Please give a warm welcome to our new sponsors, Mod Podge, who generously supplied us with plenty of craft supply goodness!! When the package from Mod Podge arrived, I had a difficult time trying to decide which products to use first. So many interesting and pretty things — I already have several projects in mind […]
Gratitude
September 22, 2012 by
I breed morning people. If my little boys sleep until 7 am I am a lucky duck. Alex was even earlier. He woke up at 6 everyday without fail, and I only got relief after he was old enough to make his own breakfast… and then I had Logan and Luke. lol…. Most of the […]
20 Must-Do Favorite Activities for Fall
September 4, 2012 by
Are you looking forward to Fall? Need some kid-friendly activities to help celebrate the season?? Here are 20 of our family’s favorite Fall activities that have become special traditions. 1. Go Apple Picking — This is one of my favorite family traditions for Fall! Afterwards, we bake apple pies and make homemade apple sauce with […]
DIY School Supplies: Modern Notebooks
August 22, 2012 by
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 […]
DIY School Supplies: Apple Printed Lunch Bags
August 20, 2012 by
Doing art on lunch bags is a festive way to dress up an ordinary bagged lunch, and it’s also a great way to keep the kids busy! I love how something so simple can let the kids have an active role in preparing their own school supplies while proudly showing their teachers & friends some […]
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, […]
Nature Crafts and Activities for Kids You Will Want To Do RIGHT Now
October 24, 2011 by
Nature crafts and activities are a great way to enjoy the outdoors with kids, promote sustainability, and encourage little ones to conserve. Added bonus — many times nature provides us with free art materials! Here are some of our favorite simple, beautiful projects from FFFB and around the web that will make you want to […]
I’m in Highlights High Five!
October 21, 2011 by
Exciting news!! Pick up a copy of the November issue of Highlights High Five, and you’ll see a fun (and frugal) little crafty project from yours truly… aren’t these mushrooms the cutest?? Highlights High Five is an ad-free monthly magazine specifically designed for children ages 2-6 years old with puzzles, poems, stories, crafts and recipes, […]
DIY Paint with Water Pages
October 20, 2011 by
Remember those “paint with water” books from when you were the kid?? Weren’t they the best? We had lots of fun with a set of watercolor pencils this afternoon, and Clara loved making her own “paint with water” pages!! If you don’t already have a set of watercolor pencils, Crayola makes a good set, and we […]
Apple Taste-Test Activity!
October 18, 2011 by
Do you have a hard time deciding which kind of apple to buy at the grocery store or farmer’s market?? Then it’s time for an apple taste-test! We put four popular organic varieties to the test, and it was SO much FUN!! First, visit your local farmer’s market or grocery store and choose one or […]
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 […]
