Ah yes, end of summer ceremonies include the tomato sauce making.  This year my husband and I were on our own–the first I can remember not working with my in-laws (Sicilian immigrants and the originators of this family tradition)… and all the kids were conveniently out of town.

Without Nonna & Nonno to watch over us, we IMMEDIATELY cheated by not hand picking them… we have so few weekends available and it rained all week and the usual farm (Filasky’s in Maryland) was not allowing us out on the field.  We purchased them at a store outlet for a farmer’s market and I’m REALLY okay with not picking in a muddy field.

We ended up with about 80 quarts all hot packed and slowly cooling in chests covered in blankets. It will last us until next August (depending upon needy children and friends who will *now* come out of the woodwork…).

I was introduced to this tradition over 25 years ago while dating my husband.  His parents dutifully worked very hard to make sauce for themselves and enough for each of their sons who were on their own.  Some years we helped more than others.

As our family grew, we all (with more workers each few years) helped out–we needed a lot!  This year mom and dad will experience it all being done for them… we will be giving them their share. I guess now in their upper 80′s they deserve the break!

I guess we have officially become Nonna & Nonno.  Tony barking orders at me… but I’m not Nonna… so he needs to keep it zipped or wear boiling hot stewed tomatoes.  Plus at some point, I’m going to start drinking… hey, I have to add some ‘German-Irish’ to this tradition… I’m not Sicilian if you could tell by my red hair…

UPDATE:  I’ve gotten a lot of requests for the recipe but it’s not what you think–we don’t add all the seasonings before we hot pack them– just tomatoes, basil leaves and salt.

Here is the entire process… We use ripe plum tomatoes (usually 4 bushels at a time) and put them in a small baby pool full of water and wash them by hand (in our garage).  We put them in a strainer and cut each one in half and scoop out the water, seeds and excess pulp (which in plum tomatoes, there isn’t a lot of waste).

We stew them with fresh basil leaves (we do grow a lot of that).  Cut the basil just before you use it you will pick off only leaves, no stems.  The basil must be cleaned off of dirt (or yeah, bugs, LOL!) but you can’t leave the basil soaking in water too long or it gets black, so someone picks off the leaves while others are cutting tomatoes and they don’t sit long before going in.

I don’t have a ratio of basil and salt to tomatoes– we just do it by ‘eye’ (anyone who has ever cooked with an Italian mom knows this phenomenon).  After stewing them until it breaks down, we run the tomatoes through a sieve (we use this one), which separates out the skin and any remaining seeds. If you think that the sieve is expensive, lets just say this family takes tomato sauce seriously (say, like my family took distilling bathtub gin in the 20′s). Anyway, they sell less expensive ones and of course hand-crank ones (been there, done that… just go for electric).

Then we boil the strained tomatoes again for about an hour and then hot pack them just like that.  When you go to use the sauce, you will want to add olive oil, some minced fresh garlic, salt, paper and a bit of oregano.  How much? Ask Nonna, she’ll say ‘don’t ask how much, just watch! Pay attention!’

This year, it is with a heavier heart that I ask you for your support in our family’s walk in the 2nd Annual ‘Get Your Head in the Game’ Brain Tumor Awareness Walk. 

Click here to go directly to my sponsor page that supports the ‘Christina’s Crusaders’ Team.  Click here to learn more and for the links to the Foundation.

We will again be walking in the Christina’s Crusaders team but Christina will only be there in spirit this year.   Last year she was less than a week from surgery to remove a large portion of the tumor but her happy and excited presence was so uplifting.

When I found out she was only taking Tylenol after the surgery and I assured her that I would be yelling and stamping my feet until someone gave me really strong drugs in return for cutting open my head (but she just laughed at me).

Unfortunately, her strength never returned event though her spirit never lagged.   On June 21st she went home to our Lord.  She was only 12. In the midst of our her own pain and loss, her mother referred to this poem about the Brave Little Soul.  It comforted me that I had truly known a brave little soul.

I want to thank all of you who sponsored me and my family’s walk last year.  Literally two days before the event, my last two donors got me to my personal goal of raising $1000.00.   I am hoping to do the same this year.

Click here to go directly to my sponsor page that supports the ‘Christina’s Crusaders’ Team.  Click here to learn more and for the links to the Foundation.

Where have I been?  Well, up to my elbows in chocolate… which is a family tradition for the Celona family.

For about 20 years now, I have made candy as gifts to friends and neighbors (that live near enough to deliver by hand).  I have included not only the photo, but an ‘extreme’ closeup (when you click on it).

I say that I make it, but it is truly a family affair and there are no shortage of teenage girls these days to help with chocolates to be made. 

My daughter Katherine who was ’tiling’ the roof with non-pareils, the walls were molded by my daughter Sarah & her friend Brittany.   And you can see below also the ‘before & after’ shots of the houses in construction.

UPDATE:  I found the exact mold I use for the house.  CLICK HERE to view it.  I took candy making classes at the Chocolate Duck 20 years ago and am excited they are still in business.  They also sell the Merkens chocolate melts.   And I use a (secret) mixture of milk & dark chocolate (if I tell you, I’d have to kill you).  And of course go over the top in decorating.

Other candy that I make is homemade butter crunch, almond bark, milk chocolate covered caramels and dark chocolate covered coconut chews.

This year I have been especially thinking of those loved ones not with us anymore.  I had a favorite uncle who loved my chocolates and getting a house… he introduced me to my love of "Special Dark" chocolate at age 8!    I’m sure he’s in heaven and getting a big Special Dark chocolate bar for Christmas.   

I miss my grandmother, Katherine (my daughter photo’d above was named for her).  I wish my kids had gotten to meet her.  She was an amazing woman and mentor and I know I’ll miss her forever.  And my parents made me *crazy*,  but it is funny that some of the stuff that gets you crazy suddenly isn’t so important after they are gone (almost immediately actually… crazy how that works).

A Merry Christmas to all of you, my customers, downline, my blog readers (a few stalkers…LOL!)   I wish all of you love and peace and happiness. 

Kids grow too fast and life flies by at too fast … so my advice is to just slow down (and eat your chocolate sitting).  And if you are waiting for a Christmas card from me… I’m *almost* done…

I have been enjoying my summer but I haven’t had a lot of time to blog!  I have recently received a few awards and I am very honored and would like to ‘share the love’!   Perhaps you will find inspiration in the blogs that I’ve tagged in return, hope you do…

"Brilliant Blogger" Award:

I was awarded this by no fewer than three other bloggers!  Susan Daly  who is not only ‘brilliant" but tireless in her daily inspiration that she gives us as well as by Julie and Maria who have fabulous sites!   Check out their blogs and tell them I sent you.

I am supposed to tag 7 bloggers, so I will tag seven of them for BOTH awards.  Click the ‘read more’ for the award details and my 7 choices of inspirational blogs!

For my second award, I was tagged with a "Tag" by  Leslie Banks . Thank you Leslie.  It comes with some rules… I have to share 7 random facts and tag 7 others.  All facts about me fall under ‘random’ so it was easy.  So from the files of "TMI" here are a few:

SEVEN RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME…

1. Yes, my hair is really red.  Since my early 20′s I have been not only asked "what color I use" but also once in awhile, I get a "wow, I like that color better than your last one…"    Things like time in the sun and certain hair care products can affect the color, so perhaps that’s why they say that.
2. I have found that people can immediately love me–or immediately dislike me.  Now at this point in my life, I’m actually okay with that.  I have found that if I instantly annoy you, it may only get worse… but if you like me, we may end up BFF’s.  The ‘instant dislike’ thing is actually a time saver, you know… all that effort you put into a relationship isn’t wasted, LOL!
3. I am a terrible instigator.  I am able to make otherwise well-behaved people do things they would never do normally.  I discovered this talent in high school.  In fact (in high school), I was tapped for a "leaders" program… they saw leadership potential in me.  I was dropped from the program when it was apparent that I was most likely to ‘lead others into temptation…".
4. I laugh at inappropriate times.  This did not serve me well in Catholic school (see Point #3 for more reference).  Laughing in the principal’s office–oh say for example, in front of an angry nun–isn’t  a wise thing.  I also have been known to cause laughing at funerals (and worse having it be about the dearly departed…).  It’s kind’ve a nervous thing (hee, hee…).
5. I repeat myself.  I have very little short term memory.  Drives my family nuts.  However, I will always laugh at your jokes (they’ll never get old) and I won’t tell your secrets (what was that again?).
6. I can’t hear.  I have had a recurring cholesteatoma (benign tumor in the inner ear) which has taken a lot of the hearing in my left ear.  Actually, I can hear sound but cannot discern what is being said (like hearing under water).  In the years that I was in denial, I would be embarrassed to admit it and just agree with whatever was said.  Got me in trouble MORE than a few times… (memo to me: don’t just agree…). 
7. So, as a wrap up, #5 & #6 combine to make me appear to be a moron at times, however I think that I am a happier person.  The lack of short term memory makes it difficult to carry a grudge and not being able to hear has made my life with 4 kids (three of them teenage girls) more carefree.  I’m sure I’m not missing anything I want to hear!!!

Too much information, I know, I know….

 My tags:   For my tags, I am trying to choose ladies who are talented but perhaps unappreciated. I have chosen from people who have left feedback on my site with their site listed… I love to check out who is checking me out and I am really as inspired by them as they are with me!

1. Becky Roberts, Inkingidaho.blogspot.com
2. Vicki Allgaier, InkingArt.com
3. Michelle Tech, 2stampis2b.blogspot.com
4. Paula Goff, Inkingaddict.blogspot.com/
5. Yvonne Metz, Yvonnesstampingplace.com/
6. Brandy Parshley, BarelyBananaDays.blogspot.com
7. Yvonne Campbell, Campbellcreations.net/

 Tell them I’ve tagged them!

On May 3rd, my family and I will be walking in the first ever "Get Your Head in the Game" Awareness Walk in Wilmington, DE for brain tumor awareness.  You can read more about the event HERE.  It is my personal goal to raise $1,000.00 and I am writing in hopes that you will help me to that end.

We walk in honor of our friend, Christina Loeffler, who is suffering from an inoperable brain tumor. She is only 10 years old.  Christina is a wonderful child with a beautiful spirit and each day is a miracle for her and her family–but please remember her in your prayers that God will grant a miracle of full recovery. If being loved counts for anything than I believe that this is why she is still with us… and obviously God believes the world is a better place with Christina here!

Click Here to read all about it and to sponsor me. 

Our family is honored to try and be part of the awareness and fund raising to help others have a better prognosis in the future with the advancement of medical research.  We do it as much for Christina as for the future of all our children, brothers and sister, husbands and wives and loved ones who may be touched by this.  Will you help us try to achieve that?

I have been busy, busy, busy getting ready for Stampin’ Up!’s leadership in Palm Springs… sorry for not posting or any newsletters, LOL!  Below is my hotel (pretty awesome!) and the weather is beautiful.

I am excited to get back and announce online sign up for our Sale-A-Bration Stamp Festival which will be on  Saturday, February 23rd… it will include a stamp set and I am 99% sold on which one but I wish to see the Stampin’ Up! displays to make sure of my decision.  So… wait and I’ll post the online sign up (or you can stalk my online Calendar page for the sign up link).

<– more hotel photos!

Meanwhile, I look forward to sharing samples that I have made, photos of display boards and my swaps with you guys… which will be recycled into my classes! 

Remember to go to my Calendar and sign up for my New Catalog Open House and my Stamp a Stack of Stuff for January… look forward to hearing from you!

UPDATE:  For those of you asking me, the ‘house’ mold and all supplies were purchased at Cannon’s Cake Supply store in Delaware, they don’t have a separate site for their cake and candy supplies but you can call the supply store at 302-738-6008, they ship same day–ask for ‘house’ mold and 3 lbs. of chocolate melts–they sell all colors of chocolate as well.  The page for the supply store (hours, etc.) is HERE.  I have about 8 of these molds to do the number of houses I have to do quickly, LOL!

My apologies for my non-stamping post, I am in the throes of Christmas preparation with my family and I am sharing with you photos of the beautiful and delicate chocolate houses that I have been making for almost 20 years each Christmas (photo is last year’s houses).  With the help of my daughters, the candy making has begun–and with Katherine’s help, the ‘housebuilding’ has begun with all the walls and roofs molded and are stored for assembly and decorating on or about Christmas eve.

Before I had children, I made as many as 15 of them as gifts for my family and sold them as well.  I went as far as to paint each mold with the detail of the trellis and window shutters, etc with different color chocolate, but these days my decorating of the house and the yard have declined considerably in the effort to get them done at all!  I make six of them for close friends and family and wish I could make more but each one takes hours to make. The house is entirely chocolate and the roof is a sheet of chocolate, to with non-pareils (added like roof shingles).  The trees are green chocolate, the snow detail on the house is white chocolate, but the housetop snow is royal icing.

I have made the toffee for the inside of the homemade buttercrunch candy and will be toasting and chopping the almonds today.  Toasting almonds is actually very tricky and difficult to accomplish (in a family with four children).  I need to toast 1 1/2 times the amount that I need to take into consideration the stealing that will happen.  This cuts down on some of the angry accusations, finger pointing, name calling–and that’s just my husband! ( ah, the joy of a big family)… you get the idea.  It can get ugly, so I just make more than I need!

Those of you who know me well, know that the only candy, cookie or cake I will eat is chocolate–so I mold chocolate houses instead of baking gingerbread ones (like normal people).  I am proud of the homemade butter crunch candy that I make which I have been perfecting over the last few years.  I have already made the toffee for it (I wear the burns proudly for the 320 degrees I cook it to) and have it in a sealed container to season it so that it makes the perfect center for the buttercrunch (it must melt in your mouth!).

I will be sharing with you posts of my favorite sets that are discontinuing this week.  I am proud to have been selected by Stampin’ Up! to be a display artist at Leadership this January,  but I cannot share the samples until the sets are announced (or actually, I can show you, but I’ll have to shoot you afterwards, LOL).

I have been tagged twice now and have a hard time coming up with only 7 blogs and 7 things about me! So, I will share several things about me (READ: more than you want to know…)

I am married going on 21 wonderful years (and all to the same guy!).

I am a “mean mommy” and proud of it.  “If you like me, I’m not doing my job” is my motto, so “Darth Mom” is what I will be until they get older (and I start looking wiser)

I am a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator for 11 years and plan to be a demonstrator long after I can see clearly or move my arms.   This is entirely possible as the women in my family have been known to live well into their 90′s (their husbands, for some reason, die in their 60′s…)

I have been plagued with recurring choleteatomas (benign tumor in my inner ear).  It has caused bone & nerve loss which has in turn caused hearing loss, in my left ear.  I will have surgery again this summer (as surgery last fall discovered that the one removed in 2004 had returned and had a friend with it).  I went undiagnosed properly for years because I did not have any of the usual symptoms except progressive hearing loss which my ENT decided was “otosclerosis” (aging hearing loss–but in my 30′s???).  A different doctor made ALL the difference.  Dr. Teixido in Wilmington, DE is “da BOMB”, thanks doc! 

He gave me a cool titanium implant to replace bone loss, but I don’t notice better cell phone reception (which I was really hoping for and in fairness to him, he didn’t promise, LOL!).   And while I hear better now than before my surgery in 2004, I’ve decided that I was happier when it was quieter (I really don’t want to hear everything my kids are saying).

Blogs I am tagging– yes! I am shamelessly tagging my downline and friends blogs, so shoot me! 

1.  StampWithHeather.com

2.  AprilsStampinSpot.com

3.  StampVamps.com

4.  BarbarasStampPad.com

5.  InkingArt.com

6.  AndreaWalford.com

7.  StampinKub.com - I don’t know this young man, but I love his tutorials and his use of SU products!

I am preparing for my class tonight and my cat Bonnie has discovered that I have left the sponge daubers unguarded!  They are her weakness…showing once more how versatile this wonderful accessory is!

Bonnie is one of three kitties that I have adopted from the Dumpster Cat Rescue League (located in DE). They are a wonderful organization of ladies who network to rescue, spay and find homes for these cats and kittens.  They rely entirely on volunteers and donations from generous cat lovers.

Bonnie is my favorite and my buddy.  I had a black and white cat named Shadow for 15 years and when Shadow went away I didn’t think I would ever love a cat that much again.  Well, Bonnie is a very close second!  I am glad I took the plunge to love again, because we were meant to be together.  Her litter mate Bella is a very beautiful black and white cat, but regards me with a look that sizes me up as a “lower life form”. I know where I stand with her “I live to serve”. 

I will be posting soon some of my class ideas!

I am a SAHM of four beautiful girls and married to a ravishingly handsome and exciting man for over 20 years. 

My Stampin’ Up! business is the excuse for housework not getting done… and really, which would you rather do?  I created this blog originally to show other stamping professionals how wonderful WordPress is for blogging but ended up loving it for the way it enables me to share what I am working on at the moment. 

I also have a website with samples and projects at www.uStamp4Fun.com and I will be “announcing” additions and updates through this blog… so keep checking back!

In addition to stamping, I do web design & development for small businesses.