Crafty Texas Girls

7/22/14

Family Trip to Colorado

Right after the 4th of July we headed to Colorado for our version of the 'great American road trip'. We usually take the girls to the beach, but this summer we wanted to show them the mountains. Being from North Texas, they didn't have much experience with elevation :) I have to say, I did several things on this trip that scared me. I mean scared me so bad, my adrenaline was pumping! I can't remember the last time I have had that feeling. True, exciting fear. I think that's what happens as you grow up... things get scary! (Here are a handful of photos from our trip!)

We drove straight from our home near Dallas to Colorado Springs. We stayed at the Embassy Suites and had a whole list of things to do while we there.

We hiked along the Arkansas River and then went white water rafting. (This was one of the 'true fear' events!!)

We explored the Garden of the Gods and climbed rocks.

We even took a tour of the Cave of the Winds. (True fear again-- I am horribly claustrophobic and had to mentally force myself deep under ground. It was a mental feat!)

One of the most amazing things was our journey to the top of Pike's Peak via the cog train. I felt like we were on top of the world.

Next we drove to Breckenridge. Breck is so different from Colorado Springs. The mountains, the trees, the temperature. The town here was so appealing! I got up and ran one morning- it was beautiful and it felt so good to be cold! But the air is thin- I could feel the elevation difference in my lungs.

We took the gondola up the mountain to the Fun Park. We bought all day passes and literally stayed the whole time. There was the Alpine Slide (scared me!), a roller coaster, a maze, putt putt, rock climbing (scared again!), rock mining, a bounce house, and a trampoline.

The next day we got up and rented bikes. Afton did awesome on the mountain bike, we recently bought her one like this at home. But the hills got tough! Maisy rode on the 'tag along'- so much better than the baby seat she has been stuck in at home.

We ate a lot of good food and made a ton of priceless memories. I recommend this trip 100% to anyone who is looking for a physically active family vacation. I think there is something to be said for doing things that make you scared once in a while :)

Where we Stayed:
In Colorado Springs, we stayed at the Embassy Suites
In Breckenridge, we stayed at the Villages of Breckenridge.

Things to Do:
Rafting trip was through 'Raft Masters' in Canon City.
Alpine Slide and the Fun Park are in Breck.
Cave of the Winds for the cavern tour.
Cog Train to Pike's Peak
Arkansas River hike

Some Places to Eat:
The Keg in Manitou Springs
Rudy's near Garden of the Gods
Mr. Ed's Family Restaurant in Canon City
Sunbird Restaurant in Colorado Springs
Butterhorn Bakery & Cafe in Frisco
Mary's Mountain Cookies in Breckenridge
Michael's Italian in Breckenridge
La Franciase in Breckenridge

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7/17/14

Painting your Front Door

*I received product to review from Modern Masters. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this post or my opinions about their products.

Texas heat is no joke. Our house gets that afternoon sun and our front door is almost too hot to touch around 3pm. When we bought our home 6 years ago, the front door was red. Then we painted it black. But with all that sun, the black paint was fading fast. Just as we were talking about repainting it, I was contacted by Modern Masters to try out their 'Front Door Paint'. Great timing huh?!

Modern Masters has a good website with 24 paint color options. We used their app "Front Door Paint" (available for iphone and android) which allows you to take a photo of your door and then see what it would look like in any of their colors. It was nice to see all the options before we began painting.

Of course even with all the options, I still wanted black. But this time, I wanted to paint not only the front door, but the whole garage door too! I love black as an accent and I think it brings out the coolers tones in our 'pinkish' brick.

My husband brush painted on the Modern Masters Front Door Paint Collection in Elegant (while I took pics!) The paint covers in just two coats, dries quickly to a satin finish, and is promised to never fade.

Once the paint dried, we added a little 'jewelry' to the front door-- a knocker and kick plate in nickel to match the pre-existing door handle. I love the way the paint looks with the stained wood my husband installed on the front porch ceiling.

The garage was a larger project and required a little more prep in terms of taping and covering. To create a smooth finish, the paint was sprayed on.

And wow! I love the final result. It makes the front of our house more cohesive, especially since our garage door is so close to our front door.

And.... of course I forgot to take a 'before' pic of the garage door. But I did find this one from last Halloween! So just ignore the giant pumpkin to see the original door color :)

My tips for painting your front door? Pick a color and go for it! Rich, shiny front door paint makes such a difference and improves curb appeal! Modern Masters is especially easy to work with because it dries quickly, so you can paint and close your door on the same day.

You can purchase Modern Masters front door paint at selected Lowe's - including Lake Worth, Allen, Odessa, Cypress, and Tomball, Texas. Also check selected Ace Hardwares, Amazon.com and Modern Masters Online. Or check this map to find the nearest retailer, locations are expanding.

See more from Modern Masters by visiting their site Online and checking out the MM Cafe Blog.

Are you in the mood to paint your front door? What color would you choose?

7/14/14

"Make Lemonade" Mother-Daughter Retreat

Hi Friends! We just returned from an adventurous week in Colorado. If you follow along on Instagram (@craftytexasgirl) you saw lots of our fun travel pictures. I am compiling everything into a post for the blog, which I hope to share with you right here next week.

Today I wanted to tell you about an exciting event that I am helping to plan at our church.

I think it was almost two years ago when my friend Jenny talked to me about a great Mother-Daughter Retreat she attended with her little girl. She loved bonding with her daughter and having time to devote to 'getting to know each other'. Jenny kept thinking about the event and hoping there would be another one like it in the future.

She really loved the idea of our church hosting a similar event. But when we talked about the idea, it was one of those 'yes, that's a good idea to do someday'. (You know those conversations. The ones where you say things like 'yes, let's get together soon' but you never make plans to do it and then it never happens.) Well the retreat idea was that kind of thing for awhile. It was an awesome idea, but it was something that was just talked about.

As the months rolled on, Jenny kept thinking about the idea and in her heart, she really felt called to plan a retreat that would bring women and their young daughters together. So with a nudge from God, she sent out an email to several women in our church. And you know what?-- this time something happened. A team of creative, enthusiastic, talented moms all wanted to get on board. That little idea that had just been talked about finally grew into something more. Plans were made and dates were set.

So it is with a full, happy heart that I am sharing with you today the "Make Lemonade" Mother Daughter Retreat! The mini-retreat is open to all mothers and their daughters ages 6-12! We have planned fabulous speakers, yummy food and lots of mother/daughter activities (like crafts!!). Cost is $25 per person and includes: dinner Friday night and breakfast and lunch on Saturday. Register online by clicking here. Scholarships available upon request too.

I have been helping with the crafty side of the event. There will be time for making lots of cute things, but even more, this event will be a chance for Moms to bond with their Daughters. Speakers will share stories of 'sweet times' and also talk about what to do 'when life gives you lemons'. This summer retreat is a time for Moms and Daughters to have fun together!

If you are local, make plans to attend. Whether you go to church at Whites Chapel or somewhere else, or even if you don't have a church home-- you are invited to attend. This retreat is about Moms & Daughters- all are welcome! I am so excited to be a part of this event. For more information, visit White's Chapel website here.

7/8/14

Clipboard for Art Display

Children's artwork is a double-edged sword. Sometimes you arrive at pickup and are handed a pile of construction paper filled with stickers, mounds of glue and a heavy dose of loose glitter. It is at those times you may find your self searching for the nearest 'recycling bin'. But more often than, your child's artwork is a precious expression of their artistic talent that you want to treasure for ever. The problem comes when that feeling of 'wanting to treasure it for ever' is multiplied by days, weeks, and months. In no time your fridge can be drowning in art work that neither you nor child can ever appreciate. Sound familiar?

I have gone through this same scenario twice and I keep experimenting with what works best for me. For my oldest, I put up a clothesline in her room and she hung her work there (see here). We also framed several pieces and created a gallery wall in our home office (see here). But for my Maisy, I was ready for a new solution to the 'artwork problem'. Our church has a wall in the contemporary worship room that is lined with about 50 clipboards. Kids turn in their artwork to the church office and it is hung on display. Easy to see, easy to rotate, and that much children's artwork in one place is stunning.

Which inspired me to create a smaller version of this art installation in our playroom. I found these clipboards at Dollar Tree, you can also order them online (here) if you don't have a store near you. Then I hung them with a simple nail- and voila! An easy art display. The secret to keeping this look good is to treat is like an art wall. I don't let the girl take the clipboards or art off the wall. But if they want me to switch out a piece, they just tell me and I do it for them :) Keeps it looking nice and prevents the wall paint from getting marked or scratched up.

After hanging the clipboards, I restyled the gallery wall on the other side of Afton's room. I added a few more photos and that cardboard letter "C".

And then I worked on the bookshelves. I actually hung a few paintings of the girls in the back of the bookshelf, they make a bright back drop for the bookcase. All those trophies, medals, and ribbons the girls have collected from swim team, field day, soccer and cheerleading earned a shelf too. Sometimes those 'treasures' are hard to display, but by grouping them together I think they are more aesthetically pleasing!

One last thing about kids artwork... I can remember Afton bringing home SO much in preschool (like Maisy is now). But when she entered elementary school, that has slowed down to a trickle. So if your kiddo is at the age where creativity is making piles of art work, find a way to display and enjoy those pieces. Because one day, they won't come home anymore.

What do you do with your kids artwork? Save it in a folder? Hang it on the fridge? Frame it? Recycle it? (I have done this!! Just make sure you don't get caught! Lol) I would love to hear your ideas!

7/3/14

11 Ideas for DIY Fourth of July Shirts

I love a good DIY t-shirt for holidays. If I were going to make 4th of July Tee Shirts for my girls, they might look something like this...

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Or this.

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Super Stars!

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How about a hand print eagle?!

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Can't go wrong with a flag.

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That's creative idea for using a flower and a flag together.

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Babies love America too!

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And let's not forget about little guys, they need a patriotic shirt too!

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So last night while running errands, the glow of our local "Old Navy" lured me inside with promises of "$2, $4, $6, $8" shirts for the whole family! I had intentions of buying plain white tanks or tees and then using one of the craft ideas above to create 'the perfect 4th of July shirt'.

However, that plan went out the window when I saw these cute shirts. I figured they were a better 'value' because the girls can wear them long after July 4th passes. And because I am so tired from all of our summer activities and remodel projects, I honestly didn't have it in me to craft special shirts this year. But it was fun to think about right?! Hopefully I inspired at least one of you to try a crafty 4th of July shirt! And if not, we can all agree---sometimes "BUY" feels just as good as "DIY" :)

Blue HERE | Red HERE | Stars HERE

Fingers crossed I will find the motivation to at least make these "Let Freedom Ring" Ring Pops or an adorable Pipe Cleaner Sparkler Crowns. Pinterest... it gets me every time!

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PS- My master bathroom renovation is almost done! Now it's time to get you started on yours. Click here for a chance to win $150 from Decor Planet.com. Easy entry- just leave a comment on the post! Earn more entries if you choose, by following along on our social media channels. Go check it out!

Happy Independence Day!