I Knew You Were Coming, So I Baked You a Cake!

In this photo, my paternal grandmother sits on the front, right.  

Welcome one and all to Rook No. 17! My crafty little nest of inspiration is being featured at SITS today, which presents the perfect opportunity to welcome new friends and old, to show some old fashioned hospitality, and to give a little tour of my online "home". So, kick off your shoes while I cut you a slice of cake, and make yourself at home.

Here, please enjoy this slice of Chocolate-Marbled Banana Bread that I created just for this occasion! I know I promised "cake", but with all the holiday indulging and the subsequent New Years' Resolutions and all I figured I'd do us all a favor and offer up a reduced-fat/calorie treat! You can download a copy of the recipe HERE.

For a tutorial on how to make these whimsical glittered boxes

and an idea for inspired charitable giving, click HERE.

I love comments and enjoy getting to know and connecting with "Followers". If you like what you see during your visit today, please be so kind as to leave a comment and "Follow" Rook No. 17 by clicking the tab on my right-hand side-bar. As a gesture of my gratitude, one new follower will win their choice of these two hand-made glittered boxes pictured above.

This photo is of my husband's great-aunt 

and a college friend.  If the internet had been

around back then, I think they would have 

been SITS Girls!

If you're not visiting from The Secret to Success is Support  (SITS), you may be wondering what it's all about.  The SITS Girls are an online community of nearly 8,000 amazing women bloggers who support each other on their blogging odysseys by networking, sharing, and commenting.  In the year+ that I've been a member of SITS, I've met amazing women from all over the world, have been exposed to different perspectives, cultures, lifestyles, and passions, and have been inspired by others' stories on a daily basis.  I've had the opportunity to connect with other artistic souls as group administrator of a "Creative Living" tribe forum through SITS, and had a blast getting to meet many West coast bloggers face-to-face at Bloggy Boot Camp in San Francisco this past August.  

What better way to humble yourself before the masses than to reveal 

your most ridiculous picture? Yup, that's me -- sitting on a toilet that 

my family spotted out in the middle of a farmers' field on our road trip 

up the California coast. My husband dared me to run out into the field 

and pose for the pic and I accepted the challenge!

And now, for a more formal introduction: I'm Jenn, the "bird" behind Rook No. 17. This is where I share my original recipes, crafts, traditions, and special little touches I like to add to my daily life -- transforming ordinary moments into memories sprinkled with sparkle and joy!

Part of my professional background includes a successful stint designing unique cakes like these:

You can see more of my cakes by clicking HERE.

I share my culinary skills and passion with my readers with recipes like these:

1.  For the recipes & tutorial for making "bite sized" and "real sized" "BURGER CAKES" click HERE.
2.  I've devoted several posts to the art of Chocolatiering at home.  If you're a chocolate lover and would like to learn how to make professional looking confections at home, like these "CHOCOLATE DIPPED S'MORES ON A STICK", visit the Chocolatiering & Treats on a Stick section of my Recipe Box HERE.  
3.  Who doesn't love a donut?  Get the recipe for making MINI BAKED DONUTS at home HERE.
4.  In November I worked with a gourmet foods company to develop candy recipes for some of their more exotic ingredients.  Learn to make your own TRUFFLES AND CARAMELS at home HERE.
5.  In September I made some "POPCORN BUCKET CUPCAKES" for my daughter's birthday.  I created a free downloadable template for the bucket and shared it with my readers HERE. 

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I am a nostalgia nerd, and have collected antiques, ephemera, knickknacks and paddy-whacks of all sorts since I was a child. I have a nice collection of vintage postcards and other vestiges of a bygone era, and enjoy sharing them with my readers:

Valentine Treat Box Template

ABC Block Images

For more free clipart, graphics, and downloads, visit my CLIPART page HERE.

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Crafting, creating, and making something out of "nothing" is part of what makes me feel most inspired and alive. I love sharing the process, so that others can feel the same thrill when they create something on their own.

1.  For a tutorial on how to create your own custom line of drink and dinnerware using LAZERTRAN IMAGE TRANSFER paper, click HERE.

2.  I love vintage paper!  Learn to make PAPER MAGNOLIAS with vintage sheet music HERE

3.  Upcycling knocks my socks off!  Ever wondered what to do with those random baby socks once they've been outgrown?  I created a tutorial for transforming them in to PLUSH DONUTS HERE.

4.  I share a quick and easy tutorial for making a GLITTERED GARLAND HERE.

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As a parent, I've enjoyed delving in to my family history -- learning about the customs, traditions, and ways of my ancestors -- and sharing them with my husband and children.

I explored my  husband's Greek Heritage and recreated his lost family recipe for Greek "lasagna":  PASTITSIO.  Read the story and download the recipe HERE.

Every January 6 my family enjoys sharing our THREE KINGS DAY traditions with friends.  To learn more about Three Kings Day and for a recipe for delicious, family-friendly PULL-APART KING CAKE, click HERE.

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Every Tuesday I host a linky party called "A Little Birdie Told Me...".  I welcome you to come back tomorrow to link-up and share a recipe, craft, or project post.  Meet new creative people, get inspired, and strut your stuff!

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Thanks again for visiting!  I hope you enjoy your time here and will return soon.  I look forward to "meeting" you and exchanging ideas and inspirations!  

The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship. ~William Blake