Valentine Teacher Gifts

Gift giving time again! My favorite thing.. no really.

As I have been volunteering a lot at Samantha's school this year, I really have a better appreciation for her teachers and all that they do for the kids all year. 

A sweet little gift is what I had in mind. 

I painted the base of some wooden mixing spoons - 4 pack found at Walmart for $3.00

Martha Stewart glitter paint in Bubble Gum

Twine 

Tags

Lindt Truffle Chocolate bars - $1,00 each at Target

I painted the spoons 3-4 times to get a really sparkly look.

They turned out so pretty

I put the chocolate and the spoons in cello bags, tied them with a big ribbon and attached each tag with bakers twine.

Just a little something.

Hope they like it!

DIY Manilla Tags --

Manila Tags are something I decorate a lot with.

I see such awesome ideas on Pinterest all the time and get inspired to run to Hobby Lobby and get another pack. But the packs only come with a certain amount, and I've been using these like crazy! So I decided to find a cheaper way to make them myself.

Supplies you will need:

Manila folders - Dollar Tree $1.00

Hole Punch - already had

Scissors

Old Manila Tag Template - I used a standard size one and a big one for some of my bigger stamps

Brown Kraft Reinforcement Stickers - I got these on Ebay 144 for $4.00 or so.

Step 1:

Line up the pre-cut tag over the manila and cut your die

Line up the two tags

And punch out the hole at the top

Adhere a kraft sticker on both sides, and voila!

The bigger tags now

And a few of the finished products

Bet you cant  tell the original from my diy?

They look so sharp on a pretty present 

Mason Jar Granola Gifts

We're getting all crafty & christmasy over here..

I made this glitter ball jar and wasn't quite sure what to do with it..



I finally found my favorite granola recipe on Pinterest.. I had lost it and was fumbling trough cookbooks, old magazines, etc.. and I found one that sounded very similar...

 



I followed the recipe above, except I added Pepitas & Coconut and left out the Walnuts.

Baked for 25-30 min at 325 - stirring every 5 min or so.

I started filling a few ball jars.. and then decided to whip up a little thankful craft gift for our teachers and a few friends.

Samantha gave two to her teachers yesterday and they were so happy!

I like to remind her of the importance of being thankful for things in her life, and also to make her realize just why the heck do we celebrate Thanksgiving? .... I think she gets it.. My big girl.

ribbon, glitter, tags, bags.... I heart craft-time.

Bachelorette Swag Bag

A few weeks back I put together these little Bachelorette Goodie Bags for the girls overnight in Ohio

For the bags: Plain Brown Paper Bags, Doilie, Clothespins, Pink Cardstock Tags & Fabric Tie

 

 



I filled each bag with:

Tissues

Band Aids ;)

Ring Pops

Chocolate

Starbucks Via packet

Personalized Lip Gloss



The lip glosses I ordered from Etsy.

They were Adorable! Probably my favorite thing about the bags, and something each girl can keep for a while.

Random Weekly Update

Just a few things ... most all via Instagram, where I spend most of my days taking pics!

 

I finally got my hair did

2.5 inches, layers, color, and thinned out to the max.. it felt great.

I have TONS of hair... and with being pregnant, and ending nursing.. it was thicker than ever, and needed some big time grooming.. 

 

These two are hysterical lately.. I can leave them alone to play for quite some time.. and they are fine.. then often times i cant even leave the room without someone hitting or pushing or pulling hair.. but for the most part they love each other.. and get so excited when they dont see one another for a bit.. its so amazing and wonderful to see the love they have as siblings.. even so young.

I made some vanilla sugar this week, which Im planning on making some cookies with. But the vanilla sugar needs to sit for at least 2 weeks covered... so see you in 2 weeks!

This is what they do when Daddy vaccums in the basement.

 

She said she was building New York City... I dont know where she gets this stuff from.. hysterical.

This weekend was Daddy's birthday..

So I was busy all week shopping and getting stuff ready.

Most of the things we got him I couldnt really wrap... so I gave him all this stuff in an old crate.

Cucumber Soda, 4 new wine glasses, gum, seaweed snacks (his fav), jalapenos, and a long garden hose for our plants and garden this summer (not pictured)

 

I love crafting and organizing my crafting supplies just as much.

I found this awesome tool cabinet at Aldi's for 9 bucks!

I have no idea what to fill these cute little drawers with, but for 9 bucks, I'll figure it out eventually

 

Its still been super cold around here lately.

This weekend it didnt quite reach 40.. but it was sunny and we took the kids outside as much as we could. I found this tiny little guy in the front flower bed this afternoon.. Spring is trying to come... I just hope its decent for Easter/

 

This week SJ has a party for Easter at school

I signed up to bring wrapped treats, and got this cute idea from Pinterest.

 

We ended the weekend celebrating our Daddy..

Cinnamon Creme Cake from Corner Bakery Cafe..

It was hard for me to NOT bake anything .. so I had to make a little washi bunting banner to decorate the cake with.. ha!

 

My cousin brought us this cake when Andrew was just born.

Mathew was raving on how good it was, best cake ever, he loved cinnamon, ...

so I surprised him and bought him one for his birthday.. and he loved it.



WILW & Instagram Update

Just a little look into things around here..

Linking up with Jamie.

1. My little man.

Last week little man popped his 9th tooth.. and it was by accident during a tickling episode that I found it. Waaaay back up on top a pointy little shark tooth.

2. Sprinkles..

Im always loving them.. my powers are useless against them when I see a new kind I havent tried.

3. Thrifting..

Ugly dress.... Great fabric.. and Chevron!

I think I might turn this fabric into matching whale shirts for S & A for our little beach vacation coming up.



 

4. Crafting.

I've been really getting back into sewing, creating, and card making.

Pinterest is so to blame with all the ideas and inspirations.

5. My girl

We went to the outlets this past weekend, and she was the best best behaved.. walked probably close to a mile.. ha! She and Daddy picked out some spring outfits for her, and we mainly just window shopped. I got a tote for the bach and a shirt from JCrew. I havent been to the outlets in a long long time.. Andrew was a little hard to handle at first, but then he FINALLY passed out so we could shop without  taking turns walking him around.



 



Her little face kills me.. her artwork (Baka.. below) is hysterical, and impressive, and her vocabulary, and dialogue just makes me stop and laugh.. or punish sometimes.. She is 3 going on 10.. and I feel so bittersweet.

6. No Bake Energy Bites (My Way)

Pinterest inspried.. but here's how I made them:

 

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 wheat germ

1/4 cup dry milk

2/3 cup toasted coconut

1/3 cup honey 

7. DIY Easter Basket Liners

They are a work in progress. I waited too long to order them, so Im attempting to make them. Samantha and Andrew didnt really have actual baskets.. so this year was about time.

 

And thats all thats going on around here..

The weather is cooling down again.. argh! But we got a tease of Spring these last few days.. I hope its not too long.. my flip flops are calling my name....

DIY Vintage Clothespins

Some blogs I read really inspire me

I recently found one, and she did a DIY Clothespins tutorial.

So I decided to try it myself last week.

I bought a package of clothespins at where else, Target...

 

Then I made some instant coffee in a mason jar.

I added 4 heaping spoonfuls, and warm water and let it sit for about 5 minutes

 

Dumped in as many clothespins as I could fit.

And I let them sit overnight.

 

In the morning I clipped them to a baking rack to try

And Voila.. vintage looking clothespins...