There has been a LOT of holiday-making at our house lately — very exciting!! Now that Emily has one of her surprise gifts ready for Clara, I thought it would be fun to help Clara create a fun surprise gift of her own to give to her big sister. We had lots of fun sneakily crafting […]
Pretend Sweets Made with Sponges!
November 9, 2011 by
Recently, Emily and I made a bunch of pretend play sweets from dollar store sponges for her little sister’s holiday gifts. They were great fun, super frugal, AND very easy to make!! Emily cannot wait to gift these to Clara as part of her Christmas gift, and I love how pretend play food can lead […]
Take the North “Poll” and Save 25% at MelissaAndDoug.com
November 6, 2011 by
Every person who votes will automatically be entered to WIN the toy she voted for as her favorite!!! On 11/21/11 Melissa & Doug will randomly choose 1 winner from all voters who came from this blog. Only 1 entry per voter allowed. ENTER NOW BY TAKING THE NORTH “POLL” Update: This giveaway is now closed. […]
5 Simple Ways to Foster Gratitude in Kids
November 4, 2011 by
So much of the frugal lifestyle is filled with cultivating a sense of appreciation for life’s simple pleasures. A nice side benefit of learning to be grateful for what you already have — you’ll save money!! Yay for saving money! It’s never too early to start encouraging your kids to express thankfulness and gratitude. Here […]
Spider Web Sun Catchers
October 29, 2011 by
Know what’s LOTS of FUN?? Last-minute crafting for Halloween…. in your pajamas!!!! Clara loved making these spider web sun catchers using clear contact paper, and a few items from the dollar store. First, invite the kiddos to break up fake spider webs from the dollar store into small pieces. Clara LOVED this part — such […]
Candy Corn Treat Bags
October 25, 2011 by
Clara helped me make up some cute treat bags this afternoon — using paper plates and watercolor markers! We had so much fun making these, and they are perfect for filling with popcorn, pretzels, or other yummy snacks. I used watercolor markers on the back of a paper plate to color the outer rim yellow, […]
Creepy Crawly Seek and Find… and a PBS Kids Giveaway!
October 17, 2011 by
We made some seek and find bottles, and Clara and I had SO much FUN with this!! She enjoyed the entire process, and afterwards loved the challenge of finding all the creepy critters in the bottle. They are very frugal to make, and are a great way to keep the kiddos occupied in the car […]
What To Do With All Those Pumpkins
October 16, 2011 by
Is your house overflowing with pumpkins? Did the kiddos get a wee bit carried away with their haul from the pumpkin patch?? Need a few inspiring ideas to put those pumpkins to good use?? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here are 10 of our favorite ideas from around the web — all made with […]
30+ DIY Halloween Treats
October 14, 2011 by
Looking for some tasty Halloween treats to make?? There are more than 30 favorites from around the web on our Halloween Treats Pinterest board, and I’m adding more all the time! Here’s a little sneak peek of just some of the goodies you’ll find there…. Halloween Treats I especially love the mini pumpkins (above) made with […]
Quick Craft — Halloween Photo Frames
October 13, 2011 by
Clara and I had lots of fun crafting these festive photo frames for Halloween, and we cannot wait to mail them off to faraway family and friends! It was a super-quick project that she could do with very little help from me. For the spider design, I cut the frame from a sheet of thick […]
Favorite Halloween Crafts
October 12, 2011 by
Here’s a look back at some of our favorite (and frugal) Halloween crafts from years past… so much fun!! Five Little Bats Finger Puppet Play Set Creepy Crawly Placemat Spooky Bones — Perfect for an indoor “fossil hunt”! Candy Corn Family Play Set Spider Web Place Cards Fun, festive, and very […]
Favorite Fall Recipe and.. A Giveaway!
October 10, 2011 by
Last night I thought it would be fun to try something different for dinner, so I picked a new recipe from the Slow Cooker Classics from Around the World cookbook — Chardonnay Pumpkin Sausage Sauce. It was a BIG hit!! I loved it because it was quick, and very easy to make. It’s perfect for […]
Sunday Snapshot — At the Pumpkin Patch
October 9, 2011 by
Wishing you and your family a fun (and frugal) weekend filled with Autumn treasures!!
50+ DIY Costume Ideas for Kids
October 8, 2011 by
If you don’t plan to make costumes for your kids this Halloween, you may have second thoughts after seeing some of these lovely ideas on our Pinterest boards! Let’s begin with the wee little ones, shall we? Easy DIY Costumes for Baby — I know, right?? Can they get ANY cuter???? The baby turtle almost […]
Our Favorite Pumpkin Crafts
October 3, 2011 by
Here’s a look back at some of our favorite kid-friendly pumpkin crafts — and we’ll be adding a few new ones too! Pumpkin Treat Bags Super Easy Marshmallow Pumpkins Tiny Pumpkin Patch Play Set Do you have a fun pumpkin craft to share? Feel free to link up in the comments section, and […]
10 Things You Can Make from Cereal Boxes
August 13, 2011 by
Have some empty cereal boxes on-hand?? Don’t throw them away! Here are 10 inspiring ways to transform ordinary empty cereal boxes into amazing home decor items, organizational bins, toys, and more! Cereal Boxes for Organization from Urban Nest from Martha Stewart from Katydid & Kid Cereal Boxes for Home Decor Can you […]
Red, White, and Blue
July 3, 2011 by
Looking for some fun, easy, last-minute crafts to celebrate the 4th of July?? Here are some of our favorite crafts using red, white, and blue from around the web!! (Thanks, Yelena!) Lifesaver Firecrackers via u-createcrafts.com Red, White, and Blue Paper Decorations via theslightlyobsessivebride.blogspot.com Firework Cookies via redcouchrecipes.blogspot.com 4th of July Montessori Learning Activities via countingcoconuts.blogspot.com […]
Photo Shoots on the Cheap
June 15, 2011 by
Please give a warm welcome to our newest sponsor, Kodak! From now until June 19th, visit a local Kodak Kiosk near you for a special BOGO deal on their 8″ x 10″ photo books — get two photo books for the price of one. These make great personalized gifts for dads or grandfathers this Father’s […]
