Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

I love gift tags.   Each year I try and make some for my gifts.  I love that now there are a number of places where you can download free printable tags!  We decided it would be fun to make some free printable gift tags for you to use this Christmas! This is a great way to save money on tags & use materials that you already have on hand.

Instructions:

• To print: Use cardstock – this is not a must but it does make them a little more durable and easier to cut out.

I also like to add glitter or ribbon to mine for a little Christmas bling.  I would love to see pictures of how you use them.

Free Printable Gift Tags:

Mason Jar Tag – this tag is really versatile – it wouldn’t have to be just for Christmas, but you could use it anytime of the year. You can cut the jar completely out or cut it into a rectangle.  These would be nice on wrapped gifts or on gifts from the kitchen!

Vintage Tricycle Tag - This would be cute for a child’s gift.  It would be cute with a little red glitter added to the bell or the frame of the tricycle.

Linen – This last tag is a simple linen-looking tag. You can print it in black, red or green writing.  I love burlap and linen and this has that type of look to it.

Thanks to the Graphics Fairy for the free downloadable clip art!

Free Printable Gift Tags is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

Every year the boys and I celebrate the days leading up to Christmas with different holiday activities.  We love doing some family traditions, but also love making new projects or new memories.  My youngest, Jack is really into playdough! It’s pretty much the only thing he will do for hours.  I decided making play dough would be fun and for Christmas we decided to do red and green.  A friend of mine had made some for a harvest party and she gave me the recipe (she had found it on Pinterest).  It is so much better than the store bought stuff – soft and pliable, but because it is made with kool aid it smells yummy! And what a frugal gift this would make for some kids on your list!

Ingredients:

• 1 package unsweetened kool aid (small packages- 20 cents each at Walmart)
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup salt (I only had kosher salt on hand and it worked great)
• 2 tablespoon oil (I used canola)

Some recipes do not call for the cornstarch-not sure if you need it or not, but the one my friend had given me had it and I loved how hers turned out so I used it-you might be able to try it without.

Directions:

*Mix all the ingredients in a cooking pot until heated through (stirring constantly) and dough forms ball in center.  You can also do without the stove in a bowl, but you must boil the water.  We tried it both ways.  I found the stove method to be faster and gave better results, but my Jack really wanted to stir and I won’t let him stir on the stove so we tried the boil method too.

*After the playdough has cooled, store in airtight container such as ziplocks or rubbermaids. We made these for little party favors & just put them in ziploc baggies & folded them down & cut out a piece of holiday scrapbook paper to add to the top & stapled it over the ziploc bag.

We made two batches of red and two batches of green which was the perfect amount to use as party favors at our “Birthday Party for Jesus”  I also think it would be a fun gift for a preschool class, neighbors with kids or even great stocking stuffer for your own little ones.We will definitely be making this again.

For a few more festive playdough ideas – check out some of these fun ideas we found via Pinterest:

Gingerbread Playdough

Candy Cane Playdough

Homemade Playdough is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Guest Post: Erin from Simply Frugal Mom

When I was in grade school making these candy sleighs was always on our holiday To-Do list. They are perfect for Secret Santa presents, a teacher gift, or as a present topper. It’s a Simply Frugal way to add a sweet treat to your holiday gift giving.

For this project you will need:

• Small box of Junior Mints
• 2 Candy Canes
• Assorted Chocolate Candy
• Chocolate Santa
• Tin Foil
• Craft Glue

I had a hard time finding the smaller Junior Mint boxes but finally found them at Fred Meyer.  The chocolate Santa and presents were from a Palmer’s Santa Sack, which you should be able to find for under $1 pretty much anywhere.

First step is to wrap the Junior Mint box in foil.

Okay…since we are friends….I’ll confess that my first step was to eat the Junior Mints. But if you are giving this as a gift, I highly recommend you skip that step.

Next, glue the candy canes onto the wrapped Junior Mint box. I used craft glue for this, but you could use hot glue as well. I don’t have a hot glue gun, but I’m hoping Santa is going to bring me one.

Lastly, use craft glue to attach the chocolate Santa and presents. I used one of the bells from the Santa Sack to act as Santa’s seat and to help keep him upright. I don’t recommend using hot glue for this part…I’d worry that it would melt the chocolate.

You can use any candy you want for this project, like a pack of gum for Santa’s seat or Starbursts for the presents. I’d love to hear your suggestions.

If you are looking for other crafty Christmas projects, check out my posts on Making Your Own Bows and Tags with Scrapbook Paper  and my DIY Cookie and Milk Jug for Santa project.

Erin is a busy working mom and wife who loves a bargain! Her blog, Simply Frugal Mom offers tips and information on crafts, recipes, couponing, organization, and other areas of frugal living. Stop by and have a look around! 

Candy Sleighs is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

I saw these on Pinterest a few months back and knew my boys would love them.  They love reindeer and this year there are real live ones to go visit just down the road from us at Watson’s Nursery in Puyallup!  I also thought these would make a fun little gift for his preschool secretary and the other students in his class.  Super easy and affordable to make.

There are so many different versions of these that you can make – we have a few ideas that you could use or you could come up with something unique, too.

Free Printable “Reindeer Noses” tag:

We’ve also included a FREE printable Reindeer Noses tag that you can use which is in PDF form, so you should be able to print it right off on paper or cardstock to use.

Supplies:

• Red Hots candies (or you could use Whopper candy for the noses & then add in one red candy intermixed within them.) You could also use red jelly beans or any other favorite red or brown candies.  *I found the Red Hot candies very cheap at Winco in the bulk bins.
• Mini ziploc bags or cellophane bags from Michael’s or another craft store (I found mine years ago at Paper Zone but any craft store would have them). Mine are size 3″ x 5″.
• Christmas scrapbook paper (or just a piece of plain cardstock paper)

Steps:

1. Fill up the bags with your candies (Red Hots, Whoppers, etc)
2. Cut scrapbook paper into 3.5″ x 6″ rectangles and then fold them so they are 3.5″ x 3″ .
3. Staple the scrapbook paper to the top of the cellophane or ziploc bag.
4. Print off the Reindeer Noses free printable tag & cut them into 3″ x 2.5″ rectangles.  {You’ll notice there is no “o” in noses”.}
5. You can use glue to draw an “o” in “noses” & sprinkle red glitter on top. Or use a red pom-pom, red buttons, or even glue on a red hot candy.
6. After your “o” is dry, then glue your Reindeer Noses printable onto the scrapbook paper to finish your tag.

Super simple and fun!!  These would make cute neighbor gifts for other neighborhood kids or great little stocking stuffers!! Or maybe make these to pass out to all the kids in your child’s classroom as a fun yet thrifty little Christmas gift!

Do you have a frugal yet fun Christmas craft,gift idea or Christmas recipe to share with all of us?  We’d love to feature unique reader ideas along with pictures. Email me at thriftynwmom (at) gmail (dot) com with your idea.  If you’re a blogger, we will link to you within the post as well as providing a short bio at the end. You’ll also get a $10 Starbucks gift card as a thank-you!

Reindeer Noses + FREE Printable Tag is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Photo Credit

As I mentioned yesterday, my family will be doing a special 25 Days of Christmas activity for the month of December, where will be doing some sort of special activity or event for each day of the month leading to Christmas to celebrate the season of Advent. You can read all about the 25 Days of Christmas and see a variety of different Advent calendars that you can make yourself! Or just keep it really simple & have your kids help you make a red & green paper chain & you can write the activities on each of the links for the chain. Then have one child pull off a link each day with that day’s activity.

I’ve been compiling all sorts of fun ideas of activities that you could do for your 25 Days of Christmas (or 12 Days of Christmas – however many days you want). Tomorrow I will share some of the local events, for my local readers, that you could add to your 25 Days as well. Many of these ideas come from my friends who have been doing the 25 Days of Christmas for years with their kids (thanks Melissa & Sarah for so many fun ideas).

*Make sure to check out the fun ideas that Thrifty NW Mom Facebook Fans are sharing! And you can find even more activities & inspiration on my Pinterest Christmas boards.

25 Days of Christmas Activities:

• Give each of your kids a chocolate Advent Calendar to use with your homemade advent calendar (you can find these at the Dollar store, Walgreens, Fred Meyer, World Market, Walgreens, Hallmark, Bed Bath & Beyond) *This is our first activity for December 1st
• Living Nativity (there are 2 that are here in the South Sound area happening this weekend, I’ll share those tomorrow) – great way to kick off the season of Advent & focusing on the true reason for the season!
• Picnic next to the Christmas tree
• Have a birthday party for Jesus & invite friends
• Red & Green Dinner – serve food & drinks that are either red or green for dinner (if you’re really ambitious, you could even do this for every meal & make it Red & Green Day)
• Make ornaments (I’ll be sharing some different ideas for these – check out these fun Salt Dough ornaments)
• Christmas craft day (I’ll be sharing more ideas on the blog & Facebook Fan page)
• Make homemade Peppermint Hot Chocolates or go out to Starbucks or a local coffee shop for a fun little outing
• Decorate Gingerbread Houses
• Make candied popcorn & Game Night (maybe buy a new game & wrap it for them to open – it could be from a thrifty store, doesn’t have to be brand-new just new to them)
• Write letters to Santa
• Cut down Christmas tree
• Decorate the tree & drink eggnog
• Balloon Volleyball
• Date night with daddy
• Hot cocoa & Christmas books next to the Christmas tree or by the fire
• Christmas movie marathon night (or day)
• Tortilla snowflakes
• Put on PJ’s, bring (or buy) hot cocoa (or peppermint hot cocoa) & go see local Christmas light displays in neighborhoods
• Make paper snowflakes & decorate the windows
• Make edible gifts for the birds (e.g., birdseed & peanut butter pinecones)
• Make footprint reindeer or penguin (we made the reindeer one year as ornaments, but you could also do it on canvas for a fun holiday picture to hang on your walls at Christmas)
• Go ice skating
• Make red & green homemade playdough (Queen Bee Coupons has a fun recipe I want to try)
• Sleep on the floor under the Christmas tree
• Read the true story of Christmas (Luke 2: 1-20)
• Write notes to each member of the family telling them how special they are & leave in their stockings to open Christmas morning
• Kids Choice day or night
• Make reindeer cookies or edible wreaths

• Gather allowance money & put in the Salvation Army bucket  (or even better, volunteer as a bell ringer to help raise money for your local Salvation Army – we will be doing that this year with our whole family)
• Have a shopping date with mom or dad to buy a gift for their sibling(s)
• Bake & take cookies to a local organization like a nursing home, veteran’s home, hospital, youth center, etc
• Bake cookies & bring to your local fire station (maybe they’ll even give you a tour of the station & the trucks)
• Make gifts or treats for the neighbors & deliver them together
• Gather up toys to donate (also clears the way for new toys coming at Christmas)
• Make Christmas gifts for teachers
• Adopt a family or a child for the Christmas season – thru Toys for Tots or a local angel/giving tree  – have your children help you shop for the items
• Go Christmas caroling in your neighborhood or at a local nursing home, hospital, rehab center

25 Days of Christmas ~ Activities List is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Photo Credit

Now that Thanksgiving is done, it’s time to start preparing for Christmas . I don’t know about you, but I find that Christmas just speeds by every year & every year I’m left wishing we’d done more of the fun, family activities instead of getting caught up in the rush of shopping, baking, etc.  So, the last few years, we’ve tried to be more intentional in spending time as a family and slowing down to really enjoy this season.  We want the focus for our kids to be on the real reason for the season, celebrating the birth of our Savior.

So I thought I’d share a fun tradition that we will be doing this year – the 25 Days of Christmas (many people also call these “Advent Activities” or “Christmas Countdown”). This is where you pick an activity or craft or go to an event as a family for each day in December (or however many days you choose to do this idea). Your kids will open up the advent calendar to find out what the activity is for that day. It can be simple activities such as read a Christmas book under the Christmas tree or have red & green night where all of your dinner food is in red & green colors. Or you can do more involved activities like go to a Living Nativity or a Christmas play. It’s just taking the time to think about special activities you can do with your kids or as a family. Find a big list of fun activities to provide some inspiration for your 25 Days of Christmas!

Over the next few days, I will be sharing with you some different ideas of events & activities you can use for your 25 Days of Christmas. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can just start by doing the 12 days of Christmas or whatever sounds manageable to you. I first learned about the 25 Days of Christmas a few years ago in our MOPS group, but just haven’t been organized enough to do the full 25 days until this year. The first year we just did the 12 days of Christmas & last year it was the 15 days – so I’m ready for the 25 days this year! I’ll be updating you all as we go along with some pictures of the fun activities that we do, too.

Advent Calendars:

The first step, though, is to come up with a fun idea to display your 25 Days of Christmas Activities or Christmas Countdown.  I’ve been having fun looking for ideas for Advent Calendars on Pinterest so I thought I’d share a variety of different ideas with you. These range from the very simple to a few more elaborate ideas. Most of these are quite frugal, using items you most likely have around your house.

Baby Sock Advent Calendar from Martha Stewart - This is a variation of what we have done in the past. I didn’t use baby socks but actually found mini stockings at the Dollar Store a few years ago (I also have seen them at Walmart). I then strung them by a ribbon over our fireplace the first year. Last year, I kept it very simple & just kept the stockings in a special box & we’d pick out a new stocking every day. {This was a great option for us because I could switch out the activities easily depending on what our schedule turned out like that day} We haven’t yet gotten our Christmas items down (been too busy with Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals); otherwise I’d show you what we used.

 Advent Calendar from Simple Mom – using a frame, blank bookmarks, paper or sticker numbers, ribbon & clothespins. This is definitely a very do-able Advent Calendar for you non-crafty folks like me!

 Muffin Tin Advent Calendar from Amy at Mom Advice – I love that this is so simple using items easily found at home yet it still turned out super cute!

Cone-Shaped Advent Calendar from Family Fun – A fun simple idea that your kids could even help you make! This might be cute to display on your fireplace mantle, entertainment center or another prominent bookshelf.

Christmas Countdown Calendar from Thrifty & Thriving – My blogging pal Christy made this adorable countdown calendar using scrapbook paper, embellishments & magnets. This is a simple idea yet so fun & versatile since it could be on a fridge, corkboard, & more.

Clothespin Wreath from Sarah at Chickie Momma Crafts – Our contributor Sarah created this beautiful Clothespin wreath with cute little envelopes to hold the 25 days of Christmas activities. This would definitely take some time to create but you would have a beautiful wreath that could be used for other purposes as well if you use more neutral papers.

There were just so many fun Advent Calendars on Pinterest, so I had to share a few more of my favorites:

• Christmas Countdown Calendar by Simply Frugal Mom – She used a cookie sheet & little metal tins – so cute & I love the little tins – you could put a little treat in there too, if you wanted.
• Christmas Countdown Garland from The Crafting Chicks - They also include a free printable for the numbers – these are what I used with our stockings – just printed them out & taped them to our mini stockings…super simple. Love the cute envelopes they used for the garland!
• Advent Calendar using a Shoe Organizer – I love the practicality of this idea – use some cute cardstock paper or envelopes & then clip your advent calendar to the shoe organizer & hang it on the back (or front) of a door. {The only problem would be little hands moving the clothespins or trying to peek – I could totally see that happening in my house}
• Advent Calendar using Cookie Sheet - This one is a bit more elaborate but so cute! {you’ll need to scroll to the bottom of the page to find it – I couldn’t get it to link to the individual article}
• Handmade Advent Calendars - If you’re really crafty, then you might want to check out all of these fun ideas for Advent Calendars. I love the little felt pockets – so sweet!
• Printable Advent Calendar from Make & Takes - This is a super simple idea – just print off this cute advent calendar & it’s like a puzzle where your kids put on a piece each day. You could write the list of activities on the back of each piece.
• Paper Chain - The easiest & most frugal idea would be to just create a simple paper chain using construction paper & tape. Then write or tape the ideas for your activities onto each of the  links in the chain.

Celebrating the 25 Days of Christmas ~ Advent Calendars is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

One of my favorite crafts to do with my boys is potato prints.  They are the perfect craft for preschoolers.  I love that the potato stamp is large and chunky for their little hands.  Both my boys love painting this way.

How to get Started:

• Large russet potato-cut it in half and left to dry out overnight
• Finger paint
• Paper (or any other medium you wish)

I usually place the paint on a thick paper plate or aluminum pan, cover the table with an old table cloth and then hand the boys the potato stamp to go to town. After the “pumpkins or apples dry, the boys then used green ink from a stamp pad  to make stems with their fingerprints.

It is so easy but a fun activity for kids. You can use cookie cutters to cut the potato into any shape to use for any season or holiday.  We didn’t cut them this time because we were making apples and pumpkins for fall.

Uses for Potato Stamps:

The possibilities with potato stamps are endless.  You could use fabric stamps and stamp on a table cloth, canvas bags, dish towels and much more.  They would make fun gifts for grandmas or teachers!!

This also a great option for homemade wrapping paper at Christmas time – a special way the kids can contribute to the gifts while keeping the costs down without buying the more expensive wrapping paper.

Potato Print Pumpkins is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

Last week we  featured some frugal & fun teacher gift ideas for back-to-school.  I have to confess, though, that I didn’t realize that our last 2 posts did not post while I was on vacation – I just realized it last night. Oops! (That’s what I get for going on vacation without a laptop & having to rely on borrowing one when I could) So, today & tomorrow, I’ll feature 2 more days of Sarah’s teacher gift ideas.

Make sure to check out the other fun teacher gift ideas in our series from last week:

• Crayon Wreath and Crayon Monogram
• Sweet Treats
• Coffee Lovers

I love paper and when Joann’s Craft Store  has their 6 for $.96  sale, I can go a little crazy buying “cute” paper.  That is what I did last year buying a lot of “school” prints, thinking I would make a scrapbook.  Well, I never got around to the scrapbook, but I did use some of the paper to make some Post-It note covers for the school office staff.

Post-it Note Covers:

Supplies: Scrapbook Paper, Post-its, Small Brads & Twine/Embroidery Floss to tie it together

I used a template from Chica & Jo to create this cute, post-it note holder.

Outside of Post-It Note Holder

Inside of Post-It Note Holder

Candy Bags:

We made little candy bags for the office staff at our preschool last year.  These are so simple but very cute!

Here’s how it worked:

• Buy pretzel bags (available at a craft store, such as Michaels or Joanns)
• Fill with Swedish fish (or use goldfish crackers)
• Type up & print off off a little card on cardstock that said “We are o “fish”ally excited for the new year!”
• Mat with a coordinating piece of cardstock paper & attach to the bag

This might also be a fun gift to make for the whole class, too, for the first week of school.

Printable Bookmark:

Modern Parents, Messy Kids has a free printable for a bookmark all about teaching. This is a great idea to give the teacher or even to make for the whole class.  Just print it out on cardstock, cut them out & you’ve got a super simple but meaningful little gift.

Keep Calm, Teach On:

One of my favorite sayings is “Keep Calm and Carry On!”  Now that this saying has become popular they have made it into so many different things:  “Keep calm and eat cupcakes, Keep calm and Pray on”, and more.   So,  of course they have a teacher one: “Keep Calm and Teach On!”

The Hands-On Housewife created a FREE printable with the “Keep Calm, Teach On” saying for teachers.   There are so many possibilities of cute  crafty items you can make with this free printable.

Print off the Keep Calm, Teach On printable & mat on black paper. Then place inside the blank paper weight.

Finished Paperweight

• Paperweight - We found an acrylic blank paper weight at Michaels to turn this into a fun paperweight for teachers.
• Framed print – You could print off the saying & put it in a cute frame or even scrapbook the frame.
• Set of Notecards
• Notebook cover - Use modge podge to make  a pretty cover for a spiral notebook.

For more ideas, check out Thrifty & Thriving for another fun paper craft idea for back-to-school – Candy Pencils! Super cute!

What are your favorite teacher gifts to give?

Teacher Gift Ideas: Paper Crafting is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

This week we are featuring frugal & fun teacher gift ideas for back-to-school or to use anytime during the year! Don’t forget to check out the Crayon Wreath, Crayon Monogram or Sweet Treats.

For those of you who know your teachers are coffee lovers,  Starbucks or their favorite coffee shop gift card will always be appreciated.  Not that teachers ever have favorites, but I can tell you I remember those families that brought me coffee!!!

Reusable Drink Cup: A simple idea is to fill a reusable drink cup with crinkle paper and place a gift card in the top. For an even more economical idea, use a paper Coffee cup as the “gift box”.  I love having the reusable water/iced drink mugs around,  especially when I was teaching.  You can get a generic version at Bed, Bath and Beyond (don’t forget to use the 20% off coupon that typically comes in the mail – they never expire).

Along with that you could have your student make a coaster to set the drink on.  Also you can have them make a card saying, “Hope this year is “latte” fun!”.

Teacher Gift Ideas: Coffee Lovers is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

This week we are featuring frugal & fun teacher gift ideas! Don’t forget to check out the Crayon Wreath & Crayon Monogram ideas,too!

Sweet Treats:

Homemade Jam: I love to bake and can, so I love to give teachers a jar of homemade jam along with some scones, bread or biscuits . Attach a card saying, “Hope your year is super sweet!”, for a yummy yet frugal treat.

Cupcake: In the Fred Meyer rewards this month, there is a coupon for $3 off a bakery item. You could use this coupon to get a fancy cupcake to present to the teacher on the first day of school.

Mini Oreo Apple Pops – Check out these super-cute “apple pops” over at Skip to my Lou.

Edible Crayons: Here is a tutorial to make “crayons” from pretzels from Gourmet Mom on the Go.  I bookmarked this one last year and never got a chance to make it.  I am hoping to do it this year for my son’s PreK class. You’ll even find free crayon printable labels – you just need to print them on the colored paper!

Teacher Gift Ideas: Sweet Treats is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Contributor: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

Before having my boys, I taught 5th and 6th grade.  So I get kind of giddy as soon as the school supply sales start!  I love new pencils, the smell of new crayons, notebooks, paper, glue and erasers!!!  I can’t help but get new supplies each year, whether we need them or not.  I was sooo excited last year when my oldest got his first school supply list!!

I love this time of year when kids are going school shopping, and we are getting ready to gear up for a new year of activities, schedules and fall.  I think from all my years of being in school and teaching, September seems more like the New Year than January for me.

That being said, I will always have a special place in my heart for teachers.  They balance so much and I know first-hand how hard they work.  Most teachers spend the last month of their summer in class, prepping their rooms, planning lessons and getting ready to love on our kiddos!  I think most people would be shocked to know just how much teachers spend of their own money on school supplies and items for their kiddos.  I love every opportunity to bless my kid’s teachers and show them how thankful we are for them and their dedication.

In honor of teachers and this time of year, we will be featuring a different teacher gift idea each day this week! I have put together some links I’ve found of great back-to-school gift ideas for you, as well as a few ideas I have done in the past to show you.  There are so many ideas for every budget and craft skill out there!

We’ll start with a school supply item that you’ll find very cheap right now with all the August back-to-school sales: crayons! (Check out Office Depot this week for 25 cent crayons).  There are so many fun uses for crayons with crafty projects & I’ve shared two of my favorite ideas.

Crayon Monogram:

Last year for Christmas I found a shadow box frame at Goodwill and we made a crayon monogram for Joey’s preschool teacher. (see the picture at the top of the post)

Instructions:

• I printed out the Letter “W” in the font we wanted to use.  I printed it on cardstock in watermark so it would be durable and using the watermark so you wouldn’t be able to see it through the crayons.
• My then-4 year old helped me lay out the crayons on the letter.
• We used an exacto knife to  “trim” the crayons so it would make the proper shape.
• Finally, we fitted it in the frame and made sure to adhere it with a strong glue since the crayons make it kind of heavy.

Crayon Wreath:

I love wreaths – I pretty much have one for every month.   This one would make a cute teacher gift or you could use this for your own house for the month of September as we get back into the swing of school.

Instructions:

• I used a piece of foam core poster board (available at the dollar tree).
• I cut the foam core into a large circle about 16” in diameter, then cut out a center circle to give it a doughnut shape.  (You want to make sure the circle is no more than 2.5 inches wide because you want the crayons to completely cover the wreath).
• Cover the wreath with some scrapbook paper-just in case the crayons don’t cover the wreath completely.
• Glue the crayons on with hot glue
• Add other “school” embellishments or some pretty fabric flowers or a ribbon.
• Glue a hook on the back (a pop can tab works great for this) and it’s ready to hang!

So, what are your favorite crafty ideas using crayons?

Teacher Gift Ideas – Crayon Monogram & Crayon Wreath is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

By Contributor Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

With summer comes the freedom of a relaxed schedule which I love, but at times with all the rain that we had in June, it could make us go quite stir crazy! So, for those days when it’s raining or you need a break from the sun, here are two kid activities my boys and I made and then played.  I love these because they are soo cheap to make and provided hours of entertainment.  I loved watching the boys create “new” ways to play and make up different games using the same materials.  These are also nice because they can be done indoors or outdoors!

Paddle Ball:

Supplies:

• Balloon
• 2 paper plates (we used disposable plastic-the seemed to hold up a little better than the paper)
• Tape (we used painters tape)
• 2 paint sticks (the original ideas used large popsicle sticks-but we didn’t have any and I think these ended up giving a better handle)

Instructions:

• Simply tape the paint stick to the back of the plate about 1/3 of the way up.
• Next, blow up the balloon and play!

We played lots of different ways-tossing back and forth, trying to hit it as many times by our self without it hitting the ground, seeing who could hit it the furthest-LOTS of different options.  We had so much fun that we made a whole bunch to have on hand at my son’s third birthday party.  My three year old loved this game so much that he slept with his paddle and woke up saying, “Play again?”

Ring Toss:

Supplies:

• 4 large somewhat sturdy paper plates
• Paper towel tube
• Tape (we used painters)
• Scissors

Instructions:

• Trace the paper towel circle on the back of one of the paper plates in the center.
• Cut out the circle, stick the paper towel tube in and tape down-you could also probably glue it (but then you would have to wait for it to dry and we aren’t that patient around here)
• Cut the center out of each of the remaining three plates.

Time to play!  We did this trying to toss the ring from behind a line, holding the stick in the air, we even had races balancing the plate with the tube on our head-LOTS of options for different games!

For older kids, you could have them decorate or paint the paddles, and rings.  My oldest decorated his paddle, but my youngest could have cared less.  It might be fun if you are hosting a summertime party or BBQ to make some of these instead of spending money on the store brand versions!

Both of these games were great and it wasn’t a big deal if they got bent or broken-we just made more.  Super cheap, easy and fun!!!  Doesn’t get much better than that!

If you have a fun & frugal summertime craft or activity to share, email thriftynwmom (at) gmail (dot) com with your idea & we may feature your idea on Thrifty NW Mom. If  featured, we will post a link back to your blog if you are a blogger.

Summer Boredom Busters is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

By  Contributor Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

There is just something about my kid’s handprints-I just love them!!  It seems to freeze in time their cuteness.  I love looking at their footprints taken at the hospital and think, “Were they really that little?”  Because of that, I am a sucker for crafts with my kiddos’ hands or footprints.

Supplies:

• Poster paint-I recently found this in three packs at the dollar bins at Target
• Poster paper (if I was doing this again I think I would use the Dollar Tree’s foam poster board-that way the flag would keep it’s shape and be more durable)
• Paint brush and drop cloth

Instructions:

• Start by cutting your paper  in the shape of a rectangle (mine is 14” by 18”).
• Lightly mark with pencil the “star-hand” section and the “stripe”-feet section.
• I started with the hand of my three year old.  I painted the paint on his hand, then helped him press it in the star section.  He loved this-he loves all things squishy and dirty.  I did all the stars first then gave him his own sheet to do more “stars” on.
• After that section was dry, I did the stripe section using my 5 year old’s foot. He hated this!  He hates all things dirty.  He had no desire to do his own stripes, but he did want to use the paint brush and paint his own flag.

I love how it turned out.  I am planning on mounting it on a navy blue poster board so I can use it above our mantle on patriotic holidays.  I like that it could be for more than just the Fourth of July.

So, what are your favorite 4th of July crafts?

4th of July Flag Craft is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

If you’re looking for some new, fresh ideas of crafts to do with your kids this summer, check out these two free e-books available now for download. The 4th of July E-Book also contains some yummy 4th of July recipes!

• Free Summer Crafts for Kids E-Book – includes 22 different crafts such as homemade toys, wearable crafts, easy crafts with household items, fun paper crafts & more.
• Free Fourth of July Crafts & Recipes E-Book

Free E-Books – Summer Crafts & Fourth of July Crafts & Recipes is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

By  Contributing Writer, Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts:

A friend of mine recently shared with me how she creates a family bucket list for each season.  She says it helps her to be intentional with their time and do things they always “talked” about, but never got around to.  I have wanted to do it for a while and summer seems like the perfect time to give it a try with preschool over, MOPS ending and some vacation time coming up.  I always start the summer with grand plans of fun things we are going to do or visit, but it seems like come August we haven’t done nearly what I had envisioned!  I am hoping that making a family bucket list will help.

We started first with brainstorming together, as a family, things we each wanted to do.  My husband really wants to go camping, go see CARS 2 and my five year old wants to go fishing, go swimming and on picnics.  My three year old wants to pretty much play in his sandbox all summer!  I want to visit the farmers market, go on some hikes and bike rides.  There are also a few museums that we want to see and local events.  It wasn’t hard at all to come up with 50!  In fact we keep thinking of things to add!!

I created a simple sheet in Publisher to keep on a clipboard and mark off as we go.  I am sure if you are a digital scrapbooker you could create something much cuter than mine!  I also decided to make both boys a simple scrapbook so we could put pictures of some of our activities.  I am hoping that will also make me more likely to take some pictures!!  My five year old is beyond excited to get started and frankly so am I!

Some other ideas I came across was writing the ideas on strips of paper and putting them in a sand “bucket”-and labeling the bucket, “summer bucket list.”  Then you could draw out a different activity.  You could also make a summer calendar with different days labeled with activities.  Really there are so many different ways you could do this same idea.

One thing I was sure to do was make some things really simple.  We can’t afford to visit museums every day nor do I want that kind of crazy schedule for the summer.  For example some of the items are as simple as blowing bubbles, going on a nature walk, or making popsicles!  Others will take more planning like camping, but with that one we will probably do another at the same time like swimming and having campfire.  Just creating the list and making the scrapbooks has gotten me soo excited for summer-now if only we will get some summer weather around here!

Free Download:

Print off a copy of a blank Summer Bucket List Activity sheet so you can fill this in as a family & get started making a summer full of memories!

Supplies Used:

Scrapbook: I picked up the mini blank scrapbook at Michael’s for around $5-10.  Use one of their 40% or 50% off one item coupons to lower your price. You can find cute little embellishments in the $1 bins at Michael’s or Target’s Dollar Spot.

Bucket: You can pick up a bucket or sand pail at a number of places – Target Dollar Spot, the Dollar Tree, Michael’s, JoAnn’s, Walmart. Just use a sharpie to write on it or use chalkboard paint to make a little chalkboard to write on.

List of our 50 Summer Bucket List Activities:

1. Camping
2. Picnic at the park
3. Family Game Night
4. Puppet Show & make puppets
5. Nature Walk
6. Go Mini Golfing
7. Swim Party
8. Go to Nisqually Bird Refuge
9. Build a sand castle
10. Play Hopskotch
11. Slumber party with cousins
12. Have a water fight
13. Have a watermelon spitting contest
14. Make rootbeer floats
15. Visit the King County Fair
16. Ride the Sounders Train
17. Visit a new park
18. Run through the sprinkler
19. Visit the Seattle Aquarium
20. Do a science experiment
21. Have a lemonade stand
22. Pick berries
23. Invite friends to a picnic
24. Visit the Pacific Science Center
25. Go to the ocean
26. Make ice cream
27. Concert in the park
28. Family bike ride on the Orting Trail
29. Visit Alki Beach
30. Go to the Dollar Theater
31. Play with Sidewalk Chalk
32. Take a family hike
33. Go to Great Wolf Lodge
34. Visit the Hands On Children’s Museum (Olympia)
35. Go to the zoo
36. Celebrate summer birthday’s
37. Go see Cars 2
38. Plant something & watch it grow
39. Make popsicles
40. Walk the trail at Chambers Bay
41. Go to the Farmer’s Market
42. Make jam
43. Go junking
44. Read a chapter book
45. Build a campfire
46. Walk Ruston Way
47. Go for a Sunday Drive
48. Create art
49. Go fishing
50. Movie in the park

Summer Boredom Jar:

Here is another fun idea to use over the summer – very similar to the Bucket List, but this is called a “Summer Boredom Jar“. Fill the jar with simple activities & have your kids pick out a new activity each day. My friend Melissa created this super cute jar using a Phinneas & Herb theme.  You can check out her huge list of summer activities over at “I’m Bored, Let’s Make Something“.

What is on your summer bucket list??

Summer Bucket List Activity is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

I knew there were lots of fun ideas out there to use up old broken crayons, but I never really took the time to do any of them. So today, with a sick kiddo at home, I decided it was time to give those broken crayons new life! I found a “recipe” for Stained Glass Crayons in an old family cookbook.

Directions:

I lined my muffin tins a few different ways, just to experiment. (and partly to protect my muffin tin!) Some I simply put aluminum foil. I’m sure you could use tin foil muffin cups but I didn’t have any on hand. I lined a few with 4-5 paper liners. I get these in bulk so I don’t mind using them for crafts! And a few cups I lined with both, just to see what happened.

I had my daughter help me peel the paper off the broken crayons and we each took a side of the muffin tins to create our own masterpieces. The recipe said to mix up the crayon colors to give it that stained glass look.

We put the tray in a 400 degree oven and peered through the window, waiting for something to happen. After about 30 seconds my daughter lost interest and found something else to do while we waited! At about the 5 minute mark the crayons in the tin foil were done melting but the ones in the paper still looked like whole crayons. I let them go another 4-5 minutes and took them out, not wanting to burn them. (if that’s even possible! it just smelled hot and I figured it was ready.) I then put them out on our cement patio to cool. About 15-20 minutes minutes later we had “NEW” crayons that look pretty cool!

Some of the crayons work better than others, but then again, some of the broken pieces worked better than others to begin with! But they are fun and my 5 year old enjoyed making her own crayons. She’s already asked to make more. (I think we’ll use mini-muffin tins next time.)
As far as which liner worked best, I think it’s a wash. Although I’m glad I used so many paper ones in each spot because the wax did go all the way to the outer paper. In which case, if I had foil in abundance I’d probably use foil as the crayons melted so much faster in foil.

What are ways that you have repurposed items around the house for crafts? Or what is your favorite thrifty craft idea?

Thanks to contributor Tara for this post!

Thrifty Craft Idea – Stained Glass Crayons is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Today we have a guest post from reader Chrystal about re-purposing old CD’s into adorable letters to spell her son’s name in his bedroom.  I’d love to feature more reader frugal tips & craft projects (especially with Valentine’s Day coming up)!  If you have a thrifty craft idea you’d like to share along with some pictures, email me at thriftynwmom (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Guest Post: Reader Chrystal from Chrystal’s Corner

Being a mom on a budget who loves to craft, I am always on the hunt for thrifty project ideas. When I stumbled upon the idea for re-purposing old CDs at A Recovering Craft Hoarder I knew I had found a winner. In fact, having all the items I needed on hand, I sat down that very afternoon and completed the project in no time.

When I was pregnant with my first two boys, I painted and decorated wooden letters that spelled out their names and strung them above their cribs.  I hadn’t gotten around to doing anything like that for our youngest son yet so I decided to make this a project for his room. Here is what I did:

1. First I traced the CDs onto card stock. I wanted to cover both sides so I traced 12 circles for the 6 CDs I was using.

2. After cutting out the circles from the card stock, I used Modge Podge to adhere the card stock to each side of the CD.

3. Using my Cricut machine I cut letters spelling out my son’s name. You could just as easily do this free hand, with stencils or even with stickers. I again used the Modge Podge to adhere the letters to the card stock as well as a final coat on top of the letters to give the project a shiny finish.
4. At this point you have several options as far as displaying the letters. The original project involved putting holes in the top and using ribbon to hang them from a wooden hanging rack. I didn’t want to mess with punching holes in mine so I kept them as is and propped them on a shelf in my son’s room.

And there you have it. A fun, thrifty project that takes no time at all.

So, what is your most creative project where you’ve been able to re-purpose an item around the house?

Chrystal is a 29 year old stay at home mom with 3 boys ages 4, 3 and 7 months. She takes pride in making it her job to keep her family’s budget intact by couponing and finding thrifty ways to make or buy the things they need and want. When she gets a free moment (which can be few & far between!), she unwinds through crafting and blogging.  You can keep up with Chrystal over at Chrystal’s Corner.

Re-Purposing Old CD’s is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Guest Post: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts

This is our last homemade gift idea in a series of guest posts by my friend Sarah! I hope you’ve enjoyed all these fun ideas & that it’s inspired you to think of some homemade gifts you can make with your kids to give to friends, family, teachers, neighbors, etc.

Make sure to check out Sarah’s blog, Chickie Momma Crafts for all sorts of fun holiday craft ideas, recipes, do-it-yourself furniture projects & more! Thank you, Sarah, for all these frugal yet fun gift ideas!

In Washington this year we have already built our first snowman of the season and, according to the weather man, we should get more opportunities!!  This is a snowman accessories kit you can give as a fun, thrifty gift for Christmas or winter.

Items you’ll need:

• A scarf and hat – These are available at our local Dollar Tree store .  Or you could use fleece and cut and glue or sew together.  I found Santa hats since we are using them for Christmas gifts.
• 
• 7 medium sized stones about 2-3 inches in size – Have your kids paint them black (my boys LOVED this)
• Large black buttons – I got mine at Walmart in a large pack for $2
• 
• Carrots: You can get fake carrots at Michaels – a 3 pack for $4 (even cheaper if you use a Michael’s coupon).  Or you could get a carrot with roots still attached (the roots seem to help extend their life) about a day or so before you deliver your Snowman Kit.

How to put together your Snowman in a Bag Kit:

Cutting out shapes for snowman face for bag

Snowman Bag:   I sewed a little snowman draw string bag, but you could make something similar with a white paper gift bag.  For sewing the bag,  I used an old white sheet and used Wonder Under (available at Walmart or fabric store) to applique the “carrot and coal” on.  I then sewed on buttons for the eyes.  Making  the bag took a little more time than I would probably do if I were trying to mass produce them-but I think it will make a fun and unique gift for my niece and nephews so it was worth the extra effort.

Ironing on the “Wonder Under”

You could use a white gift sack and do the same sort of concept on that if you don’t sew.

Tag: You can then make a cute little tag explaining that this is a Snowman in a Bag Kit.

Here’s what the tag says:

Snowman Kit: Just add snow! Includes a hat, scarf, button eyes, coal mouth, and carrot

Snowman Soup: You could also include the ingredients for Snowman Soup inside your kit.

Here’s the recipe for “Snowman Soup”:

• 1 packet of hot chocolate
• 1 mini candy cane
• 2 Tbsp of mini marshmallows

You can include this cute “Snowman Soup” poem:

I was told you’ve been real good this year.

Always glad to hear it!

With freezing weather drawing near,

You’ll need to warm the spirit.

So here’s a little Snowman Soup

Complete with stirring stick.

Add hot water, sip it slow.

It’s sure to do the trick!

Giveaway: One Snowman in a Bag Kit to a Thrifty NW Mom Reader

As a fun way to end our week of homemade gift ideas, Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts, has offered to give away a complete Snowman in the Bag Kit for one lucky Thrifty NW Mom reader!  This Snowman kit will be sent to the winner & you can then give it as a gift or keep it for your own family for the next snowstorm!

This giveaway will end on Monday December 13th at 9pm pst.

The winner will be drawn using “And the Winner Is” plugin and the winner will have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise a new winner will be drawn. US residents only & you must be 18 yrs or older to enter the giveaway.

Here’s how to enter this giveaway::

One Entry: Head on over to Chickie Momma Crafts & check out the blog. Then come back here & leave a comment with your favorite craft or project.

Here are a few fun holiday crafts or traditions you’ll find:

• Foam Ball Ornaments – Cupcake ornament & Dictionary “Peace on Earth” ornament {I was actually the lucky recipient of these two ornaments from our Ornament Swap at MOPS yesterday. They are even cuter in person!}
• Clothespin Wreath – she’s using this for Advent activities (25 Days of Christmas)
• Christmas Book Holiday Tradition – Wrapping books to put under the tree to unwrap each day until Christmas. See the list of her favorite Christmas books. {I was actually able to find most of these from our local library – who said they had to be new books to you? They could be library books, books from the Goodwill, garage sales, etc}
• Button Wreath - so simple & fun for the kids yet so cute! {You could find a box of buttons at Walmart for fairly inexpensively.}
• Crayon Monogram & Christmas Gift Toppers/Ornaments – what a fun idea for the teacher’s gift with the crayon ornament
• Ornament Wreath
• Cute Gift Journal or Journal for Letters to Santa

Sarah is a wife & mother of two little boys (ages 4 & 2).  She’s the Co-Coordinator at a local MOPS group & is a former elementary school teacher. You’ll definitely want to check out her website, Chickie Momma Crafts, as she is a woman of many talents – crafting, baking, decorating & turning trash-into-treasures!

Homemade Gift Idea: Snowman in a Bag & Giveaway! is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Guest Post: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts

This is the 4th homemade gift idea in a series of guest posts by my friend Sarah! Make sure to check out her blog, Chickie Momma Crafts for all sorts of fun holiday craft ideas, recipes, do-it-yourself furniture projects & more!

Most years in my childhood we would make salt dough or cinnamon ornaments.  My aunt is also the queen of these and I have so many on my tree that she would decorate and give each niece and nephew over the years.  My sister and I hosted a cookie exchange a few years ago and so I thought making salt dough ornaments would be perfect for the party favor.  They turned out cute and some even have teeth marks from my then two year old trying to “eat” them.  I used the recipe listed below and then when they were cooled I used puffy paints and glitter glue to decorate them.  I have heard that you can also use real sprinkles!!  Never tried it, but maybe this year!

Classic Salt Dough Ornament Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup water

Directions:

1. Mix salt and flour.

2. Add in half the water, then gradually add the remaining water.

3. Knead until the dough is smooth, this can take up to 10 minutes.

4. For flat dough ornaments, roll out the dough on baking paper.

How to  Create Your Ornaments:

• For desired shape, use cookie cutters, cut-out templates, or just use your hands to shape the dough into the shape you want.
• Dust dough with flour, then begin to add details to the ornaments with a toothpick, popsicle stick, and knife.

Tip: Don’t forget – use a straw to make a hole so you can hang the ornament or use a small piece of wire inserted while the dough is soft. (I use a 34 gage wire, cut it about an inch then fold it to a horseshoe shape and stick the two ends in the dough)

Baking: Time varies based on thickness of ornament.  The temperature should be at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until dry.

Decorate:

• Let ornaments cool before you begin
• Paint with acrylic paints
• Glue on beads, buttons, or any fun accessory

{I like to use puffy paints and glitter glue}

Preservation{so they’ll last a long time}:  Coat with acrylic varnish when everything is dry.

Make sure to check out the previous homemade gift ideas featured this week by Chickie Momma Crafts:

• Mason Jar Pies
• Candied Popcorn
• Little Bread Bags

Sarah is a wife & mother of two little boys (ages 4 & 2).  She’s the Co-Coordinator at a local MOPS group & is a former elementary school teacher. You’ll definitely want to check out her website, Chickie Momma Crafts, as she is a woman of many talents – crafting, baking, decorating & turning trash-into-treasures!

Homemade Gift Idea: Salt Dough Ornaments is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Guest Post: Sarah from Chickie Momma Crafts

My friend Sarah is back again today, sharing her favorite homemade gift ideas & recipes with you all week long! These make such fun, thrifty gifts at Christmastime.  Make sure to check out her blog, Chickie Momma Crafts for all sorts of fun holiday craft ideas, recipes, do-it-yourself furniture projects & more!

We did these for fall one year.  I used old fabric that I have collected over the years and sewed a simple bag.  First, I cut the fabric into an  8” by 20” strip, then fold in half with right sides together and sew along each 10” side using a ½” seam allowance.  Next,  using long ziplock (7” by 8”) sandwich bags fill with your favorite bread mix.  Then,  slide the bread mix along with baking directions into the fabric bag.  I used a label I made on the computer to staple the bag shut, but you could also use pinking shears to cut the top of the bag and then add a ribbon with a tag!

Different twists on the same idea:

• Cookie Mix
• Brownie Mix
• Dry Chili Ingredients
• Soup Mix

If sewing isn’t your thing, you could do them in a simple brown lunch bag tied with a ribbon or fabric.

Labels:

There are numerous places that you can print and download free labels.  One of my favorites for Christmas is over at the Crafty Carnival.

Poppy Seed Bread Mix recipe:

• 1.5 cups flour
• 1.25 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds {optional – this is a simple bread mix – but if you want to make it into poppyseed bread – you can add the poppy seeds & then instructions for the glaze on top}

Sift all ingredients together and place in ziplock bag.

Here are the baking instructions for the bread recipe (don’t forget to include them inside your packaging):

*Mix the dry ingredients from the bag with:

• ¼ teaspoon almond extract (could be substituted with rum or lemon)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup milk
• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 egg

Beat for two minutes.  Pour into greased and floured loaf pan.  Do not use glass pan.  Bake at 350 for one hour or until toothpick comes out clean.  Pour glaze over hot bread.

Glaze:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons orange or pineapple juice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ teaspoon extract (either lemon, almond or rum)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla

In small sauce pan, heat the first 3 ingredients until sugar dissolves.  Stir in extract and vanilla.  Brush on hot bread.  Let bread cool in pan for 2-3 hours.

Sarah is a wife & mother of two little boys (ages 4 & 2).  She’s the Co-Coordinator at a local MOPS group & is a former elementary school teacher. You’ll definitely want to check out her website, Chickie Momma Crafts, as she is a woman of many talents – crafting, baking, decorating & turning trash-into-treasures!

Homemade Gift Idea: Little Bread Bags is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Now that summer is in full swing, you may already be wanting some new ideas for how to keep the kids entertained throughout the summer.  However, the trick is to finding activities that won’t break the bank.  So, here are some tips for frugal summertime fun with your kids.

Head Outdoors &  Enjoy the Sunshine:

-U-Pick Farms –Such a fun activity for kids to be involved in picking raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches & more ; Pickyourown.org is a great resource to find U-pick farms; prices should be lower when you pick them yourselves, too. So, it’s a win-win-fun for the kids & cheaper, fresh berries & produce.

-Visit a local Farmer’s Market -They offer more than just fresh produce to buy – you could find free entertainment/music, little craft activities for the kids & more; Visit LocalHarvest.org & search “Farmers Markets” on the right  side to find a Farmer’s Market near you

-Free Concerts & Movies in the Parks - Check with your local city or town (or surrounding areas) to see their schedule of free concerts & movies in the parks; bring along chairs or a blanket and a picnic lunch/dinner for some great frugal family fun

-Festivals or Small County Fairs –  They are often free or offer inexpensive admission with fun entertainment, kids activities & play areas, variety of food options (or bring a picnic lunch or dinner & drinks to make it more frugal)

-City or county parks - Check out the local parks in your area to find those which offer free wading pools or splash parks;  also, make sure to check the list of events as many Parks & Recreation departments will offer free (or inexpensive) activities for kids in the summer-gardening ideas, crafts, nature walks, etc.

-State or National Parks – These also may offer free guided nature walks (or other kid-friendly activities) - check out the list of events on their website before your visit the park.  Also, check out the Fee-Free weekends this summer at all National Parks.  The dates are: August 14, 15; September 25, 2010

-Minor League Baseball Games - Get a Buy 1 Get 1 Free ticket when you bring a Kraft singles cheese wrapper to the box office; this is valid on Tuesdays thru the summer at select Minor League locations across the country; also check the individual Minor League Team websites to see if there are any special events or family specials going on thru the summer at the ballpark.

–REI’s Passport to Adventure Program – An incentive program for kids ages 5-12 to encourage them to get out with their families on bike rides, hikes, nature walks & more.  They can earn a free prize by documenting their activities for the summer. You can also find out some great information about local hikes, walks, bike trails & more on their website.  Find out more HERE.

Indoor Fun:

-Museum / Science Center Time - Check out your local museums or science centers’ websites to see if they have any free (or discounted) admission days during the month & put those on your calendar. Your local library may also have free family passes to museums or cultural centers.

-Free admission for Military to Museums – Active-duty military members & up to 5 members of their family (spouses, sibling & children) can have unlimited visits to over 600 museums nationwide as part of the Blue Star Museum Program. This started Memorial Day, 2010 and runs thru the summer, ending on Labor Day, 2010.

-Free bowling for Kids - Check out Kids Bowl Free where kids can get 2 FREE bowling games every day during the summer (shoe rental not included). There’s also a Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon for AMF bowling alleys available right now.

-Free (or Cheap) Family Films in the Movie Theaters - Check out your local movie theater to see if they’re participating in free or inexpensive (often $1/ticket)  family films on select days during the summer.  Here are a few of the participating movie theaters: Regal Cinemas, AMC Entertainment, Cinemark,  & Great Escape Theaters.

-Free library programs – Your local library is a great resource for free kids activities throughout the summer.  They may have free puppet shows, movies, kids concerts, craft days, etc. Also, make sure to check out their Summer Reading programs for great incentives to keep your kids reading.

-Vacation Bible School – Enroll your kids in a Vacation Bible School program at a local church. They typically last a week and are several hours a day, filled with songs, crafts & more to keep your kids entertained & meeting some new kids. They are usually free or inexpensively priced for children to attend.

Fun around the House:

-Shaving Cream Fun – Get a cheap can of shaving cream (if you coupon, you might have a stash you got for free); Spread it out on an outdoor table  & let your kids go at it, making fun designs & being silly. When they’re done, just spray down the table {and them, for that matter!}

-Outdoor water fun – Invite friends or family over for some fun on a hot day – get out the sprinklers, slip & slide, water balloons, squirt guns

-Movie time at home - Rent a movie from the library or a $1/day rental from Redbox for a marathon movie morning or a family movie night

-Make homemade ice cream- a yummy  treat for a hot summer day; check out these how-to’s & recipes at Allrecipes.com

Summer Frugal Family Fun is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Are you trying to think of some cute ideas for Father’s Day crafts for your kids to make this year? Make sure to download this FREE Craft E-Book filled with 10 great Father’s Day crafts from bloggers.

So, what are your best ideas of homemade gifts or crafts that your kids can make for Father’s Day – either for dads or grandpas?

FREE Father’s Day Craft E-Book is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Here’s a FREE E-Book for Recycled Crafts which may give you some great ideas for repurposing & reusing items you have around your house! We frequently do this in our house – I’m always saving plastic containers, egg cartons, & more so that we can use them for crafts, arts/crafts storage

Free E-Book for Recycled Crafts is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Are you looking for some fun Easter crafts to do with your kids this week and weekend before Easter Sunday? Here’s a great resource – FREE E-Book filled with Easter & Spring Craft Ideas!

This e-book is filled with fun crafts such as homemade Easter cards, home decor ideas for Easter, crafts for kids & even a few Easter recipes!

Easter Crafts – Free E-Book is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Are you looking for some inspiration for St Patrick’s Day coming up on Wednesday? My daughter is really into celebrating all of the holidays now and loves to decorate the house, do fun crafts, and have fun things to eat along with the day. {We just finally took down our foam snowflakes hanging from the entry light and our string of Valentine hearts that she had put  up with her daddy to surprise me for Valentine’s Day. It was about time – it is only the middle of March!!} We’ll be switching to more Easter decorations now – but I’m still looking for a few fun St Patrick’s Day items to have up for a few days.

I was excited to see a new, FREE E-book filled with all sorts of fun St Patrick’s Day crafts, decorations, and recipes! {Check out the cute hat decoration above which seems pretty easy to make!}

Here are a few more fun ideas you’ll find in the FREE E-book:

-Felt Shamrock Garland
-Happy St Patrick’s Day Card
-Irish Shamrock Plate
-Homemade Bailey’s Irish & Cream
-Lucky Clover Pendant Necklace

St Patrick’s Day Recipes & Crafts is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Did you know that March is National Craft Month? That’s news to me! It looks like Michael’s is holding FREE craft workshops all month long (see my post HERE with the events for this weekend).  See all the details HERE.

Here are the upcoming workshops:

• Saturday, March 20 (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.): T-shirt decorating with fashion paint and Michaels Birthday Bash celebrating the “It’s My Birthday” kids’ party program. Cost: FREE workshop with purchase of t-shirt.
• Sunday, March 21 (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.): Easter decor workshop for customers to learn to make an egg-stravagant Easter chick inside a craft egg. Cost: FREE workshop with purchase of craft egg.
• Saturday, March 27 (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.): Kids can create spring projects like flowers with new Crayola(R) Model Magic(R) Presto Dots. Cost: FREE
• Sunday, March 28 (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.): Wilton(R) cookie decorating demonstration. Cost: FREE

I’ll be reminding you about these – but  make sure to put them on your calendar now!

Upcoming Michael’s Craft Classes is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Are you looking for some fun, craft ideas for Valentine’s Day – can you believe it’s only a week away now–next Sunday is Valentine’s Day!! Oh boy, I’ve got to get moving!!  Well, you’re in luck as there are 2 NEW Valentine’s Day Craft E-books which you can download for FREE!

Check them out HERE:

Cupid’s Handmade Craft E-Book: This e-book has over 30 Valentine’s Crafts such as Valentine’s Day decor ideas (unique Valentine’s vase, candy bouquet), ideas for creating Valentine cards, & kids crafts!

Valentine’s Day Crafts from Famous Bloggers: E-Book with decorating & gift-giving ideas for Valentine’s Day

You can also check out a FREE E-book for 24 simple scrapbook layouts HERE.

2 Free Valentine Craft E-Books & Free Scrapbooking E-Book is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom

Step One: Binding the Book
First, decide how many pages you want.  I will be using 2 bags and have 8 pages counting the front and back.  Make sure the bags are lined up and fold them in half.

Then I weaved ribbon & tied large knots to create the binding. I designed my scrabook with parts of the paper bag showing because I like the rustic paper bag look.  If you don’t want to see the paper bag when you are done, cover the bag with a base color of paper, then bind it.

Step 2: Add Character

The paper bag provides more than a backing for the scrapbook- it gives you several easy ways to add character.  I left the top of one bag open- so I have a pocket. I am not sure what I will put in the pocket yet… maybe a paper snowflake, more pictures, a note- use your imagination!

The top of the bag gives you a pocket, the bottom of the bag makes a flip out page!

I used the bottom of the bag as a half page.  As you can see, the bottom of the bag can fold part way open already.  To make a half page, I cut the bottom flap of the bag so that the flap opens all the way.

I then covered it with paper.  The paper serves a double purpose here.  It covers up the messy, cut up bag, and it reinforces the book.

Step 3: Scrapbook It

You can decorate it any way you like from there. Here is how I did mine:

I only had a few pictures I wanted to use- so I used mostly paper & thoughts about winter & snow.

This is the flip out page.  I used it to hide a picture of Daniel about to through a snowball.

That was definately my favorite page of the book!

I only made one flip out page.  I covered up the bottom of the other bag.

Success!  We now have a cute little book documenting our fun in the snowy Rexburg winters.

I had so much fun making this book, I have already planned another one!  My plan is to make a Valentines Day book for my husband instead of a card.

Guest Post: Paper Bag Scrapbook is a post from: Thrifty NW Mom