Below is the back cover. I used some colorful photos of various Christmas kitchen gifts, including cookies of course.
In between are 20 pages. I used 18 of them as recipe pages with a different cookie recipe on each page. Some of the recipes are from my childhood; others are as new as Christmas 2018. Below I will share screenshots of a few of them.
On the first page I wrote out some of my Christmas baking memories from childhood. I actually had written these out years ago for a Christmas memory book, so I just copied and pasted it into a text box on a page in the Shutterfly book.
Then I made a number of recipe pages (of which these are just a few):
On the last page I shared several photos of grandkids baking. It seemed like an appropriate way to end a book that began with my childhood memories. Sort of full circle.
And there's a look at my cookie book! If anyone is interested in the actual nuts and bolts of how I did this, just mention it in the comments and I'll share the details, okay?
OHH! this is priceless, are you going to sell the book, if so sight me up! I love to bake cookies and enjoy giving them as gifts. If this is for you please share how it came about.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sue
I wasn't planning to sell the book, Sue. Most of the recipes in it can be found right here on my Christmas blog (and some are on my kitchen table blog as well) if you would like them.
DeleteMy plan in making the book was to have many of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes in one easy-to-access place, and eventually, as I get more free-book offers, to make a few more copies of the book in order to give as gifts to grandkids who are interested in baking. If I ever end up with an extra book, maybe I'll do a giveaway!
That was an inspired idea! Two questions: 1. Was the cost absolutely free? (Shutterfly has tricked me before.) 2. If you wished, could you have more copies of the finished book made?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vee! Now as to the answers to your questions:
ReplyDelete1) I did pay shipping. That's either $7.99 or $6.99, I forget which. Other than that, yes, the book was completely free. I think that $7 or $8 (what I paid for shipping) is a fair price for a quality book like this.
2) Yes, I can easily get more copies of this book. What I will do is just wait until I get another free offer and then have a second book made, and so on. I did this with the book that I made about my dad's life, and it worked out just fine. (And, if I should want to make changes in the book, like change a recipe or the look of a page, I can do that too prior to ordering the next book.)
Thanks for your response! I really like that you could have another book made or printed as the case may be.
DeleteYou have the most awesome ideas! Never thought of making a printed book like that. You are giving me ideas.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lucie! I'm giving a copy of the book to each of my daughters.
DeleteHave fun with the idea!
This was an amazing idea. I was actually thinking about making a cook book from your cookie recipes because I feel like I am always having to go back and search and hand copy over and over. It would be worth a trip to the library to print it off.
ReplyDeleteThat is so funny that you were actually thinking about making a cookbook from my cookie recipes! I'm really sort of surprised that it took me this long to think of it. I have my favorite ones in my Christmas notebook, but I thought it would really be fun to make a separate small, colorful book like this one. It was so much fun to do!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sue; this is priceless! You have so many lovely memories and you have unselfishly shared them with others. All the cookies look scrumptious. I still make mincemeat squares today. Thank you for helping me recall some Christmas memories as well.
ReplyDeleteYou are so very welcome, Sandi! This was such a fun project for me!
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