This week, we're featuring a kindred spirit...someone as inspired by vintage
art, photos and style as much we are!
Meet Julie Cambpell, the voice behind...
Julie designs endless paper crafts and shares some goodies in nearly every post. If she's not whipping up something with her vintage images, handmade accents and glitter, she's sharing a vintage family photo and the story behind it. We love these looks into the past and the way Julie includes her family's history into her art.
As always, we asked Julie a few questions...let's learn a little more about this talented designer.
Tell us a little about yourself and your family.
Let's see...my husband Roger and I have been married for almost 22 years (in May), and we have three of the most beautiful, loving daughters: Chelsea, 20--a sophomore in college; Sarah, 15--a freshman in high school; and Annie, 13--my 8th-grader. I couldn't ask for a more wonderful and supportive family!
We live in central California near Monterey--what a gorgeous place to be! Not too far from the coast, our home is nestled in the middle of beautiful hills and farmland. My husband built our home--we drew it up once on a piece of paper--what a thrill to live in a house you design yourselves! We're very lucky.
I have always loved everything vintage... books, images, my family history, photos, old family furniture, old recipes, etc...I definitely inherited that love from my Mother. When I realized I could translate my love of vintage into paper crafting, I was a happy girl! I consider it a very good day when my fingers are all inky and I'm covered with glitter! I also love to bake--finding new recipes and baking old favorites makes me--and my family--very happy.
What originally inspired you to start blogging?
I never thought I'd ever start a blog...then one day, I just couldn't get it out of my mind! My sister gave me some shoves in the right direction, and last August, I just jumped in! It's been a joy every day since! I can't tell you how many glorious friends I've made in this beautiful bloggy world--I'm grateful for every one!
On your blog, we've seen you create endless inspiring paper crafts but as a mom of three girls, we know you must be a good cook & homemaker too. Of these, which would you say your TRUE passion is...or is it something else? How do you stay inspired?
I can't really say I have ONE true passion--I really just love everything! There's not enough time to do everything I'd like to do!
I love the feeling I get when I can connect all the things together that I am passionate about. I love vintage, as I said, and THAT'S what inspires me. I love my family history--it's very important to me. As I look through beautiful vintage images that I want to use in my cards, one of them will usually remind me of one of my ancestors...a story, a photo, a recipe...something. I love to tie my blog posts together with a card I've made and a story about someone in my family. When one of my posts comes together in this way, I feel like it's a gift for my family...a way to preserve memories and I hope that others enjoy it as well!
We love the recipes you share on your blog, some even from our own cookbooks! Do you have a favorite you'd like to share?
I have loved your cookbooks for years--they always inspire me! A couple of years ago, I even went through a bunch of them and made a list of all the wonderful recipes I wanted to try for my family and friends during the Christmas season...I actually got through a lot of my list and found lots of new favorites! Here are a few of our Gooseberry Patch favorites...
From Homespun Christmas, we love Chicken in Sour Cream and Christmas Breakfast Strata. I make the strata every Christmas Eve and pop it in the oven on Christmas morning...so easy and SO delicious! We also love Double Chocolate Brownies from Flavors of Fall...I frost them with the fabulous Chocolate Frosting found in Christmas All Through the House. So rich & gooey, these disappear in a heartbeat!
I'd also like to share a family recipe from my grandmother, Velda Ostlund. (Here she is in her 1937 wedding picture.)
I haven't shared this on my blog yet, but I plan to! My daughter Chelsea usually requests this for her birthday cake...it's the BEST cheesecake we've ever had!
Velda's Cheesecake
Crust:
2 pkgs. graham crackers, crushed
1 stick butter--no margarine!
Mix together and press into 13"x9" baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes.
Filling:
3 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
3 t. lemon juice
3 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
Beat ingredients together with hand mixer for 10 minutes. Add to baked graham cracker crust and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool, then top with topping.
Topping:
1 pt. sour cream
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
Whip together and smooth on top of cooled cheesecake. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.
(Note to Julie: We'd love to include this one in a cookbook soon...oh, and those cherry chip cookies too!)
Tell us about your creative space at home.
My creative space at home....my poor kitchen table! It's a long, sturdy table, so it can take it! I have a large country hutch next to it which holds jars filled with my ribbon, lace, buttons, etc. I actually have a "space" in the loft upstairs, but I find I like to be down with the family while I'm working, so that's what I do...nothing fancy! I just have to clean up after myself every evening for dinner!
Aside from your family & friends, what are 5 things that you just can't do without?
Besides my family and friends, the 5 things I can't live without are my faith in God, a warm and comfortable home, something to create everyday, laughter, and a great British period drama!
Tell us something that no one would guess about you.
Something no one would guess about me...let's see. All I can think of is that I've lost 55 pounds this last year--very proud of that! I feel like I've FINALLY learned how to keep cooking and enjoying food and still keep the weight off. Not very interesting fact, but there you go!
We think it's plenty interesting, Julie! Congratulations on the weight loss AND on writing such a creative and inspiring blog...keep up the good work.
Click on over to A Vintage Chic and see what Julie has in store for you today!
