma Tillie would be proud!

Some of my favorite things...

Did I mention that I love vintage linens?  Emily and I went antiquing this week and I found this beautiful butter yellow table cloth with rooster print.   I love, love, love it!  It looks great with my Grandma Helen's vintage ceramic rooster!  I also picked up this cheerful red recipe box.  Love the red enamel paint and homey print.

I found these at a little shop in Georgetown, TX called Gatherings.  If you are ever in the area, you should definitely stop by.  They have an eclectic mix of handcrafted, reproduction and vintage items of all sorts.

Hello!

I'm creating this blog to share my love for all things old fashioned.  I might blog about cooking or sewing or papercrafting and antiques.  Who knows! What I am sure about is that I miss the "old" days.  When I was a kid in the 70's I lived in a small Iowa town.  I could ride my bike downtown to Zellhoefer's drugstore and get a real coca cola. The kind where they would pump the coke syrup into the glass, add the the phosphate and stir.  Nothing like it in the world!  This photo is my daughter several years ago. I took her to the drugstore in Reinbeck to experience a real coke.   Well she ordered something just as delicious.  She is pictured here sipping on her "green river".  They sell modern day fountain drinks too, but thank goodness you can still get a good old fashioned "green river". Hurray for simpler times!