Tag Archives: special occasions

Goodbye Birthdays, Hello Holidays

Okay, two more birthdays have come and gone and they are the last two of the year (at least as far as immediate or nearly immediate family goes). With each person another year older, presents unwrapped and currently occupying the living room, and finally the birthday goodies are almost gone, it’s time for me to start looking toward the holidays. With a smudge of birthday cake frosting still on my lips, I’m writing my list and starting to plan. Halloween is going to be easy. We already have most of what we need for costumes. A little candy and a … Continue reading →

Family Birthday Celebrations

With six people in our family, we manage to make our own party, even if no one else is present. So, this week one of my daughters is having a birthday and it happens to fall on a weekday, leaving us to have a family party on the actual date. She’s planning to have a friend or three over on the weekend, but we’ll make sure she feels special on her big day. Some of the things we like to do for family birthdays are listed below. I hope you’ll like some of these ideas, or maybe you’ll share some … Continue reading →

Cute Party Favor Pails You Can Make

You can use these party favor pails for any type of party, from Halloween and Harvest to birthdays and more. You can make them with stuff you already have and just a few things from the store. Here is what you’ll need: Plastic 20-ounce soda bottles Scissors Hole punch Tissue paper Glue Water Paint Paintbrush Chenille stems (pipe cleaners) Googly eyes (optional) Here’s what you need to do: You will need one plastic bottle for each guest plus the guest of honor. Start by making sure they are clean and dry. Have a grown up use the scissors to cut … Continue reading →

Simple Decorations for any Holiday or Occasion

Every inch of your home is beautifully decorated for each holiday or special occasion; well, almost very inch that is. Sometimes you just need an extra little touch here or there. There are some quick, simple ways to fix that dilemma. The first fix is making sure you always have extra candles around. When you see them on sale, grab some. It’s best to choose a neutral color so you can use them in any space and for any occasion. Then, just dress them up as needed. If you choose white or off white, you can simply wrap some festively … Continue reading →

Make Some Coasters

Most kids enjoy working on craft projects not only because it is fun to do but also because they get the opportunity to be creative. What makes crafts even more enjoyable is making things that others will actually display or use. You and your kids can make great coasters for your home, with designs that coordinate with your décor as well as coming up with other designs for holidays and special occasions. One simple style of coasters can be made from wide-mouth jar lids. Clean and dry the lids and trace them onto felt. Cut out the felt and glue … Continue reading →

Folded Card Craft

This is a really easy project but it turns out very cute. You will need a rectangular shaped piece of cardstock or poster board about 4” high by 18” long (adjust sizes as necessary for longer or shorter words). Fold it in half and continue folding in half until you have the correct number of squares to add a letter to each one to spell out a name or a word. For an uneven number of letters, simply cut off the extra square or decorate it with a symbol (heart, star, etc.) instead of a letter. Let your child paint … Continue reading →

Last Minute Fourth of July Ideas

I frequently end up having get-togethers for holidays and special occasions at the last minute, because of erratic schedules. Because of this fact, I have learned to pull things together quickly, without time for detailed shopping and without a lot of planning. I may not be Martha Stewart, but I hope you will like some of these simple, low cost, last minute ideas for Fourth of July: Decorations Even if you only have time for a quick trip to the grocery store, you can still gather a few decorations. Many stores have at least a few offerings, but even those … Continue reading →

Ideas for Gift Baskets

A home business making gift baskets is a fun, simple way to make some extra money (see previous gift basket articles). The key is to make great baskets that are a good value for the price. The more custom your baskets are the better they will sell. We talked about giving out gift baskets to family and friends as gifts for special occasions, which is a great way to get some word of mouth advertising. It doesn’t hurt to place a business card, or a slip of paper with your phone number inside each basket. Here are some ideas to … Continue reading →