Do you have a 'mis-matched' sock
drawer; a 'one-sock-could-I-find' drawer?
Don't throw out the socks! Set up
some craft time with the kids (or do it yourself if your kids are all grown up).
If you need socks for this project, get some at Good-Will or the Salvation Army -
any used clothing store. Hey, even set up a 'sock-sharing' group in your neighborhood - you could even meet for coffee and 'stuffing'...a nice way to get to know each other.
If you can find big socks - tiny
ones - in-between ones; fortunate enough to find ones not faded, this is the
most fun.
Get some dye (the basic colors of
Red, Yellow, and Blue so you can mix a multitude of your own colors). Cider
vinegar mixed with dye works the best - it 'sets' much better. You can use 2
parts water; 1 part vinegar - heat to a simmer, and start mixing
colors.
Drop those off-white socks into the colors you've chosen. Once you've created all the 'socks' - put them in plastic bags for storage - easier to see.
Take all that 'candy' - 'dole it out'; put a few pieces into each sock, and each week (or month) as a reward for chores accomplished, gift it as a 'gift sock' - tuck in some coins as a surprise as well.
Make an 'ADVENT' sock gift; in November, fill them - take (or mail) to those on your gift-list. They open a 'gift a day' starting December 1. Throughout the year, pick up items that are low in cost - it doesn't hurt your budget this way, and you have your shopping 'done' - relax during the holidays.
For the adults: Those big, colored paper clips are always handy - slip in some. A roll of Scotch tape is nice; we always seem to be looking for 'tape' at the times when we don't have any in the house.
A bag of bright-colored rubber bands - they fit into a sock. How about some AA batteries in another sock. Even more often needed, those AAA batteries that ever so often wind up being needed just when we thought a AA set would do (my wireless mouse takes those).
Buy a box of Q-tips; sort - and fill. A container of cotton pads - sort; fill. Little Votive candles - a few in another sock. A tube of Chap-stick - another sock. Travel-size toiletries; cute in socks - handy too.
A hand-ful of razors; for 'him or her' - another sock is filled. An eyeglass travel repair-kit - in it goes to those with glasses.
Look around - find 'tiny useful things' - into the socks!
Make up a card that reads: "Sock it to Me" - something clever; use duplicate copies of photos to cut and glue-stick to your choice of card-stock; colored or poster paper - a tube of glitter; some left-over yarn attached, and it's 'adorable'.
You can do this project throughout the year - get those over-size HEFTY (I love them) storage bags - they hold tons of things 'under the bed' - all labeled, and ready...fresh as the day you made them.
REMEMBER YOUR COLOR COMBINATIONS:
Red & Yellow make Orange - and varying shades.
Red & Blue make Purple - an varying shades.
Blue & Yellow make Green - and varying shades.
Mix all the colors: Get a super dark brown - don't try to make black, you won't get there without adding BLACK dye. Obviously if you've got BLACK dye, you won't do any mixing unless you want to 'darken' the Orange; Purple, Green - Red, Yellow or Blue a bit (and do it with a drop or two at a time - a little goes a long way).
DO YOU PLAY BINGO? Use those 'DOT' markers to 'doll up' those socks - nice for covering any stains that you simply can't get out.
If have 'matching socks' that need to be spruced up quickly, those dot markers are adorable for the ladies and little girls (if you do the boys, turn those dots into smile faces or basket-balls real quick, or you'll probably get complaints.)
