Creative Juices Decor

My older daughter has been  begging me ever since I made the Pear/Apple Butter if I will make my Homemade Oatmeal Bread to go with it.  This recipe is one of my favorites.  It is moist and textured.  Just the smell of this cooking in my oven makes my mouth water.  You will NOT be disappointed! I will write out the recipe and give you pictures at the end.  Homemade Oatmeal Bread by Gina Hardy 2 Tbsp dry yeast 1/2c warm water Sprinkle of sugar 1/2c honey 1 cube butter  ( ½ cup) 4 tsp salt 1/2c brown sugar 4 c oats (either kind) 2 c boiling water 2 c cold water 3 c whole wheat flour 6 c white flour   In a separate bowl, put yeast, warm water, and a sprinkle of sugar; set aside.  In mixing bowl, place honey, butter, salt brown sugar. oats, and boiling water.  Mix until butter is melted.  Add cold water.  Add whole wheat flour and yeast now.  Let mix for 10 min in mixer.  Add whi...

A few of you have asked to have more details about the clay lamp and up close pictures of the winning American Clay wall.   I am happy to oblige.  With the lamp, it came to me with the center being a white PVC plastic tube.  I have no idea why it was like that or what was on there before.  The rest of the lamp is a very nice, heavy duty structure with a stone base and top.  I painted the plastic with a coat of the sanded primer then I troweled on the American Clay.  In general American Clay colors are not very deep or dark.  The best way to deepen the color is to apply an oil, stucco soap, or sealer over the top.  I decided to actually add paint over the top of the clay.  By doing this it does take away all the breathablity of the clay and turns it from a very natural product back into just another painted product.  But I decided it was just a small lamp and I was willing to change the clay property this one tim...

Hi Friends! This is one of my FAVORITE pieces I have made using American Clay as wall art.   As my love for American Clay continues I try to explore different uses for the product.  I've even gone so far as to coat a lamp out if it. (the center on that lamp used to be a white PVC pipe which is probably why I got it for 10 bucks at a thrift store!) Today I would like to showcase an art piece I created with the clay and in good 'ol blog fashion try to explain how to........ Do It Yourself.  :-) First buy yourself a blank art canvas. I bought four canvases 24"x30" which would make the final piece a whoppin 4'x5'!  Michaels craft store carries a lot of sizes. (I've even done this technique on a tiny 8"x11" canvas) Since American Clay needs something to stick onto I applied a sanded primer to the canvas and allowed it to dry. Next I covered the entire four canv...

Today I have been making one of my favorite EASY recipes (actually I should tell you right now that I will never post a hard recipe - it's just not me.)  I also ADORE using my crock pot , she never let's me down, ever.  (OK unless the ceramic bowl breaks because I chopped in the crock pot too hard, but that's another story) CROCK POT APPLE BUTTER Here are the simple instructions: Slice up apples or pears   (using mis-shaped, fallen pears or apples from your own tree is perfect!) Fill up crock pot to the brim Add 1/2 cup vinegar (any kind but I like the added health benefits of apple cider vinegar) Cook on HIGH for 8 hours (start 1 pm?) Next lower heat to LOW for another 10 hours (9pm-7am?) After a total of 18 hours cooking add:  1/2 c. white sugar and 1/2 c. brown sugar EXCEPT I try to lower the sugar in my recipes!!!! SOOOOOO Instead ...

My love of American Clay came as I was flipping through a design magazine and ran across this picture of American Clay.  I was sold instantly.   I wanted my whole life to look like that picture!   OK well at least some rooms in my home.   I showed a friend and she said, “Well let's go to   Albuquerque and learn how to do it!”   Easy enough – right?   So off we went and I’ve never looked back.  If your walls were bread, American Clay is the butter, maybe even the butter and the jam.   What I’m saying is American Clay is a MUST!   I just entered my first Professional American Clay makeover contest and am happy to announce my room won the grand prize.  Here is a summary: I entered three of the homes I did this past year one being Heather L from Mom4Life, Kira M from Life in my corner of the world, and my wonderful client Jan L. Below are the BEFORE and AFT...