Bracelet

Yesterday I was out shopping with my oldest son and we stopped by Old Navy...

I saw on their jewelry rack that there was a ton of stuff on clearance....as I started going through all the stuff that was well deserving of a clearance rack...I found a hidden jem!

A horrible necklace with tarnished gold seed beads and some beautiful glass beads.  I had to get it..simply for the glass beads that were on it.  Beads are spendy and finding an ugly piece of jewelry that you can take apart to make new gorgeous jewelry is the way to go.

Now I apologize for not taking a "before" pic...I totally spaced it.  I was just too excited to cut it apart.

But here is the "after"

It's bright, chunky, and full of flair.  I freak'n love it!

I put the beads on stainless steal memory wire :)

So I encourage you ladies to hit up those clearance racks and see what you can find...charms, beads, earrings, feathers...you name it.  It can be a fun challenge, a great way to save money and it gets those creative juices flow'n!

Happy Crafting!

State Art

Howdy!

So you may be asking yourselves what Crafty Soccer Mom has been up to today...No?

Well, I'm going to tell you anyway LOL :)

Besides crafting with  Duct Tape, one of my other favorite things to do is paint.

I love it!

It's so relaxing to paint...if only I had a studio...you know..some high ceiling lofty space all to myself...

a girl can dream right?

I've had this blank canvas sitting in the corner of my office forever just calling my name.  So today I decided to full fill it's dreams of becoming an art piece to hang on the wall...I know I know, I'm so nice. 

Buwhahahhahahaha!

This is what I painted....The State of Oregon!

Ok, I know this is a simple piece, however sometimes simple is just what we need.

The little heart is where I live.  Isn't it cute?

I don't have it framed yet but as soon as I do it's going on my wall :)

I was born and raised in Oregon.  I still live here and I love it.  We have warm summers, cold winters (yet not too cold), beach, mountains, desert, skiing, hiking, lakes, camping, sports...I mean the list goes on and on.

We are also one of the top 10 "greenest" states...recycling is big here.

All in all...Oregon is a beautiful State.

Here are 50 fun facts about the state of Oregon:

1. Oregon's state flag pictures a beaver on its reverse side. It is the only state flag to carry two separate designs.
2. Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state.
3. The Columbia River gorge is considered by many to be the best place in the world for windsurfing.
4. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and is formed in the remains of an ancient volcano.
5. Oregon and New Jersey are the only states without self-serve gas stations.
6. Eugene was the first city to have one-way streets.
7. Pilot Butte, a cinder cone volcano, exists within the city limits of Bend.
8. At 329 feet the Coast Douglas-Fir in Oregon is considered the tallest tree in the state.
9. At 8,000 feet deep Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America.
10. The hazelnut is Oregon's official state nut. Oregon is the only state that has an official state nut. The hazelnut is also known as the filbert.
11. Oregon's state birthday is on February 14, Valentine's Day.
12. The "Oregon Pioneer" statue that tops the capitol building is a work by Ulric Ellerhusen. This heroic figure represents the spirit of Oregon's early settlers.
13. The state park system has 159 yurts located in 19 parks. Yurts are a circular domed tent suitable for camping.
14. Navy blue and gold are Oregon's official state colors.
15. The Chinook salmon is Oregon's official state fish.
16. The Willamette River was discovered in 1792.
17. In 1858 the richest gold find in the Cascade Mountains was discovered in the Bohemia Mining District at Sharp's Creek near Cottage Grove.
18. Dorris Ranch in Springfield became the first commercial filbert orchard in the state.
19. In 1876 the University of Oregon opened in Eugene. Deady Hall was the first building on campus and still exists.
20. In 1880 a sea cave was discovered near what is now known as Florence. Sea Lion Caves is known to be the largest sea cave in the world.
21. The nation's most photographed lighthouse is the Heceta Head Lighthouse located in Lane County.
22. Darlingtonia Wayside is Oregon's only rare plant sanctuary.
23. Oregon's second highest waterfall is Salt Creek Falls in the Cascade Mountain range. It drops 286 feet.
24. The H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest is one of the largest long-term ecological research sites in the United States.
25. Eugene is rated by "Bicycling Magazine" as one of the top ten cycling communities in the United States.
26. There are nine lighthouses standing along the coastline. Five are still being used; the others are designated historic monuments.
27. Portland is an example of outstanding urban planning. The city is known as The City of Roses.
28. High above the city of Portland the International Rose Test Garden features more than 500 varieties of roses cultivated continuously since 1917.
29. At 11,239 feet Mount Hood stands as the tallest peak in Oregon. Mount Hood is a dormant volcano.
30. Silver Falls State Park is the Oregon's largest state park. It features 10 waterfalls and contains a wide variety of forested hiking trails.
31. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. It was formed more than 6,500 years ago. Its crystal-blue waters are world renowned.
32. Discovered in 1874 the caves located in Oregon Caves National Monument are carved within solid marble.
33. The world's largest rosary collection is exhibited at The Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center. A local resident collected the exhibit.
34. The Carousel Museum contains the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of carousel horses.
35. Fort Clatsop National Memorial contains a replica of Lewis and Clark's 1805-1806 winter outpost.
36. The small village of Bickelton is filled with bluebird houses seen on the posts of every house.
37. The Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area is a spectacular river canyon cutting the only sea-level route through the Cascade Mountain Range.
38. The Ries-Thompson House is the oldest remaining residence in Parkdale. Built circa 1900 the home and area offer a commanding view of Mount Hood.
39. Tillamook is home to Oregon's largest cheese factory.
40. Florence is known as Oregon's rhododendron capital.
41. The Oregon Legislature designated the Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) as the Oregon state flower by resolution in 1899.
42. Oregon's capitol building is located in Salem. Earlier capitals include the cities of Oregon City and Corvallis.
43. The Columbia River forms most of the northern border between Oregon and Washington. The Snake River forms over half of the eastern boundary with Idaho.
44. In 1905 the largest long cabin in the world was built in Portland to honor the Lewis and Clark expedition.
45. A treaty between the United States and Spain established the current southern border between Oregon and California. The treaty was signed in 1819.
46. The Oregon Trail is the longest of the overland routes used in the westward expansion of the United States.
47. The Tillamook Naval Air Museum is housed in the world's largest wooden clear-span building.
48. Haystack Rock off Cannon Beach is 235 feet high and is the third largest coastal monolith in the world.
49. The Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, built in 1880, is currently used as the site of the final resting place of up to 467,000 cremated individuals.
50. The Seaside Aquarium was the first facility in the world to successfully breed harbor seals in captivity.

Have a great day!

Happy Crafting!

Homemade Fruit & Vegetable Wash

 

While checking my Facebook this morning, I came across a post my friend Bre had posted.  Thank you Bre!!!

Homemade Fruit & Vegetable Wash

This is amazing and I love it.  I can't wait to try and I felt the need to share it with you ladies.  If you are one of those that buy a similar wash at the store, imagine how much money you will save by making it yourself! Plus this way you KNOW what's in the product :)

Washing your produce is so important.  Just think of all the people that have touched your apple at the Grocery Store before you bought it...EWWWWWWWWWWW!

So here's the recipe:

• 1 Cup water
• 1 Cup white vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon baking soda
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Step 1: Combine all ingredients and put it in a spray bottle.

Step 2: Spray produce with solution and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Step 3: Rinse and enjoy!

It's that simple!

I'm totally going to do this..in fact I'm on my way out the door right now to go buy a spray bottle!

Have a great day Ladies!

C.R.A.F.T.

If you haven't heard of C.R.A.F.T. you should stop over and check it out.

It's a totally awesome blog, Jamie is amazing and I love it!!!

I have participated a couple times in the Homemade Gift Exchange over at Craftaholics Anonymous and it is always a blast.

So when I saw C.R.A.F.T.'s post yesterday I was so excited and totally on board.  Jamie has also had fun participating in the Homemade Gift Exchange over at CA.  However it's only twice a year and Jamie wants to do it more.

Soooo she came up with Package Pals!  She is going to host this event 6 times a year.

All you do is sign up HERE and she will send you a Package Pal buddy.

You make your buddy a handmade gift or send some crafting supplies by February 28 and you will receive a package from your pal in return!

Who doesn't like getting mail? And meeting other crafters??

So go sign up and join in the fun!! 

All the cool peeps are :)

Washer Necklace Upgrade

Good Morning!

So yesterday I had so much fun with this project and I can't wait to share it with you.

For a few years now I've been making jewelry out of washers...

Like this one here I made last year 

Washers are awesome because they are easy to find at your home improvement stores and they are cheap.  Not to mention there are a lot of things you can do with them.

Such as..Paint them with Nail Polish!
Yep..Nail Polish, it's that easy.

I grabbed a bottle at the Dollar Store yesterday..Hot Pink...cause who doesn't love Hot Pink???

I know in this pic it looks red, but it's pink.

The Washers I picked up at Walmart, but you can get them at any hardware store.  They cost me $0.99 for a bag of 33 (3 1/16").  The bigger ones are usually 4 for $1.

So I coated a Washer with Nail Polish..I dipped the brush in the bottle and then put a nice big dollop of polish on the washer and gently moved it around.

It was actually a lot of fun cause I love painting..who doesn't right?

After it dried, I applied a generous second coat.  I realized it wasn't necessary but it doesn't hurt.

After I painted the big Washer, I painted all these little tiny washers.

When all of them were dry, I added a layer of Quick Dry Top Coat to all the washers.

They dry rather fast...faster than I thought they would.  However, this would be a great thing to do the night before and let them dry over night.

I'd say mine dried within an hour..give or take.

I also got a bit impatient and used a hairdryer on them :) 

Here they are all shiny and dry...So adorable!!!

I made this necklace out of the little Washers

And I made this one out of the larger washer.  I added a bail to back using E6000 and added a chain to it.

This is my favorite...I really love this.  It's super shiny and bright. 

I've seen similar necklace selling for a ton at stores.

You can make so many things with this..Earrings, Bracelets, Necklace, Key Chains..you name it.

The kids can even do it!  This would be a fun project for a sleep over or birthday party.

You can mix Nail Polish Colors for a swirl or tie dye effect, or use Glitter Polish.

Have a great day ladies!

Happy Crafting!

Jewelry

Good Afternoon Ladies!

So the last couple of days we've had on and off snow showers....it hasn't stuck and school never got canceled.

Never the less, it's been snowing and I LOVE SNOW!

I'll take what I can get :)

While snuggling with a blankie and my pug Obi on the couch the last couple of days, I've been making some jewelry.

Here's some of what I've made....

This Necklace...which I absolutely LOVE..I can't wait to wear it!

I made some Earrings to go with...this picture doesn't show it, but these are really shiny and sparkly :)

These little girl bracelets...these fit ages 4-8yrs old.  I make my 4 yr old son try them on for me so I can see how they look...my boys are such troopers!

I seriously LOVE these...they are so sparkly and pretty...I can't wait to wear these too.

After this post I'm going to go make a few more pairs in other colors...EEK! SO much fun!!

Last but not least...These bracelets!  These are Memory Wire Bracelets and I make them constantly.

I will have a tutorial on how to make these soon!

I have about 20 more other than these....Plus I have given 10 away so.....I've made a LOT of these.

So there you have it! 

When I''m not cleaning, cooking, or breaking up fights between my two obnoxious adorable children....I craft, and I make jewelry....it keeps me some what sane.

Special shout out to my couch buddy...My pug Obi :)

Happy Crafting!

DIY Glitter

I am always on the look out for ways of making my own supplies for crafting.  It saves money and making the supplies is a craft of it's own!

It's a win/win :)

I'm going to show you how to make your own Glitter!

I know...exciting right????

The Two Ingredients Are:

Table Salt

Food Coloring

Does it get any easier???

No...No it does not :)

Let's get started shall we...

First Pre Heat your oven to 350 degrees

Line a cookie sheet with foil

I added one big piece of foil to cover the whole cookie sheet and then two big squares on top..one square for each glitter color so I could do two at a time and pick them up off the cookie sheet easily.

I added 1 Tablespoon of Table Salt to a bowl and 3 drops of Blue Food Coloring.

The Food Coloring will clump up but just keep breaking it up and stirring until it's all incorporated.

It took 5 drops of Red Food Coloring to make the Red.

I started out with the 3 drops and then added a drop at a time as needed.

Next I spread out the Salt on one of my squares of Foil...and then added the other color on the other square.

Baked it in the oven for 10 minutes

I let it cool and then I picked up a square carefully...we don't want to spill glitter everywhere LOL..

And I sifted it thru a fine sifter..totally not necessary but I wanted any clumps out of my glitter.

Here is the finished product all shiny and finely sifted.  

I LOVE THIS!

Break out the glue and started making stuff!

This is so cheap to make, it's non toxic, easy for kids to help make and fun for all ages!

Happy Crafting!!

Valentines Day Pennant

I've been wanting to make a Pennant for a long time.  I think they're adorable and a fun  & easy decoration for any Holiday or Event.

I had planned on making one for Christmas and waited too long...I just ran out of time.

SOOO..I made one this morning to kick off my Valentines Day Decor :)

Items you will need:

Ugly Regular Duct Tape

Colored/Designed Duct Tape (Assorted Colors)

Ribbon

Ruler

Pen/Marker

Scissors

Please excuse the poor pic quality!  I highlighted my pen marks for you with Hot Pink lines...

I made some Duct Tape Fabric..Decorated/Colored DT on one side & ugly regular DT on the back.

I hate to waste Duct Tape..especially the design style DT because it's spendy.

So on the ugly regular DT side, I marked my triangles..I did mine 3 inches wide.  Then cut them out.

Added some white ribbon to back using tape and Voila..DONE!

Here's a closer look.  I hung my new Valentine's Day DT Pennant over the Fire Place..

I LOVE IT!

I will for sure make one for each holiday now...SO..MUCH..FUN!

AND..Speaking of Valentine's Day..

Remember this bracelet?

Remember this beauty that I'm giving away over at

Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo

Be sure to head over to Bacon Time and check out this out..

Here is the LINK to check out all the fun Valentine's Day inspired stuff that Bacon Time will be giving away.

You HAVE to go check this out..it is so much fun..and Mindie works so incredibly hard to host these fun events for us..THANK YOU MINDIE!

This contest is for Crafting and Cooking!  All Valentine's Day inspired..so head on over and add your best Valentine's Day Craft or Recipe and enter to win some really nice merchandise from Crafters like myself :)

Let's also give a big thank you to all the people that donated items to this event to make it extra special and fun!

Have a great day 

and

Happy Crafting!