Author Archives: Franci

Home Tour: This Passive Solar Concrete Home is Full of Unique Customizations

Living room of concrete home with cuckoo clock.

Some of you may remember that my brother and sister-in-law, Trevor and Elizabeth, built a concrete passive solar home. They have been putting the finishing touches on it. Almost everything has been completed except a few small things inside and the insulating and landscaping of the exterior.

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Let’s Have a Hot Cocoa Conversation

A bunch of holly hanging upside down on a gray/brown door.

I’ll have my cocoa with whip but no marshmallows, please. How about you?

We have our Christmas jam playlist going and are trying to suck all the Christmas fun out of this season, but some days it just feels hard and I find myself not having that wonderful Christmas feeling. I work on giving myself grace and understanding I might not always feel like celebrating, but moving forward with the traditions really does help set the stage for that merry feeling to hopefully show up.

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5 Most Used and Most Loved Kitchen Gadgets

My cooking has dramatically improved with practice and I’ve learned a lot over the years from family, friends, Food Network stars, podcasts, and blogs. I’ve found that having the right tools in my kitchen really does make things easier. The items below are things I use all the time. They are simple and most don’t cost much, but make a huge impact in your kitchen.

Silpat Baking Mat

Black and white sketch of Silpat baking mat.
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