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:

Super-Easy 3-Ingredient Meringue Cookies! No-fear!

Here is a super-easy way to take the fear out of making meringue! I made these cookies for my kids to give family members on Valentine's Day - they are strawberry flavored.  I have to admit, this was the very FIRST time I made them! I used to be terrified, but I am sure the next batch will be even more good-looking!

Give them a try and then comment below to tell me how they turned out!!!

Here is all you need:

• 6 egg whites
• 1 box flavored gelatin (this was strawberry flavor)
• Just over 1 cup sugar

VARIATION: If you don't want them a certain flavor, just omit the gelatin and use 1 1/2 cups of sugar! :) Still awesome!

Top 5 Poll: What Women Do & Don't Want for Valentine's Day!

It's that time of year that men are put on the spot:

"What do I get her for Valentine's Day?"

The pressure is on to make her eyes light up, make her heart skip a beat and to have her know for sure how much they really care. So, flowers and candy should do that, right? WRONG!!!



But no fear, we have taken the guess work out of it and polled over 50 women to get the REAL & HONEST answers...

The results are in! We polled our readers and our friends to see what women REALLY want for Valentine's Day! AND...what they DON'T want!

Here are the results!

TOP 5 - What she does NOT want:

The "Kids-Won't-Know-It's-Carrots" Pink Smoothie! - Great for Valentine's Day!

If you have kids, you know how difficult it can be to get them to eat raw veggies! I am getting good at hiding the cooked ones, but crunchy carrots are tough if they aren't hidden in a pool of Ranch dressing - and sometimes that doesn't even work!

 

I have tried SO many smoothie recipes promising that the "kids won't know". Some were OK, but I think some people must have given the kids hot sauce first before washing it down with the broccoli smoothie so they wouldn't taste it! YUCK! :)  I also have to say that I am NOT a fan of veggies at all...so I was secretly hunting for a recipe myself!

 

First of all, you have to have frozen fruit. So many recipes call for ice. Blah. Why drink frozen water when you can get some antioxidants and fiber in there! 

To freeze fruit: just take your fresh fruit and spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Stick it in the freezer until they are frozen. Then place them in a Ziploc bag to freeze together, that way they don't stick to each other!

 

I have 2 kids that love fruit smoothies, so I make a 16 ounce one and split it between them.  This recipe is totally changeable, but can still be packed with a bunch of colors for an array of nutrients!

 

 

So, basically, you can see below that I break up the 16 ounces into

Top 10 Tips for a Frugally Superb Super Bowl Party!

So, it's the time of year where we celebrate what it means to be a football fan in America...it means we party! :) Well, I think at least a few people enjoy the actual game?  But most of us are in it for the excuse to get out of the house and eat some really yummy, greasy, fattening food in front of people without feeling guilty...until we get home!

 

But, if you are the one throwing the party because you have the big house and an even bigger, TV, then here's some helpful tips to a great party without breaking the bank!

1. PLAN AHEAD!  I can't stress this enough!  If you walk into a store with a budget, a list of items and some willpower to buy only what is on your list, you will certainly leave the store a lot closer to your target budget than if you went in there willy-nilly without a plan! AND, I bet that you have a lot less of a chance of forgetting something than if you were crossing off items on your list as you go! :)

2. Buy for meals at the same time - Take into consideration

Unique & Frugal Water Bottle Valentine for School - FREE Printable!

If you have kids in school, you are probably faced with the dilemma of whether to choose a traditional Valentine's Day card with some candy attached to send in...OR to get all "pinteresty" and create some magnificent display of generic love for each child in the class! Well, I am not in the business of making something fancy that will get destroyed when it is shoved in the backpack to come home..."Ain't nobody got time for that!" LOL! :)

So, this year, I think we are taking a stab at an "out-of-the-candy-box" Valentine for my daughter's first grade class. It is a simple, yet healthy and useful..........wait for it.........bottle of WATER! Yup, a bottle of water. (11 cents each from Walmart after coupon!) This is to balance out all of those sugary snacks they will surely be getting! Also, it won't get smashed, crumpled, ripped or destroyed altogether (hopefully). AND, hopefully no one else will make them. Another dilemma with all those other crafty moms floating around, right?!

Anyhow, we were trying to make this "fun" and looked up different sayings that contained the word "water" or "splash" in it. We liked this one the best! Short, sweet and to the point...yet thoughtful. So, we designed it to fit snugly around the bottle of water with just a piece of tape or some glue.  And here's the creation!

**My tip would be to

20 FREE & Unique Valentine's Day Ideas 2014!

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, it is time to decide how you will show that special someone just how much you care!  Many of us are not only challenged with finding the "perfect gift", but are also looking at how to do so without breaking the budget. Here is a list of 20 things you can do to surprise that special someone! :)

1. Prepare a special dinner - Yes, it may be the obvious. However, change it up a bit!  Make the appetizers, side dishes, entrée and desserts to be all of his/her favorites.  Who cares if you eat mozzarella sticks with filet mignon, right? It will show thoughtfulness which is what counts!

2. Call to say "I love you" - If your other half has to work, give them a surprise call just to tell them that you love them. So simple, yet it will make them feel so special!