I was hosting a Church Couples Connect Night (CCCN) at my house recently and we decided to go with a Valentine Theme since it was a couples event. I wanted to make something fun and festive, so I supplied the … Continue reading
Photo Credit Here it is again. The end of one year, and the beginning of the next. For some of us, we have been counting down the minutes til this year ended. Maybe it wasn’t our best. Maybe we had … Continue reading
I started blogging about a year ago. My blogging back then was mostly just ramblings of jumbled up emotions that I was trying to sort through, (you can read about that journey here). After taking a break and researching ideas of a successful blog, I started again this past Spring, with a new name, new ideas and a new agenda.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am still no where near what I would like my blog to be. But let’s be realistic for a minute, are we ever going to be completely satisfied with our writing?
I don’t think so. There is always going to be the next “big” thing we are reaching to achieve.
For me, I think I have to just be okay in the moment, to know I have a vision for my blog, a direction I am going and goals to keep me focused and on point.
That is why I was so humbled and honored that my follow blogger Stacey, from This Momma’s Ramblings, nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award.
What is The VBA?
VBA is an award to give to follow bloggers to commend to work the put into their blog. Nominees for the VBA is based on the quality of the writing, the uniqueness of the subjects covered, the level of love displayed in the words on the virtual page. Or, of course, the quality of the photographs and the level of love displayed in the taking of them.
In other words, it’s a way to honor those bloggers who bring something special to your life whether every day or only now and then.
If you are nominated, you’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger award.
Thank the person who gave you this award.
Include a link to their blog.
Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly.
Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award — you might include a link to this site.
Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.
Okay, so here is goes Stacey,
7 Things About My Self:
1) I am a vegetarian. (No eggs, No milk, No meat, No broth!)
2) I am a people pleaser and a fixer. (Urggg I hate saying that outloud!!)
3) I have been a homeschool mama for 8 years! (The best 8 years, I might add!)
4) I am a small-town, rural-living, country girl thru and thru! (I can’t do traffic, interstates, loud noises or semi-trucks)
5) I might have a small obsession with The Pioneer Woman! (Ekkk, I know, I know!)
6) I am an introvert! Or old-school term-HOMEBODY! (Yes, I said it! I enjoy my own company, I love being creative and
working on projects alone, and I feel I am a better person when I do not have to be on the go all the time.)
7) I seriously LOVE all the relationships and friendships I have made in the blogging world! (And to think I can do all this
from home. lol)
So now comes the fun part, nominating 15 bloggers who I have recently discovered or I follow regularly.
And the Nominees are:
Aussie Mummy Diary who shares her life as a Single Aussie Mummy raising 5 children.
Little Log Cottage School with Christa who believes in a hands-on student led learning.
Weak and Loved with Emily, who hopes her blog will make you smile, or pray, or cry, or think.
His Salt Life where Tiffany shares the dreams, thoughts, experiences, lessons learned, tips, tricks and opinions of a modern-day Christian Woman.
Unfading Beauty with Priscila, where she will give you here look on what beauty really is.
Happy Healthy Holy Home is a journey to learn the BEST ways to care for mind, body, soul and family with Chantelle Marie.
Life As I Know It with Kim blogs about Ramblings and Rantings.
Maggie May’s is a great blog with free project ideas, healthy recipes and tips for entertaining kids,
Living Chic on the Cheap is such a cute blog sharing fun and unique deals as well as crafts, DIY projects, and frugal recipes.
Thee Angel Project is such an inspirational blog with Heather, as she shares her thoughts with us.
Ms Moozy’s Open House is all about learning to love the life that is perfectly imperfect.
Home Made Interest, a blog of 2 BFF’s sharing their love for creating.
Crazy Normal with Alycia is capturing photo’s and telling stories of her everyday life.
Three Kids and a Fish is all about Cathy making memories.
Vintage Mama’s Treasures is such a timeless blog all about crafty projects.
I love everyone of these AMAZING BLOGS! All right ladies now it’s your turn! And Congratulations!
I love parties!
I love planning parties, decorating for parties, and hosting parties.
During the year, we don’t buy our kiddos a lot of extra except what they need, such as new shoes, clothes, items for an activity and ect. So when their birthdays come around, I always want to make them special. I will just say for the record, that yes I sometimes always go overboard. It drives the husby crazy!
But I also like to host birthday parties for family and friends as well. And when I plan birthdays for them I have to stick to a budget. I will say it’s not always easy.
My two great nieces turned four and five a few weeks back. they came to stay with us for a few days the week of their birthdays, which happens to be two days apart from each other, and I wanted to make it special for them.
Since I have been tutoring this summer, I happened to have two of the kiddos at my house that day, whom my nieces know from church. I thought wouldn’t it be fun to throw them a small birthday party! Of course my mind started spinning as I got to planning. Even though I wanted to make it special, I also needed to keep it small, in the budget and on a time schedule.
My daughter Lindy started looking for leftover party supplies I keep stashed around the house while I started on cakepops. I prefer making cakepops for small parties. They are fast, easy and so much fun. I make my cake and icing homemade and I had white chocolate and sprinkles on hand from all the baking I do so I was out no expense.
Lindy found green and yellow streamers that a friend had gave to me, that I thought would make a great background. Next we found a roll of leftover pink tablecloth from a church fundraiser last year. I also found a teal tablecloth that was leftover from Lindy’s birthday last month, that we used for a table runner.
It was starting to come together and so far I hadn’t spent anything.
I realized that we didn’t have plates, forks and napkins so I ran to the store to pick those up and found the cute yellow striped straws for .50. I left the store with my supplies and only spent $4.00 plus tax. When I got back home I placed the forks in a cute pink bucket, finished the cake pops and decided on strawberry lemonade to drink. I mixed together half a package of sugar-free lemonade koolaid and 1/2 pack of sugar-free strawberry koolaid, added a lemon slice on the side and “voila” we had party punch.
Instead of using party cups, I used these cute plasic hug juice containers that I save and reuse. they were perfect with the yellow striped straws.
At Lindys party, we had photo props, so I pulled those out, put them in a cute bucket, added a couple frames that I had picked up at a thrift store several months back and hadn’t used and we had a really cute photo booth.
I used a couple cute colored bowls for goldfish and gumballs, also left from Lindy’s party.
I placed the cakepops on a cake stand and we were almost ready.
The last thing we needed was party hats. I found a few pieces of leftover scrapbook paper that I had used for a craft and elastic string I had bought for another project I am working on, and we made these cute, tall party hats.
The kiddos love them!
Meet Jessie! Look at that sweet face!
It was fast, threw together all before 1 pm. It was cheap, spent appx $4.50 total and it was fun!
Meet Silly Maddie!
Instead of games we let them draw with chalk on the driveway, have fun with the photo booth and watch a movie.
They had a blast. Happy Birthday Girls!
I got to thinking, I know other bloggers must have amazing party ideas as well.
So I got with some fellow blogging friends and we shared ideas.
Dawn from HomemakingHacks has an amazing post on….
Creating your own party decor will help make your party a success! The best news is that it’s probably a lot easier and less expensive than you think! With the help of basics and simple color coordination, you can make all different types of matching party goodies in under an hour.
I am so in love with the tape bunting around the jars! So adorable! And so creative!
Another idea I love comes from Katelyn from What’s Up Fagan’s
Several years ago, I decided not to just throw a birthday party for my daughter, I decided that she needed to do it with me. And not just her, the rest of her siblings needed to help too. It was a perfect way to teach them responsibility, kindness, even organization. I knew my children would have the motivation to help with such a great reward so I went to work. As they have gotten older, they help more and I do less and less.
Being a homeschool momma, I am all about my kiddos being independent and learning life skills at an early age. Love this!
And make sure to drop by and check out Crystal’s Birthday Parties on a Tight Budget from Crystal and Co.
If you’re like a lot of party-lovin’ moms, you practically drool over fabulous pictures of designer birthday celebrations with gorgeous fondant cakes that START at one hundred dollars…and then reality hits: not in the budget this time. But do you know you can host an awesome kid’s birthday party on a really tight budget? It’s possible! Read on for some of my favorite money saving suggestions.
Thanks Crystal for the Awesome Ideas!
I hope you have enjoyed all of the amazing tips to help you stay on budget for your next party.
And make sure you check out each of these amazing blogs!