Life.Design. and the Pursuit of Craftiness

Mother's Day Garden Tool Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:21:00 +0000

My momma is a yard-aholic. Not that it was her intention to be such, but in Montana....yards can be BIG. And hers is no exception. I was pretty sure that she had all the same tools that I was ~~forced~~ lovingly encouraged to use when I was kid working in the yard. Mother's Day was a great time to bring some color and shine to her garden tool collection!

This is a simple, but versatile gift idea because you can give just a couple or a big variety of fun gardening tools! There's no shortage of colorful gardening tools and they are super inexpensive. I found these tools at Michael's and wrapped them up in a cute package to mail home.

I created this poem to attach:

I know you're quite the gardening pro,
but you can't carry on with an old rusty hoe!

I hope you'll find these new tools versatile
so you can garden with a little bit of style!

You can snag my little printable below.

Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers out there (but MY mother especially)!

Texas Flag Onesie & Rag Quilt for Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 02:47:00 +0000

Hey y'all! It didn't take long for Texas to take a hold of my heart... but it still amazes me how much Texas pride radiates from this Lone Star State! For example, did you know that in the Texas schools, students not only say the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, but also the Texas flag? Yup, true story. I've seen it myself in about a dozen schools.

Aaaanyway, I had a new nephew born in March in west Texas...a perfect opportunity to make this lil' Texas Flag Rag Quilt to match a onesie that I bought for him.

{how darn cute is that?! You can find these Texas Flag Onesies at Cavenders in a variety of sizes}

{no wonder the Texas flag is everywhere...it's SO easy to duplicate! Three cuts of flannel and a few measurements, snips and stitches later makes this light rag quilt...perfect for a Texas baby!}

{this handsome little boy is gonna be all-Texan...can't wait for him to grow into his little onesie!}

For the Quilt:

- I made it a standard crib size: 54" x 72"
- I recommend a 1/2" to 1" seam to allow for plenty of raggy-ness after being washed.
- I used only one layer of flannel.. no doubling up or batting! If you haven't heard, it gets HOT in Texas. One layer of flannel is plenty!
- If you've never done a rag quilt, it's SUPER easy, just look up a tutorial online (there are plenty of them, but I'm afraid I'm not the best for providing one myself. I kinda just piece it together as I go)

Peep Show Ticket - Easter Romance Printable

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 23:15:00 +0000

This year on Easter, hubby and I will be with family. For packing sake, we decided to forgo doing Easter baskets for each other and instead just one small Easter treat.

Here's what I came up with:

yup....a ticket to the Peep Show. Hey, don't look at me! I didn't come up with the phrase, I just found a creative way to present it. ;) Either way, it'll be a sure hit with most hubbies!

However, I mentioned we'll be staying with family and I don't want them peeking at hubby's lil' treat ticket. Hence, the need for a disguise.

See, once that ticket is tucked in it's sleeve, it's just an innocent little chocolate chick. No one will ever know that there's sa-more sugar tucked inside! ;)

Aaannyway.... if you have some big Easter shin-nan-a-gans (is that how you spell that?!) going on, feel free to incorporate this printable into your plans:

If you're doing an egg hunt for some-bunny special, roll-up a Peep Show ticket and place in one of the eggs. Hide this one good! (you don't want the kids stumbling upon this little treasure...)

If you've got a basket ready for him, hide a ticket in the grass. Not sure he's gonna care much for those jelly beans after seeing this...

So fun! I love Easter festivities!

Here's your printable. Happy Easter!

Date Knight: Batman Movie Marathon

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Lately, when planning Date Night, I try really hard to think of things that my hubby would REALLY enjoy. It's so easy to get caught up in the lovey-dovey dates that any girl would LOVE...but when I step back and think about what HE would really like, I find myself planning a date centered around Batman. I know, right? What is he.. 5? But seriously... the latest Batman Trilogy is really entertaining and they are one of his top picks right now! So, I now present:

Date Knight: A Batman Movie Marathon

Hubby was welcomed home by a colony of bats hanging out in the entry way...

The others said things like:
You can "bat" it's gonna be a dark knight...
I'm "batty" for you!
This date is going to be a bit "batty"

As he walked into the living room, the bat signal was shining on the ceiling (I took one of my bat cutouts, stuck it to a toothpick, and held it in front of the flashlight at different angles until it showed the way I wanted it to!)

His Batman Attire (a t-shirt from Target) for the evening was laid out on the ottoman with some movie treats. (Batman themed candy and treats are all the rage now...super easy to find if you look!)

For dinner during the movie, I served... what else? "Bat" Wings from The Wing Stop.

*oh, ps--I was wearing all black with this little batman face mask when hubby walked in. you know, it's those details that count! ;)

And a little later, let's call it "intermission", we delighted in this decadent Dark Knight Chocolate Cake washed down with milk via DIY batman straws. Yum!

Oh, and this movie marathon took place over 3 nights. I can hardly stay awake through even one really good movie, let alone three.

"Our Love Rocks" Date

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:35:00 +0000

February 13th was our Valentine's Day this year since M had the day off.. I planned a rockin' little day for the two of us!

I presented him with a tube of chocolate rocks (World Market) to declare that "OUR LOVE ROCKS!"

This next little card introduced the first activity of our rockin' fun day together: ROCK Climbing!

(seriously...a ton of fun! We decided that we have got to do this more often! Something that made it even more fun were some [dirty] Rock Climber's Pickup lines from here and here. I memorized a few of my favorites and used them as we climbed. Seriously, hubby was cracking up!)

We worked up quite an appetite and this next card was ready for him as we walked out of the gym....

Hard Rock Cafe in Dallas. mmm...mmmm. (I'm referring to the food and the hunk there in that picture) :)

We headed home after our late afternoon lunch to this.... A Hot Rock Massage. (perfect for sore muscles after climbing)

DIY Hot Stone Massage

Miss Cheapo here didn't want to spend a lot buying a Hot Stone Massage Kit (they're kinda expensive!) so here's my version:

-River Rocks (smooth rocks with no sharp edges. a variety of sizes is best. Mine are decorative river rocks from World Market. I didn't have any large ones like a real kit would have, but these sufficed for an at-home rock massage. You can also search craft stores, your local river, or a rock quarry.

-Massage Oil or unscented lotion

-Crockpot (put rocks in, cover completely with water, heat on high for approx 45 minutes or 140 degrees, remove with strainer spoon, dry with towel, let sit for 1-2 minutes, then rock and rub!)

If you're really going to do this, I suggest these two links:
1. Creating Your Own DIY Hot Stone Massage Kit

2. Hot Stone Massage Techniques - a GREAT youtube video showing you how to give a stone massage!

After things get a little steamy with the rock massage, next up is:

There are bazillions of songs with "Rock" in it, but these were my favorites and the most fitting. Seriously, as the words play out, you'll know what I mean.

Rock With You - Michael Jackson
You make me rock hard - Kiss
Rock Me - Great White
Rock Me Gently - Andy Kim
Rock Your Body - Justin Timberlake
Roc Ya Body Mic Check - MVP
Feel like a RockStar - Tim McGraw

Spending a WHOLE day with my hubby was pretty sweet, but there was still room for dessert!

Rocky Road Ice Cream is his faaavorite ice cream so that was a gimme, but I also made these Valentine Rocky Road Crunch Bars (a recipe found at Barbara Bakes). Super rich, but tasted great with the ice cream.

Hopefully this gives you an idea for your own Rock Date. Some other ideas for activities?

-playing rock band
-if you're a guy, take your girl shopping for a new rock (a fasion ring)
-skip rocks down at the river
-watch The School of Rock movie

In case you want to do it the same way, I've got the printables for you!

The first set is for a Valentine's Day date. The second for any date (not V-day specific)

Long Stem Red Roses Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:23:00 +0000

I'm not sure if anyone can pass up a chance to win these BEAUTIFUL long-stem roses...especially if the entry is ridiculously easy!

What are you waiting for? Go enter by February 5th on my other blog, Love Actually Blog HERE!

The Bachelor Premier & Finale Party Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 02:41:00 +0000

I thought I'd share with you my round-up of ideas for planning a The Bachelor or The Bachelorette Party. I did a little research while planning THIS finale party and THIS premiere party, so here it is:

You better pull up a chair.

1. Have your single guests apply to be on the Bachelor--for reals! How funny! details at: Entertaining Life

2. Game sheets with all the contestants (with pic, name, age, hometown, profession). Before the rose ceremony guests had to choose who they thought would move on. Clever! details at: Entertaining Life

3. The Bachelor workout...haha! from WHOLEisticallyFit.com

4. Single Rose Cupcakes from Pink Pistachio

5. Party activity - "Make a Rose Necklace" from My Sparkling Event

6. The Bachelor dessert table - gorgeous! from My Sparkling Event

7. Surprise visits from each girl's "Bachelor" so sweet! from Love Actually Blog

8. Final Rose Cupcakes with Diamond Rings from Steph Piontkowski Design

9. Bachelor Palooza - they created an actual cash pool! details at ChadandCarie

10. Top Two Finalists Match Game - from Love Actually Blog

11. Chocolate Roses - yum! from My Sparkling Event

12. Meet the Stud Muffins for Premiere Party - from The Dating Divas

13. Cocktail Party Punch & Fantasy "Suites" from Love Actually Blog

14. Bachelor Chart & Bracket --love this! from youplustyle.com

15. REAL "date cards" from each guest's husband (created secretly before the party) from Love Actually Blog

16. Door Greeting from KaitlynandBryan

17. The Bachelor & The Bachelorette Jeopardy from Maggie's Dinner Dates

18. Mood Lighting Buffet Finale Buffet Table - from Steph Piontkowski Design

19. The Bachelor Predictions Sheet for Premiere Party from Life.Design.and the Pursuit of Craftiness

20. Rose Cookies from Strawberry Mommy Cakes

21. Cupcakes with the Finalists' Names by YumSugar

22. Diamond Donuts from Life.Design.and the Pursuit of Craftiness

23. Rose Favor from AshleyPhotographer

24. Party Printables from Strawberry Mommy Cakes

25. Easy Cocktail Glass Tags from LavieUrbane

The Bachelor Premiere Party

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 02:39:00 +0000

...as some of you may know, TV's The Bachelor season is in full swing. For me, it's a guilty pleasure that I allow myself to indulge in every Monday night with the girls! and I looooove it.

A couple of year's ago, I planned the Bachelor Finale Party (and posted about it HERE...seriously, you gotta click that link and check it out! like, right now.) This year, it was all about the Bachelor Premiere Party!

Of course, the most important part of any party is the FOOD! I provided the mock-cocktails (sparkling white grape juice) to wash down the amazing appetizers everyone brought.

....and I provided a couple of sweet treats including Diamond Donuts, chocolate cupcakes, and heart ring pops! (hit the dollar store or walmart's valentine section now or right after Vday when all the candy and decor go on sale so you can be ready for your finale party!)

Seriously, these little Diamond Donuts are darling. If I were to do them again, I would have made the diamond red though... they're supposed to be gray (I know, it looks lavender!) The idea for these came from EEADesign on Etsy.

There were no games at this party, we just really wanted to focus on Sean and all the girl-drama, you know? ;) BUT, we did make some predictions for the season after we watched the premiere.

Would you believe I put Tierra as my finale winner? What was I thinking?! She's turning into quite the little brat. I'm anxious to see if any of the girls guessed correctly when it comes time for the Finale!

I rolled each blank prediction sheet and secured it with a diamond ring favor (found at Hobby Lobby) so each girl had one. You can snag my free printable below:

Instructions for the Diamond Donuts:

1. Purchase diamond template or create your own using Photoshop (like I did)
2. Print your diamond shapes out on white or colored paper (as desired)
3. Using an exacto knife, cut the "diamonds" out.
4. If desired, spray cut diamonds with light layer of spray glue or brush with modge-podge and sprinkle glitter over. Remove excess. Let dry.
5. Use glue runner or tiny piece of tape to stick the diamond to a toothpick.
6. Stick diamond toothpick through each donut.

Oh, and in case you're wanting some more ideas for planning your next The Bachelor viewing party, I've compiled a list of 25 different ideas for you!

You can come check it out over HERE!

Dead & Breakfast Inn - Halloween Date Night

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:00:00 +0000

You've heard of Christmas in July...but have you ever heard of Halloween in January? No, of course you haven't. That's because no one is SO slow that it takes 3 months for them to get around to posting a Halloween idea... except me. But, actually... I'm just 10 months ahead of schedule. It's never too early to start planning for Halloween 2013. It's gonna be epic.

I was in charge of date night the week of Halloween... and I've been wanting to do a "Dead & Breakfast Inn" theme for quite some time! Here's what I did:

...................................

Hubby was greeted at the Inn's "entry way" with a welcome card asking him to sign the guest book...if he dared!

an upclose look at the "welcome card":

He wasn't the first guest at this D&B....

Decor & Effects

I had our guest room all decked out with creepy Halloween decor, strobe lights, and some skeleton garland lights when he entered. You can bet I found everything I needed at The Dollar Tree: bloody cloths, mini strobe lights, black crows, skeleton head, black cauldron, napkins, foam gravestone, skeleton garland, etc. I used some of the decor from my living room (in this post). My husband agrees that the best part was the dark room lighting up sporadically with the strobes....really gave it a cool effect!

Of course, all the decor in the world won't do much unless I feed the poor guy! This "Dead & Breakfast Inn" served Killer Cuisine that was Drop. Dead. Delicious.

yummm...

Graveyard Greens with moldy dressing & Cauldron Chill-Eee with crumby crackers...all washed down with some Cursed Concoction (of course, it was brewed to imperfection).

And for dessert, a Toxic Mud Slab a la wickedly sweet I-scream. It was to die for...

As if that wasn't enough, the Inn provided these toxic treats (crows bones and earth worms) for late night snacks.

The Inn also had plenty of other activities in store--including a Horror-ibly Hot Bath and a Frightful Film. Just for fun, I threw some green glowsticks into the bathtub (kinda like this blogger did) for a creepy and cool effect. Dollar Tree had some cool glowstick masks, axes, and such too that are fun.

Since you have a LONG time to prep for this, you can make your own printables, right? No? Okay. You can take mine if you'd like.

You can download them HERE---it's a zipped file that you will have to extract/unzip before accessing the individual files.

Perfect Vday Gift - Date of the Month Club Kit!

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 02:35:00 +0000

Have you realized yet that Valentine's Day is JUST around the corner... Once again, I have the perfect gift to offer you for your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, fiance... you get the idea!

It's the Date of the Month Club Kit...a completely personalized, unique gift for your love!

I designed this kit to fit inside a small box (mine is a Godiva Chocolate box). (When you purchase the kit, I will send you the JPEG files so you can size the kit pieces larger or smaller depending on the size of your box.)

Here's an upclose look at each part of the kit, which could be customized for YOUR valentine, of course!

First, the tag for the box:

then.... The Membership Enrollment Card:

then....

Explanation: (You'll give your Valentine a list of 12+ dates on this card. A few more than 12 would be nice. Keep in mind, these don't all have to be fancy dates from Love Actually Blog. Guys like simple dates, too...like, throwing a frisbee at the park. Put some of his interests in there as dates with you. Then, he will choose which date he wants for which month. Then, it's up to you keep that card and plan those dates each month (Hence, "date of the month club")

then...

Explanation: Give at least 2 vacation cards, but only give as many as you can handle having to plan throughout the year! (remember--these don't have to be REAL vacations...they can be "homestyle vacations" or recreations like mine).

then....

Explanation: These are "love coupons" of sorts...the trick is actually honoring them when he/she decides to use them throughout the year--no backing out! And, make sure you really personalize them (make them lovey-dovey, sexy, or whatever you want...well, whatever your valentine wants, that is!)

Finally, add your Hershey Kisses, (each redeemable for the real thing...a kiss!) along with this bag tag.

And there you have it! A year's worth of romance and fun....all tied up with a bow for Valentine's Day!

You can have a fully customized version of this kit for
$19.99!

Custom options include:
- Specific names on the To: and From: lines on the box tag

- Adding a name after "Congratulations" on the Membership Enrollment Card

- Your choice of 2 different Vacation Cards and related image (you can use the ones I gave for examples or your own!) Colors of text customizable. (each additional @ $2 each)
- 5 different Tickets with wording of your choice (each additional @ $1 each)
- the Kisses bag tag will be as shown

If you would like further customization, I'd be happy to let you know if it's included with the package or if it will be an additional cost.

How to Order:
Email lifedesigncraft@live.com

I'll send you instructions for getting started..it's a simple process!

How fun would it be handing over this unique, personalized gift for Valentine's Day? And the best part is all the fun to come out of it! Email me and we'll get started!

-------------

Below are examples of wording to get your mind thinking of what you'd like included in your kit. Again, these are just options...you can completely make up your own if you want!

Vacation Card wording options (color & design will vary based on your custom requests) (*remember, these don't have to be "real" vacations or they can be....whatever you want!)

Ticket wording options (color & design will vary based on your custom requests)

Date Card wording options: (just common examples....you can make up your own, too!)

Don't forget that I have other fun digital kits for Valentine's Day including:

Love Checks
Valentine's Day Countdown Calendar/Advent
Spa Night Package

Reindeer Food Labels

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 05:23:00 +0000

Okay, I know that everyone (and their mom) has made these as a printable....and many of them are way cuter than mine!

BUT, we did this for our Ward Christmas party last week and I had to make my own labels to fit the containers we bought.

We got these mini containers (10 pk) from Dollar Tree. It was the cheapest option and worked wonderfully after I made myself a little round printable for the lid.

Thought I'd share in case anyone is wanting to make these last minute! And in case you don't know what exactly goes inside these little containers, check out THIS post from Our Best Bites.

Here's the printable:

"Date of the Month Club" Gift - Now Taking Orders!

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 00:42:00 +0000

I am now taking orders for customized "Date of the Month Club" kits!!

If you weren't a follower of Love Actually Blog or this blog last Christmas or Valentine's Day, allow me to introduce you to a one-of-a-kind homemade Christmas gift. Perfect for your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, or fiance, it's a gift that lasts throughout the year!

Enroll him (or her) in the Date of the Month Club!

(this is the Valentine's Day Version, all assembled... of course, yours will be the Christmas Version as shown below)

I designed this kit to fit inside a small box (mine is a Godiva Chocolate box). (When you purchase the kit, I will send you the JPEG files so you can size the kit pieces larger or smaller depending on the size of your box.)

Here's an up-close look at each part of the kit, which could be customized for YOUR sweetheart, of course! You'll receive the DIGITAL kit by email (no physical product will be shipped to you!)

First, the tag for the box:

then.... The Membership Enrollment Card:

then....the "Date" Calendar Cards

then...

then.... the Romance Reward Tickets

Finally, add your Hershey Kisses Tag with a baggie of chocolate kisses (each redeemable for the real thing...a kiss!)

And there you have it! A year's worth of romance and fun....all tied up with a bow under the tree!

(again, this is the Valentine's version pictured above...but you get the idea)

You can have a fully customized version of this kit for
$19.99!

Custom options include:
- Specific names on the To: and From: lines on the box tag

- Adding a name after "Congratulations" on the Membership Enrollment Card

How to Order:
Email lifedesigncraft@live.com

I'll send you instructions for getting started..it's a simple process!

How fun would it be to give this unique, personalized gift for Christmas? And the best part is all the fun to come out of it! Email me and we'll get started!

-------------

Below are examples of wording for the vacation cards and tickets to get your mind thinking of what you'd like included in your kit.

Here are some more examples from an older version of this kit... just to give you more ideas for wording...

(the below vacation card examples were designed using a previous template. Yours will have the updated look as you saw in the post above!)

Halloween Decor to Die For....

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 19:21:00 +0000

Oh, I do love me some Halloween. You know what they say,

"Home is where the 'haunt" is..."

That's certainly true of my house this year. I've been brewing up all sorts of spooky Halloween decor and it all starts at my front door!

The Witch is In!

Dying to know the Details?
Orange Burlap Wreath - homemade using this as a guide
Black Chair - yard sale find! (Hit up your local thrift store, get any small chair, and paint black to get the same effect!)
Witches Broom - yard sale find! (check any party/costume store or online...they sell for pretty cheap)
Candy Cauldron - black cauldron from Dollar Tree, lined with burlap
Witch Hat - Dollar Tree
Black Mat - nothing fancy here, just a black kitchen mat from walmart; but a spider web mat like this one would be cute!

......................

Step inside, won't you?

Eerie, huh? I LOOOVE it. :)

I really love this little poem found via Positively Spendid:

"Backward, turn backward,

O Time, in your flight,

Make me a child again

Just for tonight!"

(You can download my printable at the end of the post if you want it.)

Here's my DIY Spells & Potions Book:

I created my own pages in Photoshop using a combination of spells found on the internet and bits of my own made-up nonsense. (You can snag my printable pages below as well.) I printed the pages to fit the book I was using and then inked the pages up using grey ink. That's it. (I didn't go all crazy with buying an old, dirty book at a thrift store to use only for this decor project. That's just one more thing I have to store. This is a book right from my bookshelf that will go back when Halloween is over. Eventually, I'll make myself a real-deal spell book, but this works for now!)

...nothing too creepy in these spells. The "Clean House Spell" was just downright funny and I knew I had to have it in my book. (It came from a 13 year old from the UK! source)

Dying to know the Details?

Gravestone - Dollar Tree; many varieties!
Black Crows - Dollar Tree
Hour Glass with Black Sand - $8.99 at Ross Stores, October 2012
Black Flowers - Dollar Tree
Black Frame - Ross Stores
Potions Beakers - bought from walmart (filled with candy). I empied the candy and replaced with

uncooked white rice and chow-mein noodles.
Witch Hat - Dollar Tree

You didn't just come here for my tricks, did you? No, you came for the treats. I don't blame you....

These printable spell book pages are in JPEG format so that you can resize them as desired in Photoshop or another photo editing program. These are 5.75 x 9.25.

Mint Condition: Mini Birthday Party Theme

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 21:44:00 +0000

My mom's birthday is in October and I talked her into giving herself a birthday trip to Dallas to visit ME! What fun! We spent a whole week shopping, eating, touring, shopping, eating some more.... oh, and shopping.

We did take a break from all that shopping, though, to party! Since she wouldn't actually be here on the day of her birthday, we threw her a mini, pre-birthday celebration. Mom is into all things MINT, a trait she passed down to me. It seemed fitting to surprise her with this "One Year Older...Still in Mint Condition" themed party!

whoa, that's a lot of mint.

The main event at this party for three was making some scrumptious Mint S'Mores....

oh, baby.....

{the trick is popping the whole thing in the microwave for about 5-10 seconds (after the marshmallow has been cooked over the fire) so the Andes Mints melt just a bit...}

Happy Birthday, Madre!

Date Night: "Plane Crazy About You"

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 21:54:00 +0000

When it came to doing regular date nights, the craziness of Dental School kept us "grounded" for the past little while.... Tonight, it was all about letting our love take flight again.

DFW Airport has a really cool observation area known as Founder's Plaza where you can have a picnic, listen to air traffic control communications from the FAA tower, and watch airplanes land and take-off. Most airports have some sort of viewing area, so if you live in a town with an airport, this is an easy date for you to recreate.

Folks, we've been cleared for take-off...it won't be long before Love is in the Air. (okay, no more cheesy lines, I promise. maybe.)

Airplane Tunes

As we drove to the airport viewing plaza, I had cued up a few songs to play in the car that fit this date's theme. This website has a ton of categorized songs about airplanes, but I chose these 4 for the ride:

1. Frank Sinatra - Come Fly With Me

2 - Train - When I Look to the Sky
3 - Leaving on a Jet Plane - Chantal Kreviazuk
4. Train - Counting Airplanes

Dinner/Picnic

Our in-flight service included:

Airplane Wings (in two delicious flavors from The Wing Stop)

Mile High Breadsticks (from Pizza Hut)

Blue Sky Puff (blue cotton candy)

Jet Fuel (soda pop)

I can always get away with my "cutesy stuff" with hubby when it involves food.... I get to be creative. He gets food. Win-Win. :) Oh yeah, and you can grab the free printable at the end of the post. Win-Win-Win.

If you don't have time for a whole dinner/picnic thing, you can go the simple route--- serve yourselves up a bag of "prop-corn" along with some refreshing "Jet Fuel" soda.

Paper Airplanes

I saw this picture one day while browsing the web....

...and thought I could recreate it for our date. Wrong. My picture turned out nothing like theirs...granted, they had a photographer and were dressed up for an engagement shoot, but still! We enjoyed our little paper airplane contest regardless. It's a good thing we don't build planes for a living, though, cuz both of ours crashed and burned.

We had a great evening watching the planes, enjoying the cool breeze (which is sort of a big deal in Dallas), and dreaming of where we'd fly to if given no limits and a moment's notice.

And, that's it. Gee, time sure does FLY when you're having fun. ;)

Oh, here's your free printables if you want 'em:

*oh, and a tip: Put a strip of wax paper underneath the soda pop label...it protects the paper from getting soaked!

"I just wanna be the pretty one!"

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 22:51:00 +0000

I have some adorable nieces. Two of them are sisters. The oldest is five and is often complimented on how smart she is (it's true...she is VERY smart). The youngest is four and is often complimented on how pretty she is (also true). After hearing these sentiments from family and strangers alike, my oldest niece told her mom one day:

"I'm tired of being the smart one, I just wanna be the pretty one!"

I totally feel her struggle! (well, this chair does, anyway...)

This little pretty is sitting in the corner of my half-bath, right off the entryway. My husband said it's totally not practical or functional (aka: "smart") in the bathroom, but since when does a chair have to be functional...can't it just look pretty?

By the way, that window valance is a totally cheap & easy DIY project. My friend, Alyssa, hooked me up with this tutorial from Budget Wise Home.

Those turquoise vases were bought from Goodwill (originally Pier 1) and spray painted. You could do that with any type of vase (even glass, like this tutorial) and pop a few flowers in for a really easy way to tie in your color scheme.

Also, I bought that pillow form from Joann Fabrics and covered it using a you-tube tutorial from The Crafty Gemini.

Oh, and one more thing (i promise, gosh!).... that poster was my own creation using a 20" x 30" poster print from walmart and a foam board from Dollar Tree. You can download my print for free below....

...and for what it's worth, both of my nieces are smart AND pretty! And I wish they'd come visit me in Texas so I can show them the bathroom decor inspired by them! But, if they can't come anytime soon, it's okay, 'cuz "every little thing is gonna be alright...."

Burlap, Brads and Black & White

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 21:41:00 +0000

I was born and raised in the country and although the country-girl in me is being smothered by years of living in the city, there's something about burlap that brings me back to my roots, even IF it's just that any burlap decor in my house smells like a barn. Yup. just for a little while though until the stench of smog, sewer, etc. get to it. Kidding! only kidding.

Okay, on to my featured project....

I found this ugly little dandy at Goodwill for cheap:

I ripped the ribbon off the wood pieces to make this photo ensemble on an entryway wall.

I cut burlap to cover the front of each board and then borrowed my jute-wrapped "C" to complete the collage. The nice thing about this is that I can easily change those pictures. They are held in place just by scrapbooking mini brads that are pushed into the burlap spaces.

Now when I walk in, I get a whiff of that fresh, country barn smell. oh yes. That'll wear off in a few days, right? ....right?

Put Your Feet Up & Stay A While....

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 21:11:00 +0000

Let me tell you a story about a boy and girl who went for a leisurely bike ride one evening... They came upon a neighborhood whose trash was on the curb for the next day. When they found this little dandy, they thought, "This would be PERFECT in our living room"

Beautiful, ain't she? What's the matter.. can't you catch the vision?! :) Really, you shoulda seen it BEFORE I took all the cotton crud off that was all over it. Gross.

Anyway, it sparked a much needed mini-makeover for our living room (which was pretty much just thrown together when we moved in a couple of months ago):

It's amazing how just a few things can brighten up the room!

A fresh dose of color with a new ottoman and pillows to match (I recovered them with this vibrant "duck fabric" from Hancock Fabrics for $26 total, woohoo!), a fluffy new rug (walmart.com), a funky little lamp (T.J. Maxx), and some simple decor accents for the fireplace mantle and on the end tables to match.

That's the end of that story. Thanks for listening so intently. Now, it's time for me to go sit back and put my feet up [on my new ottoman].

Root Beer & Pickles: New Job Gifts for the Hubby

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 00:04:00 +0000

You know by now that my hubby survived Dental School and is now out in the "real world" of dentistry... which involves a whole lotta drillin', fillin', and billin'! (too bad almost all that income from the billing portion will go to paying back student loans for the next, um, 20 million years. or something like that. *gulp*)

So, after his first day on the job, instead of surprising with something big that cost a fortune, I got him a pickle. Yup. Laugh all you want... I wanted him to know that he was "kind of a BIG DILL".

He's been working for a little over a month now. Some days are great and some days bring new challenges and frustrations, but I wanted to remind him that I'm "rooting" for him each and every day.... So, I built him a Root Beer Cake!

{of course, I didn't use the whole 12-pack for the "cake". I put a couple in the fridge so he could enjoy a cold one when he got home!}

If you've got a spouse to cheer on through graduation or a new job, feel free to snag my free printables below.

BIG DILL TAGS:

Graduation Version:

New Job Version:

ROOT BEER CAKE TAGS:

Napoleon Dynamite Party/BBQ

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 03:08:00 +0000

...yeah, I DID plan a Napoleon Dynamite party, GOSH! Listen, we got talking with some friends one night about Napoleon Dynamite and quoting it and what not...and, I just thought the next step would be to have a party, ya know? "What the heck would you do in a situation like that?"

It's funny that one part of me wants to hide in shame after doing a party like this (nerd alert!) but another part that just can't resist posting all about it. The latter personality trait won out...obviously. :)

Stephanie from "My Life as A Wife" designed this pretty awesome invite...and I tweeked it just a bit to have it say BBQ instead of party. [PS...she's from Preston ID.. I wonder if she was friends with Napoleon? ;) ]

I gave my guest's a SWEET welcome...

...then we fired up the grill and ate some

Freakin' Food

Each food item had a thought bubble with a quote from the movie...

[my amazing friend made this flippin' sweet cake.... it was pretty much the best cake I've ever had.]

Then, it was game time.

Liger Drawing Contest

Deb - What are you drawing?
Napoleon Dynamite - A liger.
Deb - What's a liger?
Napoleon Dynamite - It's pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and a tiger mixed…bred for its skills in magic.

Each couple got a sheet of paper (pre-cut). They chose who would draw the front of the liger, and who would draw the back. They couldn't see each other's drawing or plan it out in advance. When they were done drawing, I combined both parts to make the Liger. Then, each person voted by putting a tally mark on their favorite Liger. ....it was the LOSER who received a pack of erasers so they could practice a little more. (an eraser is an iconic piece of the movie)

FFA "Taste the Milk Defects" Contest

We teamed up the boys vs girls and each team sent a "rep" for each round. Each round, a gulp of milk was tainted with either nutmeg, vanilla, pickle juice, or lemon juice. The first person in the round to shout it out, won! The girls smoked the boys... I just feel bad for our friends who had to drink the pickle juice infected milk. YUCK!

"Glamour Shots" Photo Shoot

The boys were hooked up with these rad photo prop glasses....(and then, one of them was genius enough to discover putting the sticks behind their ears instead of holding them in front of their faces). And, the girls were supplied with pony tail holders to get that perfect side pony like Deb.

Movie Time

We watched the movie and laughed...and laughed. and laughed some more. I pulled out a little bit of trivia in the middle of the movie...

QUESTION:"What does Napoleon Dynamite put in his mouth in the bathroom at the school dance?"

ANSWER: Big League Chew (powdered gum...from the 80's)

The winner got to rip open his own pack of Big League Chew!

Party Favor

Other Party Tips:

- If you have the Napoleon Dynamite DVD Menu Screen on as guest's arrive, it replays a catchy little tune and a couple of video clips from the movie...

- Download my Napoleon Dynamite Party Quotables:

- Download my Napoleon Dynamite Glasses Printable (and tape each pair of glasses to 2 wooden skewers to make quick-easy photo props)

- Get more sweet party ideas from these other Napoleon Dynamite Parties:
http://sclifeasawife.blogspot.com/2012/03/napoleon-dynamite-party-lucky.html
http://www.thedatingdivas.com/adventurous-amore/napoleon-dynamite/ - freebie template for the invite
http://sisterswithflair.blogspot.com/2011/05/this-party-was-dynamite.html

Now go plan your own dang party...GOSH!

Gold Rush Trading Post

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 21:29:00 +0000

My family had our reunion a month ago in the Black Hills of South Dakota (you know, where Mt. Rushmore is?) This is only a few hours from where I grew up, so it was nice to be closer to home for a few days.

Every year, I do something special for the kids (my nieces and nephew)... it's my attempt to be their favorite aunt, you know? :)

Last year we planted magic jellybeans and the next day they turned into BIG swirly lollipops. This year, we discovered GOLD in "them there hills!" One Charming Party gave me this super idea and since the Black Hills are known for their gold, I knew it'd be a blast to take the kids gold panning in a stream near our cabin.

Just look at how fun this was:

Prior to bringing the kids down to the stream, I had sprinkled the rocks all throughout the stream. I spray painted them the day before with Krylon Metallic Gold.... worked wonders!

Each kid got a "gold pan" (a black plastic plate from Dollar Tree). They picked the gold pieces out of the stream by hand.

And when they had picked out every last piece of gold, it was time to trade their gold in for a sweet deal at the Gold Rush Trading Post!

All sorts of gold candy and "rock" candy.
(Miners Nugget Gum, Werthers, Haribo Gold Bears, Yellow Starbursts, mini Twix, Rolos, Gold coins, Pop Rocks, candy rocks, mini Reese's peanut butter cups, Brach's butter rum royals)

Each kid had to turn in one gold nugget to get a Gold Rush bag (those cute little burlap/jute bags that I picked up at The Container Store). I simply stapled the Gold Rush label/paper onto the bags...I figured the kids would either lose the bags in a day or two anyway, so why go to the expense and extra work of printing onto the bags?)

Look at my niece's face in this picture... (on the left, standing up with the pink shirt). haha....classic! I think she was first to notice when I opened the chest.

They each proudly showed me how many gold nuggets they got and I made an offer they couldn't refuse... a full bag of goodies PLUS they got to keep their gold!

The kids were tickled over their loot...

It was a fun little activity to keep the kids busy! For more ideas, be sure to check out One Charming Party to see how she did a few details differently!

I thought I'd include a download to my Trading Post sign... it's all yours! Just click the downward arrow.

Dental School Graduation - Open House/Party

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 22:17:00 +0000

Well, folks...it's true! We made it through Dental School! (and by "we" I mean: he made the grades/graduated while I survived the four "widow years")

Cause to celebrate? Ummm....definitely.

Meagan (my sweet friend from day one of dental school) and I, put our creative efforts together and planned this Dental Graduation Open House for our husbands.

We had a simple, but yummy spread at the Open House of:

Vegetable Tray
Mixed Fruit Bowl
Chips & Salsa
Appetizer Meatballs
Cocktail Dogs (with TOOTHpicks)
Tooth Shaped Iced Sugar Cookies
Powdered Sugar Tooth Brownies
Blue Punch & Water

(check out those "tooth"picks in the cocktail dogs... Oriental Trading hooked me up!)

(I cut a stencil out of paper, "laminated" it with tape so the grease wouldn't ruin it, then powdered the individual brownies (made in a pre-cut brownie pan). My mother-in-law was behind the powdering handwork...I'm so glad I had her to help!)

(Meag made these cute cookies to satisfy every guest's sweet tooth!)

I took a favorite punch recipe and turned it blue with food coloring to create this Mouthwash Punch...fun! (Make sure your punch is a clear liquid to start with or you may end up with alternate colors!)

Tooth Banner Decor

A favor....who doesn't love an extra pack of gum?

A proud display of their White Lab Coats.

A photo display of them individually, together at school, and with their wives over the four years.

Guests were invited to provide some words of wisdom for Mike and Ryan on separate wisdom teeth... both LOVED reading these after the open house.

...this party was nothing except for the amazingly awesome people that were there. It was a bittersweet moment to be celebrating when we knew we'd be leaving many good friends behind soon!

We're so proud of our grads! Now it's off to Texas for all of us to find out what the "real world" is all about.

Frisbee Golf Birthday Bash

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 20:26:00 +0000

M and his buddies have become frisbee golf fanatics lately... seemingly every free moment (including MANY mornings at 5:30 AM....seriously.) that they had was spent "frolfing" at a course in Topsfield MA. M's birthday fell just before graduation and us moving, so I thought a final round was in order for his birthday.

I invited the guys....
(and later ended up inviting the families)

....and planned the party.

On the Menu:
Old Fogey Bogey Hoagies with all the fixin's
Putter Parfaits (cheesecake filing, strawberries, blueberries, nilla wafers)
Doughnut Holes-in-One
Chips
...and plenty of parch quenchers for the boys!

They played a round before coming in for lunch.....

And, his gift? This awesome mini frisbee golf set... for those rainy days when he can't make it out, he can play right at home. :)

I'm so glad he "putts" up with all this... if he had it his way, it'd be frisbee golf all day, no invite, no party and...let's be honest, no girls. But, a man's gotta eat, right? Yup...a perfect excuse for a party. :)

YW's Lesson: Personal Records (Man 1, Lesson 19)

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Sun, 06 May 2012 18:55:00 +0000

This is my lesson plan for YW's Manual 1, Lesson 19: Personal Records

*download by clicking on the downward arrow

I followed the lesson in the manual pretty closely, but adjusted/spruced up a few things...including the presentation of the LONG story (because let's face it...there's no way that my girls would have paid attention long enough to internalize the meaning...even though it's an incredibly touching story)

So, I printed up the "journal" and taped the entries into a blank journal I had... the girls got down on the floor and took turn reading the entries (as if they were the boy and girl in the story, reading the journal on the floor of the farmhouse attic...)

I was so proud of all of them after the story...they had been thinking about their assigned question and all gave thoughtful answers (since they were prepared to answer, being given the question BEFORE the story).

Here's the Journal Text that you can cut out and tape into a journal. (I chose a font that is readable, yet script-like for added effect)

Here are the quotes and question slips I used in the lesson:

It was fast Sunday, so no treats this week... my girls are sweet enough as it is, anyway... so mini pencils were perfect to go along with the lesson!

You can download the JPEG image of the handout below (I printed them in the 3.5 x 5" size - 4 to a page)

...and that was the last YW lesson I will give in my ward in Boston. Sad day for me! :( I'm kinda hoping I get called to YWs again in Texas. I think maybe I just never grew up so I feel most comfortable in YWs....that's gotta be it. :)

YW's Humor Happy Hour

noreply@blogger.com (Cher) — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:47:00 +0000

This week, I planned an activity for our YW centered around humor... (this could also work for FHE)

I had two goals in mind for my "Humor Happy Hour":

1. I wanted to teach/remind about using humor in positive, uplifting ways.

2. I wanted to let loose and laugh a little with our girls!

We started with reading this handout I created:

*journal card design by Tracie Stroud Designs*

We discussed that briefly and shared a couple of personal experiences, and then we got laughing!

We did a few different things:

1. MadLibs - I had found a few free ones on google though and just used those instead of buying a MadLib book.

2. Jeff Dunham & Achmed - This is a YouTube Video (and our churchhouse blocks youtube, so we weren't actually able to watch it, but there is a CLEAN version HERE

3. Brian Regan - He is a comedian that I just love. I had the girls listen to the "Stupid in School" clip from "Brian Regan Live". I have the CD so I just ripped it onto my phone... (In that clip, there is one word that I just held my finger over the speaker and silenced it) ;)

4. Laffy Taffys & Snickers - we snacked throughout and told the jokes from our Laffy Taffy wrappers

5. Laughing Contest - this was a HOOT! Simple. everyone just starts laughing...last one laughing wins. (I would walk around and laugh really goofily right in the girls' faces and that would get them rolling even more..)

Fun night!

You can download the Humor Happy Hour Handout HERE!