Old Fashioned Tips

A Special Menu for Father's Day

2013-06-13T15:19:00.003-05:00

There are two lasting bequests we can give our children:

one is roots. The other is wings. ~Hodding Carter, Jr.

Father's Day is Sunday, so I thought I'd share the picture above of my husband painting a bird house with my daughter when she was about three years old. It's hard to believe she's 13 now, and taller than I am! Instead of crafts, now they take off to local art festivals or go fishing when I'm busy writing. We all still do plenty of other things together, but I know those alone times with her dad are really special to her.

Over the weekend I put together a Father's Day menu that uses the grill, and the crock pot, plus the preparation can be done after breakfast to make the day a bit more relaxing.

-Garlic Lemon Grilled Chicken
-Grilled Corn on the Cob
-Brenda's Slow Cooked Calico Baked Beans

If you add a tossed salad, and watermelon for dessert you'll be all set! The article is here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Fathers-Day-Menu.html

I hope you all have a wonderful Father's Day weekend:)
~Brenda

A Beautiful Drought Tolerant Garden

2013-06-05T19:14:00.001-05:00

What a pity flowers can utter no sound!—A singing rose, a whispering violet, a murmuring honeysuckle ... oh, what a rare and exquisite miracle would these be! ~Henry Ward Beecher

The blooms in the picture today are of my tall hibiscus. They are beautiful when in bloom, but since I planted them many years ago, I threaten each year to dig them up. They grow at least 6 foot tall, and bloom for a short period of time. The Japanese beetles love them to death and munch holes in the leaves for most of the garden season. Why don't I make good on my threat? Because I walk out to the flower bed when they are blooming and they brighten my day each and every time. It doesn't matter how chewed up they become, or how dry the summer is, they bloom without fail and they are beautiful. So, they may be too tall, and they may attract all of the wrong insects, but how could I possibly get rid of those stunning blooms?

I wrote an article for this week on creating a drought free flower garden. I've supplied lists with proper plant names and the common colors available. This tall hibiscus above is extremely drought tolerant, and just one of the colorful plants that can be used in this type of flower garden. (Just make sure you plant it in the back behind all of the other flowers!) You'll find the article here:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/Grow-Drought-Flower-Garden.html

~Brenda

Create Your Own Cottage Garden

2013-06-02T13:23:00.001-05:00

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck. ~Emma Goldman

The end of May through June is one of the busiest times for our family. We have three birthdays, the end of school activities and the garden season is in full swing. Last week I wrote an article on cottage gardens, which I love. I was surprised at the history of this type of garden, and it made me love them even more. In some ways it was a combination of a cottage garden as we think of one now, and a potager or kitchen garden. They were very useful, yet charming. You'll find the article here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Cottage-Garden.html

I hope your week is lovely:)
~Brenda

Memorial Day and Garden Goodness

2013-05-26T17:05:00.001-05:00

They are dead; but they live in each Patriot's breast,
And their names are engraven on honor's bright crest.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I hope everyone takes a minute to reflect this Memorial Day as we gather with our family and friends. I am truly grateful to the soldiers and their families that have served and died in for our country.

The gardener in me cries out "Let's get this party started!" every May when the evenings warm, and the soil is finally ready for me to sow seeds and plants again. We are revamping two areas this year, one as a Butterfly and Hummingbird garden in a hot, sunny area, and another into a Woodland garden in a shady, moist location. I'm transplanting, sowing seeds and purchasing a few new plants as our budget allows. I was doing research for myself and put together an article on creating a Butterfly and Hummingbird garden to share on OFL. I think you'll like the frugal tips, and the advice on what annuals and perennials to use without breaking the budget. The article is here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/Create-A-Butterfly-Garden.html

~Enjoy the weekend:) Brenda

A Mother's Day Menu

2013-05-08T18:09:00.001-05:00

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

The quote above always makes me smile because I think of how I take the cupcake that fell over, the eggs with the broke yolks or the heel of the bread. I don't remember when I started doing it, but I'm sure it was after we had children. The funny thing is-- I truly don't care about those things, and I'm sure I'll keep doing it:)

It's been busy at our house, but this weekend I wrote a new article with recipes and tips for a Mother's Day menu. It's easy enough for teenagers to make on their own, or younger kids with the help of dad. Feel free to print out the article:) It's here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/Mothers-Day-Menu.html .

I hope everyone has a lovely Mother's Day,
~Brenda

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ~Elizabeth Stone

May Gardening and Landscape Tips

2013-04-28T19:38:00.003-05:00

It's spring fever.... You don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

I hope you all had a beautiful Spring weekend. May begins in a few days, so I've written an article with tips on nurturing and preparing the garden and landscape. I started cleaning my flower and herb beds this weekend, but came down with a cough, so I had to take a break. The first of my daffodils bloomed, which always brings a smile to my face, even while I'm coughing:) The article has tidbits on the following and more:

Peonies
Bulb Care
Roses
Lavender

You'll find the article here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/May-Gardening.html

~Brenda

Restaurant Style Soups Made Easy

2013-04-20T17:43:00.001-05:00

Come and let us seek together
Springtime lore of daffodils,
Giving to the golden weather
Greeting on the sun-warm hills.
~Lucy Maud Montgomery

We enjoyed a few days of Spring, and then it was gone and in its place was sleet, snow and temperatures below 40. Sigh. However it's suppose to be in the 60's next week, so maybe it will feel like Spring again:) My daffodils are popping up, but none are blooming yet. I also spotted buds on the maple tree and the lilac. I know some of you are already enjoying blooms!

The last two weeks I worked on three soup recipes in my quest to make a nice, restaurant style soup without having to use difficult recipes or expensive ingredients. The results turned out wonderful so I wrote an article with all three recipes. You'll find the article here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Elegant-Soup.html

~Brenda

Frugal Sewing Tips from the 20's

2013-04-16T05:35:00.000-05:00

Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that - one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
Yesterday was our first warm day! It was in the 60's here in Michigan and we were actually able to open a few windows. Lovely:)

Last week I wrote a new article with sewing tips from the 1920's. One tip inparticular tickled me with advice to reuse "bloomers". The article is here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Frugal-Tips.html

I hope you all are enjoying the Spring days!

~Brenda

Spring Sunday Brunches

2013-03-31T23:00:00.000-05:00

Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day. ~W. Earl Hall

I hope everyone had a lovely Easter weekend. As I write this it's snowing again in Michigan, but we still have many signs of Spring, so I'm sure the warm days are coming soon. I wrote a new article with recipes from the 1920's that are perfect for Sunday brunches. You'll find:

-Coconut Breakfast Bread
-Oatmeal Gems
-Hominy Waffles
-Rice Griddle Cakes

I also share some tried and true tips for cooking perfect pancakes. The article is here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/1920-Easter-Brunch.html

~Enjoy! Brenda

Old Fashioned Easter Recipes

2013-03-24T10:15:00.000-05:00

Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life. ~S.D. Gordon

Easter is a week away, and we've passed the first official day of Spring. If only the weather would catch up to the news that Spring is here we'd be all set:)

This week I wrote an article for OFL with recipes and tips from 1923 and 1928. These are down to earth recipes from a time in our history when homemakers did their best to be as thrifty as possible. The article is here:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/The-Old-Fashioned-Easter-Table.html

To show you just how cold it's been in Michigan, here is a picture of my grandson before he had to take a ride last week:

I'm discovering all the joys of being a grandmother, including snuggling during the day with him, and then turning him over to his parents at night:) Thank you for all the congratulations and well wishes.

~Brenda

Spring is Almost Here!

2013-03-18T18:17:00.000-05:00

Where man sees but withered leaves, God sees sweet flowers growing. ~Albert Laighton

Easter is right around the corner, as is the first day of Spring. We wouldn't know that from looking outside today in Michigan, because it's alternating between sleet and snow. Still, the warm days are coming and I wrote my first garden article of the year for OFL. I love direct sowing flowers and herbs, but not all of them can be sown this early. The new article gives tips on which flowers can be sown early, including sweet peas, calendula and more. You'll find the article here:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/Flowers-Seeds.html

I also wanted to remind everyone of these articles on the OFL holiday section, as Easter approaches.

A Traditional Hot Cross Bun recipe with tidbits:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/hotcross.html

Natural Egg Dyes:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/egg-dyes.html

Decorating the Easter table:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/eastertable.html

Thrifty Tips for an inexpensive Easter celebration:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/frugal-easter.html

Tips from readers on their favorite Easter egg hunts:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/thehunt.html

~Enjoy, Brenda

Household Helps from 1920

2013-03-12T22:02:00.000-05:00

Ireland is rich in literature that understands a soul's yearnings, and dancing that understands a happy heart. ~By Margaret Jackson

I hope you'll enjoy my newest article on OFL. I shared some neat cooking and kitchen tips from 1920, which was an exciting time in our history in some ways, but it was also a time of recovery from World War I. Homemakers were still as frugal as possible even with the war over. You'll find the article here:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/Household-Helps-from-1920.html

Last week I was a little behind on my writing, and it could be this little guy that was responsible for my lack of time:) This is our first grandchild, Jace Alexander, who was born last week. He weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and he's adorable, perfect and healthy.

~Brenda

St. Patrick's Day Family Fun

2013-02-28T18:56:00.003-06:00

May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night, and a smooth road all the way to your door. ~An Irish Blessing

I wrote an article for OFL today with some charming tips on throwing an old fashioned St. Patrick's Day luncheon. I found the tips in a lovely book published in 1905. I hope you will enjoy the ideas as much as I did! You'll find the article here:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/Shamrock-Luncheon.html

I also have an article I wrote a few years back on Irish Tea Traditions. I loved writing this one so much, and researching it:)

http://oldfashionedliving.com/irishtea.html

Stay warm and dry this weekend!
~Brenda

Valentine's Day Whimsy for All Ages

2013-02-13T06:00:00.002-06:00

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach. ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

I wrote two new articles for Valentine's Day this year. One with old fashioned games for all ages, and another with decorations and menu suggestions from 1927.

Old Fashioned Valentine's Day Games:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Valentine-bs--sq-s-Day-Games.html

Valentine's Day Party Fun from 1927
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Valentines-Day-Party-Fun-from-1927.html

I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing the articles:)

I'm running behind this week or would have posted sooner. My husband's grandmother passed away this week. She's been in a nursing home for a long time with Alzheimers, and we all thought we were prepared, but found out you can never really be ready for a loved one to leave. We'll all miss her very much.

I hope you all have a lovely Valentine's Day:)
~Brenda

An Old Fashioned Valentine's Day

2013-02-08T20:52:00.002-06:00

Nobody has ever measured, even poets, how much a heart can hold. ~Zelda Fitzgerald

February is always a lovely, joy filled month at our house, not only because we love Valentine's Day, but because my anniversary is this month- we'll be married 24 years on February 18th- plus our daughter is turning 13 on February 25th, so we'll have another teenager in the family:)

Today I wanted to share links to articles I've written for Old Fashioned Living over the years for Valentine's Day. I love these articles because as I read them again I remember what was happening with the kids at that time in our lives. My favorite memories are the ones where we put on tea parties and made Valentine's Day crafts or cards for each other. I dug out the picture below to share with you. Emily was 2 years old and we put on a little tea party for her brothers when they got home from school. It was the first of many tea parties:)

A Valentine's Day Tea Party:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/valentine-tea.html

Valentine's Day Cookies:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/lovecookies.html

Valentine's Day Pizza Party:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/pizzaparty.html

Paper Doily Crafts:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/valentine2.html

Dainty Holiday Cookie Recipes:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/dainty.html

Old Fashioned Valentine's Games:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/valentines.html

Homemade Truffle Recipes:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/truffles.html

I'll have three new articles for Valentine's Day this year, so keep an eye out for those blog posts!

Thanks, Brenda

Easy, Fun Superbowl Food

2013-02-01T20:29:00.000-06:00

The Superbowl is Sunday, and fans around the world get together for football, family, friends and commercials...you know it's true. We may not all be that interested in who wins the big game of the year, but between the commercials and the halftime show, people can't seem to resist tuning in to the game.

I love party food, but usually I make it for my teens and their friends, or family get togethers, which include ages 3 to 70 years old. Buffet style meals are always a great way to go when serving kids and adults with different tastes. The article I wrote this week includes recipes for:

-Italian Meatball Sandwiches
-Easy Pizza Pockets
-Caesar Wraps

The article is here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Game-Day-Snacks.html

~Enjoy! Brenda

Vintage Tips from the Roaring Twenties

2013-01-27T19:55:00.001-06:00

Home is the one place in all this world where hearts are sure of each other. It is the place of confidence. It is the place where we tear off that mask of guarded and suspicious coldness which the world forces us to wear in self-defense, and where we pour out the unreserved communications of full and confiding hearts. ~Frederick W. Robertson

The blog post from Friday had the wrong link for the afternoon tea recipes. I've fixed that link, but here it is again:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/Vintage-Afternoon-Tea-or-Luncheon-Recipes.html

The link I accidentally posted was for my next article, which is part two of the household hints from 1928 and 1929. This group of tips is a fun hodgepodge of advice with a few of my notes added for clarification. That article is here:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/Vintage-Household-Hints-2.html

Sorry for the confusion, and I hope your weekend was restful,

~Brenda

Vintage Afternoon Tea Recipes

2013-01-25T20:20:00.002-06:00

A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails. ~Donna Roberts

I haven't written anything on afternoon tea in quite awhile, but as I was looking over the vintage magazines my dad gave me at Christmas, I found recipes that would be perfect for a small tea party with friends and family. I think you will enjoy the recipes as much as I have. They include:

Toasted Cheese Sandwiches
Pimento Paste Sandwiches
A Delicious Cake Frosting
Oatmeal Macaroons
A Quick Loaf Cake

The article is here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Vintage-Afternoon-Tea-or-Luncheon-Recipes.html

~Brenda

Frugal Tips and Lessons from 1928-1929

2013-01-20T19:02:00.001-06:00

While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about.
~Angela Schwindt

All week I kept thumbing through magazines from 1928, and 1929, fascinated by this time period when so much was happening in the world, such as Prohibition and the beginning of The Great Depression. The magazines have so many helpful recipes and tips that I decided to divide them into several articles, grouping together topics.

I also found the above advertisement from OXO, a company out of Great Britain and Europe that started out producing "meat extract", then later sold beef cubes, which is what the graphic is advertising. Can you imagine if we tried to give today's children a cup of beef broth instead of milk or hot chocolate before bedtime?

The tips featured in the first of the articles I'm writing the month contain advice on clothslines, removing stains and sewing. I think you'll enjoy these, and the other tips as I share throughout the month. The first article is here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/Vintage-Household-Hints.html

~Brenda

Old Fashioned Recipes for the New Year

2013-01-15T17:26:00.001-06:00

A day of worry is more exhausting than a day of work. ~John Lubbock

The new year is 15 days in, and I'm just catching up on my writing. I love the holidays but the days are a whirlwind of activity that seem to last way past Christmas by the time we manage to visit everyone, and then recover. Of course, having my twelve year old daughter and both my sons home always takes away from work as we watch movies, play board games and bake cookies. That is also the reason it's my favorite holiday:)

My dad gave me some wonderful vintage magazines during our visit and I'll be sharing recipes and tips from many of them this month. The first article revolves around meat recipes from January of 1928. The graphic above is an advertisement I found from that year. When I was growing up we shopped at an A & P grocery store, but that was in the 70's, not the 20's. I'm not quite that old. I like the advertisement because it shows the fashion of the times.

I think you'll enjoy the recipes and the tidbits on what was happening that year. You'll find it here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/1929-Meat-Recipes.html

~Brenda

Merry Christmas!

2012-12-24T11:05:00.000-06:00

He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. ~Roy L. Smith

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~Charles Dickens

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart. ~Washington Irving

All of us at Old Fashioned Living wish you a very Merry Christmas! Please drive safe, stay warm and we hope you make many new memories with your families:)

~Brenda, and the Old Fashioned Living staff

A Modest Christmas Dinner from 1917

2012-12-23T19:38:00.001-06:00

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~Norman Vincent Peale

During World War I times were difficult and it was often hard to keep up spirits, especially around the holidays. I shared an article last week with gift suggestions from the Modern Priscilla magazine, written during 1917. They also shared suggestions for a "modest" Christmas dinner. This is such a fascinating look at how different things were back then. What we consider "modest" now, was sometimes thrifty during that time period. You'll find the article here:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/A-Modest-Christmas-Dinner.html

My kids are all home, and we've been baking, decorating and wrapping all weekend. I hope all of you are enjoying yourselves as well. Remember to enjoy the Christmas season, even if that means cooking a little less, or resting a bit more!

~Brenda

Old Fashioned Frugal Holidays

2012-12-16T23:45:00.001-06:00

Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance - each beautiful, unique and too soon gone. ~Deborah Whipp

First, I want to say how my heart breaks for the families who lost loved ones Friday in Connecticut. There are no words to express how horrific of a loss these families have suffered. Let us keep them in our thoughts and prayers, and treasure the children in our own lives, giving them extra hugs and kisses this week to help comfort our souls.

I was going through my books and recipes and came across a Modern Priscilla magazine from 1917. It's the December issue from that year and it is fascinating for so many reasons. World War I began in 1917 and by Christmas many families would have been without the men in their lives because they were fighting in the war. Money was tight, and morale was low, which meant the homemakers of that era were doing their best to give their family a nice Christmas within a very tight budget. I wrote an article sharing some of the tips sent in to the magazine that year. While I was writing I found myself thinking of little ways I could brighten our own holidays this year without spending too much money. We're cooking and baking from scratch, both for ourselves and our friends and family. My daughter and I are also sorting through our holiday decor, setting aside things we can recycle and craft into new decorations. We are also keeping things simple this year, focusing more on enjoying the time we spend together and less on buying a lot of gifts or running ourselves ragged.

You'll find the article here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Christmas-Lessons-from-the-Past.html

I hope you enjoy it!
~Brenda

Christmas Baking Under Way!

2012-12-13T22:23:00.000-06:00

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace. ~Agnes M. Pahro

My daughter and I have been making plans for our big holiday baking day. She's 12 this year, and has been thumbing through the cookbooks and magazines for her choices. We've also been asking friends what their favorite cookie is, and we already have our decorative bags and gift tags. It's fun having a full fledged baking partner to help during the holidays:)

In the midst of our planning I realized I hadn't done my yearly check of our baking ingredients, which led to an idea for an article on how important it is to pay attention to the shelf life of items such as flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder. I did some research and wrote the article, which you'll find here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/The-Importance-of-Shelf-Life.html

I hope your Christmas baking and gift buying is going well!
~Brenda

The First Snow Plus Christmas Fun!

2012-12-08T15:43:00.001-06:00

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

I'm writing articles this weekend in between decorating the house for Christmas. When I woke up this morning everything was coated in a beautiful white snowfall. It's just what I needed for holiday inspiration! I decorated the blog, as you can see, with pretty graphics. I'm always giddy when I look through the old fashioned pictures and postcards images I've collected over the years. I love decorating the blog almost as much as decorating my home.

Today I also wanted to share links to some of my favorite articles on Old Fashioned Living. Over ten years of articles makes for a lot of holiday tips and recipes:) I've been making homemade candy, cookies and crafts for 25 years now. The articles below I wrote with tips and recipes for making your own homemade gifts from the kitchen. I've given these gifts to teachers, co-workers, friends, family and special guests that drop in at the holidays.

-Mixes for Tea, Chili and more...
http://oldfashionedliving.com/giftmixes2.html

-Gifts of Fudge
http://oldfashionedliving.com/fudge.html

-Savory Treats and Mixes
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/savory.html

-A Sandart Brownie Mix
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/jarbrownies.html

-Tea and Beverage Mixes
http://oldfashionedliving.com/giftmixes.html

-Homemade Candies from Nuts
http://oldfashionedliving.com/giftnuts.html

-Homemade Candy Recipes
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/candy.html

-Homemade Mixes for Coffee Lovers
http://oldfashionedliving.com/coffee.html

-Bean Soup Mixes
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/beanmixes.html

-Cookie recipes including gingersnaps and pantry cookies,
which I've made for years and everyone loves them.
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/gingersnaps.html

-Gifts for the Breakfast Lover-
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/breakfastmixes.html

Lastly I wanted to share a picture I took this morning of the snow covered pine tree in our front yard.

I hope you have a lovely weekend,
Brenda