My boys have always loved giving out Valentines to their friends on February 14th, but they don't like handing out anything that says "love" on it. They always want to share treats with their classmates, but because of allergies and their school's nutrition policy, we prefer to come up with fun and unique candy free Valentine options. This year I found adorable plastic cars at Walmart, and I turned them into even more adorable Valentines. Keep reading to download my "WHEELIE" cute class Valentine.
I designed a card that says, "I'm WHEELIE happy to have a friend like you!". Then, I cut slits in the cards with an X-Acto knife, and I used pieces of red yarn to tie toy cars to the cards. Cute, right?
To print the glittery Valentines I designed: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.
I love how they turned out. They really are a wonderful "non-candy" Valentine's Day treat option.
I made 30 for my 9 year old's classmates, and he is super-excited to pass them out to his friends.
Do you love sharing non-traditional Valentines on Valentine's Day? I hope you are inspired to get creative and hand out something a little different this year. Happy Valentine's Day! ♥ Gina(aka East Coast Mommy)
Disclosure: I received compensation from Greco for this post, but (as always), the opinions expressed in this blog are 100% my own. Valentine's Day is all about showing love, and I love my ALL boys (my husband and my three sons)! So in my house, we like to celebrate Valentine's Day as a family. Friday night family movie night is a weekly highlight in our house, so a simple Valentine's Day movie night is the perfect way for us to celebrate Valentine's Day. Today, I am sharing my favourite tips, tricks, and shortcuts for planning the perfect EASY Valentine's Day family date night.
Step one is to set the stage with a few decoration... and it doesn't take much effort. A dollar store tablecloth and garland, and a few heart shaped balloons are all you need.
Then, you'll need a "zero effort" supper. How cute are these heart-shaped pizzas from Greco? We got a pizza and garlic fingers, and they were both delicious. Supper doesn't get much easier than ordering pizza!
Finally, you'll need some popcorn, and a sweet treat for dessert. These individual cheesecakes are perfect for movie night, because you can grab them, and eat them on the couch. (They are also super-easy to make... from a mix!)
To make cheesecakes in jars: 1) Start with an instant cheesecake mix and fruit. (I used raspberries.) 2) Prepare the graham cracker crust (according to package directions) and divide it evenly between 6 small jars. (You can use a spoon to press the crust into the bottom of the jars, but I used a little tool made from a skewer, a piece of cardboard, and a piece of tin foil.) 3) Prepare the cheesecake layer (according to package directions) and divide it evenly between the 6 small jars. (I used a spoon, but if you want it extra neat, you can use a piping bag.) 4) Top with fruit, and refrigerate.
I also designed cute tags for my jars which you can download for free. To download these "You are sweeter than cheesecake" tags: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.
As you can see from my boys' smiling faces, the heart-shaped pizza and garlic fingers were a hit... and I LOVE when I don't have to cook supper.
How do you celebrate Valentine's Day? Do you enjoy a romantic dinner for two, or do you prefer a family celebration? However you choose to celebrate... I hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day with the people you love!
Last Father's Day, my boys made a donut bouquet for their dad, and he loved it. It is a fantastic alternative to flowers... and who doesn't love donuts?!?!? So, if flowers aren't your sweetheart's thing, a DIY donut bouquet would be perfect for Valentine's Day. I even designed a cute tag that you can download for free below.
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! And, for an added touch of fun, you can attach a tag that says, "DONUT forget how much I love you!" Cute, right?
To download the tags I designed:click on the desired tag below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.
Check out this easy-to-follow video.
Isn't this a fantastic Valentine's Day gift idea? Do you have a special person in your life that would enjoy this DIY donut bouquet? I think this is an absolutely adorable treat!
I first made LOVE BUGS with my boys when they were little, and it's still my favourite Valentine's Day crafts. It's creative, fun, and perfect for kids of all ages. (Adults like making them too!)
This graphic shows the step by step instructions for making love bugs... but keep reading for all the information you need to make these cute critters for someone you love.
Here are the instructions: 1) Cut a piece of cardboard (3-4 inches high) from an old cereal box. 2) Cut a long piece of yarn and lay it across the top of the cardboard. 3) Wrap yarn(approximately 60-80 times... depending on the thickness of the yarn) around the cardboard. 4) When you have finished wrapping, tie the long piece of yarn tightly around the top of the wrapped yarn and cut the bottom.
5) Use a pencil to poke two holes in a piece of an egg carton, and thread a pipe cleaner through the holes.
6) Spread out the yarn, place it on top on the egg carton, and twist the pipe cleaner to secure the yarn in place.
7) Twist the pipe cleaner to form two hearts.
8) Use hot glue to attach googly eyes.
Cute, right????
You could also make up little "make your own LOVE BUG" kits. Just put all the supplies in a bag, and attach the instructions below. Wouldn't this make an adorable Valentine?
To print the instructions:click on the photo below, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.
I made a bunch of them in an evening for my son to share with his class. He's soooo excited to take them to school to share with his friends.
Try playing with different colours and thicknesses of yarn. You can also add beads, pom poms, or cardboard hearts to the antennae. Use your imagination, and have fun making these adorable LOVE BUGS! ♥ Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)
PS - You can also watch an old video of my boys making love bugs here:
Don't miss out on any of the fun... follow me on social media here.
I love a good cookie recipe... and so do my boys. Chocolate chip cookies are a staple around here, but these soft and chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are also a favourite. The cookies freeze well too, so they are great for packing up individually, freezing, and popping in my boys' lunch boxes.
Here's the recipe for my favourite soft and chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies:
Ingredients:
1 cup butter (softened... not in the microwave) 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 2) In a large bowl, cream together: butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. 3) Beat in eggs (one at a time) 4) Add vanilla. 5) In a separate bowl, whisk together: flour, baking soda, oats, cinnamon, and salt. 6) Mix wet and dry ingredients. 7) Stir in chocolate chips. 8) Drop by heaping spoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (I use a small cookie scoop.) 9) Bake for 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool, and transfer onto a wire rack.
If you love a soft and chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, you are going to love this recipe. Give it a try and let me know what you think. ♥ Gina Bell(aka East Coast Mommy)
Sometimes there is a room in the house that really needs a makeover, but time and budget are major concerns. We have a bathroom at the top of our stairs that desperately needed a refresh, but because it is barely used, we didn't want to spend a lot of money on it. So, with our small budget of $250, we pushed ahead... and today, I am sharing the results of our efforts.
(Note: I had some trouble taking photos in my small bathroom and I was getting glares on the pictures of my boys. As a result of the "angles" I was taking the pictures at, it appears that some of my photos are crooked... but I assure you, they are straight in real life. lol) One of the major problems with our bathroom was the fact that the light fixture was off center, and it could't be fixed without electrical work (which was out of the scope of the project). It literally drove me crazy every time I looked at it.
BEFORE
In order to solve the problem, I bought an inexpensive vertical mirror and placed some vertical objects to the right of the mirror... to trick the eye into thinking things were more balanced. It worked really well. I also painted the room and cleared the clutter.
AFTER
I also needed to update the decor that had been in this bathroom since my boys were babies and toddlers.
BEFORE
I got rid of the basket that once held diapers and baby bath stuff. In its place, I put a vase of flowers and a couple of inexpensive succulents. I also replaced the childish "frog" shower curtain with a lovely striped one, and I placed coordinating towels on the back of the toilet. I think the result is much more age appropriate for my boys now.
AFTER
Here's the view of the small bathroom from the hallway.
BEFORE
AFTER
Finally, I updated the boring towel rack with some hooks that are much more functional for my boys. Each boy now has his own towel hanging under his baby picture. Cute, right? (The grey frames were only $10 each, and I love how they look).
BEFORE
AFTER
I love that the bathroom looks totally renovated for less than $250! Here's how my budget broke down: paint (Benjamin Moore... raindance) - $50 three grey frames (Superstore) - $10 each - $30 shower curtain (Superstore) - $26 three hooks (Kent) - $5 each - $15 six towels (3 for on the hooks and 3 folded on the back of the toilet) (Superstore) - $8 each - $48 new bath mat (Superstore) - $16 soap dispenser (Dollar Store) - $4 succulents (Superstore) - $11 vase (Dollar Store) - $4 tall flowers in vase - $4 mirror - $55 minus the two items I was able to sell - $10 for the mirror and $15 for the old frames There are other things I would like to do to my bathroom at a later date (like replacing the sink, vanity, and light fixture), but for my $250 budget, I'm super pleased with how it looks. What do you think about my refresh? ♥ Gina Bell(aka East Coast Mommy)
When it comes to organizing my home, my boys' bedrooms are particularly challenging for me. My three boys have tons of books, toys and clothes, and I struggle to keep it all tidy and organized. Today, I am sharing my 5 best tips for organizing a kid's room... and you are going to love them. The new way of folding clothes is going to rock your world!
1) Fold clothes right. - In my house, the socks are flat, and the clothes are folded in thirds and stored vertically. It looks super-tidy, and my boys can easily find the items they are looking for in their drawers. Check out the video at the bottom of this post to see exactly how I do it.
2) Use baskets. A couple of baskets on top of a dresser are perfect for all the odds and ends in a child's room. Kids can put their miscellaneous items in these baskets... instead of on the floor.
3) Store stuffed animals in a bean bag chair cover. Instead of having stuffies all over the floor, they can be stuffed into a bean bag chair cover. It contains the chaos, and it makes a comfy reading seat too.
4) Use a clear shoe rack on the back of the door. I use these clear shoe racks all over my house, and they are awesome! The clear pockets make it easy for kids to store and access their stuff. I use them for LEGO, but they work well for clothing, craft supplies, and any small toys.
5) Make books organized and accessible. Make sure all the books have a "home". You can use a nightstand, baskets, or shelving. Also, rotate books on a regular basis... out with the old and in with the new.
You may want to check out this video I made in my son's room. It's less than 4 minutes, and it contains some get tips and tricks for organizing a kid's room.
What are you best tips for organizing a child's room? I love the way my boys' drawers are organized, but all the tips I've shared are fantastic. They are easy, inexpensive, and effective. Let me know your favourite in the comments below.
