Red and White CANADA DAY Dessert Buffet

Hosting a Canada Day BBQ is a time-honoured Canada Day tradition. And, when it comes to impressing guests and having fun, it's all about keeping things simple, serving delicious food, and displaying the food in a visually appealing way. Today, I am sharing my tips, tricks, and shortcuts for creating a SIMPLE DIY Canada Day Dessert Buffet that you are going to LOVE!

One trick for ensuring a buffet table looks clean and pulled together, is to use a simple colour scheme. And for Canada day, using "red and white" is the perfect way to make the display work well for the occasion. Use a red and white checkered tablecloth, a red and white backdrop, and a variety of red and white food. (I purchased my tablecloth at the dollar store, and my backdrop is a dollar store cardboard tri-fold decorated with red duct tape.)

Chocolate dipped strawberries look impressive, but they are sooooo easy to make. Melt white baker's chocolate in the microwave (according to package directions), dip "clean and dry" strawberries in the chocolate, and place the strawberries on a piece of wax paper in the fridge to harden.

And what is more Canadian than ketchup chips? (They even sell them at the Canadian pavillion at Epcot.) Place the red chips in red and white paper containers for a polished touch.

Kit Kats in their red and white wrappers are an easy addition too!

I also love the idea of offering guest individual portions of candy. Red in white candies in condiment containers are adorable... and help with portion control.

And who wouldn't love these individual cheesecakes in jam jars? I love that you can make these ahead of time, store them in the fridge, and serve them to guests when it is time for dessert. I used a boxed cheesecake mix, divided it between three jars, and topped the jars with red fruit topping. I used cherries, but strawberries and raspberries would work too.

All the elements of this red and white dessert buffet are simple to put together, but they look wonderful when you bring them all together. This is a fun way to feed a family, but it's great for a crowd too!

If you wanted more food options, you could try this simple Canada Day flag cake.

And these Canada Day ice cream sandwiches are fun too!

Don't you love the idea of hosting a BBQ with a red and white Canada Day dessert buffet? It's a simple idea that is festive, fun, and easy to put together. Happy Canada Day!!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS - These are great ideas too...

Funny Father's Day Card / Gift

Do you want to honour your dad on Father's Day, but NOT with a sentimental / sappy card? Sometimes the perfect Father's Day card is one that will bring a smile to his face. Check out this funny Father's Day card that I designed... and if you scroll down, you can download it for FREE.

How cute is this little "Thanks for putting up with my CRAP!" card packaged with a roll of toilet paper? I placed the toilet paper in a clear cellophane bag, popped in the card, and tied it with a piece of curling ribbon. Easy peasy!

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

You can also use this card and toilet paper as gift card packaging. It's an easy way to turn a funny card into a fun gift for Father's Day.

What will you be giving the special man in your life for Father's Day? I think this is the perfect card / gift for a Dad with a good sense of humour.

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find more fun and easy Father's Day ideas here.

"Orange you glad it's summer?" Teacher Gift Idea... with free printable tags

It's that time of year again... the last day of school is just around the corner, and it's time to purchase gifts for the special teachers in our lives. I love a simple gift that is packaged in a cute way. Add a child's homemade card, and you are good to go! Today, I am sharing a cute teacher gift idea that I came up with this year, and I'm including FREE printable tags for you to use.

I found these cute orange cups, filled them with orange treats, and added an "Orange you glad it's summer?" tag. Don't you love it? You can also add a gift card if it fits your budget.

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

I think this is such a cheerful little teacher gift, and it's easy and inexpensive to put together.

And it's simple to make a bunch!

What's your favourite teacher gift to give? You can never go wrong with gift cards, and this packaging makes a boring gift card extra special. And, it's cute enough to give on its own too!

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Last Day of School Class Treat (bubbles)... with free printable tags

School is winding down, and summer vacation is just around the corner. Children build strong friendships during a school year, so it is always nice to bring a little class treat on the last day of school. And, to make a small gift a bit more special, I love to design a unique tag to attach to it. Today, I am sharing a sweet, free printable tag that you can attach to bubbles and share with classmates.

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

I love how adorable the bubbles look when the tag is attached with a bit of curling ribbon, don't you?

Allergies and nutritious policies are always a concern, so bubbles are a perfect choice for a last day of school treat. Will you be sending something special this year?

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Last Day of School Scavenger Hunt

What better way to celebrate the last day of school than with a scavenger hunt? It's perfect for an "I survived the first week of school" celebration too. It's a wonderful way to get kids active and have some fun. 

Here is an example of the sign I made to let my boys know that a treasure hunt was underway after the first week of school.

I hung it on the door so it was the first thing they saw when they got home from school. They found the sign and the first clue.

Then, they followed the first clue to the second clue... and so on.

They raced all around our neighbourhood solving riddles and finding clues... until they found the treasure!

Fun, right? It involved a bit of prep work, but our neighbourhood scavenger hunt was a lot of fun. It's the perfect way to celebrate the last of school!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Simple Father's Day Treat Boxes... with free printable tags

Sometimes simple ideas are the best, and it doesn't get easier than these Father's Day treat boxes. With a few dollar store supplies, and the free printable tags I designed, you can create the perfect handmade Father's Day gift for Dad.

To make this adorable treat box (which is actually an inexpensive hardware holder from the dollar store)... fill the sections with Dad's favourite treats, and add one of the tags I designed.

I designed a few different tags. To use the tags: click on the photo below, right-click, save to your computer, and print like a regular 4x6 picture.

Aren't these treat boxes adorable?

Kids would have a fantastic time picking out treats for these boxes, and they are simple to put together. Do you have a wonderful father in your life that would enjoy receiving one of these adorable Father's Day Treat Boxes?

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Father's Day DIY Donut Bouquet

On Mother's Day, many special ladies get lovely bouquets of flowers, but I don't think my husband would be impressed with a vase full of blooms. In the past, I have made candy bouquets, but this time, I thought I would try something different. Instead of a flower or candy bouquet, I thought it would be fun for my boys to make a donut bouquet for Father's Day. I saw a version of this idea online, and I thought it looked super simple and really inexpensive to make. Keep reading for a step-by-step tutorial and easy-to-follow video.

To make a DIY Donut Bouquet, you'll need: donut holes, skewers, tissue paper, and ribbon. I got more supplies than I needed for about $8.

Then: 

1) Insert skewers into the donut holes. (You can use mini donuts too.)

2) Arrange the donuts into a bouquet, and secure in place with an elastic.

3) Wrap the bouquet in tissue paper.

4) Tie a ribbon around the base of the flowers. (You can also add a layer of cellophane if you are transporting your bouquet and you want to protect the donuts.)

That's it! What child wouldn't be thrilled to gift this donut bouquet to their Dad? Add a homemade card, and you are good to go!

Check out this easy-to-follow video.

Isn't this a fantastic homemade Father's Day gift? Do you have a special man in your life that would enjoy this DIY donut bouquet? I think this is an absolutely adorable treat!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find MORE fantastic Father's Day ideas here.

Charity Fundraiser... that kids can organize

Lemonade stands are a great way for kids to raise money for charity, but you can raise even more money with the clever idea I am sharing today. Check out this fun fundraiser that my boys used to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis (a disease that their cousin has).

The boys marked the bottom of several suckers with a coloured marker, and then inserted all the suckers in a piece of styrofoam. We also made a sign that said, "Cystic Fibrosis SUCKS". Then, we sold the suckers for 50 cents each, and the people that picked a sucker that was coloured at the bottom won a prize from our prize bucket.

My boys did really well working their lemonade stand and game, and they were proud of the money they were able to raise for charity.

Do you have a good idea for raising money for charity? My boys are always looking for new ways to raise money to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Tick Safety Kit

I have been reading a lot about ticks and lyme disease lately, and as a mom, I worry about the safety of my family. My boys spend a lot of time outside exploring during the summer months, and I want to make sure they are safe. So, in addition to checking them regularly for ticks after they have been outdoors, I also put together a "tick safety kit".

A tick safety kit is easy and inexpensive to put together, and it's a great addition to your summer first aid kit. My kit includes:

• a pair of fine tipped metal tweezers to remove the tick from the skin
• alcohol swabs to clean the area once the tick has been removed
• paper and a pen to record the time, date, location where the tick was found (e.g. on your left leg), and where you came into contact with the tick
• a bag to hold the tick in case it needs to be tested

Do you have ticks in the area where you live? If you do, assembling a tick safety kit is a really good idea. You can also check out novascotia.ca/ticksafety or canada.ca/lymedisease for more information on protecting yourself against ticks and what to do after you remove the tick.

 ♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (These are the tweezers I bought for my kit. It's an affiliate link, so if you purchase them, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!)

You may also want to check my DIY dollar store first aid kit out here.

9 Reasons to Visit Gatorland

Last month our family vacationed in Florida, and because it was our 5th family trip to this location, we wanted to try something new. After some research, and because we had never seen a real alligator, we decided to go to Gatorland*. We didn't know what to expect, but we loved it! So, today I am sharing our visit with you... including 9 reason to visit Gatorland.

1) Shows - There are some really entertaining shows at Gatorland. The "Upclose Encounters Show" lets you see snakes and spiders up close, the "Gator Jumperoo Show" gives you the opportunity to witness alligators being hand fed, and there is a fun alligator wrestling show. 

My boys and their cousins loved the shows... and they even had a chance to get their pictures taken with some of the actors.

2) You can hold a baby alligator. For an extra fee, you can get your photo taken with a snake and a baby alligator. I was happy to get a rare photo of all five of us, and my boys felt pretty cool holding a real alligator.

3) You can meet (and feed) a giant turtle. For a small fee, my boys were able to get up close and feed a real giant turtle a piece of apple from a stick. How cool is that????

4) You can take fun pictures with your family. My boys and their cousins loved playing around and taking some silly pictures with alligators!

6) You can feed alligators. As you come through the gates, you can buy some small fish and feed the alligators. My boys thought it was pretty cool to feel the alligators pulling on their ropes.

7) You can see lots of alligators. If you want to see alligators, Gatorland does not disappoint. You will see white alligators, big alligators, small alligators, and baby alligators. There are LOTS of alligators.

8) You can see more than just Alligators. Gatorland is not just about alligators. There are birds, goats, spiders, snakes, turtles, and more. There is something for everyone!

9) You can go on extra adventures. For an extra fee, you can go on the Stompin' Gator off road adventure or The Screamin' Gator Zipline. We didn't take advantage of these attractions, but they looked fun!

Have you ever been to Gatorland? If you are planning a trip to Florida, I highly recommend going with your family. It's reasonably priced, and your kids will love it!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)


*Disclosure: I was given complimentary and discounted tickets in exchange for my truthful review of Gatorland. As always, the opinions on this blog are 100% my own.