Happy Thanksgiving, A Recipe, And A Fun Idea!

I want to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving! 

I know Thanksgiving is an American holiday, and that my blog is read internationally, but I think the premise of Thanksgiving is worthy of worldwide celebration - people coming together with thankful hearts, embracing peace, and sharing good food. 
I'd like to share a wonderfully tasty, and extremely easy breakfast to get your busy Thanksgiving morning off to a healthy start. I'm a big fan of plant-based foods, and this recipe from the Vegetarian Times cookbook, "Everything Vegan" for Slow Cooker Irish Oatmeal is one of my favorites:

Old-Fashioned Irish Oatmeal

Serves 8

There's no question that steel-cut oats are superior in flavor to instant oatmeal, but the extended cooking time, obligatory stirring, and sticky pot to clean can put off even the most loyal oatmeal enthusiast. Using a slow cooker eliminates the stove-top surveillance and mess. Plus, the oatmeal can be kept warm for late risers.

• 4 cups vanilla soymilk
• 1 ¾ cups steel-cut oats
• ½ cup dried cherries, dried cranberries, or raisins
• ½ cup plus 3 Tbs. maple syrup, plus more for drizzling
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. ground allspice
• ½ cup blueberries, optional
• ⅓ cup chopped pecans, optional

1. Coat 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine soymilk, oats, dried cherries, 1/2 cup maple syrup, salt, allspice, and 4 cups water in slow cooker. Cook on high 2 to 4 hours.

2. Turn off slow cooker, and stir in 3 Tbs. maple syrup. Add water as necessary to achieve desired thickness. Serve garnished with blueberries and pecans, if desired.

Fun Idea:

Here's an easy to make, absolutely adorable Thanksgiving treat made from Oreo cookies, candy corn, mini peanut butter cups, and chocolate covered malt balls. To put it all together, you can pick up some different color icing in a squeezable tube at any craft store or most grocery stores.

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My goal is to take the whole world on a creative journey one project at a time, so I want to offer many thanks to all my readers in 56 different countries... 

The United States, Israel, Canada, Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Malaysia, Italy, the Bahamas, the Philippines, Sweden, Egypt, Columbia, the Netherlands, Spain, the Sudan, Turkey, Mexico, Moldova, Denmark, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, the Czech Republic, the Ukraine, South Africa, India, Taiwan, Panama, Serbia, Latvia, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

New Zealand, Japan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Chile, 

Romania, Hungary, Portugal, Indonesia, Guernsey, South Korea, Pakistan, Greece, 

Hong Kong, Poland and Slovenia!

Many Blessings,

Jana : )

Handmade Paper Gift Card Holder

I'm very excited to bring you this mid-week blog post! This is a blog hop and is a special project for me as an Arnold Grummer Design Team member. I am half way through my six month commitment with the Arnold Grummer Design Team and I'm loving every minute of it. The products are awesome, the folks at Arnold Grummer are super nice and supportive, and working in a design team has really helped me grow as a creative person. I hope when Arnold Grummer's Papermaking Kits & Supplies are ready to do their next design team call, some of you will consider submitting an application. 

*You can win great prizes in this blog hop by scrolling all the way to the bottom of this blog post and visiting (blog hopping)  the other design team members blogs, then post a comment on each blog and become a follower, and that enters you to win! It's that easy.*

Here are the materials you'll need to make a Handmade Paper Gift Card Holder:

• 4 sheets of gorgeous 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 inch handmade paper
• Template - I'm using a mitten, but a Christmas stocking, snowman, or Christmas tree would look great too!
• Scissor
• Glue
• Pencil
• Sharp sewing needle
• Embroidery thread 
• Gift card

Begin by tracing the template onto the paper of your choice.

Then cut out the pieces of your gift card holder.

Now place your mittens one on top of the other. I chose to use an awl to pre-punch the holes for sewing because handmade paper is very strong and my fingers weren't up to pushing that needle through two pieces of it. 
Use a whip stitch all the way around the outside of the mitten.

When you're finished sewing, you can glue the white collar of your mitten to the top of the mitten. Then punch a hole in the corner, lace some ribbon through it and insert your gift card! 
The gift card fits completely into the Handmade Paper Gift Card Holder, I kept it out a bit so you could see how it looks in the picture : )

Visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MyCreativeMommy and click the "Like" box to become a fan and receive regular updates!

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My goal is to take the whole world on a creative journey one project at a time, so I want to offer many thanks to all my readers in 51 different countries... 

The United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Malaysia, Italy, the Bahamas, the Philippines, Sweden, Egypt, Columbia, the Netherlands, Spain, the Sudan, Turkey, Mexico, Moldova, Denmark, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, the Czech Republic, the Ukraine, South Africa, India, Taiwan, Panama, Serbia, Latvia, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

New Zealand, Japan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Chile, 

Romania, Hungary, Portugal, Indonesia, Guernsey, South Korea, and Pakistan!

Many Blessings,

Jana : )

Paper Casting Ornament

For this week's project, I am using paper casting to make an ornament. You can find a great selection of paper casting supplies on the Arnold Grummer website.

Here's what you'll need to make yours:

• Cotton Linter for paper casting
• Paper casting strainer
• Paper casting molds
• Sponge
• Bowl
• Terry cloth towel
• Blender

Tear off enough of the cotton linter squares to cover the image in your mold. Then blend the squares with 3 cups of water in the blender on high for 45 seconds.

Pour blended linter squares through the strainer. Save the water in a bowl for the next cast.

Plop pulp into mold and pat into image. Try to maintain uniform thickness as best you can.

Tilt mold over bowl and press water out of wet pulp with fingers. Yes, my little guy wanted to help even with paint under his fingernails!

Use sponge to remove even more water. Press pulp into every detail. Then blot with a towel to remove the last amount of water.

Now carefully peel cast off of the mold and dry on a flat surface.

You can leave the rough edges, or trim them with a sharp craft knife once dry. You can decorate your paper casting ornament with glitter, colored chalk, paint, or anything you like really. I used glitter while blending the pulp to make my snowflake sparkly. I'll attach a ribbon to the back either with glue, or punch a hole and run the ribbon through it so I can hang it on our Christmas tree!

*Stay tuned for a special mid-week project on November 15th! The Arnold Grummer Design Team is having a blog hop that day and I hope you'll check it out!*



Visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MyCreativeMommy and click the "Like" box to become a fan and receive regular updates!

Follow us on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/mycreativemommy

My goal is to take the whole world on a creative journey one project at a time, so I want to offer many thanks to all my readers in 51 different countries... 

The United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Malaysia, Italy, the Bahamas, the Philippines, Sweden, Egypt, Columbia, the Netherlands, Spain, the Sudan, Turkey, Mexico, Moldova, Denmark, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, the Czech Republic, the Ukraine, South Africa, India, Taiwan, Panama, Serbia, Latvia, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

New Zealand, Japan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Chile, 

Romania, Hungary, Portugal, Indonesia, Guernsey, South Korea, and Pakistan!

Many Blessings,

Jana : )

Leathercraft Key Coin Pouch

When I was a kid we used to go to the county fair every summer. There would always be a table with all kinds of neat leather goods, and every summer I'd get a leather bracelet with my name stamped on it. Fast forward a few years to high school where I found myself making my own leather goods in a crafts class. Now I use premium lambskin from Italy to cover the handbound journals I make. So leathercraft has always been interesting to me and thought it might be fun to do a leathercraft project. 

Tandy Leather Factory has a fun Beginner's Leathercraft Set that comes with everything you need to make seven different projects for $39.99. I purchased the same kit from Hobby Lobby for $24.99 and then I used a 40% off coupon from their weekly ad! From that kit I picked the leather key coin pouch for today's project.

Here's what you'll need to make yours:

Let's get started making our leathercraft key coin pouch by removing the project parts from the box. You'll grab the leather back flap, front, and strap for the key coin pouch, and the metal key chain. You'll also need the sponge and some water, the leather stain and applicator, the decorative hammer and design stamp (You might want a pair of latex gloves. I didn't use any and it will probably be a few days before the stain wears off of my skin), and the needle and thread.

Begin by using the sponge to make the smooth side of each leather piece lightly damp.

While the leather is still damp and feels cool to the touch, the leather is ready for stamping - which I thought was very fun, and so did my little guy : )
You'll be using the wooden mallet and the design stamping tool.

When finished stamping, allow piece to dry. Once dry you can apply a heavy, even coat of the stain to both sides of each project part making sure to get stain into the nooks and crannies of the design. Remove excess, allow to dry and then buff with a clean soft cloth to bring out a nice shine. 

Once everything is completely dry, place the rough sides of the leather front and back pieces together lining up the lacing holes. This is an exciting step because you begin to see your key coin pouch take shape!

Attach the needle to 3 feet of thread. 

Begin stitching leather front to back by starting between front and back parts, leaving 3 inches of thread to tie off later. Stitch up through the first hole in the front piece, then down through second aligned holes in front and back.

Align the leather strap over the 3rd and 4th holes, and stitch up through 3rd hole in back then up through the front hole and strap.

Stitch down through the 4th aligned holes in strap, front and back. Continue stitching around to the last hole on the other side.

Turn and continue stitching back around to starting hole, filling in between stitches you made the first time around.

When you've stitched your way back to the starting hole, stitch just through the back hole and tie two ends (from front and back) together. Snip ends and tuck knot down tight between front and back. The thread is waxed and stays pretty much where you put it.

Now fold back flap down and tuck it under the strap on the front, slip the key chain through the lined up holes and snap key chain together. 

This key coin pouch was fun and turned out great. The instructions were clear, which made the project go smoothly. When I finished this project, I couldn't wait to get back into the kit and do the others. Hope this piqued your interest in leathercraft and will have you doing your own key coin pouch soon!

Visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MyCreativeMommy and click the "Like" box to become a fan and receive regular updates!

Follow us on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/mycreativemommy

My goal is to take the whole world on a creative journey one project at a time, so I want to offer many thanks to all my readers in 49 different countries... 

The United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, Malaysia, Italy, the Bahamas, the Philippines, Sweden, Egypt, Columbia, the Netherlands, Spain, the Sudan, Turkey, Mexico, Moldova, Denmark, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, the Czech Republic, the Ukraine, South Africa, India, Taiwan, Panama, Serbia, Latvia, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

New Zealand, Japan,Bangladesh, Brazil, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Chile, 

Romania, Hungary, Portugal, Indonesia and Guernsey!

Many Blessings,

Jana : )