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How to make your own can rotation system tutorial.

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This is a guest post from my friend Danielle at Motherhoodmania! Have you wanted a better way to store your cans than stacked all over? Plus, you need to keep them rotated so that the last one in, is the first one out!

I am totally crazy about this and have a set up that I love and works well for me. You can see it here.

But if you want to make your own it is really easy!

Cardboard Can Rotator:

Supplies: You can use any cardboard boxes you have but I have found those that are used and bent are harder to use. You can easily purchase a 14x14x14 box in the office section of Wal-Mart for approx. 67 cents. They are perfect to use for this project!

  • Need cut and have:                                          Also will need:
  • 2- 14×14 cardboard pieces                                   Utility (Exacto) Knife
  • 2- 7×14 cardboard pieces                                     Elmers Glue
  • 2- 5×11 cardboard pieces                                     Popsicle Sticks
  • 1- 2×7 cardboard piece                                         Ruler
  • 1- 5×7 cardboard pieces                                       Pencil
  • 1- 2×5 cardboard piece

To see the directions and more photos visit Motherhoodmania!

Girl Birthday Party Ideas ~ Webkinz Birthday Party

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Having a girls birthday party? Here is one we did a few years ago that was really popular!

My dear friend had a fabulous idea for a little girls birthday party. Like all elementary school age children, her daughter and all of my girls are really into Webkinz. The little stuffed animals that you can register on line and play with.

She sent out darling little invitations that asked the girls to bring any Webkinz they had, if they didn’t have one the Birthday girl has one they could borrow.

Ahead of time my friend Kelly, sewed “beds” for the Webkinz out of fleece and tassel’s she found at Walmart. She didn’t finish them completely so the girls could work on them. Each girl picked her colors and Kelly showed them how to stuff them with batting and whip stitch them closed.

A BIG hit with 8 year old girls! This is my daughter’s below, she sleeps with it and her Webkinz. They played games with the Webkinz and Kelly set up her computer to their T.V. so that it had a big screen where all the girls could see. They went to the Webkinz website and let all the girls show each other their pets online. Another BIG hit!

I was able to make Adi her cake and I think it turned out cute! This is the back, I added the Webkinz “tag” on the frog’s rear end! Kelly bought a large cookie cake from Sam’s for the base.
I used the Wilton teddy bear cake pan as a mold and used a heavy pound cake batter.

Next, I cut and shaped the teddy bear into a frog shape with a narrower nose. I used extra thick buttercream frosting to build up the back part of the frog to give him his “frog” shape. I decorated him on the cookie so I didn’t have to move him later. I made the lilly pad he is sitting on out of frosting but next time might do it out of colored chocolate. I think it turned out cute and looked just like her Webkinz!

My daughter LOVED this party and talks about it to this day.

With 6 kids I have a lot of parties to do. My kids only get a “friend” party on their even birthday’s. They get a family one every year. So they spend a good deal of time trying to think of exactly what they want to do. I also usually only have them at home as I refuse to pay the enormous amount party places charge. I have found the parties at home to be more fun for the kids although more work for me!

*Check out my Batman party for boys!

What have been you kids favorite birthday party ideas and theme’s? What was a success and what didn’t work out so well?!

Funky Junk DIY – Old furniture into new again!

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Do it yourself - Old furniture into new again

Back when I had less kids and no job, I often would make over old furniture into new looking pieces. It has been a while since I have done any and was feeling kinda sad about it.

For our anniversary earlier this month, my husband had a beautiful table and hutch (the he got on Craigslist) redone for me in a bright teal by a woman who has a shop up in Conroe called The Funky Junk.

I was so happy with it, I asked about headboards for my girls beds….

See they need new beds and I am thinking that 2 redone headboards, and just a frame is going to cost less then 2 new beds. So far they ARE costing less and they are going to be AWESOME when they are done!!!

The piece above is a little old night table that was overlooked and unloved 🙁 But, the guys at Funky Junk cleaned it up and painted it to go with the girls headboards for $65 total. I was looking at one not even 1/2 as cute in Target that was made from cardboard basically for $50. This one is solid wood and DARLING.

When I get the girls beds and my hutch and table all set up I will post pictures! In the mean time, if you are in Houston, check out The Funky Junk!

* Disclosure – No one asked me to post anything, and I was NOT compensated in any way for posting this info! I just love these guys, their prices and the job they do, so I wanted to share! 

End of year Teacher’s Gifts {Frugal, yet nice!}

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Frugal Teachers Gift

You might remember back right after Christmas, that Thirty One had a clearance sale and I bought a bunch of the $2.99 insulated bags. There was also a sale at Bath & Body Works where I was able to pick up lotion and other items for $2.75 for the regular large size items that were normally $11-$15. I wrote about it HERE.

The next Thirty One Outlet Sale is coming right after Christmas. The sale starts 12/26/13 at 7pm CST.

I could go to the Dollar store and bought a cheap bag and $1 lotion, but they just are not that nice.

My goal is to give nice name brand items for a lot less than retail. A $23 gift is a pretty dang nice gift for an end of the year teacher’s gift. I have 17 teacher’s to buy for, and that is not counting the music and art teacher’s (which I have something for as well). I can’t afford $391 in teacher’s gifts. But I can do $97.58 for 17 teacher’s! And, I think they really do like the name brand nicer items, I know that I would.

teachers gifts

Plus, the kids “assembled” them all which took all of 5 minutes and they are pretty proud of themselves!

I bought pink and lime green gift bags at Hobby Lobby right after Christmas for about 90% off, posted HERE, and I am packing them all up really cute today for the kids to give to their teacher’s this week!

In short, with a large family, and small budget, I work hard to try and give something nice to my kids teacher’s. I would love to give them all $50 gift cards, but I just can’t. When you have the chance to stock up and buy something for 75% off or more, do it, and save it for when you need to have a gift for someone!

Teacher’s Gift Idea – Herb Garden Kids Handprint Art

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Teachers Gift Kids Handprint Art

This year I wanted to make Herb Gardens for the Teacher’s with kids handprint art on the pots. They turned out DARLING and I think we will be doing them again!

This is what I did:

I painted about 1/3 of the classes hands all different colors and randomly placed them on the pot. Next, I took the rest of the class and did their thumbprints in yellow for the bumble bees. I wrote their names next to their prints. When I got home I painted the yellow thumbprints into bumble bees and painted their names in black. I decorated the rim and painted, “Thank you Mrs. Varnum for helping us bloom and grow” around the rim.

Now, I glazed and fired mine in my kiln so it was all shiny and pretty so if you don’t have a kiln handy ( like in your back pocket!) you could use a terra cotta pot and regular paint, like tole paint or acrylic paint. I think you would need to seal/poly it with something to protect it.

Twelve hours later when it came out of the kiln, I planted a little herb garden with basil, rosemary and cilantro that I got for only about $5 total at Walmart.

I wish I would have made these for Mother’s Day for the Grandmother’s, they turned out really cute and are something a little useful. I obviously would have used my kids handprints, maybe the dog and cats if I could have held them down 🙂

I only did the herb garden for the classroom that I was Room Mom for, but you could whip these out pretty quick and inexpensively.

My own kids are taking chocolate to their teachers and bus drivers. With 4 kids in school I had 16 different end of the year thank you’s to hand out!

Do you give out thank you’s at the end of the year? What do you usually give?

If you would like some ideas for thumbprint and handprint pictures, years ago I bought Ed Emberly’s books and have used them HUNDRED’S of times! They are worth having on hand… They also make AWESOME teacher’s gifts and I know the teacher’s LOVE to get these books!

Calendar Kids Handprint Art Quilts – Marcia Layton

Ed Emberley’s Complete Funprint Drawing Book – Ed Emberley

Ed Emberley’s Fingerprint Drawing Book – Ed Emberley

Happy Hands and Feet: Art Project’s for Young Children – Cindy Mitchell

Mystery Project? Can you guess what this might end up as?

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I have been working on a little project that I can’t wait to show you! I had no intention of posting anything until I was done, but it is turning out so much better than I had imagined I am getting really excited about it!!

Back a long time ago…. I always had a project or two going and I really miss it. I was painting, or tilling a floor, it feels good to make something.

Can anyone guess what this might become?? I should be finished by Friday if you want to check back for the final reveal!

JoAnn Fabric – Cricut Machine $79 + free shipping (was $199)

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There is a SMOKIN’ hot deal today over at JoAnn Fabrics on a Cricut V1 limited for $79.99. These are normally $199. Use coupon code savgsap116 at checkout to get free shipping.

  • This machine can help you create it all! Create personalized cards, beautiful decor, holiday gifts, vinyl wall art, DIY party invitations & decorations, school projects, banners and so many other creative projects!
  • This is a limited edition machine with a playful pink trim that is sure to brighten up your crafting area
  • Includes the versatile Cricut Classic Font cartridge, which includes 3 fonts with shadows, an additional chunky-style font, 13 phrases, 15 basic images, 11 borders, 2 tags, and 26 charm/banner style images
  • Extremely Precise and detailed cutting capability! Cuts Shapes and fonts on vinyl, cardstock, vellum, fabric and other materials frp, 1″ to 5.5″ tall
  • Small and lightweight for space savings and portability! No computer needed!

Go HERE to take a look!

Footprint Canvas Christmas Pictures – Last Minute Gift Idea

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 – Pin Me!

These are the GORGEOUS canvas’s that the kids from the preschool made for the Christmas silent auction this past week.

Each one has all the kids from the class footprint or their handprint.

If you need a last minute gift idea for someone special these are very quick, easy and inexpensive. You can even just have one child make the canvas and use only their handprints or feet. So, don’t think you need a bunch of kids to make it work!

The canvas sized we used were 18×24. Use acrylic paint and add a little acrylic paint medium for the best results. The medium adds some depth to the paint. You can really use ANY paint and skip the medium, I am just suggesting what has looked the best when done.

Use different colors of green to get a more layered look. This is the Christmas tree above. I like it with the hands facing down, but I have seen it with the hands up as well, up to you!

This was the holly wreath. Take a bowl and with a pencil lightly trace a circle so you can judge where the palms of the hands should be to end up with a circle when you are done.

Then just add some little details when done. Like holly berries, Christmas lights and a star on the tree. You can even let the kids do it to make it more homemade looking.

All of these supplies can be found at ANY craft store. Hobby Lobby has a 40% off coupon HERE and Michaels has one HERE for 50% off! 

When they are done, they are so fun and special, I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to open this on Christmas day!

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Teacher’s Gift Idea for Christmas (Do you have Glade candles from Target?)

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Teacher's Gift Idea for Christmas


Did you do the Target deal and end up with a BUNCH of Glade items?

I typically use them as Teacher or Primary teacher gifts just to say “thank you” randomly through out the year. But this Christmas I think I am making them into gifts and adding a gift card.  As with any gift, sometimes the presentation makes the entire gift! I feel a little guilty giving a candle or air freshener that cost me only $.20 I would never want to just give it “as is” so I try and dress it up! Plus, when you attach a gift card it makes it really nice.

I quickly printed off this morning a business card size, little message with my kids pictures on them. I just framed them with card stock and laminated it. Then punched a hole in the corner and added a little ring. BTW – The Laminator is on sale today for $16.99!

Next, use the little clear party bags, tie with some ribbon, add some kind of “greenery” and your little tag. I think it turned out much cuter than just sticking it in a bag, it took almost no time and cost me $.60 total with the candle!

We took a poll last year and what teachers wanted the most was gift cards and so that is what I try and do.

Readers have really asked for ideas so what are you giving your kids teachers for Christmas?
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Easy Ornament Christmas Wreath Tutorial – Only $8 and 20 Minutes! {DIY}

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Check out this DARLING wreath Anna over at Dollar Store Deals made for $8 and in 20 minutes! I have seen wreaths like this selling for $40 + so I will be making a few myself!

Go HERE for the easy directions!

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