Mediterranean Red Quinoa Salad

Mediterranean Red Quinoa Salad

quinoa, salad, mediterranean, tabouli, tomato, tomatoes, summer salad, salads, recipe, recipes, cooking

fancy bowl of my new quinoa salad – yum!  it’s sooo good!

Lately I’ve been in the mood for tabouli salad.  Years ago it was one of my go to salads whenever we were going to someones house for dinner or just for a change at home.  With all the bad rap wheat has been getting recently, I decided to try making a tabouli-like salad but sub in trendy quinoa for the bulgar wheat.  I happen to have red quinoa that my sister in law passed along to me for some reason.  We are a close family – we share food both cooked and raw 🙂  In any case, that is how my Mediterranean Red Quinoa Salad came to be.

 

Here’s the ingredients list:

1 cup organic red quinoa

1/3 red bell pepper, chopped

1/3 green bell pepper, chopped

1/4 medium sized red onion, chopped

fresh Italian parsely – about a quarter cup chopped (I cut mine up with cooking shears)

1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced

3 T. lime juice

2 T. lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped organic red cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped organic yellow cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Well this salad is pretty simple to put together and make.  I would say it took me about 20-30 minutes in all including quinoa cooking time.

Basically follow the cooking instructions on your quinoa, different brands cooking times may vary.  For the red quinoa I used here I put the 1 cup of quinoa in a pot along with 2 cups of water (so you can make more and just put double the amount of water as quinoa).  I brought the water to a boil and cooked the quinoa for about 2-3 minutes.  Then I reduced the heat to a simmer and let it cook down until the water evaporated which took about 8-10 minutes.  I took the pot off the heat and let it cool a bit.  Then I transfered the quinoa to a large bowl and doused it with lime juice and lemon juice – that is the secret ingredient to Mediterranean salads!  That along with lots of Italian parsley.  I grabbed about 1/4 of a bunch of Italian parsely out, washed it, and cut it into little pieces with cooking shears directly into my bowl of quinoa.

Next I got busy chopping.  Chopped about a third of a red bell pepper and about a third of a green bell pepper and threw those babies in the mix.  While I was at it I chopped up a quarter of a nice red onion and put it in the mixin bowl.   I found super sweet and yummy organic cherry tomatoes from Whole Foods – I just love them so!  Wash and cut the little maters into quarters and throw those in too.  Finally mince up a clove or two of fresh garlic and add as well as salt and pepper to your liking.  Stir it all up and add the feta cheese crumbles.  You can get fancy (like I did!) and garnish your salad with tomatoes and parsley or just mix it up and it eat it who cares.

My true test that this is an awesome recipe is that our 11 year old with a very fine and particular palate LOVED this salad.  Her exact words were ‘I can’t believe you made this salad mom – it tastes like it’s from a restaurant’ – ha!!  She’s eaten 2 days in a row now, amazing!

Hey, let me know if you try making Mediterranean Quinoa Salad ok?  Say something in the comments – I love to hear!  And subscribe to this blog for more great recipes and creative ideas.  Thanks for reading!!  xx o – Bita

Beachy Braided Shirt Re-Do

Beachy Braided Shirt Re-Do

shirt, upcycle, re-do, make-over, t-shirt, crafts, fashion, diy, DIY, blouse, beach, beachy, bows, bow

Wearing the re-do of my shirt last week in Hawaii!

In this post I will be describing how to do a Beachy Braided Shirt Re-Do. It’s summer break and I’m in the mood for t-shirts and shorts, beachy dresses and flip flops. I’ve been playing around with t-shirt re-do’s and decided to try a braided type embellishment to a t-shirt I barely ever wear. I got it several years ago from Banana Republic and I can count on one hand how many times I’ve worn it. There is nothing wrong with it, it’s just kind of dull. I spent the week down in Los Gatos while our girls were in camp down there. It’s basically half way to the beach in Santa Cruz from where we live and although it is not on the coast, the town has a laid back and beachy feel to me. I spent my mornings running the trails then had my coffee and did lots of window shopping. I browsed my way through a big range of boutiques, from high end to reasonable and trendy. I was inspired to do a t-shirt re-do after spending all week in the hip and beachy stores in Los Gatos. Here is a pic of my plain old ombre t-shirt from way back when I found buried in my closet:

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My original, old Banana Republic umbre shirt

You don’t need much in the way of materials for this project:

– t-shirt, one or two depending on how you want to do the colors

– scissors

– needle and thread

– fabric glue or spray adhesive

The steps are as follows:   Cut the seamed edge from the bottom of the shirt and then one inch strips off the bottom of a t-shirt.  My shirt was a bit long so I cut 2, one inch strips off the bottom.  In the end I decided to use a different, plain white t-shirt for my fabric yarn embellishments for a fresher look.

Next, stretch the strips out by pulling each end. Attach the strips to eachother to make them longer. Here is a photo of me cutting the bottom of my t-shirt:

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Cutting off fabric from bottom of the shirt

Now it’s time to do some finger chain crochet or crochet with a very large crochet hook. I tried both ways and decided I liked the look of the Hand chain crochet version better, for me it came out more smooth and even.

 

 

 

I had some extra pieces of white t-shirt left over so I decided to make some little white bows.  Here is a picture of the chain I made along with the bows:

 

bows, chain, embellishments

Crochet chain and fabric bows made from cut t-shirt yarn.

To make the bows I simply folded the fabric strip in half leaving one end long enough to tie a knot in the middle.

Next I decided to get trendy and I cut an oval hole out of the back of the shirt.  The last step to this cute little t-shirt re-do is sewing the bowsacross the back opening.  I used a whip stitch to securely attach the bows to the back of my shirt so that could withstand washing.  Here is what the back of the shirt looks like with the bows attached:

shirt, t-shirt, diy, DIY, re-do, upcycle, umbre

Back of shirt with braid and bows attached

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here is the final Beachy T-shirt Redo!

shirt, t-shirt, re-do, fashion, diy, do it yourself, DIY, umbre, blouse, clothes, make-over

My pretty girl modelling the final product of our t-shirt re-do project. Isn’t it cute?

Comment to this post, I’d love to hear from you! Are you going to try your own Beachy Braided Shirt Re-Do?  Hope so!  Subscribe to the blog – I have a fun post coming, filmed in Hawaii…can’t wait to share.  x/o Bita

 

sand, art, beach, Hawaii

you can create virtually anywhere…

Bow Wow Puppy Portrait |Father’s Day Gift

Tomorrow is Father’s Day and you may be wondering what that has to do with a puppy portrait.  What to get dads, that’s always a tricky one.  Most guys hardly ever need to wear a tie, and well, another shirt just seems plain boring.  So when my friend asked me to do a portrait of their sweet little pooch, Chloe, I said sure.  Being a procrastinator I put it off until just this week and crammed to get it done by yesterday since my friend needed to give the present to her hubby (on behalf of her kiddos) before a trip to NY.  Looks like I can work well under pressure.  Maybe it helps me focus?  On a normal day I tend to flitter about with a million things going, most of you moms out there can relate.  When I’m working on a painting I’m forced to sit still.  There is a peace in that.  It was fun to do this project and take photos step by step.  I knew I wanted to blog it so as I was painting this time I was also mentally thinking about how I would describe doing so afterwards.

Creating a personalized gift like Chloe’s portrait turned out to be the perfect solution for my friend’s Father’s Day dilemma. In a world where ties and shirts often fall short of genuine sentiment, capturing a beloved furry family member in a painting brought a unique touch to the occasion. Also, personalized gifts for dad, like this custom puppy portrait, have a way of transcending the ordinary, adding a special warmth and connection to the celebration. Sometimes, the best presents come wrapped in personal moments and heartfelt creativity, reminding us of the joy in thoughtful gestures and the love that goes into every brushstroke.

In the spirit of creating memorable and unique gifts for dads, another delightful option is the innovative photo projection necklace. This extraordinary piece of personalized jewelry seamlessly combines modern technology with heartfelt sentiment. Imagine your friend’s father wearing a stylish necklace that, with just a touch, projects a cherished image of his furry friend. It’s not just a piece of jewelry; it’s a wearable memory, a constant reminder of the joy and companionship his beloved pet brings. These projection necklaces go beyond the ordinary, turning a simple accessory into a cherished keepsake that encapsulates the essence of the special bond between a father and his four-legged companion.

Here is a little photo collage of the step by step photos I took this week working on the Father’s Day Puppy Portrait.

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Step by step how to paint a puppy portrait using acrylic paints.

Here I will describe how I got this cutie onto canvas in one work day week.

Materials:

– Canvas, size of your choice – I like to work on the larger side and it’s easier if you’re a beginner

– pencil for sketching

– paint brushes – thin and medium, normal and slanted brush edge

– acrylic paints

– tarp to work on

Steps:

* First my friend and I choose a photo that we though was the cutest of her pooch.  We were deciding between two and decided to go with the one where she was looking head on towards the camera so I could do a nice close up of her sweet face.

* I sketched out the general shape on the canvas lighly with pencil,

* Next came painting the lightest colors I could see in Chloes fur coat.  I tried to add the shades and shadows after the ights cream colors were down.

* My friend requested a bright color, orange being their favorite, for the background.  I added some more color to Chloes fur and painted in first coat of the bright orange background.

* Finally I filled in the black eyes and nose.  I also added some deeper shades to the shadows under her chin and around her ears.

* I lightened up all of Chloes fur by adding light cream and white over her coat.  I added some small details like the white light shining in her black eyes and some fine fur the way it sprouts out from her nose.

* Lastly I added a 2nd coat of the bright orange paint to the background of the portraint.  I also painted the edges of the canvas orange all around to give it a finished look.

It can be hard for me to stop with painting.  I just keep seeing things I didn’t see before.  I love working off a photo and really looking closely at the colors and details.  But from experience I know that it’s best to force myself to stop at this point.  Too much detail and it loses the soft touch.

I dropped the painting at my friends house and was lucky to see their pop’s reaction to the surprise gift.  He Loved it!  “Wow!  That is great!  Did you do that?!  Wow, thank you!”  It was so appreciated.  The best part for me was watching my friends face light up.   The painting is now up in our friends home.  Here is a cute photo that was sent to me of the model right up to the painting 🙂

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Our model, little Chloe, posing with her new painting 🙂

Here is a photo of the painting of Oscar we have on our wall that was the inspiration to this project:

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This our 10 year old Tibetan Spaniel (aka tibby) Oscar – he is sweet as pie

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This is the photo of Oscar that I painted from – isn’t he handsome??

I did Oscar’s portrait last summer along with one of our daughters and a few of her friends.  We did an art camp here at the house and I asked the girls to bring in a photo of a pet or animal.

 

pets, cats, dogs, paintings, pet portraits, cat portrait, dog portrait, painting, paintings, pet painting, art, kids art

Kids Pet Portrait painting from camp last summer!

 

I hope this tutorial has inspired you to try your own Puppy Portrait for Father’s Day or just for fun.  Love to hear your comments and please subscribe to this blog and you will be notified each time there is a new project posting.  Thanks for reading!!

– Bita

CLOROX Bleach Pen Design T-Shirt

Damask, design, fabric, fabric design, bleach gel, CLOROX

Floral damask bleach gel design

Bita, selfie, artist, art, crafter, crafts, funkitch

Getting ready for bleach gel project

In this post I will teach you how to make a CLOROX Bleach Pen Design T-Shirt.  You may have used this bleach product to remove stains from white clothes in your laundry.  If you haven’t used a bleach pen before, let me tell you what it’s like.   Basically the consistency is like a gel that squeezes out of a tube with a small opening.  It comes out almost like puffy paint.

 

TIPS FOR USING CLOROX BLEACH PENS FOR ART DESIGNS ON T-SHIRTS:

CLOROX bleach pens are intended for laundry use to get stains out of white items.  In this tutorial we are using CLOROX Bleach pens for art design on T-shirts.  Bleach pens are fairly easy to use.  The tricky part is leaving the bleach on for the right amount of time.  Not long enough and your design won’t show up.  Too long and the bleach will bleed all together and look like a laundry mistake!

FOR BEST RESULTS,

Use a shirt that is 100% cotton (or close to it)

Pick a color t-shirt that is of a medium shade/color.  Too light of a color (like pastels) as well as too dark of a color (dark blue) may pose timing challenges.  *Do as I say, not as I do – in this tutorial/video I used a dark blue shirt which proved difficult to work with.  In the past I have used lavendar, pink, orange, light turquoise and peach – process time for all these shirts was 8 minutes on average.

The thickness of the fabric is also important.  Pick a fabric that is on the thinner side.  Thinner fabrics will bleach more quickly which is what you want – slow processing fabrics have the risk of the bleach bleeding all together, blurring your design pattern all together.

WHERE I FIND THE BEST SHIRTS FOR THIS PROJECT:

*Target has a ‘Mossimo Supply Co.’ brand t-shirt that is 100% cotton.  I can find this type of shirt at Target for $12-15.  The fabric is light weight and bleaches easily and quickly.  I recommend using this shirt or something similar for the best results.

…while you’re at Target grab a few CLOROX bleach pens – they run right around 3 bucks and they are great to have around even if you don’t need all 3 for the shirt project.

Shake the bleach down to the tip/opening of the pen a couple times.  Air bubbles are unavoidable but shaking the pen down will reduce the air pockets for a smoother flow of bleach.  If you get an air bubble as you are tracing your design, just keep going.  If it bothers you dab it with a wet tissue wrapped around the tip of a pencil and it will clean off before it sets in.

DESIGN INSPIRATION:

My design inspiration for this CLOROX Bleach Pen Design T-Shirt came from a couple drawings our older daughter, Leyla dreamt up.  Ley has been into drawing lately and she likes to draw intricate shapes with circles and lines.  The designs are round and floral with dots and shapes and and lots of details.  Here is a picture of the drawings that inspired my design:

CLOROX Bleach Pen Design T-shirt, design, drawing, sketch, floral, paisley, sharpie, sharpie art, art

Floral drawing which inspired my tshirt design by our daughter Leyla

I knew from experience that I would not be able to replicate the level of detail of my daughters pictures but I used them as my general guide.

Here is a picture of the materials you will need:

 

CLOROX Bleach Pen Design T-Shirt, t-shirt, CLOROX bleach pen, bleach, chalk, chalk pencil, placemat, DIY shirt design, DIY, how to

Materials needed for bleach t-shirt

MATERIALS:

*Cotton t-shirt in a medium shade/color, not to light and not too dark (cotton blend will work – higher concentration of cotton works best)

*CLOROX bleach pen(s) – I typically use about 3 for this project.  I pick mine up from Target in the laundry section for about $3 a piece

*Chalk or washable thin marker for sketching on the shirt (or you can bleach free hand – I usually do)

*Cardboard or placemat for inside the shirt

**TEST THE FABRIC FIRST

I would recommend experimenting with old colored t-shirts you may have around the house.  Remember that lighter colors won’t take as long to process as darker colors.  The shirt I sleep in is lavender and took maybe 8 minutes for the bleach to set in.  You can do a small test patch on the back of the shirt near the bottom to test how long it will take to bleach.

STEPS:

–         Find a design to replicate or draw one of your own on paper

–         Sketch the design onto the t-shirt with chalk or washable marker

–         Slip cardboard inside shirt underneath area to be bleached

–         Prepare bleach pen by shaking it down a couple times (helps reduce bubbles)

–         Use bleach pen to apply bleach over the pattern of your choice that you have sketched on with chalk

–         Allow the bleach to set into the shirt – takes 8-10 minutes on average with the right type of shirt

–         Rinse the bleach off the shirt

–         Dry shirt in dryer – this will set the bleach color

 

Here are a couple of examples of how the bleach gel looks after it’s been applied to the fabric of the shirt.  I like to turn the shirt and do the design way over on the side of the shirt so it shows a little on the front and the back.  Following these photos you will find a video giving you a quick visual of the steps described above:

paisley, design, shirt, Damask, t-shirt, bleach art, bleach pen, CLOROX

Paisley Design on Shirt

 

Damask, floral, bleach gel, design, fabric, shirt, t-shirt, Damask

Turquoise bleach gel floral design on t-shirt

 

I can’t recall where I first got the idea to try these shirts.  I think it was after helping kids with an art project during a summer camp I used to help teach.  In the camp we used this cool fabric that kind of does the opposite of what I’m demonstrating.  The kids would lay objects and shapes on the special fabric and set it out in the sun.  After 5 minutes we would move it to the shade and watch how the fabric color changed color everywhere but where the objects were – very fun!  I see another project coming, just in time for the summer sunshine.

Here is a shot of our gals and I posing in our newly design bleached shirts!

shirt, shirts, shirt design, bleach, bleach design, paisley, damask, girls, clothes, fashion, fashion design

My gals and I posing in our newly designed bleached shirts!

There is another great technique for doing bleach designs using stencils.  I like Jenny of ShowMeCute’s video tutorial that walks you through the steps for bleaching with a stencil.

If you’re really getting into designing your own clothes with bleach, try this technique on jeans –  check out The Glamourai for a blog with some great photos of what that could look like.

For a home decorating bleach pen project, go to my post Star Struck Super 4th of July DIY Bleach Pen Pillow.

I hope you try creating your own CLOROX Bleach Pen Design T-shirt and learn the in’s and out’s of using bleach for fun and art.  If you make bleach pen designs please comment and share  your experience!  Thank you for stopping by.

After crafting be sure to take care of yourself and check out Oven Hug – a place where you will find healthy low-sugar, low-fat, tasty recipes the whole family will enjoy.

Fabric Wallpaper|Kitchen Decor

In this How-To post I will show you how to put up Fabric Wallpaper in your kitchen using Sta-Flo starch.

Do you want to brighten up your kitchen in a fun and relatively easy way?  Are you nervous about making a permanent change? Local contractors specializing in kitchen renovations can help you explore a range of options. If you’re also concerned about safety, consider including emergency light testing as part of your renovation plans Check out EICR Testing for more information on how to brighten up your kitchen, found at the site https://eicr-testing.org.uk/. Fabric backed cabinets can add that burst of color and energy,  livening up any space.  When you’re tired of the look just peel off the fabric.  Just use a wet sponge, wipe down, and you will be good to go.  Even the fabric can be re-used after washing and drying it.

I will be honest, this one is not a quickie project – it does take a few hours from start to finish since you have to wait for the fabric to dry completely before trimming the edges.  Also, it is not necessarily cheap – all really depends on the fabric you choose.  It took me a few DAYS to choose a fabric I really Love.  I bought a pretty print I liked from Jo Ann Fabrics but then I came home and went with another print I had been eyeing on Fabric.com, considering even the opinions of curtain wall contractors.  It’s sooo pretty!  I do Love it!  I could hardly wait for the UPS guy to finally deliver my pretty print. In fact, I consulted with Aluminium Shopfronts specialists to ensure it would complement my home perfectly. Do take your time choosing the fabric to use.  I don’t think I’m going to get tired of looking at ours anytime soon.  I ordered a handful of swatches from fabric.com and choose Amy Butler Lark Dreamer Charisma Midnight Blue.  If you’re interested in exploring more options, you can check these similar resources at sites like www.bi-folding-doors.co.uk.

On a practical note, it will be easier to use a light weight fabric (vs. the heavier decor type fabrics).

fabric, fabric walls, wallpaper, kitchen, kitchen decor, cupboards, glass doors, cabinets, cabinetry, decor, design, interior design

Here is the pretty fabric I chose to starch onto the back our kitchen cupboards – kitty loves it too!!

* First things first –  for that touch of elegance, you need interior decor trends like clear glass door cabinetry so you can see the fabric on the back. If your cabinetry does not have glass doors, go through this tutorial anyhow – you can use the same steps to line the back of a bookcase or to decorate a small wall space.

In our house we have two sets of cabinets with clear doors, yay!  One set is on either side of our kitchen sink, and the other set is near our dining room area.  They are nice now but starting to look cluttery inside.  I am tackling the kitchen cupboards first.  Emptying out the cupboards for this project motivates me to clean them out and tuck away stuff we are not using – strange mugs, chipped plates and bowls.

Here is a before picture of our kitchen cupboards:

kitchen, cupboards, cabinets, fabric, starch, display, shelves, bookshelves, bookshelf

Our kitchen cupboards before they are spruced up with decorative fabric

MATERIALS

Purex STAY-FLO liquid starch (3 bucks at WalMart)

Roller, or wallpaper straightener (optional, I just used my hands and fingers to smooth out the fabric, worked like a charm)

Large pan for the starch mixture – cookie sheet works great

Tape measure

Decorative fabric with color and design you love

Fabric scissors

Push pins (I didn’t need to use any)

Sewing rotary or sharp X-Acto knive (I couldn’t get the sewing rotary thingy to work so I stuck with my trusty X-Acto)

Sponge or Rag

Optional materials:

Ceiling hooks for mugs

A second set of hands to help (I managed to get the fabric up by myself!  Goes up easier than it looks)

 

INSTRUCTIONS for how to put up fabric on back wall of cabinetry:

*           Collect all the materials you will need

*            Pick your fabric – be sure you LOVE it!

*            Pre-wash the fabric you will be using

*            Remove plates and mugs out of your cabinets

*            Remove the shelving

*            Clean the inside of cabinets, especially back wall – allow to dry

*            Put up mug hooks if you are using those

*            Measure the dimensions of the back wall of the cabinets.

*            Measure the fabric with 2 extra inches per side.

*           Dunk the fabric into the starch/water solution (just a little water per about a cup of starch solution).  Make sure the fabric is saturated but not dripping.  I squeezed and wrung out mine before draping it back out and fitting it up to stick on the back of the cupboard wall.

*            Either pin up the upper edges or do as I did…just use your hands.  If you hold the fabric up in the upper corner for about a minute it will stick!  Very cool.  The fabric tends to shrink slightly as it dries so be sure to leave extra fabric on the sides (or pre-wash, I didn’t so my fabric did shrink on the sides)

*            Roll the fabric against the back wall with a roller or press down/ flatten out wrinkles with a wall paper straightener.  Again here I used my hands.  You can gently tug where needed to get your fabric lined up the way you want it.  I smoothed mine out with my hands it it worked really well.

*            Allow the fabric to dry completely

*            Use a sewing rotary or a sharp X-Acto knife (I used x-acto) to trim the fabric straight down all the edges of the cupboard (be careful not to scratch up the wood in the edges of your cupboards

*            Reload your cupboards!

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The ‘after’ photo – love the results!

Special Tips:

I checked the drug stores and Target but no luck finding the Sta-Flo liquid starch.  I did end up finding some at Walmart.  You won’t use much of the liquid starch.  I filled up a cookie sheet about half full and then added less than a quarter cup of water.  You will have plenty of starch left to iron out your shirts (ha, does anyone do that anymore??)

I couldn’t get push pins into the wood and got frustrated with that so I just help the upper corners in place for a minute and guess what, they stuck up there by themselves!

Let the fabric dry completely before trying to trim up the edges.  I used my sharp X-Acto knife since I couldn’t get my fabric cutter to roll properly and got frustrated (I bought a cheapo one).  The edges started to unstick a bit as I was cutting the edges of the fabric, mainly at the corners.  I went ahead and used a quick spray my favorite spray adhesive to get that fabric to easily stick back on again.

Honestly, the fabric went up easier than I had imagined in there.  The hard part/time consuming part was the ‘prep’ – getting everything out, dusting off, taking shelves out, all that.  The starch part and actual getting the fabric up went quickly.  Then there is the time waiting for the fabric to dry before you can trim up the edges – all  your dishes, cups and mugs have to live someplace else for about half a day ;  I just stacked everything up on our center island, wasn’t so bad.

For those of you who are visual learners like myself, here is a handy video to walk you through the steps on how to get this pretty fabric up in a cupboard or wall…

VIDEO TUTORIAL


Well I hope you enjoyed this how to put up Fabric Wallpaper with Starch in your kitchen!  Leave a comment, love to hear from you and subscribe to this blog for more clever DIY projects – I always have a couple in my back pocket.   Can’t wait to share the next one with you.