Archive for Things to Make
Make Your Own Valentines (For Cheap!)
Posted by: | CommentsLooking to create some fun valentines this year? Check out these fun free or inexpensive ideas!
Download your free Love You to Pieces Elephant Puzzle Valentine here!
(Once you “buy” the free puzzle, scroll down to find the link to download.)
Purchase this entire set of Love You to Pieces Valentine Puzzles here for only $1,
download, then print off as many as you want! Hurry while sale lasts!
Learn to make this valentine in mint condition here.
So easy, so cute…so inexpensive to make!
You’ll find a pattern and instructions for these great Valentine spectacles here.
If you click over, you’ll be rewarded with a picture of yours truly
wearing the beautiful heart shaped glasses.
Go ahead…you know you want to see it.
This post is linked to Frugal Friday.
Frugal Gift Idea: Make a Sweet-n-Spicy Brown Sugar Scrub
Posted by: | CommentsNot all food gifts have to be edible, right? (Well, you could eat this one if you want to…wouldn’t hurt anything…although it might give you quite a sugar rush.)
When I saw the idea for this Sweet-n-Spicy Brown Sugar Scrub on the Domino Sugar website, I loved how simple it was and thought it would be fun to make some up. What a unique homemade gift idea!
I used coconut oil instead of the almond oil it called for (apparently my small town doesn’t carry almond oil anywhere…or maybe I just don’t know the right places to look?)
After putting it in a jar and tying on some cinnamon sticks (which have nothing to do with the scrub…but look oh so cute)…I rubbed some of the scrub on my hands just to test it out.
Ooh, nice!
Do I have to give this away?
Okay, maybe I should just mix up another batch. Or maybe try making another variety of the sugar scrubs.
I had a blast looking through the gift ideas on the Domino Sugar website. But as you know…looking at pictures of food always makes me happy. :)
Okay, I think after typing this…my hands are in need of another scrub treatment.
Do you think the recipient of this gift will mind if the jar is almost empty when she receives it?
Yeah…I better go mix up another batch.
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Special thanks to the folks at Domino Sugar for providing me with a $20 gift card to purchase ingredients to create their wonderful gift ideas! I think I’m going to mix up some Holiday Cookie Rolls next. Aren’t they cute?!
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This post is linked to Frugal Friday.
Make a Simple Homemade Christmas Angel Ornament
Posted by: | CommentsThe boys and I saw this fun idea hanging on a Christmas tree at the library last week. I couldn’t believe how simple…yet how sweet these ornaments are. Check it out…they’re angels made from a funky paper clip.
Standing at the library Christmas tree examining the ornaments, I kept going on and on about how sweet the angels were. My boys were interested for about two seconds, then they just stood there nodding politely with a look in their eyes that told me that they’d rather make a pea shooter from a paper clip than an angel.
Fine, fine…but I like the angel. And so I made some. All by myself because my manly boys weren’t interested.
I thought they were interested at one point because they came into the kitchen while I was making them and said, “Ooh, what are ya makin’?”
“Those sweet little angels we saw at the library,” I told them eagerly, handing them a piece of ribbon and a bead.
Nah, it would seem that they really were just hoping I was making some kind of food.
Oh well…maybe for those of you with girl children…or kids littler than mine…you can enjoy the wonderful activity of making these ornaments together with your family. If not, bring over your beads, ribbon and funky paper clips so you and I can ooh and aah over our pretty little creations! (To their credit, my boys did think my finished results were nice.) (And then they asked for food again.)
Because I already had ribbon and beads hanging around…my only purchase was the paper clips (which I found at Wal-mart). I was then able to make these Angel Ornaments for just a few cents each!
You will need: Thin ribbon, beads, funky paper clips, needle and thread
As you take a look at the following tutorial, pay no attention to the fact that some of the pictures show green ribbon with clear beads and some show red ribbon with green beads. I had to take the pictures in stages…in between feeding snacks to boys.
Cut a piece of ribbon about 10 inches long.
Fold the ribbon in half.
Push the folded part of the ribbon through a bead.
Pull ribbon through…
…then fold it around the “neck” of the paper clip.
With your needle and thread, stitch the ribbon together.
(This was the best way I found to hide the excess ribbon behind the angel’s head.)
To see exactly where you stitch the ribbon, scroll back up to the picture right above this one. See where my thumb is? Stitch there…removing your thumb first.
Ooh. Aah. So pretty. So simple.
Much cuter than a pea shooter…don’t you think so?
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This post is linked to Frugal Fridays and Finer Things Friday.
Fun Father’s Day Idea: How to Make a Mystery Message Card
Posted by: | CommentsYou have to try this great idea for making a mystery message card! I think they’d be super fun for the kids to make for Dad (or Grandpa) (or that ornery uncle) for Father’s Day. They’re very simple to make, yet kind of tricky for the recipient! How fun for the kids to try to stump the grown up!
Instead of trying to explain how to make the card with a picture tutorial, I had Asa video me making one. I think he did a pretty good job taking his first video!
Oh and to answer the questions you’ll all want to know…yes, I’m wearing my old basketball uniform top from high school. I found it when I went to KS last month, and thought it was fun. And no, I wasn’t any good at the sport, but it’s fun to have the uniform. My boys think it’s oh so cool.
**Edited** Never mind about the gluing step. It doesn’t work. I don’t know what I was thinking!! :)
Be creative thinking of something fun to write for your mystery message! Hope you give these a try!
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This post is linked to Works for me Wednesday, Frugal Father’s Days and Frugal Friday.
Make a May Day Basket…bzzzt!
Posted by: | CommentsLast year, some friends of ours dropped off these fun May Baskets at our door. I declared them the cutest May Baskets I’d ever seen! The boys loved them!
May Day (May 1) is only a week away…so I just had to share these with you! Beecause these baskets are really beeautiful. (Sorry…you know I couldn’t write an entire post without some sort of silliness.)
Here’s what you need to make them:
- black, yellow and light blue construction paper
- glue stick
- elmer’s glue
- googly eyes
- white pom-poms
- black pipe cleaners
- pencil
- stapler
What to do:
Use elmers glue to fasten googly eyes to pom-poms. Allow glue to dry.
Cut black paper into a 9×9 inch square.
Cut off one corner into a curve.
Fold paper into a cone and staple ends in place.
Tear yellow paper into strips. Glue them as stripes onto the black construction paper cone.
Curve ends of pipecleaner around a pencil, fold pipecleaner in half, then fasten with stapler as antennae onto “bee”.
Cut a “heart” out of yellow paper for face, and a smile out of black paper for smile. Glue eyes and mouth onto face. Glue face to the rounded corner of the black paper, covering the staple used to attach the antennae.
You’ll find the pattern for the wings here. Trace it onto blue paper, then cut it out and staple it onto the back of the bee.
Fill “bee basket” with popcorn and other fun goodies.
Deliver them to your friends on May Day!
Aren’t these the most beecoming May Baskets you’ve ever seen?
Do you usually make and deliver May Baskets? Or, have you been the recipient of May Baskets before?
I really and truly think that it is one of my boys’ favorite “holidays”!
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For more Frugal Fun…visit Life as Mom!
Filling Those Easter Baskets
Posted by: | CommentsLooking to fill your kids’ Easter Baskets this weekend? Do it simply with these Six Easy Steps!
- Purchase the biggest basket you can find.
- Dump in a good portion of the money you earned this week.
- Pour in five pounds of sugar.
- Drizzle on three cups of High Fructose Corn Syrup.
- Add a wide variety of artificial colors. (Go ahead, don’t hold back.)
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Toss in several cheap plastic toys (the kind that like to re-locate themselves under your van seats and couch cushions after one short use).
What? You don’t like my Six Easy Steps? Neither do I.
But that’s often what many of us do when we put together Easter baskets for our kids. We spend more money than we mean to. We can’t decide between the jelly beans, the chocolate bunnies or the malted milk balls…so we get all three (plus several of those foil covered cream filled eggs). The little yo-yos with little yellow chicks printed on them are too cute to pass up, so we throw those into the cart too.
Before we know it, we have completed the Six Easy Steps in twelve expensive minutes.
How about taking a look at some new ideas this year? There are so many fun ways to create gifts for your kids that cost just a few cents and a small amount of your time. Here are a few that our kids have enjoyed:
Flubber
It’s way more fun than it looks in this picture!!
Honestly, my kids enjoy the Easter Egg hunt so much, they really don’t think too hard about what’s in the eggs!
AND…what’s really important about Easter anyway?! :)
What kinds of things do you like to put into your kids’ Easter Baskets? Have any fun ideas or neat family traditions to share?
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This post is linked to Kitchen Tip Tuesdays.
The Better to See You With! Valentine Crafts
Posted by: | CommentsTake a look at this silly Valentine craft idea! We’ll be making 30 or so pairs of these glasses to give out as Valentines at our homeschool Valentine party Friday.
On the side of the glasses we’ll write something like, “The better to see you with, My Dear Valentine!” or “Here’s Looking at You, Valentine!”
The kids insisted that I try them on too. Boy could I whip up some mean Valentine treats in these, oh yes I could.
You know you all want to have a chance to look like that. (Why do I do this to myself?)
Click here to download the pattern for these glasses. Simply fold a big piece of heavy paper in half and place the pattern along the fold…then trace and cut.
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Now, if we get tired of cutting out the heart shaped spectacles, we’ll spend some time making something a little prettier (and a little chocolatier).
You’ll find the directions for making this Valentine Flower here. It’s got a chocolate peppermint pattie in the center…which got me to brainstorming for a clever little Valentine wish to print on the center heart.
Something like “We were mint to be together, Valentine” or “Have I mintioned how glad I am to be your friend?” Seriously, I got caught up in the momint and laid in bed one night thinking of way too many mint-y puns that just didn’t work for one reason or another. Mostly because I think first graders are too young to make a commitmint. And also because there’s not enough space in that little heart to write something like, “Roses are red, Violets are blue, There’s always lots of merrimint, When I’m with you!” Yes, I almost went mintal on you this time.
So I settled for boring old, “Happy Valentine’s Day!” What a complete dissapointmint! Ah, but it’s the sentimint that counts.
Okay, I’m done now.
Let’s not mintion this again.
But please feel free to leave a commint. ;)
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Read more Works for me Wednesday posts here. And please stop by JessieLeigh’s and Money Saving Moms to learn more fun Valentine ideas!
Inexpensive Gifts to Make and Give, Pt. 5: Wrapping it Up
Posted by: | CommentsSee more ideas in this series here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4!
To finish up (er, wrap up this series)…here are some fun ways to wrap up your gifts:
Snowman Gift Sack
Use scraps of fabric, buttons and bells to make this cute snowman gift sack! Directions and patterns here.
Christmas Crayon Wrap
The boys and I had fun one evening shredding old crayons to make this project. Just one piece of advice though. Don’t let your three year old put the remaining red and green crayons into his pocket without you knowing it after you’re finished using them. You may end up with an entire load of laundry, including socks, long underwear and undershirts that look just like that wrapping paper. Bet you’re wondering how come I know that, huh? And no. I will not model my new Christmas Blotch long underwear for you.
Learn the steps for making this Christmas Crayon Wrapping Paper here.
Christmas Bagelope
Turn a simple envelope into a little Christmas bag…a Bag-elope!! Find the directions here.
Thanks for joining me for this gift making series!
Inexpensive Gifts to Make and Give, Pt. 4
Posted by: | CommentsHere are a few more gift ideas and fun things to make! If you missed the other posts in this series, check them out here.
Applesauce Bread
I delivered a big loaf of applesauce bread to some friends the other day. Their response? “This bread tastes JUST LIKE CHRISTMAS!” Ah, you’ve gotta love delivering a nice loaf of Christmas to someone!
Kettle Corn
¼ cup oil
¼ cup sugar
½ cup popcorn kernels
Heat oil, add sugar and popcorn. Shake the pot back and forth till the popping slows. Carefully dump kettle corn in a large bowl and sprinkle w/a little salt.
Pretzel Wreaths
I got this idea from my very clever (beautiful, intelligent, talented, sweet….) sister-in-law, Michele. These are very easy to make and oh-so-cute! See instructions here.
Merry Christmas and a HOPPY New Year Card!
Is he the cutest? (well, as cute as a frog can be anyway) These cards are simple to make and fun to give! Here’s the pattern and the instructions.
In a couple of days, I’ll share a few fun ways to wrap up your gifts! Thanks for all the ideas you’ve been sharing in the comments too! Is there no end to all the fun ideas?!
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Visit Rocks in my Dryer for more Works for me Wednesday ideas.
Inexpensive Gifts to Make and Give, Pt. 3: Food
Posted by: | CommentsAs you can probably guess…giving gifts of food are my favorite gifts to give. (Say that five times fast.)
Everyone likes to eat…and food gifts are very likely to be used and loved. (Unlike a big fish on a plaque that has a sensor in it and sings when someone walks by.) (My apologies to those of you who have a fondness for Billy the Big Mouth Bass.) :)
Here are some of my favorite ideas for gifts of food:
Calico Bean Soup Jar
Layer in jar:
1/2 cup dried lima beans
1/2 cup dried pinto beans
1/3 cup dried kidney beans
1/4 cup dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup dried lima beans
1/2 cup dried pinto beans
1/4 cup dried kidney beans
Attach a note with the following directions for making soup:To make soup: Bring Bean Soup Mix and 8 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit 1 hour.
Return pot to heat, 2 carrots, chopped, 2 stalks celery, chopped and 2 pounds ham hocks or beef soup bones. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 2 hours, until beans are tender, skimming fat as necessary.
Remove ham hocks or soup bones from soup. Remove meat from bone, chop and return to soup. Heat through and serve.
Hot Fudge Sauce
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 cup sugar or rapadura
½ cup cocoa
1 stick butter
1 t. vanillaIn medium saucepan, stir together cream, sugar, cocoa and butter. Cook on medium heat until butter is melted and ingredients are thoroughly combined. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Pie of the Month Club
Someone emailed or commented about this idea back when I was putting together the For the Love of Pie Ebook. I CAN NOT find the email or comment to give credit to whom credit is due. (If YOU were the SMART person who mentioned this idea, please claim it in the comments.)
Anyway, using recipes from the For the Love of Pie FREE ebook or your other favorite pie recipes…you can give a loved one a certificate for a “Pie of the Month Club” or some clever title you come up with. Then, you get to make the recipient a pie every month for a year. Who wouldn’t LOVE that?
What are some of your favorite food gifts to give? (Or receive!?)
Learn more Frugal Friday ideas here.
