Canada Day Photo Booth (using dollar store supplies)

What's a party without fun photos to document the occasion? With Canada Day around the corner, I thought it would be fun to put together an easy and inexpensive photo prop for my boys. I used dollar store supplies and a little imagination, and it turned out wonderfully. Today, I am sharing a tutorial for my Canada Day photo booth that you are going to love!



To make the booth, you'll need: a piece of dollar store foam core, a red Sharpie, red duct tape, and an x-acto knife. 

1) Draw a maple leaf on the foam core.
2) Make two red stripes with duct tape.
3) Cut the maple leaf out with an x-acto knife.


That's it! It's such a simple idea, but it is so much fun, and a perfect way to document the birthday of our nation.



Isn't this a fantastic idea for celebrating on July 1st? Happy Canada Day!


Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)


You can find more easy and inexpensive Canada Day ideas here.


Fantastic Father's Day Ideas

Handmade decorations, treats and gifts are the best... especially when they are made by a child for the special man in his/her life. Today, I am sharing a wonderful collection of fantastic Father's Day ideas that are easy, inexpensive and guaranteed to make Dad feel special.



Shirt and Tie Card - These cards are bright, cheerful, and simple to make. Check out the full tutorial (including a short video) here.




Father's Day Donut Bouquet - The supplies for this donut bouquet are inexpensive, and kids will enjoy creating this unique gift for Dad. You can find a step-by-step photo tutorial AND craft video here.




Father's Day Cake - This simple cake is simple to make and kids will love helping to place the candy pieces. You can find all the info you need to make this cake here.




Father's Day Cookie Mix - Find the instructions and free printable tags here.





Father's Day Pop - This is a "punny" idea Dad's will love... and you can download the adorable tags for FREE here.





Father's Day Reese's Pieces Treat - Adding a "punny" tag to a tasty treat is sure to bring a smile to Dad's face. You can download the adorable tags I designed here.




Personalized Pictures - This is my all time favourite Father's Day gift idea. My boys have been giving these personalized photos to their dad for years. Find the "how to" here.



And another version here.

Simple beaded keychain - This is a simple idea / craft for kids to make for their Dad. Use his favourite colours to create a simple handmade keychain. Cut a strip of faux suede (or another sturdy string), tie the string to a key ring, add wooden beads, and knot the end. Then, you can use a thin sharpie to add a name or message.




DIY Necktie - Designing a tie for dad to wear on Father's Day is a perfect activity for young children. You can even use the tie to create decorative wrapping. Download the tie template for free here.





Father's Day Banner - You can set a festive mood for dad by creating some Father's Day decor, and this banner is easy and inexpensive to make. Find the "how to" here.




Funny Father's Day Card / Gift Card Holder - This FREE printable card is perfect for a Dad with a good sense of humour. It's a cute card that you can package with a roll of toilet paper. You can also add a gift card to make it extra special.




Candy Bouquet - Rather than giving dad flowers, consider giving him a bouquet of chocolate instead. Who wouldn't love receiving all these sweet treats? Find the full tutorial here.




S'more Treat for Dad - If Dad likes camping or backyard bonfires, he will love this sweet treat and its "punny" tag. You can download this adorable tag for free here




Father's Day Breakfast in Bed - If Dad loves breakfast in bed, he will love this variation filled with LOVE. Read more about it here.




Father's Day Grilling Gift Basket - This is a great gift for a Dad who likes to BBQ. You can download the "Master of the Grill" tag I designed here.




You could even make him a special tray for all his favorites!




Father's Day Treat Box - This is a fun idea, and the treats can be customized to include all of Dad's favourites. You can find the FREE printable tags here.




Father's Day Snack Buffet - The way to a man's heart is through his belly, so this is the perfect gift for your "treat-loving" dad. You can fill dollar store containers with snacks, and download the tags I designed here.




Paint a rock - It doesn't get simpler than this rock/paper weight.




And if you are on a budget, check out the ADORABLE Father's Day DIYs made using dollar store supplies here.






Isn't this an adorable collection of Father's Day ideas? Any of these wonderful treats is sure to be a hit with Dad. Happy Father's Day!


Gina
 (aka East Coast Mommy)


You might also be interested in the Father's Day DIY gifts and FREE downloads here.

Simple Father's Day Gift... with free printable tags

Every dad needs a special treat on Father's Day, and who doesn't love Reese's Pieces? Today, I am sharing a fun treat for dad and adorable FREE tags to make the gift extra special.


I started with six boxes of Reese's Pieces. I used double sided tape to attach four boxes together, and then I used more tape to attach a box to each of the sides. The result is an adorable "cube" of Reese's Pieces treats.


I then used some yellow ribbon to attached one of these clever, "punny" tags.

To download the sweet tags I designed: right-click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo.


Cute, right?


Isn't this an easy and inexpensive Father's Day gift for the special dad in your life? The tasty treat and little tags are guaranteed to bring a smile to his face.


Gina
 (aka East Coast Mommy)

"I love you to PIECES" Father's Day Cake

Every festive occasion deserves a cake, right? So, for Father's Day, why not try baking this simple and fun Reese's Pieces Father's Day cake? I call it the "I love to you PIECES" Father's Day cake.


To make the cake, I used:
  • 4 boxes of Reese's Pieces
  • a 9X13 cake (I used a cake mix.)
  • vanilla icing (I used store bought buttercream.)



I baked the caked, let it cool, iced it, and then used the candy to make a yellow tie, orange suspenders, and brown buttons. That's it!


This cake really is simple to make. I think kids would enjoy helping place the candies on the cake too. Happy Father's Day!


Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Shirt and Tie Father's Day Card

Father's Day is a time to let the special men in our lives know how much we love them, and Father's Day wouldn't be complete without heartfelt handmade cards and gifts. Today, I am sharing an adorable "shirt and tie" Father's Day card that will definitely delight Dad!


To make this colourful and fun Father's Day card:

1) Fold a piece of coloured card stock in half.
2) Cut a small slit on each side (at the top of the paper). The size of the slits will depend on the size of your paper. My paper was 9"x12" and my slits were 1 1/4" on each side.
3) Unfold the card, and cut along the fold until you reach the slit.
4) Cut the top off the back of the card at the same level as the slits.
5) Fold the top of the card to create a shirt colour.
6) Cut a piece of scrapbook paper into the shape of a tie, and glue it to the front of the card.
7) Use white glue to attach small buttons to the corners of the collar.



Need a little more instruction? You can check out a short video here: 


Cute, right? And, you can experiment with different colours of card stock and scrapbook paper.





Kids will love creating their own versions and adding special notes and messages to the inside.


Do you have a favourite colour combination? I love how the bright colours and patterns make these cards cheerful and perfect for giving to Dad on Father's Day. And if you are looking for MORE ways to make your sweet guy feel special, you should check out this post where I have gathered some of my favourite Father's Day ideas all in one place.


Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)


You might also like this:

13 Reasons Why Our Kids Have It Way Better Than We Did

Seriously... our kids have no idea how much easier their lives our than ours were when we were children. Am I right? This generation doesn't realize the extent to which technology has changed the way so many things are done. Below I am sharing 13 reasons why our kids have it way better than we did.


1) We had to go to the library to do research for a school project... and kids today have Google.

2) We had to remember phone numbers (or use a phone book!)... and kids today have all their friends' contact info in their phones.

3) We had to call our friends... and kids today can avoid countless awkward conversations by sending texts.

4) We got busy signals and had to try for hours to get a message to a friend... and kids today can call, text, snapchat, and/or email anyone at any time.

5) We had to dial phones... and kids today just lightly tap numbers on a screen.

6) We had to tape our favourite songs off the radio (complete with the DJ talking over the beginning of the songs)... and kids today can use countless apps to create playlists of their favourite songs.

7) We had to live with the terrible "red eye" and "closed eyes" pictures (that we only discovered after we got our films developed)... and kids today can take perfect selfies with great lighting, angles, and filters.

8) We had to type things over or try to use correcting tape... and kids today can just "backspace" away their mistakes.

9) We had to get up and turn the channel when watching TV... and kids today use remotes from the comfort of the couch.


And Netflix* has really made life easier (and more entertaining) for our kids.


10) When we went for a long drive we had nothing to do but look out the window... and kids today can download their favourite Netflix shows onto their iPads for countless hours of entertainment.

11) We had to watch commercials... and kids today can watch any Netflix show (commercial free) any time.

12) We only had cartoons on Saturday mornings... and kids today can watch any cartoon on Netflix whenever they want.

13) We had to take turns with our siblings deciding what show to watch... and kids today can watch their favourite Netflix show on any number of iPods, iPads or TV screens in the house.

Can I get a "hell yeah!"? 😀 What would you add to this list? 


Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

*Disclosure: I receive special gifts and perks as part of my affiliation with Netflix.... however (as always) the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.

THREE End of Year Class Treats... with free printable tags

The school year is coming to a close, and little ones will soon be saying a sad goodbye to the friends they have been with all year. It's always fun (and makes the farewell easier) to bring a little "good bye" treat to share with classmates on the last day of school. So, today I am sharing THREE simple year end class treats with adorable FREE printable tags.


Dollar store splash balls make fun treats... especially when a class mate has allergies or a school has a strict nutrition policy. You can give the balls alone, or you can pop them on top of an ice cream cones. Both options are sure to please!



To download the "I had a BALL having you in my class this year!" tag: right-click on the photo below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo. (There are three tags to a page.)


Inexpensive jumbo freezies make sweet treats on the last day of school, and the pink popsicles on the tags add an extra dose of cuteness!


To download the "It was COOL having you in my class this year." tag: right-click on the photo below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo. (There are three tags to a page.)



Prepackaged teddy bear crackers are a simple options for moms who want to send treats, but don't want to spend time in the kitchen. The little teddy bear tag is adorable and a wonderful option for younger kids.


To download the "I'm BEARY happy you were in my class." tag: right-click on the photo below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4X6 photo. (There are three tags to a page.)



I love all three of these options for end of year class treats, don't you? The balls are probably my favourite, but I think they are all easy, inexpensive, and fun. What will you be sending with the kids
on the last day of school?
Summer will be here before we know it!



Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Don't miss any of the fun....