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DIY New Year’s Eve Shakers

November 27, 2018 by Kelly Dedeaux

DIY New Year's Eve Shakers #newyears #newyear2019 #diy #craft #kids #kidscraft #newyearsparty #parties

I’ll admit, we use to do more of a ‘party’ as a family for New Year’s Eve when we lived in Utah. There’d be tons of food, some fireworks in the road in front of the house, and countdowns (one of the kids, one of the adults) – I loved it! The past few years we’ve been much more mellow, watching some movies together then going to bed before midnight. Blah! This year, we’re hoping to do more with our kids – letting them stay up, doing more activities, and really enjoying our time together (and hopefully sleep in). These DIY New Year’s Eve Shakers will be a fun addition to create AND celebrate with!

DIY New Year's Eve Shakers #newyears #newyear2019 #diy #craft #kids #kidscraft #newyearsparty #parties

I know, they’re going to be NOISY – but letting the kids make some crazy noise after the ball drop is a rare treat that we can deal with. I can only imagine how excited they’ll be, and their smiled will be worth the few minutes of shakers 🙂

DIY New Year's Eve Shakers #newyears #newyear2019 #diy #craft #kids #kidscraft #newyearsparty #parties

Supplies

  • 8 Empty Keurig Cups
  • 4 Dowel Rods or Popsicle Sticks
  • Popcorn Kernels
  • Washi Tape (Any Colors/Designs)
  • Scissors

DIY New Year's Eve Shakers #newyears #newyear2019 #diy #craft #kids #kidscraft #newyearsparty #parties

Directions

  1. Decorate the outside of each Keurig cup with the tape. Create your own designs and have fun with it!
  2. Fill one cup about ½ full with popcorn kernels.
  3. Place another cup on top and wrap washi tape around the middle, securing them together. Go around 2-3 times.
  4. Take your dowel rod or popsicle stick and place it on the back. Secure it with 3-4 strips of washi tape.
  5. Now, they are ready to shake and have fun!!

DIY New Year's Eve Shakers #newyears #newyear2019 #diy #craft #kids #kidscraft #newyearsparty #parties

What’s your New Year’s Eve traditions?

Filed Under: Holidays, Kid Friendly, Parties

20 Winter Handprint Crafts

December 22, 2018 by Kelly Dedeaux

20 Winter Handprint Crafts - a great list of winter activities for kids!

This weekend is Christmas (crazy, right?!) and some kids will soon be bored with the holiday vacation already. If you’re looking for a fun winter activity for kids, these 20 Winter Handprint Crafts are just the ticket! I’m partial to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle handprints myself, and I know my kiddos would love the salt dough ornaments, too!

20 Winter Handprint Crafts - a great list of winter activities for kids!

  1. DIY Handprint Ornament: Christmas Craft from blog.consumercrafts.com
  2. Handprint Angel Craft For Kids You’ll Cherish Forever from alittlepinchofperfect.com
  3. Handprint And Footprint Angel Craft from easypeasyandfun.com
  4. Hand And Footprint Reindeer from freekidscrafts.com
  5. Fingerprint Christmas Tree Salt Dough Ornament from easypeasyandfun.com
  6. Handprint Reindeer Christmas Ornament Craft For Kids from buggyandbuddy.com
  7. Handprint Christmas Wreath from icanteachmychild.com
  8. Snowman Handprint Christmas Ornament from littleredwindow.com
  9. Handprint Reindeer Puppets And Treat Bags from icanteachmychild.com
  10. Family Handprint Christmas Tree from mamasmiles.com
  11. Family Hand Print Christmas Tree Canvas from muminthemadhouse.com
  12. Handprint Reindeer Ornaments from kidsstuffworld.com
  13. Homemade Christmas Decorations from kidscraftroom.com
  14. Handprint Christmas Tree from theimaginationtree.com
  15. Make A Paper Plate Reindeer from education.com
  16. Handprint Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Salt Dough Ornament from iheartartsncrafts.com
  17. Toilet Paper Roll Reindeer Kid Craft from theresourcefulmama.com
  18. Snowy Owl Handprint Craft from funhandprintartblog.com
  19. Polar Bear Handprint Winter Craft from intheplayroom.co.uk
  20. Handprint Polar Bear from funhandprintartblog.com

Which of these cute and creative Winter Handprint Crafts are your kids most excited to try?

Filed Under: Holidays, Kid Friendly

20 DIY Gift Card Holders

December 17, 2018 by Kelly Dedeaux

20 DIY Gift Card Holders! Lots of great ideas for doing gift card gifts this holiday

Not sure what to give someone because they’re super picky, change their mind, or always just get themselves what they want? Or maybe they live far away, so shipping something large isn’t exactly easy – or affordable. Doing gift cards is an excellent choice, and these 20 DIY Gift Card Holders are the perfect, creative way to give them!

20 DIY Gift Card Holders! Lots of great ideas for doing gift card gifts this holiday

I just love the variety of beautiful and FUN gift card holders you can make yourself! I have a few people I’ll be giving gift cards to, now I just have to choose which of these great ideas I’ll use to ‘wrap’ it in 🙂

I Heart Naptime – Santa Gift Card Holder

Design Eat Repeat – DIY Ugly Sweater Gift Card Holder

Bliss Bloom – Felt Gift Card Holders

Damask Love – Christmas Cocoa Gift Card Holder

Pink and Dotty – Snowman Gift Card Holder

That’s What Che Said – Washi Tape Christmas Tree Gift Card Holders

A Girl and a Gun – Stocking Gift Card Holder

Made to Be Momma – Ruffled Gift Card Holder

Tried and True Blog – Rudolph Gift Card Holder

DIY Candy – Felt Christmas Gift Card Holder

Positively Splendid – Sliding Door Gift Card Holder

Lovely Indeed – DIY Wood and Gold Leaf Gift Card Holder

My Red Wellies – Crochet Fox Gift Card Holder

Hip 2 Save – DIY Gift Card Snowglobe

Lemon Jitters – Paper Gift Card Holder

I Heart Naptime – Gift Card Holder Printable

Crafty Steals – Snowman Gift Card Holder Tutorial

Damask Love – Easy Paper Bag Gift Card Holder

1 Dog Woof – Crochet Gift Card Holder

That’s What Che Said – Santa Sack Gift Card Holder

Which was YOUR favorite?

Filed Under: Gift, Gifts, Holidays, Holidays

Gift Idea: Cute Treat Tubes

December 15, 2018 by Kelly Dedeaux

A couple years ago my mom and I saw these adorable little Treat Tubes at a craft show, and couldn’t wait to make some of our own! It took some practice getting the shapes just right, but finally they turned out just like we’d hoped, and our friends LOVED them!
Cute Treat Tubes with Free Printable Patterns / Busy Mom's Helper
You don’t have to spend hours figuring out the shapes, because I’ve included a printable for your to print and cut out – then all you have to do is trace and assemble!
Supplies Needed
Thin, long tubes to fill with the treats. I got packs of them from a Stampin’ Up consultant
Hole Punch (helps with the small circle shapes)
Glue or 2-sided tape
Googly Eyes
Elf: Green paper, Red paper, Skin-colored (peach/pink) paper, White paper (or puff), Ribbon
Santa: White paper, Red paper, Skin-colored paper
Reindeer: Dark brown paper, Light brown paper, Red paper
Snowman: Blue paper, Dark brown paper, Green paper, Orange paper, Black paper, Ribbon
Directions
 
Print out this pattern sheet. Some you will use for multiples, but I only included them once per sheet. Cut out (preferably on card stock) and use as stencils.
For the squiggly circle (2nd from right on top row) – you can use a tiny puff instead.
 
For the Elf:
Cut out the shapes as follows……
Green on bottom, then red
Then skin-colored
The ears tuck behind the peach, then the nose in center.
 
Draw a smile, add the eyes, ribbon and squiggly circle or puff. Attach to the tube – DONE!
For Santa:
Cut out the shapes as follows. For the white I used a patterned paper, to make it more fun.
First assembly….
Then this – VIOLA! That’s one sexy Santa Claus!
For the Snowman:
Cut out the shapes as follows. I used patterned for the blue (different ones) for fun. The black dots are simply hole punched – keep it simple
His assembly is probably the easiest….But he’s sure one adorable Snowman!
For the Reindeer:
I’m so sorry, but I did forget to take a photo of the reindeer pieces. What you will need for him:
Two ornament shapes in Dark Brown
Two antler shapes in Light Brown
One nose shape in red
Two ear shapes in Dark Brown
Insert the ears and antlers between the 2 ornament shapes, then the nose, eyes and draw a smile on front. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!!! Ya, you know you just sang along with that 😉
When you’ve got them all done, just add cocoa and marshmallows, or treats like M&Ms….give and enjoy!!!

 

Filed Under: Gift, Holidays Tagged With: christmas, Craft

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts – with free printable!

February 12, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts - with a free printable! #AD #PoweringTheHolidays @walmart @energizer #printable #christmas #gifts #holidayhacks #lifehacks #gifthacks

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PoweringTheHolidays #CollectiveBias

How many times have you been super excited about a gift, but once it’s opened realize it needs batteries – then the search begins! That hassle and waiting to be able to actually ENJOY the gift can cause so much unneeded holiday stress. Especially with kids, you don’t want to deal with the pressure (aka nagging) that’s sure to ensue while you hunt through cabinets and drawers. Don’t worry, because I’ve learned a Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts (plus giving a free printable so it’s even easier). No searching or stress THIS year!

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts - with a free printable! #AD #PoweringTheHolidays @walmart @energizer #printable #christmas #gifts #holidayhacks #lifehacks #gifthacks

While you’re doing your holiday shopping, make a note of which items need batteries – including what type and how many. Then stock up on however many Energizer® Ultimate Lithium™ batteries you need during your next visit to Walmart (because Energizer® Ultimate Lithium™ is the #1 Longest-Lasting Battery). It’s probably a smart idea to nab a few extra packs, just in case! To help with the holiday budget, click here to receive a $5 Walmart eGift card with your $15 Energizer® battery or lights purchase.**

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts - with a free printable! #AD #PoweringTheHolidays @walmart @energizer #printable #christmas #gifts #holidayhacks #lifehacks #gifthacks

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts - with a free printable! #AD #PoweringTheHolidays @walmart @energizer #printable #christmas #gifts #holidayhacks #lifehacks #gifthacks

Make sure you have everything ready – your gifts, wrapping paper, scissors, tape, ribbon, hole punch and your Energizer® Ultimate Lithium™ Batteries. As a mom, I rely on these for all our toys and electronics because nothing outlasts their long-lasting power – I want to be switching the batteries as infrequently as possible, because heaven knows I have plenty other things to handle each day. I also really appreciate each battery’s safety-conscious and leak-proof design, helping me feel confident that the most-loved toys and devices are protected against leaks and corrosion! They’re the clear choice to power the essential devices in your life dependably! Gather everything together, then you’re ready to start making your fun ‘battery holder’ gift box!

Click on the photo below to easily shop for all your batteries!

You need to print off this template – I highly recommend printing onto colored cardstock type paper. This is more sturdy so works best, and printing onto the color you want the box to be saves you from having to trace it. Don’t worry if you can’t print directly onto the paper you’ll use for your ‘box’, because you can print on normal paper, cut it out, then trace it onto what you’d like. It prints onto 8.5×11 size, and has 2 per page. Once you have the template, here are the steps for creating your awesome ‘battery holder’ to attach to your wrapped gift!

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts - with a free printable! #AD #PoweringTheHolidays @walmart @energizer #printable #christmas #gifts #holidayhacks #lifehacks #gifthacks

  1. Print out the template
  2. Cut out each box on the outside lines
  3. Hole punch slightly into each of the triangle tips
  4. Fold inward on the inside lines
  5. Add your Energizer® Ultimate Lithium™ batteries and use ribbon or string to loop inside, then carefully tighten and secure in a bow!

Now, because of the flaps on two of the ends (this provides more support for the pyramid shape), threading the ribbon the wrong way can cause weird lumps or issues. Here’s how I found works best for the smoothest closure…

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts - with a free printable! #AD #PoweringTheHolidays @walmart @energizer #printable #christmas #gifts #holidayhacks #lifehacks #gifthacks

There you have it – a super fun, festive gift box allowing you to safely include batteries WITH a gift by just taping the bottom of the paper box on top of your wrapped present. That means no more hunting around to power your kiddos new toy! If you don’t want to tape it on top, just wrap it inside the box with the present so it’s right there handy – or you can hang a bunch of these battery boxes (carefully) from your tree – high up where young ones can’t reach, of course – to easily grab when a ‘batteries required’ gift is opened. So fun!

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts - with a free printable! #AD #PoweringTheHolidays @walmart @energizer #printable #christmas #gifts #holidayhacks #lifehacks #gifthacks

Want to know another perk of hitting up the Energizer® battery displays during your Walmart shopping trip? You can nab these amazingly useful Energizer® Brand Headlights for a great stocking stuffer! I couldn’t resist getting another for hubby, because he uses his All. The. Time!

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts - with a free printable! #AD #PoweringTheHolidays @walmart @energizer #printable #christmas #gifts #holidayhacks #lifehacks #gifthacks

If you’re in a hurry so don’t have time to do this fun battery gift box, just use festive ribbon and tape to secure the needed batteries to their corresponding gift – easy!

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts - with a free printable! #AD #PoweringTheHolidays @walmart @energizer #printable #christmas #gifts #holidayhacks #lifehacks #gifthacks

Now go enjoy your holidays knowing that you’ll have a lot less stress when present-opening time comes, because any needed batteries will be right there with the gift, not only making it easy to grab but also look fabulous!

Creative Way to Include Batteries with Gifts - with a free printable! #AD #PoweringTheHolidays @walmart @energizer #printable #christmas #gifts #holidayhacks #lifehacks #gifthacks

**See Offer Terms & Conditions for complete details

How often have YOU forgotten batteries during the holidays? Me….well, way too many 😉

Filed Under: Gift, Gifts, Holidays, Holidays, Products we Love

The Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up

December 1, 2018 by Kelly Dedeaux

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

I couldn’t do a Christmas in July week without doing an AMAZING list of the most adorable, fun and elegant prints I could find, so here y’all go: The Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up!

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

There’s a TON of beautiful, artistic and down-right funny prints on this list, and they’re all FREE! Yup, I’m a lover of free things, especially ones that will help with my holidays! So without further ado, check out this Free Christmas Printable list!

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

So many great ideas in this list of 20 Free Christmas Printables from DIY Candy

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

I had so much fun making these 12 Days of Christmas Printable Tags last year!

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

You can’t go wrong with this amazing list of 100 Free Printable Gift Ideas for Christmas from Craftionary

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

I really need this When you stop believing…from That’s What Che Said, for my Wonder Woman who is starting to doubt!

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

I love chalkboard printables, and these Free Christmas Chalkboard Printables from Mother Thyme are simply lovely!

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

Look at all the fun prints in this Round-Up of Free Christmas Printables from Pampers, Play Dates and Parties

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

This Holiday Cheer Printable from Today’s Creative Blog has such cute colors, and love the words she chose to use!

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

I’m for sure printing off this Jesus is the Reason for the Season Free Printable from How To Nest For Less for my mantel (or on top of my piano) this year! LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

So yes, this Free Printable Christmas Planner from I’m An Organizing Junkie is from 2011…but you could still make it work! It’s just too cute to not include here 🙂

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

Seriously, Desiree from The 36th Avenue is such a talented (and super sweet) lady, and I’m loving her Bright Christmas Printables

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

Oh my gosh, how fun are these 11 Free Christmas Printables from My Blessed Life?! Super fun, I say!

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

These Christmas Subway Art & Banner from Mod Podge Rocks Blog are the perfect colors for the holidays!

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

What a simple-yet-fun print, this Eat Drink & Be Merry Printable from Two Twenty One would be a cute holiday item for my office this year!

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

My kids loved this Dear Santa: Kids Wish List Printable last year, and I’m hoping to put off this year’s lists at least a few more months!

Ultimate Free Christmas Printable Round Up / by Busy Mom's Helper #ChristmasinJuly #FreePrintables #Holidays #ChristmasDecor

Sassy Sites has More Than Thirty-Five Adorable & Free Christmas Printables that are just fabulous!

Filed Under: Gift, Holidays, Printable Tagged With: christmas, Craft, Decor, Round-up

Printable Holiday Planner

May 19, 2019 by Kelly Dedeaux

Printable Holiday Planner / You'll love these printable organization sheets and lists to get your holiday more organized. Budget sheet, gift list, menu planning, event calendar and shopping lists!

I can’t believe how fast Christmas is coming – but don’t worry, it’s not too late to get your holiday organized with our fabulous, festive Printable Holiday Planner! We’ve got everything her to help you keep your sanity during this busy season – from event calendar, to shopping lists and menus!

Printable Holiday Planner / You'll love these printable organization sheets and lists to get your holiday more organized. Budget sheet, gift list, menu planning, event calendar and shopping lists!

I’m in love with the festive, gold coloring and fun accents on these planning sheets! You can print off as many pages of each you need – maybe you need multiple pages of the gift list, or having several of the Christmas event calendar would be helpful? Then go right ahead – and allow these beautiful holiday organizing pages make your season a little less stressful. That’s a gift we could ALL use, right? 🙂

Download & Print HERE

Filed Under: Holidays, Holidays, Organization & Cleaning, Printable

Halloween Lighting Fun

April 9, 2020 by Kelly Dedeaux

Halloween Lighting Fun

This post is sponsored by Philips Hue via Momtrends Media.  The opinions are mine and are not indicative of the opinions of Philips Hue or Momtrends Media.

Growing up, my family always loved Halloween, and the entire neighborhood made it extra special and exciting. Us kids really looked forward to the candy, food, costumes and friends! Now with my kids, I try to make it just as much fun – and this year, we’re going way beyond the ‘normal’ with some Halloween Lighting Fun! Whether you’re throwing a monster bash, want to greet trick-or-treaters in a frightfully delightful way, or just want to add more witch’s magic to your kids’ holiday, this is sure to be a hit for the whole family.

One of my favorite parts of the Halloween season is all the COLORS – from the colorful treats and decor, to the costumes and makeup. This year, we’re taking ‘colorful’ to a whole new level thanks to the Philips Hue Go. Y’all know how much we love our Philips Hue smart lighting system, but I have to say that this piece just screams (or glows) FUN! Using the Hue app on your smartphone or tablet, you can personalize the light to match any theme or atmosphere you want. To make it even more convenient, you can control your Hue lighting with just your voice using Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri with Apple HomeKit.

One you have the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance starter kit, just add a Philips Hue Go to your system. The Hue Go is great because it’s portable lighting. One option is to plug it into a power outlet and shine it on your walls to paint them with colored or white light. We’re going with the more flexible option for our Halloween lighting fun this year, though! The rechargeable internal battery can last up to 3 hours, and even when it’s in portable mode, you can STILL control it with your smart device. So if you’re busy handing candy to the newest monsters and heroes to knock on your door, you can still play with the countless color options.

For us, we wanted to make a super colorful, exciting witch cauldron with smoke – cue the dry ice! Now, keep in mind that the Philips Hue Go is not waterproof. You need to use caution and common sense – make sure the light isn’t touching (or even too close) to the water or dry ice. We made sure we had a DEEP bucket, put the water and dry ice at the bottom, then set our light on something else several inches above those (but still hidden at the top of the bucket). It was incredible how cool the smoke looked with the various colors as it flowed out of the bucket and over our Halloween table spread!

Halloween Lighting Fun for the whole family! #AD #PhilipsHue #myhue #Halloween @philipslights Throw a monster bash, greet trick-or-treaters in a frightfully delightful way, or just go a little 'extra' this holiday with this awesome Halloween lighting!

The kids love making ‘spooky’ (okay, so they’re too adorable to be very scary, but they tried) and silly faces behind the light, and to pretend they’re casting ‘spells’ over the cauldron – I mean, bucket! We kept switching up the colors from a favorite pumpkin-like orange, to an eerie witch-green tone. There’s even pre-set light scenes in the app such as Blood Moon or Blue Lagoon. Have a special backdrop or photo? The Hue app can extract the colors from your image and apply it to your lights, making your Halloween atmosphere complete perfection.

Make the ultimate trick-or-treat stop or create haunted house effects with Hue’s special Halloween lighting formulas. You can recreate a lightning effect – or make it appear like a mischievous ghost is switching the color and brightness of your lights! The third-party app Hue Haunted House can add flashes and flickering to your colored lights for more Halloween fun, as well as combine haunting sounds and lighting effects to make anyone jump – enter the creepy ghost sounds or eerie piano music! Another option for a thrilling sound and light show is to download the Hue Sync app (available for Windows 10 PCs or macOS computers) to sync your Hue lights to the beat of your chosen Halloween-related music tracks. I think a set of Thriller is a definite must-do!

We’re all counting down the days until Halloween this year, and are so excited to show off our fun lighting with friends and visitors! Thanks to Philips Hue smart lighting, anyone can turn their everyday lighting into an extraordinary experience. Halloween is the perfect time to play with light and color and create an amazing ambiance, but it doesn’t have to end there – use it any day of the year! Once you nab the start kit, it’s simple to add more of Hue’s products like the Go to REALLY turn your house into the spookiest (or most thrilling) in the neighborhood!

Halloween Lighting Fun for the whole family! #AD #PhilipsHue #myhue #Halloween @philipslights Throw a monster bash, greet trick-or-treaters in a frightfully delightful way, or just go a little 'extra' this holiday with this awesome Halloween lighting!

What’s YOUR favorite Halloween color?

Filed Under: Holidays, Holidays, Products we Love

20 DIY Halloween Mason Jars

October 15, 2018 by Kelly Dedeaux

20 DIY Halloween Mason Jar Crafts

I love doing crafts, especially around the holidays. They’re just extra special, plus you can do decor or gifts and consider it a check off your list of to-dos anyway! For some extra fun, here’s a list of 20 DIY Halloween Mason Jars – you can pick from spiders or monsters, bats or candy corn, even cute ‘BOO’ jars for some festive decor!

20 DIY Halloween Mason Jar Crafts

My personal favorites are the mummy jars because they’re so dang cute! My kids would have a fun time with several of these, including the ghost lanterns. There’s a little something for everyone, so pick your favorite and get your Halloween craft on with these fun Halloween Mason Jars!

Mason Jar Crafts Love – Zombie Mason Jars

Blue i Style – Mason Jar Jack O Lanterns

Mabey She Made It – DIY Halloween Treat Jar

A Pumpkin and a Princess – Halloween Etched Glass Mason Jar Luninaries

Crafts by Amanda – Frankenstein Luminaries

Kids Craft Room – Neon Mason Jar Mummies

Landeelou – Black and White Halloween Painted Mason Jars

Just a Girl and Her Blog – Halloween Mason Jar Luminaries

Two Sisters Crafting – Spooky Halloween Mason Jars

MomDot – Halloween Drip Painted Mason Jars

Oh So Savvy Mom – DIY Upcycled Halloween Village Luminaries

Anne’s Entitled Life – Sugar Skull Mason Jar

Mason Jar Crafts Love – Candy Corn Mason Jars

Yesterday on Tuesday – Lighted Halloween Mason Jar

Simply Kierste – Mason Jar Ghost Lantern

It All Started With Paint – Mummy Mason Jars

Miss Information – Halloween Luninaries

House of Hawthornes – Painted Halloween Mason Jar Craft

Bee of Good Cheer – Polka Dot Candy Corn Mason Jar

MomDot – Halloween Mason Jars

Filed Under: Gift, Holidays, Holidays, Kid Friendly

Bug Valentine Craft with Free Printables

February 10, 2018 by Kelly Dedeaux

These super easy Bug Valentine pencils are the perfect Valentine for kids of any age! by BusyMomsHelper.com

Even though many of us are barely recovering from Christmas, Valentine’s Day is quickly creeping up on us – crazy, right? With 4 kids in school this year, we’ve got plenty of kids’ Valentines for school to deal with. Luckily, these Bug Valentine pencils are a super easy craft, turn out adorable, and we even included the free printables for you!

These super easy Bug Valentine pencils are the perfect Valentine for kids of any age! by BusyMomsHelper.com

You all know I love joining in Craft Lightning every month – and we’ve done some awesome crafts for every theme! Remember the snowman fingerprint activity last month? For those that don’t know – with this party we only share 15-minute (or less) crafts. I was able to do at least a dozen in that time, so within an hour I had plenty for my kids’ friends. Here’s for not waiting until the last minute – Woot woot!

These super easy Bug Valentine pencils are the perfect Valentine for kids of any age! by BusyMomsHelper.com

Supplies

  • These Printable Bug Valentines – Download the 8.5×11 sheet here
  • Pom-poms
  • Pipe Cleaners
  • Hot glue/gun
  • Scissors
  • Googly eyes
  • Pencils
  • Hole-punch

These super easy Bug Valentine pencils are the perfect Valentine for kids of any age! by BusyMomsHelper.com

Directions

  1. Glue a pom-pom onto each pipe cleaner at the top. Glue 2 googly eyes onto the front. These super easy Bug Valentine pencils are the perfect Valentine for kids of any age! by BusyMomsHelper.com Cut the pipe cleaner to your desired length (or leave it longer, up to you) and wrap around the pencil. These super easy Bug Valentine pencils are the perfect Valentine for kids of any age! by BusyMomsHelper.com
  2. Cut out the bug valentine cards. Hole punch at the top and bottom, then slide your pencil through.

These super easy Bug Valentine pencils are the perfect Valentine for kids of any age! by BusyMomsHelper.com

That’s it – see, I told you it was a super easy Valentine idea! The kids are really excited to give these out – and were glad we did such a variety of colors for their friends to choose from.

These super easy Bug Valentine pencils are the perfect Valentine for kids of any age! by BusyMomsHelper.com

Another bonus? It’s a non-candy Valentine idea, meaning less sweets to deal with! I like this partially because my kids don’t need even more candy, as I’m sure their friends don’t either – but while doing the craft I’d probably eat well more than I should if it was candy! I’m much safer with pencils and pom-poms 🙂

These super easy Bug Valentine pencils are the perfect Valentine for kids of any age! by BusyMomsHelper.com

Now head over to see the other amazing Valentine’s Day crafts for this month’s Craft Lightning!

If you missed our other Craft Lightning crafts….

Paper Plate Easter Basket / by Busy Mom's Helper

Free Printable Teacher Gift Tags / by Busy Mom's Helper

'Thank You' Wedding Favors / by Busy Mom's Helper

DIY Book of Spells / Harry Potter / Wizards / Magic / Halloween Craft Lightning / by Busy Mom's Helper

Filed Under: Holidays, Kid Friendly, Printable Tagged With: Bug, Craft Lightning, Gift, Valentine, Valentine's Day

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable

February 2, 2018 by Kelly Dedeaux

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentines

This post was sponsored by BurlapFabric.com – as always, all opinions and ideas are our own.

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t always like burlap. In my mind, it was always a bland brown color that had fraying edges that were a mess, and you couldn’t do much with it at all. Wow, that’s sure changed! Now you can get burlap in several different colors, shapes, styles. You can get it as a napkin, a bag, ribbon, banners and so much more. I love the options! I also love that I now know how How to Print on Burlap & I’m sharing a fun Valentine Date Invitation Printable for y’all to use this month!

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentinesIsn’t this banner super fun? I thought it’d be unique to not only ‘invite’ my hubby to be my Valentine date, but do it by decorating with a banner covered with the invite – he’s sure to get the message that way, right? 😉

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentines

I got this 12-pack of burlap banner pieces for the project, and though I was a bit nervous printing on a weird shape, it turned out really simple and no hassle at all!

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentines

Supplies

  • 12-pack of burlap banner pieces
  • Printer (I used inkjet, but I’ve heard this will work on laserjet as well – but haven’t personally tried that)
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue/gun
  • Valentine Invitation Printable -click on here & the 8.5×11 will download
  • Colored Burlap Ribbon – if desired

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentines

A side note – the reason I really love this burlap banner pack is that it already has a filmy backing to it. Otherwise, we’d need to do additional steps with freezer paper to create a backing for going through the printer. This worked great for me without the extra though because it was already there!

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentines

Directions – Printing on the Burlap

  1. Cut just under the top folded-over area of the banner, removing the strip that holds the string – but save it, because we’ll reattach it later! Be sure to trim the edges a bit to get rid of any frays that could get caught in the printer.
  2. Do a test page on your printer to make sure you know the proper direction to load your burlap. You want it to print on the non-shiny side. We designed the file to be 8.5×11 in size, but it’s laid out so it’ll print in the bulky area of these banners, with the top at the largest width of the banner – as you can see below. After your comfortable that you know the direction to load your banner piece, place it as needed in your printer and hit print.

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentines

Directions – Attaching Rope Back On

  • Use hot glue/gun to reattach the strip with the rope to the back of your banner. Don’t go very close to the sides, as you’ll need to trim a bit off so they don’t stick out.

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentines

  • An easy way to trim them WITHOUT CUTTING THE ROPE is as follows:
    • Cut a little slit inwards (only on that back strip, do not cut the front triangle in any of these steps) so you can push the rope enough towards the center that it won’t get cut on the edge.
    • Cut the excess strip off, keeping the rope away from your scissors – and remember to avoid cutting the front triangle piece, you’re just cutting the excess along the edges!
    • Repeat for other side so they’re both hidden/flush with the nice triangle edges

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentines

I love this little ‘invitation’ and how simple it was to print on burlap – I can see a lot of fun projects like this in the future! I also used this red burlap ribbon for some added ‘color’ and accent with my banner. I think it really brings out the red text!

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentines

If you like it more simple, that’s perfectly great too – it still looks incredible, and almost makes the mustache part stand out even more which is fun 🙂

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentines

Whichever way you choose, this fun Valentine date invitation is unique, simple to make and a great way to catch the invitees eyes!

How to Print on Burlap & Valentine Date Invitation Printable #ad #burlapfabric #craft #diy #printable #valentinesIf you have burlap that doesn’t already have that film layer on the back, you’ll need to add it using freezer paper and an iron, otherwise it’ll have issues printing since there’s holes/gaps in the burlap:

  1. Be sure you use freezer paper – NOT wax!
  2. Trim a piece of freezer paper so it fits your burlap shape. Trim so it fits EXACTLY – don’t forget to trim any burlap frays as well.
  3. Put the shiny side of the paper onto the ‘back’ of your burlap and use your iron to ‘stick’ the paper to the burlap.
  4. Follow the printing instructions as above – always do a test sheet to ensure you have it loaded the correct way.
  5. Once printed on, carefully peel off the freezer paper. It should come off easily, but if it’s sticking a bit too much, try rolling the burlap gently so it loosens it up more to peel off. Another option is putting it in the freezer, which seems to make the pieces unstick from each other.

What would YOU print on burlap?

Please note – printers and burlap may vary, so please make the best judgement when putting something other than paper through your printer. We’re simply sharing how we did it and what worked for us. We assume no responsibility if your printer/burlap is different and something gets ruined.

Other Valentine Ideas…

14 Days of Valentines / A beautiful & thoughtful gift idea for that special someone! #valentinesday #giftidea #love #valentines #gift

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy

Valentine Heart Pencil Toppers

Filed Under: For the Home, Gift, Holidays, Parties, Products we Love

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks

December 28, 2020 by Kelly Dedeaux

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy

Let this sink in for a moment – it’s less than a month until Valentine’s Day. Please tell me I’m  not the only one in shock – I mean, didn’t it just turn 2018, and already we’re looking to February?! Well, whether we’re ready or not, the holiday is coming – so to TRY and get myself in the festive pink-and-red-everything mood, I wanted to share this fun DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks that I put together.

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy

It’s surprisingly easy, aside from getting the glitter off your hands afterwards (really, I need to find a reliable trick that will help me get rid of the random glitter that sticks around for days after a project because DANG it’s everywhere). You don’t even need a ton of stuff, and you can even let the kids make their own sweet valentine frame for a neat holiday craft.

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy

I love that it’s 3-D looking due to the layer and stacking of the sticks, and that you can customize it to fit your own preferences. Hate pink? Don’t use it. Want larger sparkles instead of tiny glitter? Do it. This is YOUR Valentine frame, so make it your own!

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy

Supplies

  • 12 full craft sticks
  • 6 full craft sticks cut in half (so 12 halves) – be sure to cut off the sharp edges
  • Hot glue/gun
  • Glue Stick
  • Glitter, sparkles, accents, ribbon, etc. as you see fit
  • Photo

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy

Directions

  1. If you haven’t already, cut the 6 craft sticks into halves (does NOT have to be perfect, just ‘ish’). Then, pour your glitter/sparkles of choice into a large plate or tray. I mixed a few colors to get a variety mix (silver, white, pink and purple). Rub one side of each stick (including the halves) with your glue stick – one stick at a time – then rub in the glitter mixture to coat that side. Set aside to dry as you continue with all the sticks. DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy
  2. Follow the following diagram below to arrange and hot glue your sticks together. 1: put 2 sticks on the left and 2 sticks on the right, connecting at the bottom point of the ‘heart’ (don’t glue in this step). 2: glue a stick on top & between the two sticks on each side (shown in photo 2 and 3 below). 3: glue 2 halves on the top right and 2 halves on the top left to angle in towards the top of the ‘heart’. 4: Turn over and glue 2 halves under the left and 2 halves under the right to do the final point down and in to finish the ‘heart’ shape. 5: Turn it back over and glue 1 half on the left and 1 half on the right to make the top center part more sturdy. 6: Glue 1 half to the left and 1 half to the right for the top ‘corner edge’ parts of the heart – again, to make it sturdy. DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy
  3. To finish it up, glue a ‘handle’ to the back & bottom of your heart shape with the last full craft stick piece!
  4. Then all you have left is to carefully trace & cut out your photo so it fits on the back of your frame, then carefully glue along the edges so it stays in place.

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy

That’s it! I know that may seem like a lot of steps, but it’s truly simple and takes hardly any time at all. In fact, doing the glitter on the sticks is what took me the longest of everything! Just be sure to follow that diagram photo so you have a visual to help keep it as easy as possible.

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy

You can add accent pieces – like a little ‘jewel’ – or a ribbon, as you see fit. Like I said – make it YOURS! Or customize to the person you’re giving it to 🙂

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy

I had to add the photo hubby and I had taken during family pictures last month because I absolutely LOVE it! Often us moms forget to get photos of us with our kids, and sometimes even less do we get photos with our honey. That’s something I’m trying to work on this year – more photos WITH those I love, not just of them!

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diy

One last tip – if you don’t want the ‘craft stick’ tan color showing through, you can use markers or paint before hand to color it, or just be sure to layer up the glitter a lot for full coverage. I kind of like the randomness and dimension to it, but that’s just my personal preference.

DIY Valentine Frame from Craft Sticks #valentine #craft #frame #popsiclesticks #craftsticks #craft #diyWhat photo would YOU put in this fun DIY Valentine frame?

More Valentine’s Day Crafts

Heart Shaped Crayons for Valentine's Day

Valentine Heart Pencil Toppers

 

Filed Under: Gift, Holidays, Holidays, Kid Friendly

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