Some Garden Bling

January 8, 2014January 2, 2014 / makingofahome / 2 Comments

We, like most in the country right now, are experiencing a major cold snap right now. At times like this, it is so hard to imagine that there was a time when our gardens were in bloom, with produce overflowing from baskets resting in the sunlight. Those days of growth and warmth seem so far away at this moment. My family seemed to need a reminder that our time on this Earth is one of rhythm and cycles, and we will once again be back to those times of basking in the warm embrace of spring and summer days.

My girls were given wonderful stepping stone kits for Christmas, so we decided crafting those stones would be a perfect little reminder of the garden goodness to come in only a few short months.

Once completed, the stones were placed in our three-season room that is now filled with empty pots filled with remnants of frozen soil. But we are already imagining the day when those pots are moved outside and filled with the plants that will add beauty and sustenance to our lives. And our little stepping stones will add just that extra little touch of garden glam that every growing space needs.

Our Holiday

January 6, 2014September 1, 2015 / makingofahome / 1 Comment

I hope this past holiday season found you all well, and in a state of food, fun and family bliss. Happily, all our family members remained healthy for the duration of our holiday break, enabling us to truly enjoy each moment of these past two weeks. Here is a bit of those things we enjoyed as 2013 exited, and 2014 began.

Sledding at one of our favorite parks–Rockford Park District’s Aldeen Park.

Enjoying this amazing egg nog hot chocolate recipe by Ashley English.

Taking in the majesty that was our church on Christmas Eve.

Engaging in some fabulous retro games and projects. Can you believe they are now selling these oldies but goodies again? Love it.

Indulging in Ree Drumond’s bacon maple scones from this wonderful cookbook.

Playing in the magical fairy tree house built by Santa’s elves.

Taking in the silence of our backyard on a snowy New Year’s Eve.

Happy New Year, friends. I hope 2014 brings much peace and happiness to all of you.

Sleep Hats

December 19, 2013December 17, 2013 / makingofahome / 3 Comments

As I’ve mentioned this past week or so, my littlest one has asked for a “sleep hat” for Christmas. Now, I’m not sure what exactly a sleep hat is exactly. All I know is that she requested a nice comfy hat she can wear when she reads stories before bed.

My mind starting running through possibilities for a sleep hat sort of idea, and then it hit me: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. You all know the part, “With Mama in her kerchief and I in my cap…” That’s what I wanted to make! I wanted to craft a cap like I had seen in all of the illustrations of Papa in ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

With a bit of trial and error, I bring you my first ever created “sleep hat” for my tiny ones to wear on a cold winter’s night.

One down, one more to go, and only a few days remaining. I better get to work 🙂

Nona’s Biscotti

December 18, 2013December 17, 2013 / makingofahome / 2 Comments

Nona Zanocco’s Biscotti has become a staple around our house each Christmas. This buttery crisp cookie is perfect for a morning coffee with friends around the holidays, and also a wonderful additional to the cookie platter at a holiday party. The word biscotti means “twice baked,” so although they do take a bit of time to make, these treats are worth the wait it takes to prepare them.

Nona’s Biscotti

Using a stand mixer, place 3 sticks of room temperature butter in the mixing bowl. Mix until the butter is creamy and smooth.

Add 2 cups of sugar and cream the butter and sugar.

While the mixer is running, add 6 eggs (one at a time). Then add 1 tablespoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon almond extract.

In a separate bowl, mix together 6 cups flour and 2 tablespoon baking powder.

Add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Run the mixer until completely combined.

Form logs of dough (roughly 2 inches wide by 12 inches long by 1 inch tall) and place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake the logs in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the logs from the oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Then, slice the logs into one inch slices. Spread the slices out and re-bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the slices are just starting to turn golden.

You can serve the cookies as is, or you can drizzle them with a glaze. (I like to mix a bit of powdered sugar with a touch of almond extract and some milk to make a glaze that I then drizzle over top. I then top with naturally-colored sprinkles, or lemon or orange zest.)

Enjoy!

*A note about all my recipes: I use all organic ingredients, local when available. I use non-homogenized milk, and all of the dairy we use is from animals raised on pasture. I also use oils that are non-GMO verified. All our meat is raised locally on organic feed, and our beef is grass-fed, grass-finished. All our spices and cane sugar are fair-trade certified and purchased through a cooperative.

At This Moment

December 17, 2013December 16, 2013 / makingofahome / 2 Comments

At this moment, I am…

~preparing my eldest’s Girl Scout Daisy smock. Today is her first Daisy meeting, and I am just praying her little cough from last night is better this morning so she is able to attend. She is so very excited.

~putting the finishing touches on the sleep hats I mentioned last week. More on this to come later this week.

~frosting biscotti. It’s my Nona’s recipe from Italy, and they are delicious. No worries, more on these tasty treats later this week as well 🙂

~wishing a few extra hours could be added to each day this week. There is so much that needs to be done.

~reminding myself what is important this time of year, despite the above mentioned craziness that seems to be seeping into each day.

~awaiting an important day in my family’s life. Check in on Friday for more about this news.

~hoping each of you has a wonderful start to your week.

Best Made Plans

December 11, 2013December 10, 2013 / makingofahome / 1 Comment

Yesterday morning I rose early to head to the grocery store before dawn, before my girls woke up, and before my “To Do List” really got moving. I returned home at 6:30 am, with arms full of groceries, and two little girls with pink eye. How quickly all those plans on my “To Do List” were put on hold, and a new (much better, I must say) plan developed. Cookie-Baking Day.

The girls felt great, but still unable to attend school, dance class, and tumbling lessons, so we just stayed close to home and had ourselves a wonderful little day. It’s these moments spent with my little ones in the warm embrace of our home that I will remember most as the years move on. I will never forget their baking experiments with flour strewn all about the kitchen, their voices in the play room as my seven year old reads fairy tales to her little sister, or the tiny fists full of cookies being shoved as quickly as possible into their smiling mouths.

Winter Sewing

December 5, 2013December 4, 2013 / makingofahome / 2 Comments

My sewing machine spent it’s summer and fall days collecting a nice little layer of dust in my basement. I never really felt overly drawn to it during those months. I’m guessing because my time and attention focused on all of the outside work that needed to be done, and sewing never really seemed to fit with that particular rhythm.

But now all of that has changed. It’s darker earlier, it’s colder outside, and it’s time to begin sewing again. I have quite the stack of projects in the works, because I couldn’t decide on just one project to start. It all seemed so fun! I have forced myself to get a bit more organized in the past few days, and I’ve now completed a pair of nice flannel night gowns for my two favorite gals. My little ones much prefer to wear night gowns than any other form of pajama, and I’m happy to oblige. For is there anything cuter than a little girl snuggled up in a warm comfy night gown? I cannot think of anything better.

The Gift of Handmade

December 4, 2013December 1, 2013 / makingofahome / Leave a comment

Don’t forget to visit The Making of a Home Shop this holiday season to pick up something for a loved one in your life. Our items are the perfect stocking stuffers, and they are all crafted with much love.

If you have any questions about our products, feel free to comment below, or you may email me at makingofahome@gmail.com.

Happy Holidays!

Let There Be Light

December 3, 2013December 1, 2013 / makingofahome / 4 Comments

A few months back, my girls and I were thrilled to read “Hand-Dipped Beeswax Candles” by Amber Ek in Taproot Issue 7 :: Gather. The notion of making our very own candles seemed like such fun! The article drummed up memories from my past when I use to make my own hand-dipped candles in middle school while working as a volunteer at Midway Village, an amazing museum with a Victorian village. I remember the experience with such fondness and I wanted my girls to indulge in the experience as well.

So, last Tuesday we ventured to the stove, and with a whole lot of adult supervision, we crafted four pillar candles that later lit our Thanksgiving table. We had such fun that I’m sure candle-making will become an annual crafting experience in our home.

Celebrating

December 2, 2013December 1, 2013 / makingofahome / 2 Comments

As I so often say in this space, Thanksgiving through the New Year is my favorite time of the year. I love the decedent foods that warm your soul, the many adornments that work to embellish even the most drab of locales, and the melodies that seem to interweave their way into my thoughts. But most of all, I cherish the quality time spent in celebration with family and friends that this time of year brings to our lives.

This Thanksgiving was a true celebration of family, which was a much welcomed change over last year’s cold and flu-filled Thanksgiving celebration. And I must say, my favorite part of the day was the spontaneous dance party that broke out in the garage while our frogmore stew was cooking away.

Here is a peak into our weekend of celebrating…