Archive for the ‘Printables’ Category

DIY Money Book Page Posies

Wednesday, May 6th, 2015

Graduation season is here and that means being prepared with lots of great gifts for the amazing grads in our life.

It probably goes without saying that one of the most useful gifts to a poor college student is money.

Of course, giving just money can sometimes feel less personal than I would like.

So, I crafted up some adorable money book page posies that you can create out of a few supplies you probably already have on hand, to make one beautiful posy or a bouquet for the graduate in your life.

I created this adorable, “What’s blooming? BOOK MONEY!” gift tag that you can attach to one of these simple paper flowers!

How cute is that?

To snag this tutorial and my free printables to make these Book Page Posies, head on over to the Kenmore blog today!

While you are there, be sure to check out their handy list of easy Mother’s Day DIY gifts that you can make for a special mama in your life!

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Tags: Free Graduation Printables, Graduation Gifts, How to Make Book Page Flowers, How to Make Book Page Posies, Kenmore Genius Blogger, Kenmore Spokesperson
Posted in Celebrations, DIY, Gifts, Holidays, My Work, Printables | No Comments »

The First Aid Essentials Every Mom Needs (Free Printables) & a $100 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway

Wednesday, January 14th, 2015

This post is sponsored on behalf of BHG at Walmart.

A fresh new year is a great time to not only declutter our homes of unnecessary items, but it is also a great time to stock up on life’s daily essentials. Emergency preparation has been something that has been on my mind these days and with the focus of our site being on health/wellness for the m challenge, I thought this would be a great time to address my poorly stocked First Aid Kit, a unique way to package it for the home, and I would love to give you the chance to win a gift card of $100 to create one yourself out of products from BHG at Walmart. What do I know about First Aid essentials and preparedness. It turns out, not much.

I am not an expert on emergencies and emergency situations, but lucky for me, I actually happen to know an ER doctor in town who has seen his fair share of emergencies at his hospital. Dr. Jamie Shoemaker is an ER Doctor for Elkhart General Hospital and GRACIOUSLY offered his expert opinion on what every mom should have in her First Aid Kit to be prepared for emergency situations.

It should come as no surprise that I barely had the bandages and cream category covered.

Ahem.

On his list of First Aid essentials, he suggested different size bandages, Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl, Hydrocortisone creme, Triple antibiotic ointment, hydrogen peroxide, nasal bulbsuction, syringes for oral med admin, tweezers, tape, gauze of varying sizes, Ace wraps, aloe, nail clippers, antiseptic wipes, instant cold compresses, scissors, pairs of non latex gloves, thermometer, splint, safety pins, calamine lotion, flashlight, blanket, tooth preservation
kit, contact lenses saline and case and a first aid manual.

Don’t worry- we have a printable for all of this for you to take when you head to the store.

He also noted that aspirin should be avoided in children due to Reye’s syndrome so he did not include it on this list for moms.

Thank you, Dr. Shoemaker, for helping us get prepared for emergencies in this new year.

I headed to Walmart with his list and wanted to stock up on every item, but also knew that I had to find a pretty way to package it. Thankfully, the BHG product line at Walmart offer a variety of cute totes, baskets, and other organizer essentials. Since I have nowhere to tuck my First Aid kit, it will rest on top of our little bathroom storage unit, on display for our guests. I wanted something attractive for storage so I settled on this handy Better Homes & Gardens Chesapeake Magazine Basket for under $13 that housed all of these fabulous First Aid essentials with ease and kept them tucked away without anyone knowing what is in there. How perfect is that?

Emergency preparedness is such an essential part of running a household and I know that this is something I should work on in our home. Whether it is being prepared with a bandage and some cream for the neverending injuries in our home or making sure our home is stocked with candles and flashlights for our neverending power outages or even more seriously, the need for disaster preparedness with canned foods and water…

Let’s face it, this stuff tends to fall on the shoulders of many mothers.

I know it falls on mine.

I can admit that I have done a pretty lousy job at stuff like that, but this year I want to do better and I want to encourage you to do better too. This month, the m challenge isn’t just about focusing on our own needs, but also on the needs of those we love. I hope this little push can help you this year to address key needs in your own household.

(just a screenshot- click below for the printable please!)

I have prepared for you a FREE printable list of First Aid Essentials that you can take to the store of all the recommendations Dr. Shoemaker offers for us. There is no need to stress about being prepared this year- we have you covered!

Enter below to win one $100 Walmart Gift Card from BHG at Walmart to stock your First Aid Kit for the new year. One lucky winner will receive this gift card to stock up on all the essentials. This giveaway ends on January 21st! Good luck, everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In accordance with the FTC Guidelines, I am disclosing that I received compensation from BHG at Walmart for my time and participation in the BHG Live Better Network. Although we have material connection to BHG, any publicly stated opinions of BHG and their products remain my own.

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Tags: First Aid Essentials, First Aid Kit Essentials, First Aid Supplies Everyone Needs, Free First Aid Essentials Printable, How to Make a First Aid Kit
Posted in Family, Home, Maximize, Morphosis, My Work, Organizing, Printables | No Comments »

Free Woodland Thanksgiving Printables & Decor Ideas

Monday, November 10th, 2014

This post is sponsored on behalf of BHG at Walmart.

As part of the BHG Live Better Network, I am partnering with them this month to showcase a beautiful way to entertain for the holidays utilizing products from BHG that are available at Walmart. Have you seen the woodland creatures line of dishes? Swoon- I am IN LOVE. These items are over in the seasonal display section of your store. As someone who couldn’t be fonder of foxes or owls, I was so excited to see these beautiful dishes at the store and most of these items are under $3 each- what a fun way to dress up your table.

I used my basic white dishes as I do for every holiday and keep things economical by adding a fun design to my salad plates for the holidays each year. These owl plates are so sweet and add a little pop of color to my table. A natural table runner like this one helps add texture to my table and I used owl mugs to hold our forks and spoons for our dinner. The foxy salt and pepper shakers add a little woodland whimsy to round out the table.

I used driftwood log cuts from our craft store to add different dimensions to the table, added a jar of branches from our backyard, and then added my DIY thumbtack pumpkins to finish the table.

Free Woodland Thanksgiving Printables & Decor Ideas

Crisp napkins made of stain resistant fabric are always top on my holiday shopping list for replacing each year. I found these over in the clearance section priced at a mere $1 each. I bought a package of rosemary, which adds a beautiful fragrance and a touch of green to the table, and clipped it with our free printable, “give thanks,” napkin tag and a mini clothespin.

You could also tie these napkins with a little jute twine and then clip the rosemary and, “gather together,” napkin tags to them, placing these on top of your owl plates. Print out all one variety of tag or use them both, alternating them at the place settings.

Even with my burlap runner, this entire table setting (minus my white dishes) costs just a little over $30 for everything. I love an affordable touch and really love these trendy pieces that BHG is offering this year for the Thanksgiving table. These would also be adorable for a kid’s table for the holidays!

We also have these beautiful woodland printables that you can print and hang in your kitchen or foyer to welcome your guests to match with the rest of our beautiful printable offerings this year! To help your guest feel warmly welcomed, my amazing designer & contributor, Sarah Milne with sarah m style, has created these amazing printables that you can share with your guests for Thanksgiving Day.

Grab Your FREE Woodland Creature Printables:

DOWNLOAD HERE

Free Woodland Thanksgiving Printables & Decor Ideas

DOWNLOAD HERE

Free Woodland Thanksgiving Printables & Decor Ideas

DOWNLOAD HERE

Catch up on my other projects with BHG at Walmart:

Make a Guest Room Welcome Basket (Free Guest Room Printables)

BHG Live Better Style Showcase

In accordance with the FTC Guidelines, I am disclosing that I received compensation from BHG at Walmart for my time and participation in the BHG Live Better Network. Although we have material connection to BHG, any publicly stated opinions of BHG and their products remain my own.

Tags: BHG at Walmart, BHG Woodland Creature, Free Fox Printables, Free Owl Printables, Free Thanksgiving Printables, Woodland Creature Printables
Posted in Celebrations, Holidays, Home, My Work, Printables | No Comments »

Make a Guest Room Welcome Basket (With 5 FREE Printables)

Tuesday, September 9th, 2014

This post is sponsored on behalf of BHG at Walmart.

With the holidays just around the corner, now is a great time to begin preparing your home for guests. Since we live in a smaller home, we have never had the luxury of having a guest room in our house since every inch of our home is just filled with…well, us. Recently though we finished our shed into a bonus room and realized that this is actually the perfect space to share with our guests when they come to visit. It makes for the perfect guest room because you can come and go as you please with your very own space to escape from our wild and crazy family, since it is separate from our living space.

As part of the BHG Live Better Network, I am partnering with them this month to showcase an idea for welcoming guests in your home that you can create with products from BHG that are available at Walmart. Since we don’t have a dedicated guest room for just this purpose, I thought it would be fun to create a guest room welcome basket that you could tuck away in your basement storage or a linen closet to share with your guests when they arrive. There is no need to make an addition to that house when you have a basket prepared of guest essentials that you can bring out when the unexpected house guest arrives.

Pictured Above: Better Homes & Gardens 400 Thread Count Egyptian Cotton Sheet Sets ($39.88- $69.88)/Better Homes & Gardens Large Chicken Wire Basket ($12.44)/ Please Do Not Disturb Sign (FREE- see below), Better Homes & Gardens 8×10 Frame ($9.97)/ Febreeze Home Collection Almond Sugar Candle ($11.97)/ Better Homes & Gardens White Bath Towels ($5.88)/ Be Our Guest 8×10 Printable (FREE- see below)

One of my favorite things about staying at a hotel is the plush sheets, fresh linens, the do not disturb sign I can hang on my door knob for privacy, and the welcoming touches and amenities that hotels offer. You can create that same experience for your very own guests at home with a few of the thoughtful touches that I have pulled together for our welcome basket. Fresh white linens, a welcome sign you can display on a nightstand or table, a do not disturb sign for your door, plush white sheets, and a delicious smelling candle complete the touches in this lined chicken wire basket for a guest to enjoy when they come to visit.

You can find all of these special touches from the BHG product line at Walmart stores. A simple gathering of these items creates a sweet & thoughtful guest room basket instantly. Other sweet offerings could include chocolates, bedtime teas, a favorite good read or the morning paper, and a note to let them know how excited you are to have them as a guest. Think of all of the things you appreciate when you are a guest somewhere and include them in your basket to let your guests know how much you appreciate them.

Add our, “Be our Guest,” printable to a BHG 8×10 frame (priced at less than $10) and it really adds that special warm welcome that I hope we can achieve when hosting friends and family in our home.

To help your guest feel warmly welcomed, my amazing designer & contributor, Sarah Milne with sarah m style, has created these amazing printables that you can print and share in your basket for your guests! Aren’t these BEAUTIFUL and such a sweet touch for a welcome basket for guests?

Grab These FREE Printables For Your Guest Basket

Download this Printable HERE

What are some special touches you love to offer you guests? Any tips for families that don’t have a dedicated guest room? Feel free to share your tips below!

In accordance with the FTC Guidelines, I am disclosing that I received compensation from BHG at Walmart for my time and participation in the BHG Live Better Network. Although we have material connection to BHG, any publicly stated opinions of BHG and their products remain my own.

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Tags: BHG Live Better Network, Free Do Not Disturb Door Hangers, Free Guest Room Printables, Free Printables, Freebies, Guest Room Essentials, Make a Guest Room Welcome Basket
Posted in Freebies, Home, My Work, Organizing, Printables | No Comments »

14 FREE Home Management Binder Printables

Tuesday, August 26th, 2014

When I first began managing my household, I happened upon a home management binder that really worked for our family. The binder became our family Bible and each year I would order a new set of sheets to keep the same binder going for our family for the next year. Last year when I went to order my sheets, the company no longer existed and I felt lost without my trusty home management binder system. I talked with our amazingly talented craft contributor, Sarah Milne, to see if she could help me execute a binder with the same principles, but a fresh design that would make managing a home fun. She created the most beautiful set of printables ever and I am so excited to share these with you today.

What Is a Home Management Binder?

When I say that a home management binder can be a Bible for a family, I really do mean that. A well-designed binder, which I really think we offer with these printables, helps you manage everything in your household in one place. This binder is housed typically in a central location in your home and contains everything your family needs to have on-hand from your family calendar, your to-do list, important contact information that you want to have at a moment’s notice (particularly for someone who might babysit), the meal plan for the week, grocery lists, a price sheet, and all you need to run your family’s finances smoothly.

I recommend storing this binder and then purchasing a set of pocketed dividers where you can tuck important information that you might need to refer to. I took a picture of my pockets for you and then realized that it is all pretty personal so you will have to take my word for it that this is where you put the good stuff. When school starts, in particular, you will find your mailbox filled with fliers for events, important forms that need to be filled out, appointment reminders, and invitations. Instead of piling them on a desk or tacking them on the fridge, use the pockets so you always know where to find these items when you need them. I also like to keep an extra pocket or two in the back for the randomness in my life- consider it another junk drawer, if you will. I have also found that a good spot in the home for daily reference is in your family’s command center.

We have created header pages for each section and I do recommend printing these on heavy-duty cardstock so that they can hold up to the abuse of being referenced daily!

What is Included In Our Home Management Binder Packet?

First, I just want to say that this is the just the beginning. I plan to come up with more sheets that you can use for all of your home management needs and this will be an ongoing project for MomAdvice.com. I want this to be useful to you so please, please let me know in the comments if there is anything you would like to see that we are missing in our packet. It will help us when we design the next round of sheets for you!

In our packet you will find:

Family Budget Pages

Grocery Price Sheet (for comparison shopping)

Grocery List Sheet

Menu Planner Sheet

Family Calendar

To-Do List

Contact Sheet

Header Pages for Each Section (to print on cardstock)

What is the Catch to These “Free” Printables?

Honestly, I paid a lot of money each year to update my binder with new sheets, but I didn’t want to charge for these.

We realize that there is so much happening on MomAdvice each week that it can be difficult to keep up with. I hired another designer to create a beautiful weekly newsletter for our readers that I would love for you to subscribe to. This email newsletter only is sent once a week to our readers (unless we have a special announcement/giveaway) and I promise to never, never spam you. In this newsletter, we feature everything that is happening for the week and this is where our subscribers can access the free printables and additional freebies that we offer ONLY TO NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS. It is beautiful, simple, mobile-friendly, and fast to scroll through. I promise, I will never send you junk. I know your time is valuable and so is mine- I am committed to a very useful newsletter.

Honestly though, I realized that we needed to offer some type of incentive to get you to join my newsletter and this is our thank you for letting me come in your inbox once a week. That is the only catch with getting free printables from MomAdvice.com.

If you are interested in receiving 14 free home management printables, just input your email below or in the sidebar and we will send you the link to your packet as our thank you for being a subscriber (look for it in the final welcome email). Subscribers will have access to our additional printables as they become available. Note: if you already subscribe to the Mom Advice Newsletter, be sure to look in your inbox for a special email that contains the link for your set of these printables! If you can’t seem to get the form to work with your browser, just look over to your right in the sidebar. You will see a handy form there too that works with all browsers! We appreciate you so much! Thank you!

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This post contains affiliate links.

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Tags: Command Center Ideas, Free Home Management Binder Packet, Free Home Management Binder Printables, Home Management Binder, How to Make a Home Management Binder
Posted in Announcements, Freebies, Giveaways, Home, Organizing, Printables, Time Management, Work | No Comments »

DIY Library Tote Bags with Free Printable Designs

Monday, July 21st, 2014

From our diy/craft contributor, Sarah Milne.

DIY Book Tote with free printable designs

Our summer holidays are in full swing. We haven’t any big trips planned, but a few little adventures here and there, along with days filled with a good balance of relaxation and local outings.

One of our weekly summer activities includes a trip to the library. During the summer, it’s so important to keep those little brains stimulated. Also, my oldest is in a French Immersion school and the library is a great resource for her to brush up on her reading and language, en francais.

DIY Book Tote with free printable designs

DIY Book Tote with free printable designs
A good book bag is essential, especially when my girls seem to collect a giant stack of books each visit. I designed some awesome library totes for each of us to take along using a set of canvas tote bags from Michaels (bought with a coupon, of course), and I’ve prepared a set of printables for all of you to print and iron on your own canvas tote bags! These make for such a great gift for the book lovers in your life – there’s a grown-up quote, a floral heart and an adorable gal or guy fox to choose from.

DIY Book Tote with free printable designs

The supplies.

Canvas tote bag
Ink jet iron on transfer for light fabric
Free printable tote bag designs
Scissors
Iron
Towel
Hard surface for ironing

DIY Book Tote with free printable designs

The how-to.

Download the free printable book tote designs (links to individual designs below).
Following the instructions on your ink jet iron on transfer pack, print your desired design.
Trim the design around it’s edges. For the quote, trim each phrase separately.
Diligently iron your canvas totes before applying the transfer to make for the smoothest surface.
Place your transfer in its place and iron. Follow the instructions on your transfer pack as each varies. I ironed my transfer repeatedly over the course of 2 minutes.
Let your transfers cool completely before removing the backing.
Off to the library you go!

More ideas.

Embellish your totes by adding ribbon ties on the handles or sewing ribbon to the handle.
Have your child add their own personal touch by painting or drawing on the back of their totes using fabric paint or markers.
Roll up your tote and tie with a ribbon and tag and gift to the book lover in your life!

DOWNLOAD free printable tote bag designs.

she reads books quote tote bag design

floral heart tote bag design

gal fox books are cool tote bag design

guy fox books are cool tote bag design

DIY Book Tote with free printable designs

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Tags: Crafting, DIY, Freebies, Gifts, Kid Crafts, Printables
Posted in DIY, Gifts, Printables | 1 Comment »

3 Favorite Ways to Top Off Your Dessert (Free Printables!)

Monday, February 17th, 2014

From our diy/craft contributor, Sarah.

Oh, my! You are in for a big treat today because Sarah Milne, from Sarah M Style, is an amazing crafting and design genius and she is joining us each month to share her knowledge. I am so thrilled to introduce you to her today and I know that she has many fun printables and ideas for our homes and crafts that you are going to be looking forward to her featured post each month!

February and March are birthday months for the boys in my life. In February, my little guy turns two, and in March, my husband, well, let’s just say he’ll be much closer to 40 than 35. Whether it’s a homemade waffle birthday breakfast or a donut cake, we love our desserts around here! In my very first DIY and crafting post for MomAdvice.com, I’d like to show you three of my favorite ways to top off our sweet treats.

POM POM GARLAND

First, and my most fave, is this simple fuzzy and fluffy pom pom garland. Colourful and playful, it adds so much fun to your dessert. You could make this garland with tiny to large fuzzy pom poms or even craft your own poms out of yarn.

What you need.

Pom poms. Size and color of choice.
(I purchased an assorted bag from Michaels with my trusty weekly coupon.)
Twine or thread
Large needle
Scissors
Skewers, straws, small dowels

The how to.

On your crafting surface, arrange your pom poms in your desired order.
Thread your needle. Begin to thread the first pom onto the twine. Be sure to leave at least 5 inches excess on the end.
Thread each pom onto the twine. Space the poms a desired distance apart.
Once you’ve completed adding your poms, tightly secure the twine to your stick using a double knot. Trim your twine.
Tightly secure the other end to your second stick and trim.
Insert into your sweet treat.
Dig in!

CHALKBOARD TOPPERS

I love that these toppers can be reused throughout the year and for all types of celebrations from birthday breakfasts to report card day! I found these small wooden shapes for less than 50 cents at Michaels and gave them a triple coat of chalkboard paint.

What you need.

Wooden shapes
Straws, popsicle sticks, or small dowels
Chalkboard paint
Foam brush
Paper towel or newspaper
Hot glue gun and glue
Chalk

The how to.

Protect your crafting surface with paper towel or newspaper.
Paint your wooden shapes using the chalkboard paint. When using chalkboard paint for crafts, I use a minimum of 3 coats. Allow for drying time in between coats. It seems to dry quickly.
Attach your wooden shapes to your stick using a dab of hot glue.
Draw or decorate your chalkboard topper for your occasion.
Insert into your sweet treat.
Dig in!

PAPER BANNER WITH WASHI GARLAND + FREE PRINTABLE

Washi tape is a huge trend right now – and there are limitless crafts you can muster with it! My go-to topper are washi garlands. Paired with a paper banner, it makes a super sweet addition to your treat. I’ve designed two free printable paper banners in 3 colors for your next occasion.

What you need.

A collection of favorite washi tapes
Twine
Skewers, straws or small dowels
Free printable paper banner: {Click to download} HOORAY! or HAPPY BIRTHDAY

The how to.

Cut a 18 inch length of twine
Cut your washi tape in equal or varied lengths and fold evenly over the twine, leaving 5 inches of vacant twine on each end.
Print the free printable paper banner and trim.
Secure your paper banner to the top of your sticks using a piece of washi or hot glue
Below the paper banner, tightly secure your washi tape garland using a double knot or bow to each stick.
Insert into your sweet treat.
Dig in!

Grab Your Free Printables HERE:

DIY Happy Birthday Dessert Topper

DIY HOORAY! Dessert Topper

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Tags: Celebrations, Crafting, Cupcake toppers, dessert toppers, DIY, DIY Cupcake Picks, Freebies, Holidays
Posted in Celebrations, Crafts & Celebrations, DIY, Kids Crafts, Printables | 4 Comments »

Chinese New Year Family Tradition: We Are a Fortunate Family Felt Fortune Cookies

Monday, January 27th, 2014

I love to create new holiday traditions with my family and today’s project is in honor of the Chinese New Year! To celebrate, I am sharing a tutorial on how to make felt fortune cookies and a free printable that can be placed on a jar for a special Chinese New Year tradition.

I have partnered with Walmart on this project to showcase a fun project that you can do in honor of the holiday. All supplies for this project can be found at their store!

What is Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4712 begins on Jan. 31, 2014. A fun fact for this year is that this is the year of the horse.

New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year. Can you just imagine?

According to the Chinese legend, Buddha arranged a meeting and asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve animals came and Buddha named a year after each one. If you were born in certain years, your personality is supposedly aligned with your animal. Those born in horse years are cheerful, skillful with money, perceptive, witty, talented and good with their hands. Since this is the year of the horse, if you have a child born this year, it sounds like you will have quite a talented and delightful child.

There are many great traditions around this holiday that include wearing red clothes which symbolizes fire and drives away bad luck, and a lantern festival, and one thing that Americans really seem to get behind is…

The FEASTING.

We are a Fortunate Family

Since the Chinese New Year is about feasting and family, I wanted to create a craft that would work for these two elements of the holiday. I love that many elements of this holiday focus on luck & good fortune. Incorporating this element, today we are making felt fortune cookies, but instead of filling them with predicted fortunes, we are going to fill them with all we are so fortunate for.

Because we are a FORTUNATE family.

I love gratitude projects and thankfulness for all we have around the dinner table is definitely a tradition that I want my family to embrace.

Supplies Needed

(All Available at Walmart)

Felt Sheets (any color)

3/8″ grosgrain ribbon

Floral Wire

Wire Clippers

Large Mason Jar

Scissors

Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks

1 piece of heavy cardstock

1 piece of white paper & pencil

How to Make Felt Fortune Cookies

1. Using your ribbon spool or the bottom of your mason jar, trace a circle with a pencil or marker. Cut out your circle.

2. Snip a piece of floral wire, approximately the length of your circle, with your wire cutters. Add a line of hot glue, and place the wire in the center of the glue.

3. Snip grosgrain ribbon the approximate length of your circle and then secure over the wire with a little additional glue.

4. Fold your circle in half and then bend like a fortune cookie. Repeat the process until you have a jar full of fortune cookies.

You can enlist your helpers to help make your fortune cookies. Since we have had UNLIMITED SNOW DAYS THAT NEVER END, I have many helping hands. Ahem.

The best part though, is involving them in the gratitude portion of this project. Using the writing prompt,

“I’m Fortunate For…”

Have children write down all the things that make their family special.

Emily said, “I’m Fortunate For…that my family are GRATE dancers.”

What can I say? She comes from a long lineage of family members that just BRING IT on the dance floor!

Mom & Dad can get in on the fortune cookie writing prompt too. Hopefully your husband doesn’t read this aloud and then ELABORATE endlessly on his AMAZINGNESS.

Awkward.

My husband designed this fantastic printable that you can attach to a jar. I just dabbed a little glue on my jar and attached this side. You could also print this on label paper or attach with a little double-sided tape to finish your project. (Grab the printable at the bottom of this post!)

If you are looking for dinner options, here are couple of great ones that I can recommend!

This delicious gluten-free orange chicken would make a fantastic meal!

These Peanut Ginger Chicken Noodles are always a big hit!

And this Weeknight Chicken Lo Mein is fast & easy to prepare!

However you celebrate this holiday, I hope this post offers some inspiration for fun ways to celebrate with your family.

Grab Our FREE “We Are a Fortunate Family,” printable.

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Tags: Chinese New Year Crafts, Chinese New Year Kids Crafts, Felt Fortune Cookies Tutorial, What is Chines New Year
Posted in Celebrations, DIY, Kid Eats, Kids Crafts, My Work, Printables | 4 Comments »

How to Make a Minecraft Steve Costume for Halloween

Thursday, October 10th, 2013

Halloween is just around the corner and today I wanted to share a fun Minecraft Costume you can create for your very own little Minecraft-addict. DIY Minecraft costumes are fun to make with your kids and give you a chance to spend time together.

Do you have a Minecraft fan on your hands? Trick or treating in this easy diy Steve costume couldn’t be easier (or more fun). Snag the pdf files to transform a cardboard box into a fun mask.

My son and I made this Steve Halloween costume way back in 2013 together. This adorable little boy, in these pictures, is now in his junior year of high school and supporting a mustache.

My, how time flies!

When I look back on these pictures, they fill me with a lot of joy because we did this together. While my daughter is ALWAYS game for a diy project, my son is far less interested in crafting with his old mom.

Luckily, his Halloween costume request was just what we needed to enjoy a day of crafting together.

If you are looking for an affordable minecraft costume, this post is just your ticket. Not only am I sharing our homemade Steve costume with you, I’m also sharing several other costume ideas for your Minecraft obsessed kid.

How to Make a Minecraft Steve Costume for Halloween

Supplies Needed:

1- 11x11x11 box (This size is NOT available at Walmart. We got ours at FedEx, but you can try Kinkos or the UPS store)

Minecraft Steve Printables– PDF’s printed on 11×17 paper (either print at home or have them printed at the same shipping/printing supplies stores that I have listed above)

Glue Stick and/or glue gun & glue sticks

Paper Trimmer or Scissors

Box Cutter

Packing tape

Aqua Blue Shirt

Directions:

1. Print out your Minecraft Steve Head printables. I put these files on a jump drive and brought them to Kinkos with me and asked them to print the files on 11×17 paper.

Read through this comment thread for printing options. It appears that UPS Store is the most affordable of the options.

You can also print at home or try printing the files on smaller paper and piecing them together to save on costs. Feel free to also share your own experience with printing these by leaving a comment below!

2. Begin by taping together the bottom of you box. Once the bottom of your box is taped, you can begin folding in the flaps of the box on the other end, to create a hole for your child’s head.

3. Using a paper trimmer or scissors begin trimming off any of the white portions on the printables.

4. Cover the backside of the first printable with glue. We found the glue stick provided a great start and then I reinforced it, using my glue gun, with little dabs of hot glue along the seam underneath.

5. Repeat the above process and finish with Steve’s hair on top, carefully gluing the edges of the hair down around the top of the box with a little hot glue to secure.

6. Have an adult cut the holes out for Steve’s eyes and wear your new Steve head proudly. Pair it with an aqua t-shirt and blue jeans to complete the look.

If you think that Halloween is just for kids, you aren’t doing it right.

Here was our couple’s costume from 2013

We sure do love Halloween around here! You can check out our favorite couples costume ideas over here. My husband sure does make a dashing Sue Sylvester! Yes, we get into it just as much as the kids do. And why shouldn’t we?

Looking for more fun DIY Minecraft Costume Ideas? Check out these fun ideas!

Easy Painted Steve Head

Iron Sword & Diamond Pickaxe Printables

DIY Minecraft Wither Skeleton Costume

DIY Minecraft Zombie Costume

Telescoping Minecraft Creeper Costume

DIY Minecraft Costume Printable

20 Amazing Minecraft Costume Ideas (for some extra Minecraft-y inspiration)

And why shouldn’t YOU?

here are a few other halloween diy ideas you might like to try this year!

how to make glow-in-the-dark jell-o

doughnut hole ghost cake

how to paint pumpkins with acrylic paints (a fun halloween craft idea!)

If you are still looking for fun Halloween ideas, you must visit this DIY Halloween Costume Ideas article and this list of 7 More DIY Halloween Costumes to try creating. Happy Halloween, friends!

Tags: Creeper Minecraft Costume, DIY Minecraft Costume Ideas, DIY Minecraft Pickaxe, Steve Head Costume, Walmart Moms
Posted in Early Childhood, Family, Frugal, Holidays, Kids Crafts, My Work, Printables, Saving, Teenagers | 2 Comments »

A Monster of a Father’s Day Gift: Monster Cookie Bars & Monster Printable Cards For Dad

Monday, June 3rd, 2013

Monster Cookie Bars & Printables from MomAdvice.com. Father’s Day is just around the corner & today we wanted to share a monster of a Father’s Day gift with a cute spin on the monster theme with easy monster cookie bars and printable monster cards for a special Dad in your life.

Monster Cookie Bars & Printables from MomAdvice.com.

This week’s challenge from Walmart was to create an inexpensive Father’s Day gift that would wow your Dad. Well, if your dad is anything like our Dad, he is certainly wowed with homemade treats and funny cards with a great sense of humor. Our idea was to mix up a batch of thick and delicious Monster Cookie Bars made with rolled oats, peanut butter, mini M&M’s (found over in their candy aisle), and chocolate chips.

Monster Cookies can be a bit of a monster to create as a drop cookie because of their monster size. I choose to echo the words of an amazing woman I once heard speak these wise words…

“Ain’t nobody got time for that.”

Wise, right?

Bar cookies get a big fist pump from this busy mom and if a celebration requires a cookie, I often rely on these chocolate chip cookie bars to get us through whatever baking requirements are made for those occasions. These Monster Cookie Bars are equally delicious and offer that crusty exterior with that soft interior that makes, in my humble opinion, the perfect cookie.

Monster Cookie Bars & Printables from MomAdvice.com.

What Father’s Day would be complete without a card to accompany your sweet gift? We are so excited to debut these adorable Monster cards that you can print out to attach with your Monster Cookie Bars for your favorite Dad. We have included three fun printable cards for Father’s Day and then 1 that could be used for any occasion to accompany your sweet treat. Print these printables out on white card stock and you will be all set for this Father’s Day!

Download Your FREE Monster Card Printables HERE:

Happy Father’s Day From Your Monster FREE printable card

Your Gift is a Monster! FREE printable card

Eat All the Cookies FREE printable card

We Are Your Spawn FREE printable card

I can admit that this family has had Monsters on our brain after getting a sneak peek at the Monsters University movie that is set to hit theaters on June 21st. While our family was at the Disney Social Media Moms conference, we got an exclusive sneak peek at the film. It is FANTASTIC, and dare I say it, even funnier than the first one. I have no doubt that your family will love it!

Our Monster Cookie Bars would really pull together a fun family night out to see this fantastic film and you can find loads of fun Monsters supplies in the party favors aisle of your Walmart store including fun cups, plates, and other party favors for an inexpensive night to enjoy while tackling your summer bucket list or our 100 Days of Summer Pinterest Board.

Now that you have the printables, here is the deliciously easy and tasty recipe for these Monster Cookie Bars. We recommend preparing these in a metal 9×13 pan for best results!

Monster Cookie Bars

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Adapted from The BakerMama

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 15

Monster cookies made easy in a bar cookie. Be sure to pair these easy cookies with our free Monster printables.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups creamy peanut buter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup mini M&M’s (approximately half a bag)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 pan with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until blended. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
Mix in oats until well combined.
Stir in chocolate chips and mini M&M’s
Press dough evenly into prepared baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden brown and set in the middle. Let cool completely in baking dish then cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Happy Father’s Day to all of our Dad readers (I know you’re out there!) and here’s hoping you get spoiled by a few of your favorite monsters!

Be sure to check back this week for more great Father’s Day gifts on a budget!

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Tags: Free Monster Printables, Monster Cards, Monster Cookie Bars, Monsters University Printables, Walmart Moms
Posted in Celebrations, Desserts, DIY, Freebies, Gifts, Kid Eats, Kids Crafts, My Work, Printables | 9 Comments »

Archive for the ‘Printables’ Category

DIY Money Book Page Posies

To snag this tutorial and my free printables to make these Book Page Posies, head on over to the Kenmore blog today!

While you are there, be sure to check out their handy list of easy Mother’s Day DIY gifts that you can make for a special mama in your life!

The First Aid Essentials Every Mom Needs (Free Printables) & a $100 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway

(just a screenshot- click below for the printable please!)

Enter below to win one $100 Walmart Gift Card from BHG at Walmart to stock your First Aid Kit for the new year. One lucky winner will receive this gift card to stock up on all the essentials. This giveaway ends on January 21st! Good luck, everyone!

Free Woodland Thanksgiving Printables & Decor Ideas

Grab Your FREE Woodland Creature Printables:

Catch up on my other projects with BHG at Walmart:

Make a Guest Room Welcome Basket (With 5 FREE Printables)

Grab These FREE Printables For Your Guest Basket

What are some special touches you love to offer you guests? Any tips for families that don’t have a dedicated guest room? Feel free to share your tips below!

14 FREE Home Management Binder Printables

What Is a Home Management Binder?

What is Included In Our Home Management Binder Packet?

What is the Catch to These “Free” Printables?

This post contains affiliate links.

DIY Library Tote Bags with Free Printable Designs

3 Favorite Ways to Top Off Your Dessert (Free Printables!)

Grab Your Free Printables HERE:

Chinese New Year Family Tradition: We Are a Fortunate Family Felt Fortune Cookies

What is Chinese New Year?

We are a Fortunate Family

Supplies Needed

How to Make Felt Fortune Cookies

How to Make a Minecraft Steve Costume for Halloween

How to Make a Minecraft Steve Costume for Halloween

Supplies Needed:

Directions:

Looking for more fun DIY Minecraft Costume Ideas? Check out these fun ideas!

here are a few other halloween diy ideas you might like to try this year!

how to make glow-in-the-dark jell-o

doughnut hole ghost cake

how to paint pumpkins with acrylic paints (a fun halloween craft idea!)

If you are still looking for fun Halloween ideas, you must visit this DIY Halloween Costume Ideas article and this list of 7 More DIY Halloween Costumes to try creating. Happy Halloween, friends!

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