Old Socks Up-cycled

You know how every year at Christmas time you get a new pair of fuzzy warm and cozy pair of fun socks? Well, my sock drawer was starting to over flow with warm fuzzy goodness!  I kept thinking that I really didn't need all these socks. Really, how many times have I actually worn these ever so comfy cloud like fluffy pieces of heaven?  I do, after all, live in Texas, during a sever drought! I digress! So I picked out two pairs of fluffy goodness and cut out the most tube like part of each. One had a perfect tube shape and the top where the ankle goes and the other's was where the actual foot part went.  After I cut them up I sewed them together to make leg warmers for my darling little ballerina! She was practically the only little girl in the whole class (of 6) who didn't have leg warmers (even though it's still 80 degrees outside)! But now she simply looks smashing!

And then there was still a good chunk of sock left over! So I made me some super soft and comfy wrist warmers!  I just cut a whole out for my thumb to go and wha-la! Warm wrists from here on out! (In 80 degree weather!)

 Now get your search on and make something cool!

Freezing Fresh Herbs

So every time I have a recipe that calls for some kind of fresh herb, I run to the store to buy some and it always comes in a gigantic bundle! I would only need to use just a bit and the rest would normally go to waste after sitting in the fridge for a week.  I never was able to use it all up in time before it spoiled, which makes me feel just awful!  But one day while I was doing some pinteresting, I came across one pin about freezing certain foods.  This really got my attention because I hate wasting food, especially if it can be saved!  You can find this ever so helpful list of what to freeze here.  


The one thing I found most helpful to me personally at this time in my life was the saving of the herbs by freezing. All you do is prepare the herbs the way you normally would before using and stick in the ice cube tray and fill with water then freeze! 

Pop out of the tray and store in zip lock bags for later use! So brilliant! I had to share this with everyone!

I can't wait to use these in my favorite chicken noodle soup recipe!  I hope to one day grow my own herbs when I get a garden.  This will be a perfect way to store those herbs throughout the winter time!

Now get out there and freeze some herbs!

Handmade Hair Bows!

Today, while my little ballerina learned to gracefully twirl about at dance class, the mom's and I made cute little hair bows with some ribbon.  I have never made a hair bow without glue before but now I have learned to wield the needle and thread to make beautiful bows.

It came out so pretty and it matches my ballerina's tap ties I made.  All of us getting together, during the hour long class time, for crafting just kind of flowed out of us having to make the tap ties for our daughters.  We all made tap ties and the next class meeting showed off what we came up with.  There are so many talented mom's in this class.  We were instructed that we could buy the tap ties at a local store here in town but found out that they were expensive!  We also found out they were very simple to make.  We all made our own and they turned out great!  So that lead to talks about hair bows, which lead to making hair bows.  Now we are talking about tutus, which is our next project!  So next week look forward to some tutu pictures! I am so excited!


If you want to make your own hair bows you can find some awesome tutorials online. Here are my favorites:


The Ribbon Retreat
Under the Inkfluence
Slide Show with Random Links
Glorious Treats


That's all for today! Hope you had fun! Now go make some hair bows for your darling little princess! 

A New Day!

Today is a new day...
Today is they day I became a seller on Etsy...


My first item up for sale is simple yet ecologically savvy. What is better than buying something you know is helping the world's ecological system? Keeping things out of the dump is really a great way to say "I love you earth".  And now you can say "I love you" to your daughter or any loved one who loves hair bows and the earth at the same time! INGENIOUS!!!! If you buy thrifted, recycled, upcycled, consignment, 2nd hand, or whatever you want to call it, you are personally helping our environment. And I for one thank you for being so kind to this planet we call home.

There is much more to come from me but for now you will just have to wait!

Burn Ban Smores

Yesterday was National Smore Day and here in Texas (or anywhere in the southwestern section of the USA) there are burn bans currently in effect. This can put a damper on any camping trips you had in store as far as smores are concerned! But not any longer! Have no fear camping kids, your camping trip has been saved! All you need to make my Burn Ban Smores is the following:


Nutella, Marshmallow Cream, and Graham Crackers.

 

First get your graham cracker and break in half like normal and spread some Nutella on half of the cracker with a knife.

Then spread some marshmallow cream on the other half of the cracker and mash the two together and there you have some Burn Ban Smores (no fire needed)!

Everyone say "Marshmallow"!!!

So no need to worry about missing out on the Smore experience any longer! Your summer (at least what's left of it) has been saved once again by Colors of a Mommy!


Now have fun making and eating Burn Ban Smores and please use your hands!

And I almost forgot; my mom told me to mention how every year prior to the endless streams of burn ban summers, when we used to have real campfire smores, my idea to include candy bars other than plain milk chocolate. You can use Recess peanut butter cups, mini Snickers bars, York peppermint patties....the list goes on. Try your favorite candy bar on a Smore if you are one of the lucky ones who isn't in a burn ban.  Happy Smore'ing!

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Re-purposed Frame Part 1

This is a project that takes time, plenty of time...in fact it's a two part project, part one being where we redo the frame itself and part two being where we create the art that goes inside the re-purposed frame.


First I started with a blank slate:

I got this wooden picture frame at an antique store. The price on the back said $7.00, the price on front said $3.00, the price I paid was $2.00. What can I say? I am just that good! On the back it says "Hecho en Mexico" and it's real wood which is new and exciting for me, because I haven't redone anything made of real wood yet! It had no glass or backing.  I plan on making my own backing and won't need glass for what I am intending for this piece.

First things first...on this frame there is a cream colored burlap near the inner edge. I didn't want to paint over this so I used some paint tape to cover it up and keep it protected.

I used an x-acto knife to get the edges perfect.

After I got that burlap all covered up I took sand paper after the frame. It took me 45 min of sanding to get the old finish off. Whew! I need a break!

Now it's time to paint! I used Krylon gloss spray paint, Almond was the name of the color and I gave it two coats.

After drying I took my sand paper and scratched up the glossy finish and made it look rough.

Then I covered with antiquing gloss and wiped away and repeated until I got the look I was going for.

After you let it dry for a good 24 hours spray with clear, protective finish to keep it looking fabulous for years to come!

Let the finish dry for at least 12 hours.  And don't for get to take off the blue painting tape after it's fully dry.

The finished product:

And that is the first part of the Re-purposed Frame Part 1, keep a look out for the next half of the frame where I do the artsy part that goes inside in Re-purposed Frame Part 2.

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Playing With Clay

My girlfriends and I normally get together every other week to chat and craft. Usually the staple craft is crocheting but they have been branching out into many other craft variables. This week they planned on playing with clay, and while they have done it before I have never had the chance because I  just couldn't get out of the house. So when I heard that they were getting together to play with clay I knew I couldn't miss out!




The catch? (There is always a catch!) The date and time they planed on was merely a few hours prior to a root canal and         a pulled tooth. How dreadful! I knew I would be in pain and numb and possibly drooling but I was determined to get some clay in my hands. (Even though I had no idea what I would be doing.)



The procedure wasn't that bad, besides I was all numbed up and couldn't feel a thing. I drove home, took some medicine and ate some applesauce for lunch and headed on over to my friend DeeDee's house. After I arrived and the initial laughing over my drool and ceased, the girls got back to work. 


Michelle made an awesome steampunk bracelet. She's all professional. (And has her own etsy site here.)

While DeeDee made some beads and a strawberry!

And I made my very first ever piece from clay, a super tiny and cute apple!

There it is in the palm of my hand. It was suppose to be a strawberry but it ended up being an apple. But I love it just the same! It's not hard to play with clay, it's just like when we were kids in the play dough! Get messy, make something, and have fun!