About

Howdy! I’m Katie – writer, adventurer, and storycatcher.

I believe an incredible thing happens when we pause to celebrate our stories. IT GIVES US MEANING. The ordinary starts to feel downright awesome.

That’s why I help people capture memories and express themselves by writing their stories in my line of eco-friendly writing prompt journals. This award-winning business, Gadanke, is my dream come true.

Making This Home is my personal blog where I focus on what my German-born husband, Martin, and I are doing in our handmade life. Tsh Oxenrider, creator of Simple Mom, describes us perfectly. We’re “DIY inspiration that’s rooted in the heart.”

I can’t tell you the precise definition or location of “home”, but I can tell you this: home is whatever you make it. In our case, it’s been a progressive making and remaking since the day Martin and I met.

When I started blogging in 2008, we were in Berlin, Germany, doing this:

You can read about our small kitchen remodel here.

Later Martin taught me how to fly an airplane. We lived in the suburbs of Denver, then a house made of tires. Now we’re settling into rural Montana life in an old airplane hangar that we’re remodeling.

My goal is to provide a guidepost on how a life of adventure and constant transition can be so awesome. You’ll find tutorials, handmade projects, challenges, tips for simpler and greener living, and lots of storycatching.

Seven things for you to enjoy: