DIY Easter Egg Colors - and a Gift!

Yes, we are having a great time looking at all of these recipes for all-natural ways to dye Easter eggs this season.  But, I have to be honest, I am not obsessed with this all-natural stuff. If I can make it happen, great. If not, I don't freak out.  So, this is not in the all-natural category. This is more of the time and money-saving category :)

I was a bit stressed because I had gotten sick the week of the free Easter egg dye kits at Rite Aid. (Not that a buck is a big deal, I was stressed because I forgot to even get a kit!!)  Anyhow, I remembered a recipe I saw last year...and I tried it from memory. I don't even know what the other recipe was as far as drops, etc. But this worked GREAT for us!

Just grab your vinegar that we are all now cleaning with! (Check out my cleaning posts here!)  :) In each cup, put in just 3 drops of food coloring.  I suppose you could use more, this is just what I started with.  Add 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of warm water and gently mix. That's it!!!

I was tempted to try a different way of doing so with onion peels, carrots, raspberries, etc. But, for me, this was about saving time and money.  My 12 drops of food coloring that I use for everything was totally cheaper since I didn't have all of those foods already.  And, I wanted to get it done without a trip to the store. I just didn't have those little color tablets!

These colors came out great! I wish my camera was better so that you could see how vibrant they are. We still love the old "white-crayon-surprise" look to the eggs because it brings back memories of coloring them with our own parents.  To go along with our De-Cluttering series, we chose not to get all stressed out about how "beautiful" the eggs came out. We focused on having fun with the kiddos and just enjoying the moment.  That's what it's all about, right? Ahhh. Cutting out the crap.

Speaking of "what it's all about", I guess that is what Easter represents. Actually, that IS what Easter represents.  For us, it is the most important holiday ever!  What greater thing could have been done than to have our creator join us here on earth, suffer just as we do (except worse), and then choose to die for us so that we may live forever? Do you know anyone who would do that? Good golly, I am WAY too selfish to ever consider giving my life for the ungrateful sinners that we all are!  What other gift could we ever want more than eternal life? 

There is nothing that I would rather have and therefore, I need to use this precious life I have been given to do HIS work, not mine.  I realize that many of you may not appreciate this gift, just as I did not for a long time.  But, since this blog is about sharing, I feel that I need to share the best part of my life with you - Jesus.  HE is the answer to our difficulties, especially when you feel like there is no way out.  

As you probably know by now, my daughter Ella passed away in 2008.  Before then, I was living for me, myself and I. I wanted the big house, the nice car, the perfect kids and tons of money in the bank.  I would have traded it all (except my kids) if I could just get her back. In that worst moment of our lives, my husband and I found our way back to Jesus. He was all we had to lean on. And He WAS there for us. I would not be here today without him.

Now, my life is not perfect, but it is SO much better than it would have been if I had continued on the path I was on. I can't stand the importance that we place on our money and material things.  Give me food, shelter and love and that is all that matters. I would live in a cardboard box if I had to-if that was God's plan.  My little human brain has no idea how to navigate this world on my own. No one can do it on their own. We think we are super-human. And that is what is wrecking this world.

I pray that all of you find Him this Easter if you are searching for your purpose.  We talked a lot about that in our De-Cluttering and Organizing posts. He is the only answer and I would be selfish to not share Him with you.

God bless you this Easter.  I love my readers so much...and so does Jesus! <3

***Check out my other posts about spring cleaning and organizing if you haven’t already!

  Deep Cleaning The Shower

 The Mudroom

 Message Center

 Organizing Your Mind

Decluttering:The Basics

Toys Made Easy!

Don't forget to follow me: Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

My Quick-Fix Message Center DIY

So, I obviously hate clutter. And my least favorite clutter is... paper! I have to-do lists, calendars, appointment cards, sticky notes, scrap paper and beautiful, but LOTS of pictures that the kids draw to display lying ALL OVER my house. I use a large calendar that I had hanging on my wall, but I didn't have anywhere to keep all of the other papers except stacked on my kitchen counter. It was driving me MAD!



One day I just decided to use the hallway wall to organize it. Now, my mission was NOT to make the prettiest, "pinteresty-est" message center, but to just get the job done for now. I needed all of the notes, lists, appointments, etc. in one place...and that place was NOT my kitchen counter. AND, I wanted a place to display the kids' artwork and school papers that they were so proud of. So, here was my fix:

Finding a place: I decided that it would be OK to use the whole hallway wall that people really didn't see unless they used our bathroom or did our laundry for us! :) It is right on the opposite side of the kitchen and phone, so I knew it would be convenient and easy to see.

Function: I needed a place to write down my 10 "To-Do"s for the day without losing the paper that I write them down on.  I also needed to keep the calender close by and needed a place for the scrap papers to be together that I just "jot" stuff down on.  I also wanted to display my kids' art and special school papers.

What to use:  

- Dry erase board: I knew I needed a dry erase board.  In my old age, I don't remember anything unless I write it down.  And, I love my to-do lists when I can find them! :)  A dry erase board was my favorite option.

- Calendar: Check!

-Cork board: As I was sorting papers, I came across a few that I needed to hang, such as the school lunch menu and some phone numbers that I knew I would need often.

I had debated on getting another plastic file for the wall like I had used in my mudroom post, but didn't really see the need for another place to collect papers.

Where to find items:

-I got super lucky when I remembered that I had a huge dry erase board down in the basement from when I used to teach couponing classes.  I originally got it at Staples.com, I can't remember the price, but I'm sure it was under $100. Check out the link to see the current prices, but mine had an aluminum frame and it is AWESOME. It has been in the basement for over a year!

-I also already had the calendar. I got it at Staples as well for $5 at the beginning of the year. It is actually a desk calendar, but has holes to hang it on a wall as well.

-Cork board: I ended up buying 3 of them for $6 each at Joann.com.  It was a little hard to hang them side by side and line them up perfectly, but it may just have been the person hanging them! :)

So, first, I cleared off the wall and then washed it down with, you guessed it, a magic eraser! It was FILTHY! I never realized how many times we scuff the wall when we carry things through there. Or how many times my kids hit the wall with their hockey sticks! Oh well, it's just a wall! 

Then, I started by laying out the items i the way I wanted them to look on the wall. I hung the dry erase board first and then figured out the layout of the calendar and cork board. I knew I needed to be able to reach ALL of the dry erase board to write on it.  I also knew I needed the calendar at eye-level.  My original plan was to have the kids' artwork hang below, but I couldn't get the layout quite right.

Here's the final message wall:

I absolutely LOVE it! Like I said, it may not be pretty, but it gets the job done and gets me more ORGANIZED which is the name of the game right now!

As you can see, I write down my 10 to-do tasks for the day and cross them off as I go.  I also write down what I have to have done for the kids for that day. My older two love to cross off their "chores" after they get them done and I take care of the baby's.  Right now, she is sick with RSV and we keep track of when we do her nebulizer treatments so that when my mom comes to babysit, we can easily keep track. Love, love, LOVE!

Now for the kids' artwork...I had 2 cork boards left. I decided that I would hang them in the small space that the calender originally hung in. It is right between the kitchen and playroom, but I figured it was better to hang the pictures there than have them all over the fridge anyway. At least it would look a bit more organized and the kids would feel special when they saw them decorating the space! This is how it looks now...

And all I can say now is aaaahhhhh. It is done and out of the way!  I find it SO much easier to keep track of my day now. Everything is in one place and easy to find. I don't lose my to-do list and now the household knows what needs to be done for the day without asking! Yes, I love it! It took about 2 hours total, but was worth it!

Now, go tackle your message center so you can breathe easier!
I'd love to see photos, too! :)  Post them on our Facebook page!

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Spring Cleaning Made Easy-Part 1: Shower

Ok, folks! I know it may be hard to believe, but spring is just 3 days away! WHAT? Yes, March 20 is spring and you know what that means...SPRING CLEANING TIME!

Ick, spring cleaning...

Well, I hate it just as much as the next guy, but it is my mission to make it easier for you this year!  I am going to try writing a weekly post to help guide you on how to get through this "cleaning business" with as little stress as possible. I am going to give you tips on doing this quickly and effectively so that you will have more time to get out into that sunshine...when it finally comes! :)

Since it is Week 1, I am not going to get into "heavy cleaning", but I am going to make it a bit easier for you to do your regular "cleaning" so that you have some extra time to start the heavy stuff.

Let's start with the shower.  It is dirty and it HAS to be cleaned at LEAST once a week!



Shower Cleaning Tricks:

Shower head:

OK, is your shower head clogged and you have been showering in water that spouts in all directions, including up? NO MORE...time to get rid of those clogs!  



BEFORE - Eeeww!



Make a MEGA Crayon - Even Easier Tutorial!

I am not a fancy mom and have never been...and never want to be.  I just don't have time and I don't feel that it is worth it in the end. So, I search for new ways to do old things so they take less time and brains! LOL!

Well, here's my fix to those fancy crayons in different shapes that everyone makes in the silicone pans. Fancy hearts, stars, etc., just aren't my thing. I vote for the MEGA crayon!

Last night, I stepped on a crayon and it broke into 3 pieces. I took out the plastic shoe box that houses about 500 other used crayons and proceeded to throw the pieces onto another set of crayon crumbs. But, then it hit me. I was going to just melt try them together in the microwave and make a really BIG crayon - like the one they ask for when we are in a store. Yes, they are 7 and 3 and they want big, fat "baby" crayons!

So, I just grabbed the box and took out a bunch of the broken ones and started peeling!

 

I stuck the bare crayons in a little Dixie cup that we use for mouthwash. You can get them on Amazon or at Walmart. Easy Peasy!



Then, I just put them in the microwave, right in the cup! First, I put them on for 1 minute. Then, I did 30-second intervals until they were all melted. I think altogether it took 2 1/2 minutes. Your microwave may be different, just watch it so they don't "pop" all over!

Beware that if you tip the cup when you are trying to peek, your colors may run together and come out a baby-poop brown! Yes, I did this on accident! And DON'T STIR IT!

So, this is what you will have when the crayons are finally melted. There is a bit of the poop-brown but thank goodness I realized my mistake in time!

Let the colors completely cool. Then, peel off the wrapper - it comes of super easy!

How cool is that? I should have tried this before! It was actually kind of fun! And if you can recruit some kids to peel the papers, that would be even better!  I'm sure I am not the first to try, but I was too busy to even look any directions up! LOL!

Here is what the crayon looks like when it is done and completely cooled!

It is so easy for a kid to grab onto and they have a lot more color choice when using it than if you make the smaller crayons. And, this is MUCH more difficult to break!

Have you ever made crayons before? Or do you have a recipe for making something easier than everyone thinks? I'd love to hear it!

If you know someone with kids who may be stepping on crayons in there home, SHARE this with them and pin as well!

Don't forget to check out my other KID CRAFTS and DIY PROJECTS while you are here!

Cheater's Boutique Pony-O! St. Patrick's Day Idea!

This is NOT the way I make my boutique items, BUT, this is a great way to use the things around your home or the inexpensive sale items at the store to make an accessory for a one-time-use!

Here's what I found at Joann.com last year. The flower clip and shoe laces are normally $1 each and were 50% off, so just $1.00 for both!

So, I decided to make a Pony-O out of them and show you how you can "cheat" and take it apart to use for something else when you are done!

First, gather the ribbons (or in this case, shoelaces) and find the middle point so that there are an even number on both sides.

 

Now, tie the ribbons/laces around the stem of the flower clip you are using:

 

 

 

Next, cut the ribbons the length you want them on the diagonal.

DIY Preschool/Kid Visual Schedule...AKA "Chore Chart"

Does anyone else out there have a 3 year-old that has to be told over and over again the things he needs to do to get ready for the day and then get ready for bed at night? For us, it has become quite a struggle lately. My son is a great and sweet kid but LOVES to see how many times mommy can say "brush your teeth" before her face turns blue! LOL!

So, since my "real" job in in pediatric therapy, I know that my kid is a "visual" kid. He does better by seeing than hearing. After our struggle this weekend, I decided to make a "visual schedule" for him. Some people may equate this with a "chore chart", but I think brushing teeth, going potty and getting dressed shouldn't be categorized as "chores"! :)

I wanted to share this with you because after looking at all of the pretty things on Pinterest that I could make for him, I decided that this was the most practical...AND the easiest! I am not into froo-froo here!



Here's all you have to do to make one at home in 10 minutes!

First, take pictures of all of the tasks you want your child to do for each "routine" you want to make. I chose "night" and "day" routines and kept it to just the three tasks each. I don't care what order he does them, I just care that he does them. You may want to start out simple and add tasks as you go along - make sure they get the hang of it first.

Here are our photos:

Try It Tuesday - DIY Crayon Art Tutorial - Fun!

I have been pretty anxious to try this out for a while now, but haven't had any time to do so. Well, be careful what you wish for, right? We made this on Day 20 of me being cooped up in my house "jail"! :)

But anyway, it was the last day my oldest daughter was going to be home before school started up again, so it worked out well. She was my "big helper" and ended up really being of great use when it came to photo time! :)

These two canvases are going to be in a silent auction we are holding next month for my Aunt Holly who has cancer. Therefore, we chose the sayings that we did in her honor. She is a wonderful free-spirit who is caring and tries to dance in the rain! Aunt Holly, this is for you! <3

So, here is what you need to get started making your own crayon art:

10 Life Hacks You'll Wish You Already Knew!

Well, it's Day 20 and I am SO done with being out of commission! Ugh. But, on the flip-side, it is giving me a chance to put out some great information for you! This is one of my favorite things to write about!



So, if you are all into pinning, etc., you know that there are a lot of  tips and tricks out there that can potentially make your life easier. I have to admit that I used to spend lots of time pinning away and have learned a bunch of handy things! Recently, I thought about putting all of my favorite tips together to share. Many things I have tried and failed at. But these are actual tricks I have used and these are the original photos from them.

I would LOVE to put more tips like this together to share with you and would LOVE your help in doing that! If you have tried something and it was successful, please comment below and we can get it into another post!

OK, so here are the first 10 life hacks that have absolutely made my life easier!

DIY Carpet Freshener with Antibacterial Qualities

Oh my goodness, I would give anything for smell-o-vision right now! My house smells AMAZING!

Let me catch you up on the last 24 hours to see what inspired this post!

So yesterday, my mother-in-law who is taking such good care of me and the three kiddos while hubby is at work (and now out-of-town) came down with a HORRIBLE cold/sinus thing and was so sick all day. Then after my son's nap, he woke up with the croupy cough! UGH! My 3 month-old baby girl has a thick, nasty nose now...so it is time to disinfect EVERYTHING!

I had already written a post about cleaning with rubbing alcohol and we went to town with that! But then I noticed my baby on the floor playing. She was on the fluffy, germ-catching rug putting toys in her mouth and smiling. Eeeew.  I needed to do something about that.



I am pretty lucky because my brother-in-law is a chiropractor and has an endless supply of natural ingredients and essential oils. Here is what we did to make a carpet freshener/cleaner that would help combat bacteria and help with the congestion that many in the house are experiencing!

Here is what we did , it is so simple!

Throwback Thursday - My Favorite Childhood Snow Ice Cream Recipe - SCORE!

Well, I finally went on an "outing" yesterday to my awesome sister's house with the kiddos and the in-laws! She is the most thoughtful person and  always tries so hard to make people feel special and loved 24/7! This was a "come-over-and-have-a-dance-party-and-lunch-so-you-can-get-out-of-the-house" outing. I have now been stuck inside for 16 days, minus a trip to the ER. Fun.

But, our kids LOVE to dance together, so that's exactly what they did. I had a front-row seat on the couch, but it was so much better than looking at my own living room! The kids had a blast! Then my sister whipped up some fantastic lunch for us. Everything tastes better when someone else makes it, right? She really is a good cook though! :)



So in trying to bring my own element of "fun" to the outing, I came up with the idea to make snow ice cream with a childhood recipe when we were done eating lunch. The kids have never made it before, so I was excited to see what they thought. It had been SO long since I had it that I almost had forgotten what it tasted like!

My sister was a bit nervous as she recalled the time she made it herself as a child. She gobbled it down and then saw it again a few minutes later! But I must stress that she made it HERSELF. ;) Her main ingredient was sugar and more sugar! LOL!

I must say that we "scored!" with this recipe. If you know our family, you know that we own an ice cream stand and LOVE our ice cream. This is more of an "ice milk" recipe, but, it had a great flavor and the texture really wasn't bad at all! 

Here is what you need to create your Snow Ice Cream:

Winter Wednesday: DIY Ice Luminaries for Kids!

Well, it was still winter last time I checked. I'm a little frustrated with all of this snow - especially since I am still stuck in the house after surgery. I'm going on my third week of not being able to wear regular clothes still and having to do pretty much nothing! UGH! Thank goodness I have had a whole mess of help. One of my BFF's flew up from NC and took care of me for almost 2 weeks. And now my in-laws are here from PA and are helping me again!



But, I am trying to make the most of it since the kiddos are off from school this week. We have been doing some projects and this one was a big hit!  If you are bored or even just want to make a pretty path or decoration along your walkway, this one is SO easy and fun!

Here is what we used:

Try It Tuesday - DIY Cupcake Wall Art!

I am so excited to share this project with you! For those of you that know me, you know that we are in the process of adopting our 3 month old daughter whom was placed with us in November. We are beyond excited! So, with a new baby comes a new nursery! What to choose, what to choose for a theme! Something as sweet as she is - Cupcakes!

I am hoping that she will like them, too! :)

So, when searching for Christmas gifts for her, I was researching anything and everything "cupcake". I saw some cute wall art on Amazon that I loved, but it was about $40 just for one this size! Yikes! OK, the wheels got turning and I decided to try my own version. 
 
You can probably make your own kind of designs by using this method even if you don't want it to be "cupcake". Ice cream would be cute, flowers, butterflies, etc. The possibilities are pretty much endless!



Most of the supplies you see I got at Joann.com on clearance or in the store with a 50% coupon. I NEVER pay full price there...it is awesome!

Here are the supplies you will need:

Money Saving Monday! DIY Teeth Whitener - AWESOME!

 

Believe it or not, my 7-year old daughter inspired this post when she said, "Mommy, why do all the adults have yellow teeth?" Hmmmm. Well...have you ever wondered the same thing? Here are a few reasons our pearly whites look like they have been invaded by the sepia effect:

• Drinks - Are you a fan of coffee, wine, tea or soda? Prepare to be yellowed! So many drinks are acidic and can open the enamel up to being stained. Make sure to at least rinse your mouth after eating or drinking anything if you can't brush.
• Foods - So many foods can stain your teeth! Berries, pickles, ketchup and potatoes are just a few!
• Medications
• Disease
• Poor Hygeine
• Age (let me know if you find the antidote for this!!!
• Trauma

Loom Bracelet Tutorial - Easy Throwback Boondoggle Style!

 

If you had asked me last week if I would ever make a loom bracelet or a tutorial about it, I would have said, "absolutely not!" Well, here I am...making a bracelet AND a tutorial after my daughter got her loom on Valentine's Day!

Not only have I made this post about it, but I also created a  youtube tutorial about it! Whaaaatttt? Relax, I did it just because it is a bit easier to follow the video for some people. Ain't nobody got time to make a video every day! :)



So, this post is about making the popular "Boondoggle" style from the '90s...who's with me? Yep, I spent hours with that fluorescent plastic stuff thinkin' I was cool! Well. Here I am again over 20 years later! And still cool? :)

Well, if you are still reading this, then I don't feel so bad.  I guess you want to be as "cool" as me! So, let's get down to business!

Sharpie Mug Success, Finally!

I think we were all in the same boat when we saw how cute Sharpie Mugs were - and how easy they were to make! At least until we went to wash them, right? Well, after many tries, I FINALLY got one to work without chipping, fading or washing off!

The finished product! Yay!

After consulting about 15 different posts to combine all of the best ideas together, here is what we found. We made this one for my daughter's teacher. She decorated it all by herself - much more meaningful!



Here's what we used:

DIY Tutorial Wrist Cover Ups - No More Snowy Wrists!

So, I have been out of commission for a week from surgery and will be for another 5 weeks or so. Well, it makes me crazy to sit still, so I am focusing on problem solving while I am sitting! My blog will be the result! :) 

Brrrr! Eventually happens every time they stretch out their arms!

Here's one of the problems we had last week while I was watching the kids play outside on their billionth snow day...jeepers!  We have these nice winter snow coats with the sleeve extenders on it and these nice warm mittens. My kids LOVE to make snow men and have snow ball fights! They are constantly putting their hands in the snow. We tuck their sleeves into their gloves, buy the kind of gloves that go up to their forearms and then get snow in anyway, and even have tried putting long socks over their mittens to keep their wrists from getting snowy.  But they STILL have cold little wrists!

Easiest Crock Pot (Dulce de Leche) Caramel Topping Recipe!

Hold onto your hats, my friends! This sensational recipe is going to knock your socks off! (Well, then I guess I should have said to hold onto your "socks"?!) Whatever, you get the picture! :) This creamy, thick combination of milky sweetness is mouth-watering!

My love affair with this started at Walmart last week. I was buying some apples when I ran into an old friend I hadn't seen in a while. We were chatting and eyeballing this yummy caramel dip that was right next to us the whole time. Now, my friend knows SO much about everything, it is sometimes intimidating.  But I am so grateful for her being able to recall this recipe off the top of her head that it was worth feeling dumb for! But in all fairness to me, who is not anywhere near as perspicacious, it is an EASY recipe! :)

If you are in love with dulce de leche or anything caramel, prepare to be wooed! This simple topping can be used to dress up every-day foods such as cookies, cakes, ice cream and even coffee! Oohhh, it is so good in coffee! :) The even more obvious use is as a dip for apples. I would also say that it is just as delicious being eaten off a spoon, however I don't want to be the one to cause you to go into sugar coma when you can't stop!

DIY Disney Lanyards and Card Holders - Use with Fast Pass System!

If you are planning on going to Disney World, and NOT getting a Magic Band, you are going to want one of these! :)

If you haven't heard, Disney has a new paperless Fast Pass+ system that allows you to "schedule" certain rides throughout the day, shortening your wait time tremendously. This system is linked to your electronic Disney ticket (the same one you get in the gate with). So, when you schedule your rides (if you are reading this before online availability is open to everyone) you will need this card out. Also, you will need to "tap" it on a sensor at two different locations when you are standing in the Fast Pass line.  It is a PAIN to pull it out of a wallet or purse every time.

Also, you may have gift cards or photo passes that you need to have handy when shopping or taking photos with your favorite characters! Here is an idea that I got to make my own "lanyard" that we could just wear around our necks all day, allowing our cards to be on us AND handy at all times!