The first big project I'm tackling is redoing the family cookbook and I'm really excited about it. I put together a family and friends cookbook several years ago... I don't know the exact year but it was B.C. (before computers ;-) . I gave a copy (free) to everyone who contributed to the cookbook but I never sold it. It was self published, which is to say I typed up a master copy (on my typewriter ;-) of all the recipes, made duplicate copies on a copy machine, made front and back covers from card stock, and had them spiral bound with those wide plastic thingies. I was very pleased with the way it came out and so were all the contributors. Over the years, I've had many requests for more copies of the cookbook but I didn't want to be bothered trying to find the master copies (which are in the attic somewhere but it would probably take weeks of looking to find them) and spending the money to print them up again. Not too mention that many of the recipes are outdated now with people preferring more lean recipes.
Anyway, I figured it's probably a good time to redo the cookbook. This time around I'm planning to take out the recipes that were from friends and neighbors and making it a family cookbook, adding recipes from new family members while I'm at it. I'd also like to add small photos of each contributor on the same page with their recipe(s) and include a nutritional analysis of each recipe too. I'll include all the recipes from family members who have died since I did the original cookbook and give everyone else an opportunity to submit new recipes if they'd like.
Here's the best part... when I was looking through the old cookbook (with the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy in mind) I discovered several of my mom's recipes! I had them all along but didn't realize it. My indexing was really bad in the old cookbook and it was truly hard to find anything. But when I started going through the book page by page I discovered I had recipes I didn't know I had. It's a bit embarrassing but exciting too!
My plan this time around is to send out a letter requesting recipes by say March 1st. In the mean time I'll work on finding cookbook software (if you have any suggestions please let me know!) and typing up recipes from the old book that I intend to include again. I'd like to get this cookbook printed in hardcover (maybe by Lulu?) but I can't afford to buy copies for everyone. So I'm thinking I'll offer each contributor a free copy on CD and they can buy a printed copy if that suits them. My goal is to have the cookbook done by June 1st.
So that takes care of item#1 on my Preserving Memories list. The other two items that I'm working on are #6 (writing my memoirs) and #8 (digital scrapbooking). I've started a private blog where I plan to write an entry each week about myself. I'm delighted that Miriam has started a blog where she's intending to make weekly prompts of things for people write about themselves. I plan to use her questions/prompts for ideas. If there's a weekly prompt that doesn't apply to me, I'll make up something on my own. At the end of the year I should have 52 entries about myself. I'll print them up and stick the book on my bookshelf, maybe burn a CD too. If anyone in the future wants to learn about me they can read about me in my own words. I figure 52 entries should give anyone a pretty good overview of me ;-) I know I'd be absolutely thrilled to have 52 entries that any one of my ancestors wrote about themselves!
I'm also planning to make one digital scrapbooking page a week in 2007. I have no idea if this is a realistic goal or not but if I can do it I should have a good scrapbooking album by the end of the year!
So that's where I'm at for now. How are your resolutions for 2007 coming along?
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