August 2015Occasionally Crafty: August 2015

Friday, August 28

DIY Faux Pumpkin Flower Centerpiece: Pinterest Challenge


I'm a blogger, a mom, and a crafter.  So it kind of goes without saying that I big heart squishy love Pinterest.  
But I have one tiny problem- I rarely make anything I pin.
I even have a board called Things I Want to Make, and yet very few of those items have been attempted. 
That's why this month I joined the Pinterest Challenge.
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Thursday, August 27

The Handmade Hangout #63 + FEATURES!

It's that time again!  Welcome to The Handmade Hangout, where you can link up with a chance to be featured on 8 different blogs!


This week I'm featuring three of my favorite projects from last week's linky.

1.  Chicken Coop turned Coffee Table by Scavenger Chic.  Who would've thought an old chicken coop would make a great decor piece?  

Easy Chicken Coop/Crate Coffee Table diy

2.  Apple Filled Cupcakes from Simplee Thrifty.  These look AMAZING and perfect for fall!


Apple Filled Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting: Light & fluffy cupcakes with a surprise in the middle.

3.  Neutral Fall Mantel from Dagmar's Home.  I love neutral tones and natural accents for fall.  It's so elegant!

neutral fall mantel

Now, on to this week's linky party!

1.  Become a follower of the blog where you linked up.  Of course we'd love it if you follow all our hosts on whatever platforms you use most!

Allison from A Glimpse Inside

Christina from Christina's Adventures

Becca from From Gardners to Bergers

Kim from Too Much Time on My Hands

Heather from Twin Dragonfly Designs

Valerie from Occasionally Crafty

Tracie from Cleverly Inspired

Alli from Made with HAPPY


2.  Share our button or party link in your post or wherever you share your linky parties

Occasionally Crafty

 
Link up your projects!





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Wednesday, August 26

Keep Christ in Christmas: Relief Society Christmas Activity


Please don't get mad at me because I'm posting about Christmas in August.  I have a perfectly good reason, I promise.
You see, in our church (which is worldwide), we plan monthly activities for our women's organization, the Relief Society.  And right about now, the planning committees are starting to think about what they want to do for the big Christmas activity.  If they haven't already decided.
So, I wanted to share what we did last year so I can give some inspiration to others THIS year!  
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Monday, August 24

DIY Personalized Arrow Decor: 50th Anniversary Gift


Recently I attended a good friend's 50th Anniversary party!  What a milestone!  I knew I wanted to make a special gift for her to commemorate their special day.



This DIY Rustic Wooden Arrow is the perfect gift for any wedding, bridal shower, or anniversary, or just to make for your home!

To get the full tutorial, click over to Kenarry: Ideas for the Home, where I'm posting this as a contributor this month.

What's your favorite gift to give at weddings?

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Friday, August 21

Meet Disney's "Descendants"!

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

I was driving in the car with my kids last night, and as we pulled up to the drive-thru window (busy night!), my son suddenly breaks out in this refrain:

     "Don't you want to be EVIL?   Don't you want to be NASTY?  Don't you want to be RUTHLESS?"

He fairly screamed the words, trying to imitate the amazing Kristin Chenowith, who plays Maleficent, in the song "Evil like Me" from Disney Channel's new movie Descendants.



I can only hope and pray the girl at McDonald's is familiar with the movie.  Otherwise she might be wondering just what it is I teach my kids!
What am I teaching my kids?  I'm sharing my love for all things Disney with them.  My kids have grown up with Disney, get to go to Disneyland every few years, and seem to have inherited my love and excitement for whatever Disney's got up its sleeves!
On July 31st, Disney's Descendants aired on the Disney Channel.  It is a really fun musical movie, detailing the stories of the sons and daughters of some of Disney's most famous heroes and villains.
We absolutely love this story in our family!  I bought my daughter the book Isle of the Lost, so she was really excited for the movie to come out.  It is fun to see where some of my favorite characters ended up, and interesting to think about what their children might be like
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I have kids from ages 6-10, boys and a girl, and they all really enjoy the movie, as well as listening to the soundtrack.  You can buy both at Walmart.
You can also buy the Descendants fashion dolls at Walmart.  I picked out Mal and Evie for my kids.  
Mal is the main character, a conflicted daughter of (who else) Maleficent, 
while Evie is the daughter of the Evil Queen from Snow White.
As soon as we got them, my kids insisted we turn on the soundtrack so they could dance around and re-enact scenes of the movie with the new dolls.  I just wish they had some of the boy dolls when I was shopping.  It would've been fun to have Carlos, son of Cruella De Ville, and Jay, son of Jafar.

Do you have to be evil if you're born to a Villain?  Does being born to a Disney Princess automatically make you good?  These are interesting and fun discussions to have with your family after watching the movie.  Anything that gives us quality time together is a win in my book.
If you're a Disney fan, you need Descendants in your family.  Who is your favorite Disney Villain and why?
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Thursday, August 20

The Handmade Hangout #62 + MOST CLICKED Feature!

Welcome to the Handmade Hangout- where you can link up all things made by YOU!



This week I'm featuring the MOST CLICKED post from last week's linky.  Congrats to Moms Need To Know, who had the most views last week!  

21 Things I Learned in 21 Years of Marriage

This party is so much more awesome when you take the time to visit a few links before you go.  Spread the love to your blogging buds- we all appreciate traffic!   

Now on to this week's linky.  We have just a few simple rules.

1.  Become a follower of the blog where you linked up.  Of course we'd love it if you follow all our hosts on whatever platforms you use most!

Allison from A Glimpse Inside

Christina from Christina's Adventures

Becca from From Gardners to Bergers

Kim from Too Much Time on My Hands

Heather from Twin Dragonfly Designs

Valerie from Occasionally Crafty

Tracie from Cleverly Inspired

Alli from Made with HAPPY


2.  Share our button or party link in your post or wherever you share your linky parties

Occasionally Crafty

 
Link up your projects!






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Tuesday, August 18

School Year Binders and Free Printables

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


Can you believe we've already been back at school for a week?  I've already got a stack of papers piling up on my counter from my three kids' classes.  To help keep you (and me) from drowning in paperwork, I've created some organizing printables and put together a School Year Binder!   Just say "no!" to paper stacks!


Just in the first week, I've gotten classroom policy papers, grading rubrics, book report instructions, homework helps, permission slips, newsletters, PTO papers, etc.  With three kids, I know I have to keep this stuff organized or I'll never be able to find it when I need it. Here's my solution:
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Thursday, August 13

The Handmade Hangout #61 + FEATURES!


Welcome to the Handmade Hangout- where you can link up all things made by YOU!



This week I'm featuring three of my favorite projects from last week's linky.

1.  DIY Gray Kitchen from Pieced Pastimes.  I am dying for gray cabinets! 



Homemade No Churn Peaches & Cream Ice Cream. Peaches are in season right now but you can customize this ice cream recipe to any fruit that you like!

3.  Embroidery Hoop Wreath from Juggling Act Mama- this is so sweet and easy!

Embroidery Hoop Wreath from Dwelling in Happiness

Now- on to this week's link-up.  Remember, we have just two simple rules:

1.  Become a follower of the blog where you linked up.  Of course we'd love it if you follow all our hosts on whatever platforms you use most!

Allison from A Glimpse Inside

Christina from Christina's Adventures

Becca from From Gardners to Bergers

Kim from Too Much Time on My Hands

Heather from Twin Dragonfly Designs

Valerie from Occasionally Crafty

Tracie from Cleverly Inspired

Alli from Made with HAPPY


2.  Share our button or party link in your post or wherever you share your linky parties

Occasionally Crafty

 



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Monday, August 10

Back to School Tips and Projects

It's Back to School Time!  Whether your started a few weeks ago or don't start for another month, these tips and projects will help you have a smooth start to your school year!





Start your school year off right with a Back to School Family Dinner.


Show your kids a little love with these Back to School Lunch Box Notes



Create a special spot for your child's artwork, notes, a calendar, or whatever else they need with this cute Cork Board Makeover.

Cork Board Makeover

Help your child remember everything they need to bring home at the end of the school day with this Printable Backpack Checklist  (blank ones included!)


Hang or display this Back to School Printable for a reminder to always do your best.


If after-school hours make you crazy, keep everyone organized with these Back to School Chore Charts.


Keep those backpacks off the ground and in their place with these easy Personalized Backpack Hooks.


My kids are off to school TODAY!  My youngest is starting kindergarten, and I miss him already!  Do you have kids in school?  When do/did they start back to school?
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Monday, August 3

Back to School: Lunch Box Notes


  It's hard to believe, but it's already Back to School time!  My kids go back one week from today.  One week people!  I'm actually on vacation this week so I had to make sure all our school stuff was ready before we left.

One thing I have never done consistently is include cute lunch box notes for my kids.  I know many of you already do this, and others might think "Ain't No One Got Time for That".  I always have good intentions, but usually drop the ball on things like this.

Last year my daughter had a really rough start to the school year for various reasons.  I think having a little note from mom each day will really help her with confidence to overcome whatever struggles she might have that day.

I've seen lots of printable lunch notes to stick in your kids' lunches, and they're adorable.  But, if you want a more eco-friendly option (not to mention saving on the cost of paper and ink to print them out), I hope you'll use mine!

Simply right click to save them to your computer.  Then you can print them out, laminate them, and use a dry erase or overhead marker to write your notes on them each day.  If you don't have a laminator, you can either get it done at an office store or use self-laminating pouches from the store.








Pin It

(Making these is addicting! I could've made designs all day long!  If these aren't your style, it would be pretty easy to make your own-- you could use Publisher or even an online photo editor like PicMonkey.)

Affiliate alert!  My kids use Easy Lunchboxes for  lunches, so it comes home every day.  The note won't get thrown out because they don't use wrappers or plastic baggies.  If you're concerned it might, try using these in your child's backpack or homework folder instead.  

I hope you have fun spreading a little love to your kids this school year!



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