Bow Board

I made this fun Bow Board! I love it because I won't loose my daughters bows. I am always miss placing things. It is also so easy to make....
1- You need a thin, light weight board. Cut it down to the size that you want. (Home Depot or Lowes will do that for you.)
2- Hot glue thin batting to the board.
3- Hot glue white material to the board, over the batting. Glue to the top on the back, pull over the front and then hot glue again to the back on the bottom. Do the same with the sides.
4- Hot glue your choice of ribbins on the same way you did the material. As far apart or as close as you want them.
5- Your done, it took me probably 15 mins if that. How easy is that!!!!

Yummy and Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is so easy. You take a box of spice cake mix, a can of pumpkin, and a bag of chocolate chips. Mix them all together, then scoop them onto cookie sheet and cook at 350 for about 10 minutes and enjoy. Can it get any easier?

Cheap and Inexpensive Halloween Decorations

Scrapbook Paper

I love decorating with scrapbook paper for any season or holiday. For the spider picture I cut out a spider, for the string of web I used craft wire, and then I glued the wire and spider to the paper and then framed it. Instant artwork, total cost- .80 cents. For the shelf I just put different pieces of scrapbook paper inside the different size frames. Total cost- $1.50 for paper. I already had the frames but if you do buy them, buy them at the thirft store and then paint them the color you want.

Junk Around the House and Town

My husband brought this old wooden crate home from work for me, he said he knew I would like it. Which I did but I didn't know what to do with it so when fall came I wrote on it and filled it with pumpkins. Did this bring any ideas to mind for you? Total cost- FREE

Candles

I love candles because you can dress them up and they are cheap. I bought the candle at the grocery store for a dollar. Then I wrapped a inch piece of scrapbook paper (it came from my scraps) around it and secured it with a pin. Then I cut off a piece of garland and wrapped that around it to and secured it with a pin. Ta Da! Total cost- $1.25


Witch Broom

My sister and I made this in about 15 minutes. First we went out and found a chunky old looking stick and some weeds. We then cut all the knobs and extra branches off the stick with a hand saw. Then we hot glued the weeds on and then wrapped juts around it and secured it with hot glue and then you're done. Total cost- FREE

Witch Hat

I got the witch hat at a yard sell for .25 cents. I bought the feather boa at the Dollar Tree Store. I glued the boa on with tacky glue and then hung the hat over a chair as if a witch had just got home and hung up her hat for the day. Total cost- .75 cents

BOO

I cut out the letters for the word boo and stuck each letter on a pumpkin and then placed them up on my kitchen cabnet. Easy as pie. Total cost .25 cents for the letters and however much your pumpkins are.

Spooky Branches

I went out and found some spooky looking branches and then hung from my kitchen cabinet. You could hang them really anywhere. Your entertainment center, book shelf, a shelf, etc. I also had a Chinese lantern from Tai Pan Trading (love that store) so I hung it from the branches. I know you can get Chinese lanterns at the Dollar Tree Store that have Halloween design on them for a dollar. Total cost- Free for the branches and my lantern was $4.00.

Halloween Sayings

There are lots of fun saying that go along with Halloween. I took the first line of the song "What are you going to be on Halloween night?" and printed it off on the computer. Then I glued that on to a piece of, what else, scrapbook paper. I then glued the scrapbook paper to a piece of cardboard and then I tied ribbon on each side and hung it on my old window on my wall. Total cost- $1.50

Halloween Tree

I got this willow tree on clearence at a grocery store for a dollar. I've had it for awhile and I finally had an idea of what to do with it. I first pulled some of the berries off of it, then I spray painted it black, then I cut out circle out of orange and purple glitter paper. I then attached them to the wires of the willow tree. You could also us just a branch from outside to do the same thing. Total cost- $2.00

The Five Magic Hours

Don't you find that when it comes to spending time as a family there seems to be no time to squeeze it in. We are so busy with life that we aren't spending time with the people that need it the most. So here are five ways to take time with your family, hopefully one will work in your busy home because remember that a family who plays together stays together.

Partings: Don't part in the the morning without knowing one interesting thing that will happen in each other's day. (2 minutes a day X's 5 working days=10 minutes a day).

Reunions: Take 10 minutes to talk about your day (a stress reducing conversation, i.e. no harsh comments or startups). Each family member alternates in actively listening. Rule: support and appreciation for each family member. (20 minutes a day X's 5 working days= 1 hour and 40 minutes).

Admiration and Appreciation: Find some way everyday to genuinely communicate affection and appreciation to each family member. (5 minutes a day X's 7 days= 35 minutes).

Affection: Touch, hug, cuddle each other in ways which to express love. (1 hug a day X's 7 days=7 minutes)

Love Maps and Arguing: Take at least 2 hours a week for staying acquainted. Play twenty questions, talk about conflictual issues, repair negativity, or just ask how the other is doing. Husbands and wives should take at least a 2 hour date each week to catch up with each other.
(2 hours a week=11 minutes a day)

You can give it a try and remember minutes add up fast!

Don't Break the Beauty Bank

I love the shampoo and conditioner by Biolage, BUT lets be honest who can afford that every time they buy shampoo and conditioner. Well I have found a substitute and a good one too! Suave Bio Basics shampoo and conditioner. I love how my hair smells and feels after using it. The best part is it only cost me $3 a bottle. Hip, Hip, Hooray Suave has saved the day or your bank account!

Tablecloth Pillows

This idea is awesome for outdoor pillows. It comes from the Family Fun Magazine or familyfun.com. You don't even need to be able to sew. All you need is two 24 inch squares cut from a tablecloth, a 18 inch square pillow form, tacky glue, and clothespins. Now for the pillow form use an old one from around the house or hit the thrift store. Don't buy a pillow form from the store if you don't have to because they're kind of pricey. Then all you do is lay the vinyl square down and run an inch thick line of glue around three sides of the square, two inches from the edge. Then lay the other square design side up on top of the square you just put glue on, then press together. When the glue is dry push the pillow form between the two square and then glue the pillow closed. Secure the seam with the clothespins while it dries. There you have it. These can be used for picnics, sporting events, and another outdoor activity.

APRIL SHOWERS

In the magazine Parenting Early Years April 2009 on pg. 59 it had these fun ideas.

Rainy-day Fun

* puddle jump Go ahead- get wet. Se who can make the biggest splash, jump across the widest puddle, and be the first to fill up her boots.
* create a "tie-dye" craft Do the first part indoors: Grab some coffee filters and have the kids color them with markers (not washable ones), and lay them on a cookie sheet. Then put them outside in the rain and watch the colors run. Bring them inside, and after they dry, the kids can make flowers: Pinch each filter in the middle and twist, then wrap a green pipe cleaner around to make a stem.
* take your kids on a "rescue the worms" walk (You don't have to touch 'em!) Stroll around the neighborhood and let your kids pick them up off the sidewalk and toss them back into the grass. When you're home got Yucky.discovery.com and search for cool info on earthworms.
* do a rainy-day Monet Head outside with some sidewalk chalk. When it's wet, it works almost like paint.
* have a splash Take a bunch of bath toys outdoors- boats, buckets, cups- and play in a puddle, or find a "stream" at the edge of the street (if you live on a safe one) and race a boat against a lightweight ball.
* make a rain chatcher If you just want to stay inside, have your child decorate a two-liter bottle, and measure and mark half-inches with a Sharpie. Then you cut off the top and put it outside a window where you can see it from inside. Set some fun goals: "When it gets to half an inch, we'll play a board game. When it gets to an inch, we'll make cookies...." etc.!