Duct Tape Pencil Case with Zip Top

This duct tape pencil case is simple to make with just a few common household items! The cases can be used for make up, travel cases, or even for small first aid kits when you are on-the-go. The duct tape helps to make the cases quite sturdy. You can find duct tape in a wide […]

Should Schools Allow More Time for Play?

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Genius of Play.  It’s time for back to school, and if you recently checked your child’s school schedule, you may have noticed a shortened recess time. In some cases, recess has been eliminated altogether. In an effort to strengthen academics, is eliminating recess the right thing to do? […]

DIY Personalized Homework Station

This DIY Personalized Homework Station is a useful project that teens or tweens can customize to enhance their work space for back-to-school! There is plenty of room for memos and important notes. My daughter loves this personalized workstation using Fujifilm INSTAX photos to display fun memories! The chalkboard surface is perfect for jotting down assignments or upcoming due dates. There […]

Lunch Ideas for Picky Eaters

These lunch ideas for picky eaters are quick and easy to pack up for school, or anytime you are on-the-go! I love that these lunch ideas are so colorful and full of flavor. These lunch ideas can be packed in just a few minutes, and they are simple enough to be used throughout the school […]

Quick and Easy After School Snacks

These quick and easy after school snacks are a great way to pack in nutrition in a short amount of time — perfect for busy family schedules! A big thank you to Capri Sun for sponsoring today’s after school snack ideas! I like to have Capri Sun Juice Drinks on-hand for a portable and convenient […]

Morning Activities Before School

These playful ways to connect with your kids on weekday mornings are simple to set up, easy to clean up afterwards, and only require a couple of minutes to do! Weekday mornings are notorious for being a busy and hectic time — especially once the school year begins. Thankfully, with just a bit of planning the […]

Giveaway — Google Nexus 7 Tablet 32 GB

It’s time for another FUN giveaway, and this one comes courtesy of our friends at Staples for a Google Nexus 7 Tablet (32GB)!! Staples also provided me with a Nexus 7 for the purposes of this review. After having reviewed the Nexus 7 for the past week and half, I am very impressed with it! […]

DIY School Supplies Kids Can Make

Busy getting the kids ready for school? Here are some easy school supplies the kids can make and clever ways they can add some creative touches to school supplies they already own using common household items. Most of these materials can also be found at the dollar store!  1. Modern Notebooks and Matching Pencils or […]

Learning in an Instant: Scissor Skills

I know many families are preparing for the upcoming school year by setting aside a little time to let their kids practice some of the basics before they go back. Practicing scissor skills can be one of the easiest activities to encourage. And it can be fun!  You don’t even have to have an end […]

Giveaway: Back to School Prize Pack from Snapfish and HP!

It’s time for another super FUN giveaway — this time from our newest sponsors, Snapfish and HP! Did you know that you can follow HP Create on Pinterest for inspiring free printables that are perfect for back-to-school?? There are free printable flashcards, worksheets, scrapbook pages, and so much more! Snapfish and HP sent us a […]

DIY Doll Lunch Box from a Mint Tin

Is your doll ready for back-to-school? Does she get hungry at lunch time? Do the other dolls make fun of her lunch box because it’s old or out-dated??? Then this project is for YOU!! To make your own doll lunch box, you will need an empty mint tin and some colored duct tape. Am I […]

DIY School Supplies: Modern Notebooks

It’s almost time for back-to-school, and the kids have been hard at work making many of their own school supplies for the upcoming year! This was one of Emily’s favorite projects because (just like her mother) she seems to have inherited a love of decorative tape. Oh, how I LOVE beautiful tape!!  Did you know […]

Back to School Round Up

Emily had a terrific first day of 2nd grade, and we are looking forward to a great school year ahead!! In the spirit of back-to-school, I dug deep into our archives and around the web to put together this fun round up: From the Archives: 5 Easy DIY School Supplies Celebrating Education Nation with The 10! […]

Around the Web — School Lunches

Packing a school lunch can be a frugal (and many times more nutritious) alternative to bought school lunches. Here are some inspiring ideas that are sure to make your kid the envy of the lunch room!!   Learn How to Make a Kids Bento Box from AlphaMom — I love that these tips are simple […]

Review and Giveaway — Mabel’s Labels

It’s time for another fun giveaway, this time from our friends at Mabel’s Labels — perfect for back-to-school!! I was provided a Mabel’s Labels Ultimate Back-to-School Combo set for the purposes of this review, and once again their labels and tags exceeded my expectations. What I love about the Mabel’s Labels Ultimate Back-to-School Combo pack: […]

5 Easy DIY School Supplies

Can you believe how quickly this Summer is flying by?? School will be back in session in just a few weeks! To help stretch your back-to-school shopping budget, here are some ideas of school supplies you can make yourself using materials you probably already have on-hand. 1. Apple Printed Book Cover — Have a few […]

Top 10 Posts of 2010 — #7

Moving on with the countdown of the top 10 posts of 2010. This was the year Emily began public school, and thus began our adventures with packed lunches! We had lots of fun learning tips and tricks to pack fun lunches on a budget, and later I was interviewed by Rodale to elaborate a bit […]

Review — BrightBin Lunch Box

Emily and I were so excited to have the opportunity to review the L’Artiste New Generation Lunchbox by BrightBin! It’s a cute, practical, and well-designed box with a sandwich compartment, and a second layer with three divided sections for fruit, veggies, and other snacks. The box we received comes with an outer insulated lunch sack […]