Weekly Meal Planner

Anyone else like me and every night is a rush to figure out what to make for dinner? Can't figure out what to make well fear not! Here is a super easy meal planner to do!
Not only will it make dinner time less stressful but it is also super easy to make!

You will need:
8x10 frame
hot glue gun
clothes pins
cardstock scrapbook paper
small box ( i used a crayon box)
alphabet stickers
permanent marker
magnets (optional)

First you will need to cut the scrapbook paper to fit into the frame. You will also remove the glass from the frame. Also at this time you can cut stripes of scrapbook paper and write each meal idea on them.

On the scrapbook paper you can put the alphabet stickers to say what you want. For mine I put Menu.

Next you write each day of the week in permanent marker on the clothes pins. Then you will hot glue the clothes pins to the side of the frame.

The hardest part is making the box for the meal ideas to fit into. I took a 24 count crayon box and cut scrapbook paper and glued it on all the edges to decorate it. You could also make an envelope out of the paper and put your meal ideas in that as well. When you have decided what to do glue it to the scrapbook paper.

Once you have this all done before you put it in the frame you can glue magnets to the back of the frame if you would like to hang this on your fridge. If not then you can always use the leg of the frame to have it rest on the countertop like a traditional picture frame.

Potted Plants Project

Potted Plants Project...can you say that three times fast?!?! The easy DIY craft is not as hard as saying that is thankfully! If you're looking for something fun and easy to do with the kids this summer this is just for you!

All you need is ceramic pots from any store that sells lawn and garden stuff, some paint, a paintbrush and some paper towels cuz it could get messy!

You can have your kiddos do any design. I had my oldest use your hand prints because her hands and feet were too big to make a butterfly. My littlest one made a butterfly using her feet and it came out so cute! 

This is a super fun AND super cheap way to have a fun crafty afternoon with the kids!!

Decorative Wooden Letter DIY

Ever see those decorative wooden letters on wreaths and wonder how you can get one? Well it is really easy to make AND it is cheap too!

You can get the supplies at any craft store and Walmart even carries it all too.

You will need:

Wooden letter

Glue Gun

Newspaper (to put under craft project for spills)

Decorative gems (used for potted plants, vases, etc)

Your supplies

Glue the gems onto the wooden letter. Be careful when placing the gems down as they will permanently stick immediately when you place them.

This project only takes about 10 minutes to complete and then you can hang with your beautiful wreath!

Upcycled Grocery Bag Carrier

So this was one of the very first things I saw on pinterest and thought that I had pinned it to a board but apparently in my novice Pinterest abilities I didn't. So I FINALLY got around to trying it out for myself! I like this idea because you can use it to store grocery bags at home or for the car. I will use them for both since I don't have a place to store them at home in my cabinets.

It is super easy and all you need is an empty disinfecting wipes container and some contact paper.

Measure the wipes container and cut out according to the measurements. The contact paper has a grid on the non decorative side that you can use to measure.

I also recommend you find the straight edge of the original paper on the container so that way you have a straight edge as your guide so your paper goes on straight.

And voila! Super easy and super cheap!

Frugal Christmas 2012

This holiday season I have decided will be "Frugal Christmas 2012." It's not because we are tight on cash but because it seems like every year the amount of gift giving gets more and more excessive and farther away from the true meaning of Christmas.

So this year that all changes. No more scouring stores trying to find a gift, any gift really for someone who already has everything.

So here's our plan this year for presents.

1. Instead of individual presents for family members we are doing family presents. Thankfully my husband is a master at woodworking so we are making nice cutting boards. I am going to be doing gifts in a jar. There are so many food ideas for that and you can even do small non food gifts in a jar as well.

2. My oldest and I have talked answer have decided to do the angel tree or something similar for the community to help with Christmas for a family that might not get a Christmas at all without help. I told her that if we do this that she won't get as many gifts this year and thankfully she was ok with that. Makes me a proud mom that I have raised a good kid to be so selfless.

3. I still have to look around but I would like to go help serve food at a homeless shelter. My parents took my brother and I a few times when we were younger and it really enlightens you to people who are struggling for one reason or another and it is important to lend a hand when you can.

So this year instead of splurging all my money on nonsense or half hearted gifts I really hope all that above will make Christmas feel that much more special and realize that Christmas isn't just about the gifts but something much more than that!

Penny Charm Bracelet

So a few days ago while browsing Pinterest I found a cute idea to make. My daughter LOVES to collect the pressed pennies that you can get at about anywhere (zoo, amusement park, museums, etc). It seemed really easy to make and actually didn't have to buy any tools to do it other than the jewelry pieces to put the pennies on.

Make sure you have bronze chain, bronze rings to put through the holes, bronze clasp so you can wear the bracelet.

1. I used a hammer and a screw and hammered the penny to make a hole. This step seemed to take the longest out of all the steps and it honestly didn't take that long!

2. Next take the bronze rings and put them through the pennies so you can hook them onto the chain. I found it easy to use two pair of pliers and pull the rings apart and then put it through the penny.

3. Now take the pennies and put them on the chain. I used a pliers to squeeze the rings closed once I put them on the chain.

4. Then put the clasps on the end of the bracelet so you can wear it!

 So easy and so CUTE!!

Pinterest Pick to Try Out!

So I have seen this a few times on Pinterest ( Headband Holder) and thought how that would be such a good idea for Taylor (my oldest) since she is always forgetting where she places everything!

BUT I wasn't sure about using an oat cylinder for it. It is made of cardboard/paper and it seems like she would be able to poke a hole in it. So I thought about using a formula can. Olivia (my youngest) drinks Enfamil and I have an empty can just sitting around I was trying to think of something to use it for. Not only can it hold her hair bands and barrettes but she can also put her headbands on it and no matter how clumsy and forceful Taylor is she won't be able to poke a hold through the metal can!

So I am going to do this sometime this week and will post the results!

Kids Birthday Party for $100 or less!

With the economy the way it is doing things cheaper is the smart way to go! My oldest is turning 8 in 3 weeks so planning her birthday party has been on my mind so I thought I would share a few of my tips that make the party a little easier on your wallet. 

1. Dollar Tree!!

Everything is a dollar at the Dollar Tree and they have plates, cups, plasticware, napkins, hats and more there. If your child has a theme they want to do like hello kitty or sports but the Dollar Tree doesn't have specific decorations for it that is ok! They have solid color plates and stuff and you can use that and then decorate with balloons and banners that are specific to the theme. I learned early on with my oldest that not every single thing at the party has to be Princess or Hello Kitty.

pic source (dollartree.com)

2. Make the invitations at home on your printer! 

Chances are you already have the paper so you can go to a site that has free printable invitation templates like Do-It-Yourself Invitations. You can also make your own template on powerpoint too! Remember not to use an invitation that has a solid color background otherwise your printer will run out of ink fast!

3. Make the cake or cupcakes at home!

Even though it is so much easier to go pick up a cake or cupcakes its saves you money that you can use elsewhere for the party or for presents. Plus it is always fun for the birthday boy or girl to help you make them too! I am doing this with my daughter for her party in 3 weeks and we are both excited. 

 pic source (marthastewart.com)

4. Party Favors

There are so many places you can get party favors for cheap! Walmart has a section in their party area that has party favors in bulk for cheap. Michael's has a dollar section that you can get party favors as well. And of course the Dollar Tree has them as well. 

5. Call around and price out locations

My daughter wants a skating party. Instead of having the party at the skating rink (It would run me about 130 and that doesn't include the cake!) I am having it at home and then we are carpooling over to the rink. Since it is a group of people they are just charging us admission and not for rentals. When you call around ask if they have group discounts too. 

6. Strategic Party Time

The timing of the party is everything! If you have a party at noon then most parents are going to assume that some sort of lunch is provided unless otherwise stated on the invitation. BUT if you have the party at 2 you can just have finger foods for the kids to snack on. AND you can make those too. Some ideas are PB&J squares, chips and dip, quesadillas, and veggie or fruit trays.

7. Balloons

At stores like Walmart and Target they sell a portable helium tank made by Balloon Time for 50 bucks and it blows up 50 balloons. Sure it seems like a deal but if you aren't going to use all 50 balloons do you really need to spend 50 bucks? Instead you can go to Dollar Tree and buy some foil Mylar balloons for a buck each and they also sell regular plastic balloons. Instead of spending 50 bucks you may only end up spending 20 bucks and getting plenty of balloons.

pic source (giftblooms.com)

Hope this helps out! I know I am going to throw my daughter a really fun party but save money at the same time. 

Do you have any tips for the readers to save money on a birthday party??