After yesterday’s post about making an art smock from a garbage bag, you knew today’s post was going to be about a fun, messy project, right? Paper marbling is a bit messy, but lots of fun, and very frugal! To do your own paper marbling, you will need: cardstock, liquid starch, water, 2 dish tubs […]
31 Cent Scoop Night at Baskin Robbins
April 29, 2009 by
Just a reminder, or in case you did not already know, tonight is Baskin Robbins 31 cent scoop night from 5pm to 10pm! Take the whole family out for an inexpensive ice cream treat. A small scoop is just $0.31! More details here. Sign up for their newsletter, and you’ll know when the next one […]
Autism Awareness — Tips for Hosting a Play Date
April 29, 2009 by
April is Autism Awareness Month, and while my own children do not fall on the spectrum, Emily is friends with some who are. Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing Ivy from Into the Wind about her experiences with her son, E, who has autism. Ivy shares some fabulous ideas for hosting a play date […]
Sun Tea
April 27, 2009 by
Making sun tea is one of my favorite things to do on a warm sunny day. To make your own sun tea, place a few bags of tea to a jar full of water. We used decaf green tea…. yummmm! Add some lemon slices… Place the sealed jars in a very sunny spot for…. well, […]
Teaching Kids the Art of Thrift Shopping
April 26, 2009 by
We have been experiencing a block of insanely beautiful and warm weather here recently, and I suddenly realized Emily’s Spring/Summer wardrobe is severely lacking. Since she is built similarly to a bean pole, I tend to have a difficult time finding pants that fit her. Thankfully, shorts and skirts are much easier. So I brought her along […]
Earth Day Recycling Craft Round Up
April 22, 2009 by
In honor of Earth Day, here are some links from the archives of our Earth Day craft and activity ideas that feature recycled materials. Enjoy! Bird Feeders from Recyclables Bird Watching Kit Frugal Fun with Music Spring Storage Boxes Spring Basket Frugal Fun with Stilts Matching Game with Juice Lids Baby Food Jar Lanterns Putting […]
Get the most from your season pass
April 19, 2009 by
If your family makes frequent visits to a local amusement park, museum, or science center, purchasing a season pass may be a great way to save money. Whether it’s a local zoo, or an annual pass to Disney World, here are some tips to help you get the most from your season pass. Know Your […]
$5 Friday — Outdoor Tea Party
April 17, 2009 by
We have been blessed with some beautiful weather lately, so we started our day collecting twigs to make a trivet. Somehow this led to an endless tea party with Emily pretending that the trivet was an outdoor stove. I love how one project leads to another one like that. This went on for a long […]
What’s in your pantry?
April 16, 2009 by
Since I only do grocery shopping once a month, a well-stocked pantry is a necessity. Here are some of our favorite healthy and inexpensive pantry foods: Oatmeal Brown Rice Whole Wheat Pasta Dried Beans Potatoes Canned Tuna Peanut Butter Canned Tomatoes I’m very curious to find out what you keep in your pantry. Leave a […]
$5 Friday — Bean Bag Toss
April 10, 2009 by
For $5 Friday, we made our own bean bag toss game and spent some time playing it outdoors. I indulged Emily’s love for outer space and made it a throw-the-star-into-the black-hole game. To make your own, use a star-shaped cookie cutter for a pattern and trace onto pieces of felt. Cut out the shapes. Sew […]
Secret Paintings
April 7, 2009 by
I showed Emily how to make crayon resist drawings, and she had a lot of fun with this activity. We did these at night, and it seemed like a fabulous way to end the day. Quiet, relaxing, and fun. To make your own, you will need a white crayon or oil pastel, white paper, and […]
Making Veggies Last
April 5, 2009 by
One question I get asked about regarding my once a month grocery shopping is, “What do you do about fresh fruits and vegetables?” Here are some tips I have learned along the way to keep your fresh fruits and vegetables lasting a bit longer: Fruits and Vegetables that will last about 1 month (3-4 weeks) […]
$5 Friday — Rainy Day Fun
April 3, 2009 by
This is what we woke up to this morning… When it is raining and you don’t know what to do with the kids, a wise person once told me “Never underestimate the power of the indoor fort”. I could not agree more. It is part hide-out, part reading nook, and part playhouse all rolled into […]
Nature Packs!
April 2, 2009 by
If you are looking for some cheap entertainment this summer, you may not have to look any further than your own backyard. To help foster some outdoor time for Emily, I asked her to gather some things from around the house to make her own nature pack. She is very excited to go on an […]
Free Breakfast at Chick-Fil-A
March 31, 2009 by
Participating Chick-Fil-A locations will feature Free Breakfast Wednesdays! This means that every Wednesday in April, you can get a free breakfast entree at Chick-fil-A during regular breakfast hours (usually until 10:30am). Participating locations include: Trexlertown, Berkshire Mall, Quakertown, Lehigh Valley Mall, Schuylkill Mall, Mechanicsburg, and Broadcasting Square. One entree per person, while supplies last. Many […]
Fabulous and Frugal Paper Lanterns
March 30, 2009 by
I have seen lanterns similar to this at the dollar store, and this afternoon Emily and I dressed one of ours up a bit with some tissue paper and glue. The finished lantern will be hanging up in her bedroom. To make your own, you will need a paper lantern, some colored tissue paper, white […]
Top 5 Big Purchases (that are worth the money)
March 29, 2009 by
Mark and I are very methodical about large purchases. We plan ahead, research the latest reviews, and patiently wait for things to go on sale. Here are some of the things we have found to be the BEST buys for the money (i.e. big purchases that are really worth it): 1. Digital Camera — We […]
