Don’t Miss the Flourish Overstock Sale!

July 25th, 2013

Overstock_Sale_2 Oh, Happy Day! The Flourish Boutique Overstock Sale starts up this weekend for all of my local friends. The sale takes place from Friday, July 26th-Sunday, July 28th. They will be open from 10AM-6PM on Friday & Saturday and 12PM-4PM on Sunday. 

Overstock_Sale_3

Overstock_Sale_4 I got the chance to sneak peek the sale last night and the deals are incredible. The entire lower level of the store has been transformed into a bargain shoppers delight. I ended up snagging this dress in both pink & white and black & white for a mere $22 each. Did I mention that it is lined and came with a really cute belt? Such a steal!

The Overstock items are marked down between 60-90% off their original price and there are many bargains to be had for less than $25! 

Flash Sale

Are you not local? No problem! The Online Flash Sale will take place ONLINE ONLY on Thursday August 1st. Join the Flourish FB Page and participate in their sale live from 7PM-10PM, with items selling in auction style format! 

Flourish_8 Thank you again to Flourish Boutique for being a valued supporter of MomAdvice and giving me the chance to preview their incredible sale! I hope you won’t miss it!  Happy shopping, friends!!

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Amy’s Notebook 07.24.13

July 24th, 2013

blackberry blondies

Source: Baking Bites

 

Blackberries are in season and these Blondies with blackberries added to the batter look incredible – who would’ve thought?

I think even frozen strawberries would work to make this Easy Strawberry Sorbet – and what a perfect dessert for a warm summer’s night.

I’m loving this fun vintagey Australian apartment full of retro furniture and things like pink flamingos. You’ve gotta check out the pink cuckoo clock!

Make your own reusable Peppermint Kitchen Clean-up Wipes, a quick and easy project that can save you time and money (not to mention producing less trash).

This beautiful diy Pottery Barn-knockoff seagrass style headboard was crafted from a $1 yard sale seagrass-type roller shade – love it!

amys_notebook

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

 

Apron Full of Giveaways 07.23.13

July 23rd, 2013

blue-gathered-apron

Source: Pretty Ditty,  $12.50 {pattern only}

 

Welcome to our Apron Full of Giveaways! I hope everyone is having a great week this week! As we do each week, here is our round-up of giveaways for our readers. We hope that this is beneficial to you and your family! Please let us know if you guys win anything- I love to hear the success stories!

Below are the contest links-if you are hosting a contest please link it up below. Sorry, we are not giving away the aprons just showcasing them! Please put your site name and then what type of contest you are hosting. For example, “MomAdvice (Kid’s Movies).”

Good luck to each of you!

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DIY Outdoor Chalkboard Door

July 17th, 2013

DIY Outdoor Chalkboard DoorWhat could be better than a fun summertime outdoor project? Today I want to showcase an easy DIY Outdoor Chalkboard Door that I created to entertain my kids in the summer months. This DIY chalkboard project that we created is one of my new favorite things in our backyard.  This project featured is in conjunction with my job as a Walmart Mom and all of the supplies can be found at your local Walmart store.

DIY Outdoor Chalkboard Door

Here is a picture of what our tired old door looked like on our outdoor shed. The neutral paint showed all of the dirt, debris, and water drip marks all over it. It was becoming an eye sore in our backyard. Instead of painting it with regular paint, I decided to transform this spot into a new backyard activity area and give the kids a spot to do their drawing outside.

For adult entertaining, this can double as a place to jot down a menu, create a welcome sign for your guests, or keep tally of game scores in a wild game of badminton.

We are crazy like that.

DIY Outdoor Chalkboard DoorSupplies List (if you buy everything it will be less than $25 in supplies!)

1- 30 ounce container of Rust-Oleum Chalkboard Paint in Black Finish (over in the painting supplies)

Soapy Water & Rag (for wiping down your door)

Painters Tape

Paint Roller

Paint Brush

Paint Tray/Liners

Directions

1. Clean your surface and let it dry. I wiped my door down with a grout brush and a pail of sudsy water and then rinsed it with our hose.

2. Tape off around your door handle to protect it from getting paint on it.

3. Pour your paint into your paint tray and begin applying your first coat with your paint roller. The paint will be dry to the touch within thirty minutes, but give it a full four hours before applying your second coat.

4. Add a second coat of paint and repeat with the same timing above, if you desire, to add a third coat.

5. Allow the door to dry for three whole days before beginning  your conditioning or writing on it.

6. Before writing on it, after three days time, condition the surface by rubbing the side of a piece of chalk on the surface and then erase.  I like to rub my chalk in one direction and then rub it in the opposite direction for good coverage. This  will leave a coat of chalk dust that will provide erasability. Your chalkboard can be wiped clean with a damp towel, but wait seven days after painting before wiping it down. Repeat the conditioning step after cleaning.

DIY Outdoor Chalkboard Door

DIY Outdoor Chalkboard Door

Give your kids some chalk and the chance to create their own welcome sign for your guests outdoors!  I hope your family loves this project as much as we do! The best part is the hours of enjoyment they get and the lack of dirt showing on my outdoor door in the backyard.

A win-win for both kids and parents!

If you loved this project, I just know that you will love these ideas for Chalkboard Fun & Outdoor Entertaining!

S’More Toppings Bar Party

DIY Chalkboard Conversation Bubble Cookie Jars

Dollar Store DIY Chalkboard Food Label Frames

DIY Lunchbox Creation Station

walmart_mom_disclaimer

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Amy’s Notebook 07.17.13

July 17th, 2013

Beach-Towel-Backpack

Source: Craftaholics Anonymous

 

Wouldn’t it be nice for your kids to carry their own towels and stuff to the beach or pool on their backs? Create one (or more!) of these cute beach towel backpacks and you’ll never have to hold their water bottle again…maybe!

This Woodland kid’s birthday party is seriously swoon-worthy.

If you’ve got a stash of colorful buttons, making up some adorable DIY button rings with your kids is a great way to use a few of them!

With all the grilling that comes with summertime, I’m thinking that having a list of 11 marinades made in minutes is a good thing – a very good thing.

If you love corn and tomato season, then you’ll love this list of 10 summer salads that all use a combination of these two vegetables!

amys_notebook

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

Apron Full of Giveaways 07.16.13

July 16th, 2013

reversable apron

Source: Walkerville Textiles,  $34.50

 

Welcome to our Apron Full of Giveaways! I hope everyone is having a great week this week! As we do each week, here is our round-up of giveaways for our readers. We hope that this is beneficial to you and your family! Please let us know if you guys win anything- I love to hear the success stories!

Below are the contest links-if you are hosting a contest please link it up below. Sorry, we are not giving away the aprons just showcasing them! Please put your site name and then what type of contest you are hosting. For example, “MomAdvice (Kid’s Movies).”

Good luck to each of you!

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Rainy Day Summertime Activities

July 10th, 2013

Since we’ve been having a run of rainy weather where we live, I thought it would be a great idea to pull together some fun rainy day summertime activities (and even one outdoor project that uses rain!) to help get you through those inevitable wet, summer days.

Rainy Day Activities: MomAdvice.com

You’ll find a few kid-friendly recipes, some projects to give to others, and fun classic indoor games and activities to inspire you to take advantage of summer’s rainy days.

The best part? This is only the tip of the iceberg of summertime activities – both indoor and outdoor! You’ll find oh, so much more on our 100 Days of Summer Pinterest Board – 2013 edition. And if that weren’t enough, there’s the 2012 and the 2011 editions of 100 Days of Summer boards, too. So, no excuses – take some time to have fun with your kids and make some memories!

Here are some MomAdvice classics:

kid_made_cookbook

Create a Kid’s Cookbook

whole wheat toaster tart

Make Whole Wheat Toaster Tarts

homeless_care_package

Create a Homeless Care Package and give it away.

Glow_In_The_Dark_Jello

Wow the kids with our famous diy Glow in the Dark Jello.

Spaghetti_Cupcakes

Cook up some cute Spaghetti Cupcakes.

And here are some more way cool activities to help beat the wet weather boredom (please be sure to pin from the original source I’ve provided- thanks!).

Rain-Painting

Paint in the Rain @Housing a Forest

coloured-butterflies

Paper Butterfly Garland @ My Poppet

balloon-powered-lego-car

Balloon Powered Lego Car @ The Crafty Mummy

draw-build-and-play-zoo

Build an Indoor Zoo @ No Time for Flash Cards

duct tape bag

Duct Tape Tote Bag @ Little Birdie Secrets

glowing rainbow rice sensory play 08

Glowing Rice Sensory Play @ Growing a Jeweled Rose

DIY bath paint

DIY Bath Paint @ Kristan Lynn

Recycled necklaces

Colorful Recycled Necklaces @ Captain Crafty

spoon puppets

Spoon Puppet Theater @ Creative Jewish Mom

washitape car track

Washi Tape Car Track @ Le jardin de Juliette

indoor hopscotch

Indoor Hopscotch @ Giver’s Log

indoor obstacle

Indoor Obstacle Course @ Crumb Bums

indoor car wash

Indoor Car Wash @ What Do We Do All Day?

Kid easy embroidery

Easy kid-friendly embroidery idea @ Anna Maria Horner

Remember to visit our 100 Days of Summer Pinterest Boards for tons more ideas for your summer fun!

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Amy’s Notebook 07.10.13

July 10th, 2013

raspberry-hand-pies

Source: How Does She?

 

I think a picnic featuring these adorable and yummy-looking raspberry & lemon hand pies are in order, don’t you?

Making homemade pulled taffy with the kids seems like a great memory-making summer activity to me!

What a fun, fun project that seems like an easy diy – create an outdoor Wood Marquee monogram.

Monkey bread pretty much always makes me drool, and the photo of this lemon monkey bread is no exception – definitely going on my to-make list!

I’m loving these simple, refreshing tips to get a beach house bedroom look.

I’m looking for my next knitting project – should it be a knitted floor mat or a Kimono-style sweater?

amys_notebook

I hope you enjoyed this collection of gathered links to DIY crafts, food projects, and thrifty ways to spruce up your home. Nothing brings me more joy then to highlight other fabulous bloggers. Follow me on Pinterest for daily inspiration!

 

Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cake

July 9th, 2013

Chocolate Snickerdoodle CakeIf there is one flavor we love around here it is snickerdoodle. Today I wanted to share an easy recipe for a chocolate snickerdoodle cake that you will flip for. This chocolate snickerdoodle cake is coated in a delicious chocolate cream cheese frosting and adorned in a dusting of dark chocolate candy that adds that perfect finishing touch.

Chocolate Snickerdoodle CakeThis week we celebrated my son’s 11th birthday. In lieu of an elaborate themed dinner and event, he had a sleepover with his best friend and we invited our family over for this cake and for a red, white, & blue trifle to celebrate.

I am the worst cake decorator known to man and produce some of the ugliest, most lopsided, and crumbiest looking cakes ever. I finally found the trick for me was to buy two 8″ Wilton pans (affiliate)  (instead of those 9″ pans that produced flat layers for me) and a good spatula (affiliate). This cake was put together in an hour and the prettiest cake I’ve ever made (if I do say so myself!). It is amazing what a little investment in tools can produce.

Chocolate Snickerdoodle CakeAs is tradition, the birthday kid gets to pick their cake from my cookbooks every year. When Ethan selected this cake, I just knew it would be a hit. This cake is moist, rich, and laced in cinnamon. What makes the cake really taste delightful though is the light cream cheese frosting that it is coated in.

Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cake

Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cake
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Adapted from Chocolate from Cake Mix Doctor
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
A rich chocolate cake laced with that snickerdoodle cinnamon flavor that our family loves!
Ingredients
  • 1 package (18.25 ounces) plain dark chocolate fudge cake mix
  • 3/4 cup skim milk
  • 3/4 cup canola oil
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • For frosting: 1 package low-fat cream cheese (8 ounces), at room temperature
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups confectioners’s sugar
  • Dark chocolate candy bar for grating on top (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8″ pans and set aside.
  2. Place the cake mix, oil, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and blend for three minutes, or until well-blended.
  3. Pour evenly into two pans, smoothing with spatula.
  4. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed with your finger. Remove and allow to cool for ten minutes. Remove from pans & then cool for another 30 minutes.
  5. Place the cream cheese & butter in a mix bowl. Blend until combined. Add sifted cocoa powder, cinnamon, and confectioners sugar, and finally vanilla. Blend until combined and icing looks fluffy. Add an additional 1/4-1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar if needed.
  6. Ice cake and dust with dark chocolate candy bar shavings to finish.

Adapted from Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor (affiliate)

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Apron Full of Giveaways 07.09.13

July 9th, 2013

cupcake-apron-set

Source: Lucky Ducky Designs,  $67.00

 

Welcome to our Apron Full of Giveaways! I hope everyone is having a great week this week! As we do each week, here is our round-up of giveaways for our readers. We hope that this is beneficial to you and your family! Please let us know if you guys win anything- I love to hear the success stories!

Below are the contest links-if you are hosting a contest please link it up below. Sorry, we are not giving away the aprons just showcasing them! Please put your site name and then what type of contest you are hosting. For example, “MomAdvice (Kid’s Movies).”

Good luck to each of you!

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