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Fun On a Budget

Crafting may seem like an expensive hobby, especially if you have a house full of kids who want in on the action.  Fortunately, frugal families don’t have to put the kibosh on creating handmade masterpieces.  Rather, with a little ingenuity you can make priceless crafts on a tight budget. Clothespin Pinwheel Materials: Double-sided patterned paper Ruler Pencil Scissors Glue Thumbtack Wooden clothespin with spring Directions: Cut a five-inch square from a sheet of patterned paper. Draw an “X” on the paper from corner to corner. Cut three inches along each line. Fold every other point toward the center of the … Continue reading →

Simple Spring Fun Projects for the Kids

Now that we have sprung ahead an hour, I’m hoping Mother Nature will get the hint and adjust the weather accordingly.  We’re still buried under several feet of snow and the high temperatures are frozen in the 20s. If the weather outside is frightening in your neck of the woods too, then make the most of your indoor time by springing into spring with these simple, affordable and kid-friendly seasonal projects: Candy Lei:  You don’t have to travel to Hawaii to enjoy the beauty and fun of wearing colorful lei.  The eye-popping garland, traditionally worn around the neck, can be … Continue reading →

Fun with Leftovers

My dad’s New Year’s resolution is to kick his addiction to caffeine.  So far, he hasn’t had a drop of coffee in all of 2013.  Since my mom is a tea drinker, my parents’ coffee maker has been sitting idle since the last day of 2012.  What’s more, since my dad has gone cold turkey, he no longer needs his seemingly endless supply of paper coffee filters. Rather than be tempted by the white basket-shaped filters, my dad shipped them 5,000 miles to our home, which is filled with non-coffee drinkers.  We don’t even own a coffee maker.  Needless to … Continue reading →

Simple Mexican-Themed Projects for Kids

  Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner, and while food is a major part of this annual Mexican-themed party, decorations also contribute to the festive nature of the May 5th fiesta. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a ton of money to add spice to your Cinco de Mayo party. These simple projects are easy enough for your kids to make and affordable enough so that you can bring a little slice of Mexico to your home: Homemade Maracas: Tape a piece of construction paper (sized to fit) to the end of an empty toilet paper roll. Pour … Continue reading →

Oddball Paint Projects

Looking for some painting projects? Yesterday I was lurking on Pinterest, searching for something completely different, and I got drawn into the realm of fascinating paint crafts. Pinterest is a terrible black hole for this sort of thing. One delightful craft that I discovered was the idea of painting with the bottom of celery. If you don’t use the very end of the bunch of celery, take that end and dip it lightly into some paint. Place it onto a piece of fabric or paper, and you’ll come out with gorgeous prints that look very rose-like. Lovely! Smashed flower painting … Continue reading →

Think Yourself Out of That Funk

If you ever feel like you are caught in a permanent tug – of – war between your home-based business and your home life, you are not alone. It is only natural to want to be successful at work, and it is just as natural to want to be a successful parent and homemaker. When you find yourself feeling down because you feel like you are not excelling in one or both of these areas of your life, it is important to take time to address those feelings. Working through the feelings will eventually help you to feel better because … Continue reading →

More Genealogy Words

I’ll admit it right now; I am just one of those people that are fascinated by words. Ever since I was a child I have loved words, and even today learning a new word or two, or even more makes me very excited. The art of genealogy has a language all its own, and as I learn more and more about it I am picking up more new words. Here are a few recent “discoveries” that I have added to my genealogy vocabulary. Hopefully you will find them helpful in that you may not need to run for the nearest … Continue reading →

Home School Blogger Spotlight: Giving Up on a Clean House

I must say that I love the title of this blog. The title, Giving up on a Clean House, is not a statement of the state of her home but a reflection of her state of mind. The mindset that says children and family are more important than dishes in the sick or the socks on the floor. Stacy keeps her head above the piles of laundry (not to say she has piles of laundry) by slowing down a keeping life simple. That simplicity is the focus of her blog which reflects family. She says “I have slowed down, committed … Continue reading →

Home School Blogger Spotlight: Spell Out Loud

This week I want to feature Spell Out Loud a homeschooling blog authored by Maureen Spell a homeschooling mom to six children. Maureen’s blog is full of activities and ideas that will inspire you and spark some creativity into your homeschool. You will find toddler and preschool arts and crafts, lapbook projects, reviews, digital scrapbooking and free printables. When you visit her blog you are entering a delightful world of arts, crafts and home school knowledge. Her blog is easy to navigate with many interesting posts and sections. I love her Toddler Time because she shows you how to engage … Continue reading →

Fun Chocolate Thanksgiving Treats

My best friend from Hawaii and her husband will be joining us for Thanksgiving this year. I couldn’t be happier. We’re already planning a special feast and my 6-year-old is thrilled to put her first grade Thanksgiving-theme crafts on display for all to see. Given that our friends are traveling such a long way to celebrate the holiday with us, we thought it would be nice to incorporate some of their favorite foods into the meal and decor. For example, since my BFF’s husband is a chocoholic we’re planning to make a special chocolate tart to add to the dessert … Continue reading →