Happy 16th Birthday to my "Baby" Boy

When my boys were small, I was too busy to keep up with their baby books, so I started writing them "birthday letters". The idea was to capture "snap shots" of their personalities each year until their 18th birthdays. Time is flying by, but as my youngest son turns 16 -- the tradition continues.

To my "baby" boy,

In my heart you are my "baby", but in my head I know that you are now a "young man". I want you know that I couldn't be more proud of you. 

As a young boy, new situations made you anxious, but you pushed through and continued to step out of your comfort zone and embrace new opportunities. With every year, I have seen you get more independent and confident, and I am looking forward to seeing where the future takes you -- as long as you always remember to come home and spend time with your mother. 😁

Here's how I see you as you step into your 16th year:

• You love all sports, but hockey is definitely your first love. You work hard, and you are looking forward to going to Mooseheads camp next month.
• Your brothers are your best buddies and you enjoy spending time with family... which makes my heart happy.
• You have a quick wit, a goofy sense of humour, and a way of making Dad and I laugh often.
• You started your first job this year, and you love having money to spend on hockey equipment and golf clubs.
• You love memes, crackers, video games, and Crispers.
• You are smart, kind, unpredictable, hardworking, and fun.

I love you to the moon, and back... and even though you are going to be driving soon, you will ALWAYS be my baby.

Love,

Mom xo

Set up your own ROCK LIBRARY / A fun idea for spreading KINDNESS

I recently posted about a fun idea for spreading kindness (which you can read about here). I had so much fun with it, that I decided to try something else. I set up a ROCK LIBRARY and placed it on a trail near my house.

Want to see how I did it? Check out the short video I made below.

Pretty cool, right? If you set up one of your own, let me know. I'd LOVE to see it! You could also use my hashtag... #EastCoastMommyKindnessProject

Thanks for sharing!

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (You might also be interested in the fun idea here.)

☀️Super cute (and classy) SUMMER DIYs… made using dollar store supplies / Dollarama DIYs

I am so excited to share my latest SUMMER DIYs with you today. They are easy and inexpensive to make, and they are sooooo nice! No one will ever guess that they are make with dollar store supplies.

1) Solar Powered Fountain - The base of this solar fountain is made from Dollarama planters. Can you believe it??? You can get an "up close" look and find the "step by step instructions" here.

2) Simple S'more Station - I love a themed tiered tray, and this one is perfect for summer. Take a look at how I made it using Dollarama supplies here.

Pretty cute, right? Make sure you check out the video I made below.

Have a great summer, and don't forget to check back here (or on YouTube) for more easy, inexpensive and fun ideas.

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

8 Fantastic GRADUATION Party DIYs... free 2025 printables included

Little handmade details make a celebration budget-friendly, memorable, and fun. Today I am sharing 8 fantastic graduation party DIYs (and free printables) that are guaranteed to help you plan the BEST graduation party!

Check out the video I made here...

1) Graduation Hat Wreath - This sweet wall hanging is made from a piece of Dollar Store FOAM BOARD! Cute, right? Check out the step by step instructions here.

2) Custom Disposable Glasses - The best part about DIY is that you can customize items to get exactly what you want --- and you save money. See how I made a bunch of disposable graduation glasses for just a few dollars here.

3) Photo Frame Centrepiece - Dollar store frames can easily be put together with hot glue to make this adorable, personalized centrepiece. Get the step-by-step instructions here.

4) Inexpensive Graduation Photo Prop - Dollar store foam board is cheap and great for making giant photo frames. See how easy it was to make this here.

5) Photo Sharing Sign - A simple way to see all the fun photos from Prom and Grad festivities is to add a common hashtag when posting. You can download the sign I designed for free below.

*** To download the sign for free: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

6) Graduation tiered tray - To make this inexpensive dollar store tray, all you need are: dollar store plates, dollar store candle holders, a button, and embroidery thread (to make a tassel). Find the step by step instructions here.

7) Inexpensive (and Simple) Graduation Candy Bar - A candy bar with "punny signs" is super fun for a graduation get together. Get the instructions and FREE tags for 2025 here.

8) Punny Party Favours - It's always fun to have something guests can take with them when they leave. I love a good party favour, don't you? Get the instructions and FREE tags for 2025 here.

I hope you like these ideas... and let me know which one is your favourite.

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (You can find a great way to preserve graduation memories here.)

Kindness Challenge -- instructions and a free printable download 😊 / #EastCoastMommyKindnessProject

There is a lot of negativity in the world, but you can always find kindness if you look for it. Today, I'm sharing a fun way to spread a bit of joy to your friends and your community. Take a look at this short video here for the details, and then, grab the FREE printable below. Fun, right???

*** Make sure to tag #EastCoastMommyKindnessProject so I can see what you did. 😊

To download the tag I designed for FREE: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

If you have any trouble, just leave your email address in the comments below, and I'll send you one.

I hope you have as much fun with this as I did.

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS... you may also be interested in setting up a ROCK LIBRARY. It's such a fun idea!!!

Super-cute Dollar Store Decor / Adorable FINDS and easy DIYs

Yesterday, I was browsing the aisles of my local Dollarama... and I found a couple of items that were perfect for DIYing! In the video I made (below) I show you what I found, how I DIYed them, and a super-cute way to style them. You are going to LOVE these!

Check out the adorable mushroom DIY, deck lanterns, and bathroom upgrade here:

Pretty cute, right? Don't forget to like the video and subscribe to my YouTube channel. I have some really fun things planned for summer.

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

3 NEW DIY GIFTS made using Dollar Store supplies / FREE gift tags included

I love a useful gift, don't you? Today I am sharing THREE new DIY GIFTS that are made using supplies I found at Dollarama. I'm also including a video with the simple "how to" instructions and FREE printable gift tags.

1) "If you give a teacher a cookie..." GIFT -- Dollarama has soooo many cute mugs, or you can make one with your Cricut like I did. You can fill the mug with coffee, gift cards, store bought cookies or homemade cookies. Then, just add the adorable tag I designed. Easy peasy!!!

To download the tags I designed for FREE: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

2) Super-cute DANDELION VASE -- Dollarama has super-cute tiny vases, and they are perfect for little flowers picked by tiny hands. Great for a mom, dad or teacher. Just add the adorable tag I designed (below), and it's perfect for "gifting". 

To download the tags I designed for FREE: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

3) "In case of Emergency" GIFT FRAME -- Dollar store frames and shadow boxes are easy to turn into super-cute gifts with a the addition of gift cards and/or treats. I added a Cricut decal that says "In Case of EMERGENCY Break Glass". If you don't have a Cricut machine, you could use alphabet stickers.

You can check out all the step by step instructions in the video I made (below).

What do you think of these budget-friendly gift ideas? Let me know which one is your favourite!

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

A Simple (and fun!) DIY Graduation Gift Idea... with free printable gift tag

I love a DIY gift, don't you? This DIY graduation gift idea is a great option. It's pretty fun, and you can download the tag I designed (for FREE) below. I also put together a short DIY video for you here.

To download the tag for free: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

Enjoy your free printable, and congratulations to your graduate!

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (You might also like the graduation ideas below.)

5 Fantastic DIY Gifts for DADs/ Father’s Day Crafts / Dollarama DIY

Handmade gifts are perfect for Father's Day -- they are thoughtful and budget-friendly. Today, I'm sharing FIVE fantastic DIY gifts that dads are guaranteed to LOVE! Most of the supplies came from my local Dollarama, so you'll be able to find everything you need at your local dollar store.

Check out the video (with all the step by step instructions) here:

1) Wood slice key chain - Wood slices from the dollar store can be easily customized and turned into a super-cute, customized key chain. Find the full instructions here.

2) Dad's "pocket stuff" tray - A personalized tray is a great place for dad to drop his keys, loose change, and phone. Help dad get organized with this adorable "pocket stuff" tray. Find the step-by-step instructions here.

3) Paper heart "stuffed with treats" - A fun paper-stitched heart is a great way to gift goodies to dad. It's simple to make, and you can find the simple instructions here.

4) Dad's SNACK 'STACHE jar - Dads love a good "pun", so this jar (filled with his favourite snacks) is a great gift for Father's Day. Find the full instructions here. 

5) Handmade card - I love a card with a handwritten (and heartfelt) message inside. Find out how to make this cute shirt tie here.

Let me know which of these DIYs is your favourite. I think they are all pretty adorable. 

Happy Father's Day!

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Simple Quiche RECIPE that you can make in less than 5 minutes / It's budget-friendly too!

Who doesn't love a quick weeknight meal? This Quiche recipe is a staple in our house. It's delicious and super-easy to make. It's also budget-friendly. Check out the step-by-step instructions here.

Check out the short recipe video I made here.

I love that this recipe uses biscuit mix that I buy inexpensively at my local Dollarama. And it's delicious and sooooo easy to make! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Quick and Easy (and adorable!) Mother's Day Crafts ("how to" videos included)

There is nothing better than a handmade gift, and today I have four Mother's Day crafts that are super-cute (and easy to make). Most of the supplies come from the dollar store, and I have step-by-step instructions below.

1) Pom pom flower - These flowers are simple to make and are totally adorable! I made a step-by-step instructional video to walk you through the process. You can find the "how to" video here.

2) Sucker flower card - Everyone needs a sweet treat and this sucker flower fits the bill... and it's perfect for Mother's day. Wrap some cupcake liners around a sucker (I used three for mine), add a couple of cardstock leaves, cut a couple of slits on the front of a card, and insert the sucker flower. Don't forget to add a thoughtful note inside the card. Check out the full step-by-step instruction video here.

3) Handmade keychain - A handmade keychain is a useful gift that kids can make for them moms. You'll need a wooden ornament, a key ring, paint, and a decal. I used a Cricut to make mine, but as an alternative, you could use stickers or paint to decorate it. I love this little gift, don't you? Check out the full instructions here.

4) Wooden flower magnet - Making a wooden flower magnet is a fun idea too, and it's something mom's can use. You'll need a wooden flower, a button, craft paint and a magnet. (I purchased all of my supplies at the dollar store.) Then, paint the flower, and use hot glue to attach the the button and magnet. Find the instructions here.

I hope you like these simple Mother's Day crafts. You might also like video I made here:

Happy Mother's Day!!!

💗

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)