Shared HOCKEY BEDROOM (on a budget) Revealed

My two older boys have shared a room for most of their lives, but recently I realized that my boys were outgrowing their room's childish decor. I needed to redo the room to incorporate practical (and age appropriate) storage solutions for their things, as well as their individual interests and personalities. With a small room and a limited budget, I managed to come up with shared HOCKEY BEDROOM that both of my boys are extremely happy with.

One of my goals for the room was to make sure each boy had his own "side". They have matching bedding, but I labelled each side with a hockey stick containing each of their names. (You can find a step-by-step tutorial for the hockey sticks here.)

Check out the before and after picture (below) of the back wall of the room.

Don't you love the hockey sticks with the names? I painted the letters to match the colours in the bedding.

The red dresser that was originally in their room didn't match the new bedding, so I switched the dresser they had for one I had in another room. "Shopping your house" is a great way to decorate on a budget.

I hung a framed poster over the dresser, and added two baskets for books -- one for each boy.

Check out the before and after picture of my middle son's side of the room (below).

He wanted a place to display some of his LEGO, so my husband hung a couple of IKEA shelves, and I framed his first jersey in an inexpensive shadow box.

And for additional LEGO storage, I hung a clear shoe rack on the back of his door.

Check out the before and after picture of my oldest son's side of the room (below).

My oldest son wanted some DIY artwork on his side of the room. I put his first jersey in an inexpensive shadow box, I framed a picture I took of him playing hockey at the beach last summer, and I hung hockey cards showcasing his favourite players.

I also used a used an inexpensive ($30) bookcase to store the boys' books and belongings. Using cheap bookcase in a small space is another helpful tip for organizing a shared room.

Check out the before and after picture of the back end of my boys' shared bedroom (below).

I swapped out their toy bins for an inexpensive book shelf with baskets to store their "bits and bobs". Each boy has two baskets to store their "treasures", and I now know where to put things that they leave lying around the house.

What do you think of my boys' new room decor? I love that the room is age appropriate, organized, and decorated to their tastes. And, of course, I am thrilled that they are both happy with how it turned out!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Holiday Celebrations (Ideas, Recipes and Activities for Every Holiday)

Below, you will find a collection of my holiday celebration posts... including: New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day, St.Patrick's Day, Easter, April Fool's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Canada Day, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas. There are many ideas for easy and inexpensive ways to make every holiday special. Scroll down and click on the links for additional info, ideas, and recipes.

Click on the links (below) to access the holiday collection you are interested in.

NEW YEAR'S EVE FOR KIDS

SILVER AND GOLD NEW YEAR'S EVE

VALENTINE'S DAY 

ST.PATRICK'S DAY 

EASTER  

APRIL FOOL'S DAY

EARTH DAY

MOTHER'S DAY

FATHER'S DAY

CANADA DAY

THANKSGIVING

HALLOWEEN

CHRISTMAS

New Year's Eve Ideas for Kids

Celebrating New Year's Eve with kids can be a lot of fun... and you won't have to worry about finding and paying for a babysitter! Win. Win. I'm always a big fan of ringing in the new year with my boys', so today, I am sharing some of my favourite ideas for celebrating New Year's Eve with kids.

1) Countdown bags - I first put together countdown bags for my boys when in 2012, and they have been a New Year's Eve staple in our house ever since. It's a fun way to keep the kids entertained, and it is a wonderful way to build anticipation for the big countdown. Read all about our simple New Year countdown bags here.

2) Photo booth - Setting up a photo booth is another fun way to entertain kids (and to document the fun of the celebration). You can download the props below, print them on card stock, and attach a stick for holding them. You can also inexpensively buy props at the dollar store.

To download my props: right-click on the pictures below, save them to your computer, and print them like regular 8X10 photos.

3) Mocktail bar - Setting up a fun drink station for kids can be a lot of fun. Fruit juice and sparking water can be used with whimsical garnishes like candy stir sticks and gummy bears. You can also have milk in fancy, candy-rimmed glasses for a "milk and cookies" toast at midnight.

4) Party favours - Every party needs a "party favour". I love the idea of midnight kisses (Hershey Kisses in champagne flutes), candy rings or bells to "ring in the new year", and/or breakfast for the next day (cereal in plastic bowls with cute tags.

5) Fortune cookies - Fortune cookies are always fun for kids, and it is simple to turn store bought cookies into a special treat using the tutorial you can find here. You could also turn them into a party favour by adding a tag that says "wishing you good fortune in the the new year"

6) Year in Review Questionnaire - New Year's Eve is the perfect time to review the past year with kids. It's also wonderful to set goals for the year ahead. I love this 2017 Year in Review form, and you can download it for free by: right-clicking on the picture below, saving it to your computer, and printing it like a regular 8X10 photo.

Update: find a 2021 version here.

How do you celebrate New Year's Eve? Do you stay at home with the kids, or head out to an adult party? You can always do both if you do something early with the kids. There is no law against an early countdown. Happy New Year, and all the best to you and your family!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

2017 Year in Review Questionnaire

New Year's Eve is a time for reflecting on the past year and looking forward to the new one -- not just for adults, but for kids too. With this in mind, each year I put together a Year in Review Questionnaire for my boys to fill out on New Year's Eve. Here is the 2017 version.


Update: find a 2019 version here.

It is a pretty simple questionnaire, and you can download the free printable by: right-clicking on the picture (above), saving it to your computer, and printing it like a regular 8X10 photo. I usually print mine at my local office supply store where colour copies are $0.39 each.

I love seeing what my boys come up with each year. Maybe someday I will make a book for each of my boys using all the questionnaires they have filled out over the years.
Happy New Year, everybody!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

How to Turn "Store Bought" Fortune Cookies Into an Elegant New Year's Eve Treat

I am a big fan of keeping things simple, and I absolutely LOVE a good shortcut. Today, I am sharing a really fun idea for New Year's Eve. With a few ingredients, and a couple minutes, you can transform "store bought" fortune cookies into an elegant New Year's Eve treat that will impress your guests!

You'll need: store bought fortune cookies, baker's chocolate, and sprinkles.

Then: 

1) Melt the baker's chocolate according to package directions. (I melted mine on medium heat for 2 minutes... stirring at 30 second intervals.)

2) Dip the cookies in the chocolate, and let excess drip off.

3) Dip the cookies in sprinkles, and place on wax paper to allow the chocolate to harden.

That's it!

They really are impressive looking when you put them on a nice tray.

It would be fun for kids to help make this treat too, and they'll love cracking them open and reading their fortunes. You can also dip a glass in chocolate and sprinkles for an added festive touch.

I love a good short cut, don't you? These fortune cookies are easy, inexpensive, and a lot of fun. You could even send them home as party favours with a "Wishing you good fortune in the new year!" tags. Fun, right?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Old Fashioned Shortbread Cookies... with homemade buttercream icing

I absolutely love a homemade shortbread cookie. I love the buttery flavour and flaky texture. It's the perfect cookie with a glass of milk or a cup of tea/coffee. Today, I am sharing a simple recipe for old fashioned shortbread cookies that is easy to make and tastes like the cookies your grandma used to make.

Here's the recipe for my favourite old fashioned shortbread cookies:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup softened salted butter (room temperature for easy mixing)
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 cup cornstarch

Directions:

Mix butter, flour, and vanilla together with electric beaters. Then, mix in icing sugar and cornstarch. (If they seem lumpy, use a sifter, but I usually just throw it all in "as is".) 

Beat until well mixed and crumbly, and then form into two discs with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap, and pop into the fridge for 30 minutes. Note: It looks crumbly when you are mixing it, but when you start to work with it in your hands, it all comes together nicely.

Roll out to 1/4 inch on a floured surface.

Cut with a cookie cutter and bake on Silpat or parchment (at 300 degrees) for approximately 15 minutes. (I used a 2 inch cookie cutter.)

Let cool, and then frost using my "small batch buttercream icing recipe". To make my icing, just beat together the following ingredients:

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp to 1 tbsp milk or cream
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

These really are delicious cookies, and they are great for sharing during the holidays too!

Do you have a favourite shortbread recipe? If you are looking for one that is simple and delicious, you should give this one a try.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

{simple} Christmas Class Treats... no baking required

Tomorrow is my boys' last day of school, and they love to bring little Christmas treats for their classmates. This year, my middle son is bringing a fun photo treat, and my youngest is bringing a bag of goodies. Check them out below!

To make the fun photo card/treat, I took a picture of my son holding a fist to the side. Then, I added a Christmas greeting using Picmonkey.com.

Then, I used an x-Acto knife to cut slits above and below my son's fist and inserted a candy cane. (You could also use a pencil or a tree ornament if you prefer a candy free option.) 

I love how cute and personal these treats are, don't you?

My youngest son isn't allowed to bring food to school, so he opted for little tree ornaments in gift bags. I added a fun photo tag that I created in PicMonkey, and the result is super-cute!

Are your kids sharing treats with their friends this year? These options are simple and fun!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)