I’m so excited my friend Brenda Ponnay, a.k.a. Secret Agent Josephine, has a new series of children’s books!! These books are perfect for little ones learning their ABC’s, colors, and numbers — and they have clever details parents and older siblings will definitely appreciate. I love that these books are available in ebook formats for […]
Sunday Snapshot — Adventures in Geocaching!
November 20, 2011 by
Wishing you and your family a lovely weekend full of adventure!!
No Mess Sandpaper Snowflakes
November 17, 2011 by
With a few sheets of sandpaper found in the garage and some leftover white yarn from my stash, the girls spent some quiet time together making snowflake pictures! In mind was this sandpaper craft from Polwig found via The Crafty Crow. The yarn clings onto the sandpaper all by itself, which the girls thought […]
DIY Holiday Gift for Kids — Doll Bath Set
November 14, 2011 by
After the girls were in bed, it was my turn for a bit of holiday-making! I combined a few things I already had on-hand (empty travel sized shampoo bottles and soap leftover from a hotel stay, a sponge) along with a few things from the dollar store or Target — hand towels, a pack of […]
Play Donuts from Dollar Store Socks
November 10, 2011 by
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 […]
My Favorite Simple Pleasures
November 8, 2011 by
I thought it would be fun if you could share some of your favorite simple pleasures — little things that don’t cost much, but never fail to boost your mood. I’ll go first with 10 of my favorites, then leave a comment with some of your own, k?? 1. TEA!!!! It is supreme. 2. Jumping […]
Blinkybug Invasion!
November 7, 2011 by
Mark made some super-fun “blinkybug” toys for Emily, and the two of them spent some quality time together making and later playing with these all afternoon. After all, making your own toys is a lot cheaper (and WAY more FUN) than buying them!! These little critters have blinking LED lights that turn on when their […]
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 […]
10 Inspiring Things to Make with Newspaper
November 2, 2011 by
I love crafting with newspaper because it is so readily available, cheap, and completely biodegradable. Here are 10 inspiring projects made with newspaper from our site and around the web! Cottage Hill shows how to make recycled newspaper pots for seedlings. Just in time for the holidays, Martha shows how to make trees from […]
DIY Scratch Art Pages
November 1, 2011 by
Do you have a kid who loves scratch art?? Did you know you can make your own scratch art pages?? It’s true! Aaaaand it’s a lot cheaper (and more fun!) to make your own! To make your own scratch art pages, you will need: a kid who LOVES to color, a sheet of card stock […]
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 […]
10 MORE Cheap Boredom Busters for Kids
October 27, 2011 by
Here’s a look back at 10 MORE of our favorite (and very frugal) boredom busters… Build (and re-build) Newspaper Play Structures Go on a Teddy Bear Picnic… you may even spot some magic! Make a Window Display Build a Flashlight Pose with Plexiglass Build a Marble Run Download our free […]
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 […]
