Celebrate
{Homemade Valentines} Magic Heart Wands
If you’re like us, you’re scrambling to make one hundred homemade Valentines for your children’s classroom Valentine’s Day Exchange and need something quick, cheap, and fun. Lucky for all you last-minute crafters, we’re sharing our simple Magic Heart Wands that will help your child spread some love this Valentine’s Day. All you need is: A […]
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Christmas Coaster Craft
Hey y’all! (No, I am not from Texas, but that’s the kind of mood I’m in today). Just wanted to share that we have an activity doing double duty as a holiday gift and DIY craft over at Kids Activities Blog that you will definitely want to check out - especially if you are tapped […]
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Creative Christmas Countdown: 24 Children’s Activity + Craft Ideas
It’s time - once again - for one of my favorite projects: the Creative Christmas Countdown! Alissa from Creative with Kids spearheaded last year’s inaugural virtual crafty advent calendar for kids (check out all 24 ideas again for more inspiration). And she’s back this year with Maggy of Red Ted Art showcasing 24 more awesome crafts and […]
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Announcing the Perfectly Pumpkin Contest
I think you all know I love Halloween…so I’m thrilled to be co-hosting the Perfectly Pumpkin Contest this October with a dozen other blogs all led by the amazing Krissy of B. Inspired Mama! From now until October 30th you’ll have a chance to link up your favorite Pumpkin Recipes; Pumpkin-Related Kids’ Activities; Pumpkin Carving/Decorating Ideas; […]
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{Craft} Quick Fourth of July Craft: Red, White & Blue Berry Basket
After strawberry picking and visiting our abundant local farmer’s market, we had both a stash of organic blueberries and lots of leftover strawberry baskets: So, although we have been so busy that we haven’t done much in the way of Fourth of July crafting this year, this Red, White & Blue Berry Basket helped us […]
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{Celebrate} Rainy Day Popcorn Party
I mentioned it was a slow week last week, but I didn’t dare drag you down into the boring details, because that’s not why you’re here visiting in happy, shiny blogland, is it? Plus, there wasn’t much to tell, other than we had a week of dreary weather, too much inside play, and a serious […]
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{Craft} DIY Personalized Drink Charms
Here’s the final DIY party decor post from Hubby’s Curry, Cake & A Keg 40th birthday party: Personalized Wine + Beer Charms! When we saw the rows of glasses lined up on the table on the day before the party, it dawned on us that we didn’t have any wine charms or another way for […]
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{Bake} St. Patrick’s Day | Homemade Marshmallows
Jane and Hubby love marshmallows. Not quite sure why, but I was more than happy to indulge them if that meant working on a new sweet treat recipe. Turned out that this was the perfect sensory activity for Jane! Super super super sticky. She helped with the whole process, hand mixing, electric blending, cooking, […]
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{Bake} Twelve Tasty St. Patrick’s Day Treats
It’s March! Time to start thinking about St. Patrick’s Day activities and treats. Even though Hubby bah-humbugs St. Patrick’s Day, we still celebrate the day at our house for fun. Last year we made these delicious green Shamrock Rice Krispies Treats: Recipe and complete how-to here. Here are 11 more goodies I’d love to make or […]
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{Play} Valentine’s Day Art, Craft & Activity Ideas For Kids
I never said I wouldn’t post more Valentine’s ideas…just that I thought you might be sick of them! I’ve given you a few, like our Valentine’s Day Lacing Hearts Activity Valentine’s Day Stained Glass Heart Cookies Valentine’s Day Jar of Hearts and Valentine’s Day Jello Play but here’s one more - not necessarily the last! Heart […]
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{Celebrate} Valentine’s Day | Stained Glass Heart Cookies
I’m so excited to be a part of the Valentine’s Day Craft Series hosted by Erin at How to Nest for Less this week! I’m sharing my recipe for Valentine’s Day Stained Glass Heart Cookies today, so head over to Erin’s blog for the full tutorial on how to make these sweet Valentine’s Day treats! […]
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{Celebrate} Cocktail-Themed Bachelorette Party
Yes, I know as a 36 year old mother of two, I am too old to be planning a Cocktail - more precisely, Shot - Themed Bachelorette Party, but sometimes, you have to learn the hard way. And trust me, we all did. Especially the Bachelorette, who cancelled the Sunday morning brunch due to … […]
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{Celebrate} Valentine’s Day | Jar Of Hearts
I’m so excited to bring you this Valentine’s Day activity, which is part of Toddler Approved’s 100 Acts of Kindness Project! My inspiration was Christina Perri’s Jar of Hearts - a melancholy song about a tortured break up - but this activity is about recognizing love and kindness in another and creatively expressing thanks for that person’s […]
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{Celebrate} Pirate Themed Gift Ideas
After the Make Your Own Monster Gift Kit post, which featured some monster-themed gift ideas, some of you asked what themed gifts Sam received for his pirate-themed birthday party, so here you go! My favorite was this awesome set of pirate-themed gifts from our young hipster couple friends who picked up this cool booty from local […]
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{Play} Family Memory Game
I’m so excited to be sharing with you the activity for Day 23 of the Creative Christmas Countdown: Play A Card Game! One of Jane’s favorite games is the iPhone Toy Story 3 Memory App. She’s already mastered the Easy Level and isn’t fazed at all by the Medium Level. To break her away […]
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{Celebrate} Homemade For The Holidays | Toddler Thumbtack Ornaments
We’ve been having lots of fun making ornaments, like these Recycled Paper Ornaments, these Sequin Ornaments, and these sparkly, painted, and filled ornaments, and we’re still on a roll! I’m sure you’ve seen this stunning thumbtack wreath from Madigan Made Source: madiganmade.com via TheOutlawMom on Pinterest or these thumbtack trees around blogland. As an experiment, I wanted to see if Jane […]
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{Craft} Homemade For The Holidays | Sequin Frames & Ornaments And A Sparkly Treasure Box #Elmer’s Holiday #GlueNGlitter Giveaway
Well, we’re continuing on our homemade kick this holiday season with a Sequin Picture Frame, some Sequin Ornaments,and a Sparkly Treasure Box! Sequin Picture Frame You know I love glitter and sequins are just glitter amplified, so I LOVE sequins! This gift was so simple to make and my favorite because of the bright colors. I used […]
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{Celebrate} Homemade For The Holidays | Rainbow Play Dough Tubs
For some reason, even though we start out with full tubs of store bought Play Doh, we end up with only a tiny smidgen after a day’s play. Do the kids eat it? Is it stuck underneath the couch? I have no idea. But I do know that it’s a pain to keep going out […]
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{Celebrate} Homemade For The Holidays | Menorah Handprints
Here’s a super easy Hannukah gift that your child can make in just a few minutes. Jane made them as teacher’s gifts. Materials Blue and yellow paint (or any other colors you wish) Paper Step 1 Using the blue paint, have your toddler make a handprint with each of her hands, with the thumbs […]
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{Celebrate} Homemade For The Holidays | Recycled Paper Ornaments
We get so many holiday catalogs this time of year and I have so many back issues of every fashion magazine known to woman, we decided that turning the piles of paper sitting in our recycling bin into ornaments would be the perfect Sunday afternoon mother-daughter activity. And it was! We were inspired by Aleacia […]
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{Celebrate} Homemade For The Holidays | Simple Peppermint Syrup (And A Giveaway) #PeetsCoffee #CBias
Well, you know that all of our holiday gifts are going to be homemade this year, and you know that I love coffee (especially Peet’s), so of course I had to come up with at least one coffee-related present. Sure Peet’s Coffee Holiday Blend is festive, but it’s not exactly homemade. But, peppermint mochas and peppermint lattes […]
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{Celebrate} Homemade For The Holidays | Fifteen Easy Ornament Ideas
This holiday season we’re focusing more on being together with family and friends than on the commercial aspect of the month, which is our usual tradition. A lot of the gifts we’re giving are homemade and as fun to put together as they are to bestow on our loved ones. Every year we normally buy exquisite […]
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{Craft} Easiest Autumn Harvest Wreath Ever
This is the easiest homemade wreath ever. No glue. No sew. Just wrap and tuck. Definitely a welcome craft after the tedious Baby Girl Welcome Wreath (although it’s no where near as pretty). Step 1 Wrap ribbon around your wreath. Step 2 Tie to secure. Step 3 Stick on a scarecrow. Step 4 Add leaves or […]
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{Craft} Baby Girl Yarn Wreath
I finally made my first yarn wreath! I used shimmery hot pink yarn around the entire wreath and accessorized with pink heart and polka dot ribbon, 12-month old t-shirts, pacifiers, a pacifier clip, cut out cardstock letters and cute pink ballet slippers. A few tips for my fellow first-timers: Do not wrap a straw wreath […]
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Minted Holiday Card Giveaway
It’s that time of year again - time to plan holiday menus, shop for holiday gifts, and order your holiday cards! Figuring out where to get modern holiday cards with designs that stand out in the sea of holiday tidings soon to flood your mailbox can be stressful. But lucky you: I’ve made it easier […]
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{Celebrate} DailyBuzz Moms 9×9 November Challenge | Rustic Thanksgiving Table
When I was selected to participate in DailyBuzz Moms 9×9 November Challenge, I was absolutely thrilled because this Thanksgiving is extra special for us. Hubby’s parents, who have never experienced a traditional American Thanksgiving, are coming to the States for the holiday and we’ve been busy trying to plan out an authentic meal and setting […]
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{Craft} Eucalyptus & Manzanita Leaf Thanksgiving Candle #GlueNGlitter
We’re trying to consume and spend less around here, so this holiday season, we’re making more homemade gifts and decorations or recycling what we’ve used (like using leftover Halloween candy for learning activities). This Eucalyptus and Manzanita Leaf Thanksgiving Candle perfectly fit out goals. All it took was one amazingly awesome Gold Metallic Elmer’s Painters […]
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{Bake} Easy Shortbread Family Cookies
We visited one of my friends and her sweet newborn baby girl this week and brought these shortbread cookies - one for each member of her new family of five: This recipe (adapted from Gourmet’s) is so easy you won’t even have to break out the mixer. Dress them up with royal icing clothing or […]
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{Celebrate} Candy-Filled Halloween Eggs
I have my flaming orange waist-length wig and witch’s garb and am so ready to hit the streets tonight for some trick-or-treating! Too bad I won’t be eligible for any of the candy since I’m a grown up - although, that’s probably a good thing if I want to win this competition. I’m still nostalgic […]
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{Craft} Make Your Own Monster Gift Kit
To know me is to know I can’t resist a good theme! I fell head over heels with all the pirate-themed birthday gifts Sam received at his first birthday party, so when we were invited to a monster-themed birthday, I just had to give a theme-y gift. But what to give? With so many birthday […]
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{Craft} Five Fresh Fall Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with good old fashioned carving when it comes to creating your jack o’lanterns for Halloween, but for a little twist on your old orange standby, here are five fresh pumpkin decorating ideas to try: The Ribbon Pumpkin Use self-adhesive ribbon to wrap up a pretty little pumpkin! Start at the top […]
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{Live} Halloween Pumpkin Patch at Lemos Farm
You know my favorite season is fall, but you probably didn’t know that my favorite “holiday” is Halloween! How could it not be, when it’s the one “holiday” that colorfully ushers in all of the upcoming season’s festivities? Once it hits, you know you’re in the thick of crisp fall fun and heading full throttle […]
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{Celebrate} Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice Baby Shower
When we heard that our good friend was having her third child - a girl after two boys - the first word that came to mind was “Sprinkle!” The second, of course, was “Pink!” The Theme What could be more girly than a Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice themed baby shower? The Venue The […]
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{Bake} The Outlaw Mom’s Gingerbread Sweetheart Mini Cakes and Cake Balls
E & C are getting married! To celebrate, Jane and I made them Gingerbread Sweetheart Cakes. These sweet little cakes would be perfect for celebrating Valentine’s Day, a birthday or an anniversary, too! Ingredients gingerbread cake (from scratch or mix) almond buttercream frosting (or cream cheese frosting) fondant candy melts (or white chocolate) heart-shaped cookie cutter Step […]
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{Play} Salt Dough Hand Prints
Inspired by these salt dough footprint keepsakes from The Imagination Tree, we made these salt dough handprints as one of Hubby’s Father’s Day presents: We followed The Imagination Tree’s tutorial, so I won’t re-post it here, but will just say that it is oh-so-fun for the kids to mix and knead the dough and make […]
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{Celebrate} Birthdays Are Forever | Free Special Agent Oso Birthday Party Invitation Printable
How could I have been so remiss? I posted all the details about our Special Agent Oso birthday party, but neglected to post our invitation! Here it is: Better late than never! Download a free printable invitation to personalize for your own little special agent’s celebration here. Just change the font to Cooper Black […]
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{Celebrate} Pirate Themed Birthday Party
Ahoy there, Mateys! You’ve read about my inspiration for Sam’s pirate themed first birthday party and how to make your own pirate party invitation - now here’s how our party turned out and some ideas for your buccaneer bash. The Pirate Ship From the second I came up with the idea for the pirate theme, I […]
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{Celebrate} Rolled Treasure Map Pirate Party Invitation
Inspired by this, the first thing I did to prepare for Sam’s pirate themed birthday party was to decide on the cake. After debating a pirate ship, a pirate face or a message in a bottle cake, I finally settled on a treasure chest. A treasure map invitation was a natural complement to the cake […]
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{Bake} Confetti Cake Pops and Easy Ribbon Box
Since my first shot at the cake pop, I’ve been busy trying to perfect my technique. I took my own advice on this attempt and chose white candy melts to make the spring confetti really pop. The lifesaver this time around: disposable candy melt bags. I’m never making cake pops again without this handy dandy device! […]
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{Celebrate} Candy-Filled Easter Eggs
All the cracking, bashing and crunching made these by far and away the most exciting springtime activity for the kids! They make a gorgeous hostess gift, too, and you can make them for any occasion. Materials: eggs (white eggs will take color better than brown, but you can do a few uncolored, brown eggs for […]
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{Celebrate} The Rise of Spring: Easter Craft & Baking Recap
I’ve always looked forward to back-to-school sales in early August, which mark the imminent start of the school year ahead. New academic apparel means Halloween - the first official “holiday” of Fall - is around the corner, with Thanksgiving soon to follow, and Christmas rounding out the holiday season in early Winter. This trio of […]
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{Celebrate} Inspiration for a Pirate Themed Birthday Party
After a few months of brainstorming, I finally picked a theme for Sam’s first birthday party last week: pirates! While I was mulling it over, the first obvious choice was a character-themed party from one of the television shows he watches. Yes, American Academy of Pediatrics - my not yet one-year old son watches television! […]
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{Celebrate} Where Have You Had Luck Finding Special Agent Oso Toys or Party Supplies?
It seems that we’re all in the same boat here: endlessly searching, but unable to find any Special Agent Oso toys, dolls, balloons, decorations or birthday supplies. I’ve tried doing some of the legwork for other parents with Oso-crazed toddlers (and have made some things on my own), but maybe you have a better suggestion? […]
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{Craft} Pretty Card and Cardholder from Specialty Cardstock
Here are the instructions for the card and cardholder we gave Hubby along with his specially gift-wrapped present. Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: After writing your message inside the card, insert the card into the cardholder and you’re finished! You Might Enjoy:Sugar Sugar Recipe Book Giveaway{Play} Bathtub PaintingLearning About Fall Colors + […]
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{Celebrate} Easy Handpainted Wrapping Paper
Jane loves to paint, so we decided to create a specially designed, one-of-a-kind art piece for Hubby’s birthday wrapping paper. This is just as easy as the simplest homemade wrapping paper we made for my Valentine’s Day present to myself, but a little messier. And, the results are a lot splashier! First, we headed to […]
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{Celebrate} Where is all the Special Agent Oso Merchandise?
It is next to near impossible to find any Special Agent Oso merchandise in stores or even online. When I planned my toddler’s Special Agent Oso themed birthday party, I couldn’t find a darn thing to decorate with or give her as a present. While I was okay with going to the Disney website’s Celebrations […]
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{Celebrate} The Simplest Homemade Wrapping Paper
Completely enamored by Chloe’s new fragrance, Love, Chloe, I bought my own Valentine’s present this year. (Well, Hubby also got me something). But buying your own gift doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be presented beautifully. I didn’t have any wrapping paper handy, so I enlisted Jane’s help. This is by the far the easiest wrapping paper […]
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{Celebrate} Special Agent Oso Themed Birthday
For Jane’s first birthday last year we had a Hello Kitty themed party, with a cute fondant cake from Sugar Butter Flour. This year, Jane wanted an “Oso birthday party!” Here’s how we did it. The Invitations We mailed out these homemade invitations - download your free printable! The Cake Although my own mother made […]
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{Celebrate} Easy Valentine’s Day Cake
We made this cake for Hubby’s birthday, but it’s just as easily a Valentine’s Day cake. First, we greased and floured a heart-shaped Wilton pan, which you can easily find at Michael’s or online. One trick to avoiding Crisco-hands is to scoop out the vegetable shortening in a paper towel instead of directly onto your […]
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Such fun ideas! I love the popcorn party! A DIY candy bucket would go great with the popcorn/movie party! Check it out
http://www.adoseofserendipity.blogspot.com/2013/01/diy-candy-gift-bucket.html
I love the candy bucket you put together - totally perfect for a movie party! Thanks for sharing