Giving Homemade Christmas Gifts

I was just emailing with my sister-in-laws trying to figure out Christmas arrangements. Most of us are planning on making out gifts to one another's children. It seems as money becomes tight, material things don't matter as much anymore. Our family is using our resources for making a "feast" to spend time with family rather than on store bought gifts. Being "poor" really helps gain perspective and clear the path to the true meaning and celebration of Christmas. Homemade gifts are way more special anyway. You can see the love it took someone to make for years to come.

Two of my favorite websites for information on homemade crafts is www.tipnut.com and www.sew4home.com. Also www.Pinterest.com has TONS of ideas that people are posting. You can follow me there at http://pinterest.com/margolane/.

If you like to sew with a machine or hand stitch, here are some ideas and links.
*Hot/Cold Packs. Really easy to make by hand too!
*Sewing pajamas - some patterns aren't as hard as you would think.
*Tote bags

Now you don't have be sewing savvy to be make gifts. Here are some other ideas.
*Making soap
*scented reed defusers 
*Homemade sea salt scrubs
*Gifts in a jar

Here are some ideas to make for kids.

*Homemade play dough

*Hooded towel

*Bath soap crayons

*Fabric flower clips

Here are some more blogs that have put together gift ideas

 DM Designs "2011 Ultimate DIY Gift Guide"

 The Happy Housewife "100 Days Homemade Christmas Gifts"

 Everything Etsy "101 Simple Handmade Gift Tutorials"

I'll be having pictures and tutorials on my gifts I making people. Currently I am working on an Advent Calendar and homemade Christmas cards which are SO easy and much cheaper than buying.

Recipe for Johnnycakes

This last Friday, my children and I met my sister and parents at Riley's Farm in Oak Glen for a visit. I went there every autumn as child for a field trip of the apple farm and their frontier cabin experience. The kids loved it! Ethan was putting rocks in his pockets and Lizzie was enjoying her "mama", "bumpa" and aunt. One of the activities we did was Johnny Cakes tasting or also known as Journey Cakes. Traditionally they they were a favorite food of settlers because of the density of the cornmeal that would keep them full. They can be made on a hot griddle like pancakes or in a muffin tin.

Johnny Cakes 

1 cup flour

4 Tbsp Sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup oil, shortening, or butter melted

1. Mix dry ingredients

2. Mix wet ingredients separately 

3. Mix together until moist.

4. If making muffin, bake at 425 degrees for 15-25 min.

or

If  making pancakes drop onto hot griddle. They will be a bit difficult to flip. The recipe will make about 15 pancakes or 15 muffins.

Serve with apple butter, pumpkin butter, or any jelly or syrup. We tried honey, but didn't like the way it tasted.

I'm very interested in playing with this recipe. It has too much sugar for my preference though you can't taste it. I might try applesauce to substitute the oil and sugar. We'll see. 

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 6 & 7

Day 6 - Facebook


I may seem funny, silly but I am really glad I have a way to connect with people. I love seeing what is going on in people's lives from High School, old church groups, family, and childhood friends. I am also thankful when those friends are also active on Facebook so I can interact with them. I'm still in the process of building a friendship base with other moms especially with young kids so this helps me a lot.


Day 7 - My Mother-in-Law


I am so blessed to have a great mother-in-law. She loves interacting with her grandkids and is always willing for us to come over and visit. She and I can also talk about anything so easily. We both love the Lord so it's encouraging to see her faith. She and her husband have also been married for 44 years. What a blessing they are still together with a so many people getting divorces.

Maple Buttermilk Bread

I love fresh bread. But I don't have the time or patience to do it by hand. Last December, I got a bread machine on Amazon.com for an amazing price! I knew exactly what bread recipe I wanted to make first. Growing up my mom would have a maple buttermilk bread mix for the bread machine. It was the best! All us kids would devour it. I found a couple of recipes and tried them out but they used real buttermilk or powered which got expensive. With some help from my mom (who always comes to my rescue), I was able to tweak it. 


Remember, the ingredients need to be added in this order. This make a 1 1/2 lb loaf. I bake on normal settling, light. 

1 1/8c. luke warm milk

1T Vinegar

3-4T pure maple syrup

1T vegetable oil or melted butter (I've used grape-seed oil and olive oil before too)

1 tsp salt (maybe add 1/4tsp if needed)

3 c. bread flour

1T gluten  
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

The Vinegar will cause the milk to curdle and give the buttermilk effect. Now I need to find a whole wheat bread recipe to tweak.

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 5

Day 5 - My Children

After I got married, I remember crying to my husband about maybe not being able to have children. I have a syndrome called PCOS (Poly-Cystic-Ovarian-Syndrome). Basically my hormones are erratic and it's difficult (usually) to conceive. A couple months later we where pregnant with Ethan. I was so happy but a little sad since I had just started a secure job as a temp going to be perminant. Tim (my husband) and I always agree that when we have kids, I would be home with them so my new job was Mommy. Little did I know how fertile I am. When he was 11 months old, we were pregnant again and found out it was a girl. I was so happy to have my girl and my boy but I wasn't expecting to add again to the family when she was 2 months old. Amazing! I am a mother of three (little one due in April 2012) when I thought I might never be. I found out that a very few percent of women with PCOS are actually MORE fertile. I guess that's me.

I am so grateful for the joy they bring me and also the pain - the pain of childbirth, the pain my heart feels when they get hurt, and the pain of my own selfishness. If you want to draw closer to God, definitely have kids! I really have to sacrifice my fleshly wants, even if they are rational things like taking a shower, to put them first because I am their mother. BUT the joy of children is amazing! When I get to see them smile and laugh to makes my day. They are such pure emotions. I am thankful.

30 Days of Thankfulness - Day 3 & 4

I keep getting behind in my post, but  the thing that matters is that I am actually doing it!

Day 3 - My husband
Today is my husband's birthday. I am so thankful for him in my life. He saw a woman he wanted and got her. I was too confident, sassy, and slightly rude, but he won me over and brought out my best. He is such an amazing father.  As he plays with his kids, his face just lights up and gives them love. He works hard to keep me at home to raise our children and keep a house. He also leads me spiritually with insights from God. I couldn't ask for a better man. Everything I prayed for, but nothing I expected.

Day 4 - Rain
It's raining!!! I love it. It feels so refreshing and clean. The murky clouds actually bring excitement to me as I get all comfy in my house with tea or coffee, a book, a blanket and maybe even a candle burning. Of course having children makes the day much different, but still, I am thankful for the peace rain brings.

Pinterest

 I discovered Pinterest this week. If you are a follower of mine, please forgive me for all the re-pins. I have just been so excited! It's like shopping without money! Until you start on all the wonderful craft project you have seen.

For those who don't know, Pinterest is a virtual pin-board social website. You set-up boards on whatever topic you wish and "pin" a picture connected to a website, which could be a tutorial, or on Etsy.com, or from a online magazine. It's so much fun to organize all my ideas, projects, and decor likes. I have become a bit obsessive and for those who OCD, this site is so stimulating!