Ugly Sweater Party Customizable Invitation + $130 CASH Giveaway!

It's an Ugly Sweater Party Blog Hop!  I've teamed up with a dozen of my blog friends to bring you some fun and crazy ideas for your next Ugly Sweater Party!


Check out my tutorial below, then check out what my other blogging friends came up with for their Ugly Sweater Party Ideas this holiday season!! And don't forget to enter the giveaway for $130 in COLD HARD CASH below!!

Ugly Sweater parties are so much fun!  I've always wanted to host one myself.  This year I've created a customizable Ugly Sweater invitation for your party!

Simply download this file and open it in any photo editing software.  From there, use fun sketchy or handwritten fonts for the perfect Chalkboard look.

Make sure to include the date and time, the location, and any details about your party that will draw your guests to attend.

If you want to replicate my look, here are the fonts I used:

Return to Sender ("'Tis the Season")

Chalk-hand-lettering ("for")

Budmo Jiggler ("Ugly" "Prize...")

Nexa Rust ("Snowmen Sparkles, etc)

Your friends will love this cute invitation, and your party will be awesome!  Make sure to hop around and see all the other Ugly Sweater ideas!

Ugly Sweater Fudge Favors from The Cards We Drew

Ugly Sweater Coozies from Create Craft Love

Ugly Sweater Ornaments from CRAFT

Meowy Christmas Ugly Sweater Idea from Crafting in the Rain

Ho Ho Ho Ugly Sweater from A Girl and a Glue Gun

Ugly Sweater Wreath from 100 Directions

Ugly Sweater Gift Tag from Oh My Creative

DIY Ugly Green Christmas Sweater from This Scattered Life

Personalized Ugly Christmas Sweaters from Beth Watson Design Studio

Ugly Sweater Necklace from Just Between Friends

Ugly Sweater Invitations from Occasionally Crafty

Ugly Sweater Contest and Awards from Polka Dot Poplars

Ugly Sweater Decorations from Organized Island

Now for the giveaway......

Giveaway rules: Giveaway runs from Monday, November 30th through December 7th at midnight. Winner will be selected by Rafflecopter and notified via email from thecardswedrew@yahoo.com of their winnings. Winner must have a valid PayPal account to claim cash. Winner has 48 hours to respond via email to claim prize otherwise new winner will be selected. The bloggers involved are not responsible for notifications that go to spam or that aren't claimed in time. Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram are not associated with this giveaway and are in no way held responsible. All winning entries will be verified and if not complete, the entry is VOID and another winner is selected. Open to anyone with a valid PayPal account.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The ULTIMATE Tween Girl Gift Guide: From Budget Buys to Special Splurges

My daughter is ten.  She has one foot still in childhood and the other in coming teenage-hood.  
She still likes a few toys, especially cuddly stuffed animals.  But with school, homework, and extracurricular activities, she really doesn't have time to play with them that often.
But, she also wants things like clothes, bubble bath, an iPod, gift cards, and other things like that. As a mom, I want to get things that she will actually love and use, not sit in the closet collecting dust.
So, I've scoured the ads for some great ideas for tween girls.  I have everything from budget buys to that one big splurge present she might find under the tree.  I hope it will help inspire you as you do your shopping this year.
Some affiliate links are included in this gift guide.  Thank you for supporting Occasionally Crafty! Read our Privacy Policy here.

Budget Buys- under $25

1.  Shopkins.  These popular collectibles come in many different packs and playsets.  My daughter is dying to find one specific one, so she put every variety of these known to man on her list.
2.  Minecraft Video Game-  if your child doesn't have it yet, she is missing out!  I love the creativity and problem-solving this game encourages, even if I don't quite "get" Minecraft as well as my kids do.
3.  "Adult" Coloring Books- this popular craze is perfect for your budding artist.  Choose one with a theme she loves and include some nice colored pencils.
4.  Board Games- my kids love to play games!  We play the old ones like "Life", "Monopoly", "Sorry", and more, but we also love newer ones like "Headbanz" "Eye Found It", and "Pictopia".
5.  Disney Tsum Tsum Plush- These cute plush are Disney characters, and are perfect stocking stuffers.  They also sell larger ones for up to $25.  I have seen them at Target and at The Disney Store.
6.  Dolls- If your daughter loved Barbie, maybe try Ever After High dolls, Project MC2 dolls and experiments, or Monster High dolls.
7.  Jewelry-making Kit.  My daughter loves to make things, and there are tons of craft and activity kits that are designed with kids in mind.
8.  Nerf Rebelle Codebreaker Crossbow-  my daughter loves to get in and fight Nerf battles with her brothers.  
9.  Bath and Body Works- my daughter especially loves their bubble bath and lotions.  They almost always have a great deal going on.
10.  Personalized/Monogrammed Gifts-  Justice, Charming Charlies, and many boutiques sell such items as water bottles, purses, journals, and more with your daughter's name and/or initial.  My daughter loves things with her initials on them!

Mid-Range Buys- $25-75

1.  Lego Dimensions.  Despite marketing, Legos aren't just for boys!  All my kids love playing Legos, and this game looks to be great fun!  You can buy it on Black Friday for $65-75 at various stores.
2.  Kindle Fire- This is a great starter tablet.  We chose this over others due to the parental controls and huge book library (our kids are readers!).
3.  Illustrated Harry Potter and The Sorceror's Stone.  Um, this one might be on MY Christmas list. If you have a Harry Potter fan, this one is a MUST!
4.  Lego Friends or Lego Elves sets.  There is a huge price range in these sets, but if your child is into Legos, these are so much fun to make and very detailed!  Try the Heartlake Shopping Mall or the Elves Treetop Hideaway
5.  Clothes- girls this age can always use cute new clothes, as they are constantly growing.  Don't forget some cute accessories to go with them!  We like Target, Kohl's, Old Navy, Justice, and Crazy 8.
6.  Magazine Subscriptions- American Girl, National Geographic Kids, whatever their interest, their is a magazine for them!
7.  Bluetooth Speaker- to go with that mp3 player you're getting her :)
8.  Gift cards- purchase a gift card to her favorite store and set a date to take her shopping!  Try Raise.com to get more bang for your buck! 

Special Splurges- $75 and up

1.  iPod Nano.  A great mp3 player so she can listen to her favorite music.
2.  WiiU- with tons of games that are family friendly, this video game console is the perfect choice for kids when you're not quite ready for all those shooter games that are so popular.  Plus you can play the old Nintendo games, like the original Super Mario Bros!
3.  American Girl Dolls.  My daughter and her friends have yet to outgrow these dolls.  If you can find a great deal on them, get one.  It is a great investment and resells well if taken care of when your daughter does outgrow them.  I'd only get this if I had a younger tween- 9 or 10.  
4.  Electric Scooter- what fun this would be to ride around the neighborhood!
5.  Polaroid Instamax Camera- especially fun if you haven't yet let your daughter have a phone (like me!).  She can work on her photography skills with a fun camera!
6.  (Ultra Splurge)- "Hoverboard" Self Balancing Scooter.  These are HOT this Christmas and will be hard to find for a good price!  This one is guaranteed by Christmas!

I hope you've got some great ideas for that special girl on your list!  Are any of these on your daughter/niece/grandaughter's list?

Glitter Tape Utensil Holders + Holiday Gift Tag Banner

Hi everyone!   Today my projects are being featured at two different blogs.  I would LOVE it if you would click through and check them out!
First, my monthly post at Kenarry: Ideas for the Home is live today.  Come check out this simple Gift Tag Banner I made!

Second, I am writing for Tatertots and Jello as part of the Happy Holidays series.  I have an easy tutorial for these Glitter Tape Utensil Holders.

I'm full of holiday cheer over here- so if you like easy projects, both of these fit the bill!
Have a great week!

The Handmade Hangout #76 + 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.  Cranberry Orange Sweet Rolls from Just Us Four:  This sounds like the perfect holiday breakfast!  (Or really any day, for that matter)

2.  Kristi's One Room Challenge Farmhouse Master Bedroom from Making It In the Mountains.  I loved her last room transformation and this one is even better!  Gorgeous!

3.  These adorable Reindeer Christmas Pillows from 24 Cottonwood Lane.  I have trouble picking a Christmas pillow because I am indecisive.  These are so cute and fun!



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

Blog - Facebook - Pinterest - Instagram - Twitter - Google+

Becca from From Gardners to Bergers

Blog - Facebook - Pinterest - Twitter - Hometalk - Google+

Kim from Too Much Time on My Hands

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Hometalk - Instagram - Bloglovin

Heather from Twin Dragonfly Designs

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Instagram

Valerie from Occasionally Crafty

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Instagram - Hometalk

Alli from Made with HAPPY

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Instagram - Hometalk - YouTube - Bloglovin

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

<div align="center"> <a href="http://www.occasionallycrafty.com" title="Occasionally Crafty" target="_blank"><img src="http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb262/missdarcy13/Blog%20Design/handmade%20hangout-%20small%20logo%20OC.jpg" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

  Link up your projects!

Give Thanks $200 Amazon Gift Card GiVEAWAY!

This has been a great year for me.  So many of you are visiting my blog, leaving comments, and sharing my projects with your friends.  You deserve something special!  I wish I could give something to all of you- but one of you has a great chance to win:



It's the time of year when we often reflect on and give thanks for the blessings in our lives. You, my loyal readers, are one of the things I'm most thankful for here at Occasionally Crafty. To show just how thankful I am, I've teamed up with several of my blogger friends to give you a chance to win a $200 Amazon e-Gift Card in the Give Thanks Giveaway hosted by:

Ashlyn at Belle of the Kitchen
Pam from The Birch Cottage
Lori from Greco Design Company
Valerie from Occasionally Crafty
The O'Neil Sisters from Running with Sisters
Sondra Lyn from Sondra Lyn at Home
and
Carrie from Kenarry: Ideas for the Home

The Handmade Hangout!

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

Instead of features this week, I'll be posting some of my favorite links on Facebook and Pinterest.  Now, on to this week's linkup.  We have just a few 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

Blog - Facebook - Pinterest - Instagram - Twitter - Google+

Becca from From Gardners to Bergers

Blog - Facebook - Pinterest - Twitter - Hometalk - Google+

Kim from Too Much Time on My Hands

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Hometalk - Instagram - Bloglovin

Heather from Twin Dragonfly Designs

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Instagram

Valerie from Occasionally Crafty

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Instagram - Hometalk

Alli from Made with HAPPY

Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - Google+ - Instagram - Hometalk - YouTube - Bloglovin

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

<div align="center"> <a href="http://www.occasionallycrafty.com" title="Occasionally Crafty" target="_blank"><img src="http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb262/missdarcy13/Blog%20Design/handmade%20hangout-%20small%20logo%20OC.jpg" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

  Link up your projects!

An InLinkz Link-up

Costco Mom Hour Nationwide Event

Ever wish Costco opened just a little earlier so you could get your shopping done before the day gets too far along?
Arizona Locals!  This Friday, November 13th, City Moms Blog Network, North Phoenix Moms Blog, and Costco present Costco Mom Hour- a holiday shopping event just for moms!  Costco is opening its doors at 9am on this one day only!
There's more than just shopping to be had, though.

• Swag Bags for the first 100 attendees
• Samples/goodies available at warehouses (Kid + Mom targeted products)
• Exclusive membership offers
• Giveaways (at participating locations, must be registered to participate and present to win)

Register to reserve your spot and to enter the giveaway (details here)

Additional event details and a link to register can be found here: 

This is part of a nationwide event.  So if you're not here in Arizona, you can click here to see all participating warehouses.
I love Costco!  You'd better believe I will be there before 9 am waiting to get inside.  Anyone want to come with me?
Check out some of the awesome swag Costco will be handing out.  I spy some of my favorite dark chocolate truffles!

See you there!

Christmas Sheet Music Wood Slice

Bring some antiqued Christmas sheet music into your decor with this beautiful Christmas Wood Slice Plaque!

Hey everyone!  I am over at The Crafting Chicks today, sharing the tutorial for this Christmas Sheet Music Wood Slice Plaque!  I am in love with mine, and I hope you'll click over to see how easy it is to make one of your own!
Have a great week! 

Inside Out Movie Night Gift Idea

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

Give Inside Out to your movie loving friends or family by making this cute Movie Night In Gift Box!

I don't know about your family, but we have been anxiously awaiting the release of Inside Out on DVD!  

The day it came out, I headed to Target to pick up a copy, since copies bought at Target come with 20 minutes of exclusive bonus content and deleted scenes! Go grab yours or order yours here today. 

While I was there, I decided to go all out and picked up some popcorn and candy to make the perfect movie night gift.  I love that Target has everything you need to put your own movie night gift together.

 To give an DVD in a cute and fun way, put together this "Movie Night In" Gift Box!  It's easy to make with just a few supplies.

You will need the following:

• Two-sided Scrapbook Paper (one full sheet and coordinating scraps)
• Glue
• Scissors and paper cutter
• Large decorative brad
• 24 inches of Baker's twine or string
• Paper scorer (optional but so helpful)
• Downloadable Pattern for Pockets

Please see the pictures above each set of instructions for visual help!

1.  Cut an 8.5x11 sheet of scrapbook paper in half to have two 8.5x5.5 pieces.
      Score each piece of paper 3/4 upfrom the short edge. If you don't have a scorer, simply fold your paper up 3/4 inch from the short edge and crease.

2.  Overlap scored or folded pieces and glue in place.  You should know have one long sheet with a somewhat flat section in the middle.

3.  Fold your wrapper in half, making sure the side you want on the outside is facing up.

4.  Round corners if desired.

5.  Find the center of your front piece, and 3/4 inch down, punch a hole and insert your decorative brad.   Secure brad in place.

6.  Find the center of your back piece, and again, 3/4 inch down, punch a small hole and insert a piece of baker's twine or string.   Do this by folding your twine in half, then pushing the loop through the hole and over the ends of the twine to secure.  This should go up and over the top edge of the back side, and the end pieces will go over the top to wrap around the brad when the DVD is in place.

7.  Using this pattern, cut two pocket pieces from coordinating scrapbook paper.

8.  Score along the dotted lines on the pattern piece.

9.  Fold and glue into pocket shapes.  You're going to want to use a strong adhesive for the pockets, as they will be holding goodies!

10.  Embellish pockets as desired.  I only embellished my front pocket, but you could do both.   For mine, I just cut a scrap piece of coordinating striped paper, made up a label, and glued both on.  Then I put a glitter flower sticker and some baker's twine from my stash.

Here's what the back looks like.  I put the Market Pantry popcorn here.

The front pocket holds some Inside Out stickers and some Market Pantry gummy bears in a baggie.  You could include your recipient's favorite candy instead.  Gummy bears happen to be my weakness :)

This is a fun way to give any movie as a gift this season, or really for any occasion!  

 Have you seen Inside Out yet?  What was your favorite part?