Easy-Sew DIY Bunk Bed Curtains

Bedroom Bunk Style For Kids

An Easy & Fun Bunk Bed Upgrade
 

Got bunk beds? Can you sew a straight line (or if you can't sew, can you iron a straight line? Stitch Witchery works, too!)? Then you can totally make some cute bunk curtains. This easy project will supply endless hours of fun for your favorite kiddos.

DIY Fairy Wings Costume Tutorial

Shimmery & Shiny Fairy Wings Tutorial

This Easy Project Is Sure to Delight!

 

As promised, here's the final (and really, most important) tutorial for the Whimsical Fairy Costume. Fun and easy, there's not too much sewing involved... and you will likely embark on a new relationship with your glue gun :)

Quick & Easy, Nut-Free, Kids Snack Idea

Protein, Fiber, and Antioxidant-Packed Snack Cups

Great for busy days! Just mix and store in the fridge.

All I can really say about this post is YUM. Really, honestly, SUPER YUM. The creamy cheese bites paired with the tartness of the gooseberries, the crunch of the pumpkin seeds, and the sweetness of the cranberries and dates... oh I could go on. And, believe it or not, I originally created them with my kids in mind! Because while I've certainly enjoyed my fill, they're totally perfect for families on the go.

Oh, and I can't forget: there's an AMAZING contest at the end of this post, so don't miss it!

DIY Fairy Costume {Part 2: Shimmery Top}

Kids Fairy Costume Tutorial

Shiny Rainbow Top with Halter Neckline
 

No Fairy skirt would be complete without a shimmery top to go with it! This is a quick, three-step project to make a top that coordinates with Part 1 of this project, DIY Fairy Costume Skirt and Part 3, DIY Fairy Wings.

DIY Fairy Costume {Part 1: Whimsical Skirt}

Fairy Costume Tutorial

Part 1: Flowy Lace & Chiffon Skirt
 

For that last several years, it's been "ask and ye shall receive," with Halloween costumes around here. I'm trying to take advantage of the years that they are still interested in their mom making their costumes, so I'm pretty amenable to their ideas! This Halloween, my 5-year old decided she wanted to be a fairy.

DIY Custom Wood Cape Cod-Style Shutters

Build Your Own Cottage Cutout Starfish Shutters

Amp Up Your Curb Appeal... in ONE Weekend!

This was the most exciting project for me in a while. For years I've been dreaming of adding some simple shutters to our very BLAH cottage exterior (never been a fan of our vinyl siding, but residing the house doesn't quite fit into the budget!). Curb appeal was never high on the priority list, being simply a cosmetic improvement.

But this past weekend, my little shutter dream came to fruition, thanks to my resourceful husband (and you'll see, I'm not the only thrifty one in the household). Here's a little guest-post with the details on how he created these charming shutters for me.

How to Save Money on a New York Yankees Game

Take Your Family Out to the Ballgame... for Cheap!

A Trip to Yankee Stadium CAN Be Affordable. Seriously!
 

One aspect of motherhood for which I was not prepared (well, one of the MANY aspects, I should say) was how having children affected the baseball-fan side of me. Not that my love of the game has changed at all, but my relationship with it has had to adjust. And while 10 years ago I could easily make last-minute plans to hop on a train and go to the Yankee Stadium for a game, it's not quite so easy (and not NEARLY as affordable) with a family in tow. But I am not easily deterred. And I found a way to make it work.

Bouquets, Box Tops, and Back-to-School!

Back-to-School Prep Can Be Easier (and Prettier)!

Budget-Pleasing Deals and Clever Teacher Gifts
 

Any parent of school-age children knows how stressful the beginning of a new school year can be. And as if adapting to a new schedule and organizing the house isn't enough, back-to-school shopping is a serious undertaking. Because getting prepared for the school year isn't just about pretty folders and pencil cases.

But I've figured out a few ways to stream-line the process and make it easy for my family of six. And of course, I couldn't stop just at the deals... I had to incorporate a little crafting too ;)

S'mores Bar Summer Party

Customize Your S'mores With Tasty Combos!

Crowd-Pleasing Summer Party Ideas

This year for her birthday party, my 7-year old didn't want a cake. Nor did she want cupcakes. Or any kind of cake for that matter. She decided she only wanted to make some s'mores with her friends. And being that it was her birthday, I didn't think traditional s'mores would cut it. So we got creative....

Introducing Van's Foods New Cereals!

Get Ready to Stock Your Pantry With Healthy Goodness

And Enter a Van's Foods Giveway Worth $100!

Love gluten-free and whole grain foods? Then you must love Van's! My family loves their products, and I'm so excited to be a part of their new cereal launch... and today, you can get in on the fun, too!

Treasure Hunt Birthday Party Favors

DIY Kids Flashlights With Wristbands

Stock the Booty with Customized LED Flashlights for Only $1.25!

I love summer birthdays! There are so many things to do when you've got the great outdoors (and nice weather) at your disposal (I so envy those who live in year-long warm climates). These fun flashlights are perfect for summer nights, and with some easy customization they make a cute party favor, too (especially for a Treasure Hunt Party)!

Boho Chic Style in Three Minutes!

These Rosebud Headbands Might Be the Easiest DIY Ever

Girls Boho Stretchy Headband Tutorial

With a newborn in the house, these days aren't allowing too much DIY time, so sometimes I need a quick crafting fix! These Boho Chic Headbands are the perfect project--literally, they take about 3 minutes, and they can jazz up any girl's ensemble!

Huggies Triple Clean Wipes Have Saved My Sanity. Seriously.

My Favorite Five (Non-Baby) Uses for Huggies® Baby Wipes

Why I Depend on Baby Wipes for My Messy Life

Maybe they take after me a bit (I admit, I'm not by nature a "neat" person), but my kids are constantly creating messes. And I'm always struggling to stay on top it. But I've figured out a few tricks along the way (and it's only taken me having 4 kids to get to that point!).

Festive Food for the Fourth!

Kids Treats for Fourth of July Festivities

These Firecracker Popcorn Bags are a BLAST (pun intended)! 

 

Happy 4th! I don't know how the weather is where you are, but the rain is holding off here, and the kiddos enjoyed some cooler temps for our annual neighborhood parade. And after working hard to put them together this morning, these festive popcorn bags were a huge hit!

DIY Bar and Counter Stools for Your Home

Loving These Stylish Bar Stool Updates

Who Knew Simple Stools Could Be Stunners, Too?
 

I had so much fun curating another clipboard for Hometalk. This time around, I admired some unique ans stylish bar stool updates. Read on to see my picks!

Fun & Easy Family BBQ Recipes

Spice Up Your Grillin' This Month

Check Out These Great Recipes & Tips - plus, a GIVEAWAY!
 

Did you know that May is National BBQ Month? And it couldn't be a better grilling weather here in the Northeast. This past weekend we had our own little family BBQ, and thanks to Stubbs, everybody's tummies were happy. Read on to nab a tasty recipe, some grilling tips, and a GIVEAWAY for this summer!

DIY Scooter and Bike Streamers

This Easy, Inexpensive Scooter Project Adds Instant Punch

Give Your Little One's "Ride" Some Extra Personality

 

I actually got this idea from the Micro Kickboard website (my kids are obsessed with their Microkick Scooters! Seriously, best investment we've ever made for them!) when I was looking through their scooter accessories. They sell streamers very similar to this, but the colors are a bit limited, and they're asking $12.99 for a pair; I knew I could make these for a fraction of the price and get my kiddos' input on the colors they'd like.

DIY Beachy Bar Stool Tutorial

Super Quick and Easy (and So Low-Cost) Flea Market Makeover

Would You Believe These Sea-Inspired Seats Cost Less Than $20 Each?!

Finally, another (long-ago-promised) cottage post! Yes, this is a project I also completed last summer and am just now getting around to posting (gulp). So many reasons/excuses about what's taken so long, but when it comes down to it, does it really matter?! Better late than never!

This project ties into last week's Banquette Table Refresh post (whether you loved it or hated it - some strong feelings on Hometalk this week!). But as a quick recap, we needed some extra space in the kitchen, so we added some built-in benches and a banquette table to make adequate space for some bar stools at the peninsula.

Happy Earth Day!

Simple, Everyday Eco-Friendly Tips for Families

And What a Better Day to Get Started?!
 

While Earth Day is a great day to remind ourselves of things we can do to support the environment, it the efforts shouldn't stop today! Check out these easy DIY tutorial tips to help your family be more GREEN every day.

Low Cost Ways to Refresh Your Kitchen

This DIY Banquette Table Saves Space and Cash!

Why Buy NEW when NEW-AGAIN Looks This Good?
 

This little corner of our kitchen has been through a few iterations over the last 6 years, but thanks to last summer's mini-reno, we've finally found a solution that works for our needs.

DIY Personalized Paw Print Pendants

Create a Custom Locket of Your Pet's Print

And Always Keep Them Close to Your Heart

 

If you're a dog or a cat lover, chances are the simple image of a paw print resonates with you. And the actual paw print of your own loved pet? Even more powerful. I made my kiddos these easy locket pendants using the print of our own dog and a few inexpensive materials from the craft store.

Who's Ready for March Madness?

Celebrate the NCAA Basketball Tournament in Style

Super Easy Tutorial for DIY Basketball Bunting

 

It's less than a week until March Madness begins, and what better way to get in the spirit than a quick and fun basketball-themed project?! This DIY Basketball Bunting Banner is sure to get everyone in your house psyched about the action-packed tournament just around the corner!

Kiwi Shortcake Dessert Cups

Fast, Fun, and Family Friendly Dessert

Perfect for a St. Patrick's Day Feast

 

This quick and easy recipe was a total hit in my house! It got a little messy, and I had to make a few on-the-spot decisions, but these little green shortcake cups are easy (only 3 ingredients), fun (kids love 'em) and healthy (well... 1/3 of it at least). The perfect St. Patty's Day option for a family-friendly dessert.

St. Patrick's Day Decor: Shamrock Sash

Irish Eyes are Sure to Smile on this Easy 10-Minute Craft

Simple St. Patty's Day Cheer for Your Table

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So, big surprise here: I'm sick of winter, and I'm totally ready for spring (but come on, who isn't?), and in my endeavor to help this long-awaited season come along, I've been looking for some new ways to bring a little "spring cheer" into the house.

Bring Italy to You: Celebrate Carnevale This Winter

It's Time for Carnevale: Food, Family, and Fun

Plus, Enter to Win a Redpack Tomatoes Variety Pack!

In Italy, it's during this time of year that the streets are filled with fun and excitement for Carnevale.  And while we may not be able to hop on a plane to enjoy the festivities firsthand, this year, Redpack Tomatoes is bringing Carnevale to us!

Super Cheap to Super Chic Craigslist Makeovers

Get a Designer Look For a Fraction (of a Fraction) of the Cost

These Trash-to-Treasure Projects Are Sure to WOW You!

 

Are you part of the Hometalk community yet? It's a super-cool online community filled with photos, tutorials, and inspiration for tons of home projects. I love browsing through the posts to gather ideas and motivation for decorating and updating my home. One of the best features of Hometalk is that the site allows you to create "Clipboards" to save and organize your favorite projects!

Butterflies for Lent: Kids Project

A Simple Craft to Teach Kids About Lent

Lenten CCD Lesson for 1st Graders

Wonder what we worked on in CCD this week? You guessed it! Lent! And it was perfect timing, since Lent begins today.

Give a Tired, Old Sofa Table a Fun Chalk Paint Transformation

Another Great Craigslist Find!

All Dressed Up With a Little Bit of ASCP

Ok, so I have to be honest here. I didn't take any process pics. At least, if I did, I can't find them (it was before Christmas and Ben was away at the time, so I can't remember). So all I can offer you are a few before-and-after shots, but the whole point of the post is that it's another fun example of how you can totally score on an inexpensive Craigslist find.

Washi Tape Toothpick Flags

Serve Up Some Finger Food in Style

Or Dress Up Your Candy-Free School Party Snacks

 

Ooh how I love this super-easy toothpick hack. These are my favorite kinds of projects... meaning, I guess, the ones that take longer to photograph than they do to make ;) All you need to do it break into your washi stash (or go grab a couple rolls from the craft store), find some toothpicks, and you're ready to go.

Valentine's Gifts for the Little Guys

$1 Valentines for Boys

It's not all Snips, and Snails, and Puppydog Tails ;)

 

Here we are at the end of the $1 Valentine's Day Ideas Series. After posts devoted to Dads, Teens, and Little Girls, it's time for our final installment: Gifts for Little Boys! There was really a lot to choose from at my local dollar store, and the ages of the boys for these items could really vary. Check them out below.

Valentine's Day Religious Ed Craft

CCD Project for Valentine's Day

Can You Be More Loving and Kind?

I mentioned a couple weeks ago how I was struggling to find some with some good hands-on activities for my 1st grade CCD class. I had come up with a fun and easy God Made Me Unique craft, and this new activity shares a lot of similarities with that one.

Sweet Little Valentines for Sweet Little Girls

$1 Valentine's Ideas for Little Girls

Saving Money AND Taking it Beyond Sugar and Spice ;)
 

It's like I almost can't take credit for this post... really, it was just that easy. After finding $1 Valentine's Day Ideas for Dads, Teens (and, soon to come, Boys), finding stuff for the little girls was simply a breeze! And I could have found plenty more! But these 5 were my favs.

More $1 Valentine's Day Gifts

Thoughtful, Inexpensive Gifts for Teenage Girls

A Few Ideas For This {oft hard-to-please} Bunch ;)

 

Let's face it. Teenage girls can be an unpredictable bunch. Certainly unpredictable... perhaps even scary at times? You never know what you might say or do that could be interpreted as embarrassing or offensive, and even a well-intentioned Valentine's gift could be misconstrued as insulting.

And yet, we still love them, and many of us remember how difficult it was to be a teenage girl, so we try not to take those overreactions personally, and continue to {carefully} let them know how much we care. And so the inspiration for this latest post in the $1 Valentine's Day Gift Series is that lovely group we call teenagers, and in particular, teenage girls.

This Valentine's Day, Don't Forget the Dads!

One Dollar Valentines for Dads

Simple, Thoughtful, and Thrifty Gift Ideas
 

Valentine's Day is less than a month away, so it's the perfect time to start planning some gifts for your loved ones. Today's post is the first in a new series: $1 Valentine's Day Gifts. The focus of this first post? Well, it's the oft overlooked (but well deserving) dads in your life.

$1 Valentine's Day Gifts

Say I ♥ U Without Spending a Lot!

{Thoughtful and Cute} Dollar Store Valentines
 

With Valentine's Day on the horizon (and our wallets still reeling from the Christmas season), I thought it would be a good time for another $1 gift post! Based on the popular Secret Santa series posts, over these next few weeks, I'll share some simple, thoughtful and thrifty ideas for Valentine's Day gifts.

Winter-Themed Religious Education Craft

"God Made Me Unique" Project for Kids

Snowflake Craft for CCD Classes
 

This year I took on a new commitment--teaching my 1st grader's CCD (religious education) class.  And while I'm enjoying it, the planning is definitely taking up a good chunk of my creative time these days.

Yoga for Kids: Mala Beads Tutorial

Yoga for Kids: Make Your Own Mala Beads!

Easy Tutorial for Kids Yoga Prayer Beads

I am so happy that my kids are excited about yoga. They love going to teacher-led yoga classes and "playing yoga" right at home. Since they've gotten particularly interested this year, I decided to make them their own Mala Beads as a special gift.

Happy New Year!

Wishing You a Happy 2015

And time for some bloggy resolutions :)

 

So if you've followed me at all over the past two years, you've probably noticed a bit of a lull in my blogging. And there's not a clear-cut excuse or reason, just life being busy and me getting out of the habit. But I have missed it, and I'm hoping to get back into it on some level. If you're a blogger, you can certainly appreciate the time it takes to compose each post, and with three kids (and another on the way!), I've struggled to find a happy balance between blogging and family life.

BUT, in the spirit of this new year, I have resolved to commit myself again to my blog, BUT only at my own pace and for my own reasons. So basically that means I'll post the projects and ideas that I like and that I think will be helpful to like-minded (and likely thrifty!) others.

So happy new year to you all--look forward to interacting with you again soon!

Are we connected yet? If not, find me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Google+, and Bloglovin so we can start sharing ideas together!