You will want to catch up if missed my latest Easter Post, Southwest Bacon Ranch Deviled Eggs!

Looking for a Fun and Spiritual Craft for your elementary aged child for Easter?

Then I have the perfect solution!

Easter Cut & Color Cross Craft will keep your child busy with fun, while it opens the door for a perfect conversion and discussion about The Resurrection of Jesus!

Even though this craft is geared more toward 6-9 year olds, with a little help it can become a great craft for preschoolers.

What you will need to have on hand:

• Crayons or Markers
• Scissors
• Paper

What you will need to do to complete this Easter Craft:

• Fold Paper according to the step by steps pictures
• Parents tell The Resurrection of Jesus Story (optional)
• Cut final paper vertical, keeping the piece you are holding
• Unfold the piece you are holding
• Color your cross
• Hang up to enjoy

The Bible tells us that on Thursday after Passover, Jesus was arrested and sentenced to die on a cross.  Good Friday, is the day we remember Jesus’ death on the cross.

Jesus was laid to rest in the tomb.  Fearing that the disciples might try to steal Jesus’ body, the high priest asked for  the tomb to be sealed and guards outside.

On Sunday morning (Easter), three women went to the tomb to finish anointing Jesus’ body for burial. But when they reached the tomb, they made a shocking discovery.

They could not imagine how the tomb had been opened – or what had happened to Jesus!

In the other gospels we read that an angel appeared to the women and told them Jesus was risen. But even with that message, they did not understand what was going on. They wanted to see Jesus – and they would see him soon enough.

Jesus was alive! The Son of God had risen from the dead just as he said he would.

Jesus would later appear to his disciples and thousands more. He told them to go and tell the world that he was alive and that anyone who believed in him could have… a new life. 

The post Cut & Color Cross Craft and Easter Story appeared first on GraceandGravy with a side of life!.

Need a last minute Fun and Frugal Valentine Gift?

Valentine’s Day is so hard for me because there is only so many balloons and boxes of candy you can give and receive.

Since I am a canner, I always have an endless supply of Mason Jars on hand so I thought it would be fun to do a gift in a jar.

I still wanted to incorporate candy of some sort into the gift so I decided on S’more’s in a jar.

It’s a fun, easy  and frugal gift idea.  Since I wanted it to be a Valentine Theme I decided to use heart shaped marshmellos and Valentine wrapped candy.

Of course I couldn’t just use regular graham crackers, I had to use chocolate graham crackers to go with the strawberry marshmellos and chocolate bars!

I created Valentine Tags for labels and Voila, a perfect Valentine Gift that fits everyone!

Click the download link below for my *FREE* Valentine Tags.

S’More Valentine Printable Tags

Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day!

The post Valentine Love In a Jar with *FREE* Printable Labels appeared first on GraceandGravy with a side of life!.

I love Christmas.  I love celebrating the Reason of the Christmas Season, The Birth of Christ. So when I do my Christmas decorating, I like to keep the simplicity of the season.  Which fits perfectly with my early farmhouse/primitive decor.

One of my favorite pieces to make for Christmas is wreaths using real cedar and pine.  I find that using raw and natural materials make the prettiest and cheapest decor.

These wreaths are so simple to make! I start with a plain grapevine wreath, which I use again every year and some additional holidays, pine and cedar that I have cut fresh, along with burlap, pinecones that I find in the woods, ribbon and a few items I have on hand.

For my first wreath, I used pine. Really look for the pine that has pinecones attached.  Makes the wreaths more festive. First I gather up a bunch that lays well together.  I don’t like to be stingy on the greenery but I also don’t want the wreath to be too much.  Simple is better for me.

I use a rubber band to hold the greenery together and then use green floral wire to attach around the grapevine.  After that I used burlap to make a bow, I always have burlap around to decorate with, remember simple is the key.  I used a strip of burlap and ran it through the  loop on the back of the bow and tied around the grapevine where I attached the green floral wire.  I hang this wreath on the wall of my porch in the middle of an old screen door frame.  Perfect and rustic!

So very simple.  Literally a 10 minute project.

For the next wreath, I started out the same but I used cedar.  I love to find the cedar that has the blue berries attached.  Makes it more festive and colorful.

I like how the cedar hangs down more on the wreath.  Again I used a burlap ribbon but this time I found a pair of jingle bells at a Thrift Store for .50c and attached to the greenery with the same floral wire.  I thought it made a perfect addition to the wreath.  A little something extra but keeping the simplicity of the project.

This wreath, I decided to hang on my front door.  I LOVE how this turned out!

For the last wreath, I went with cedar again, but this time I trimmed it shorter and used pieces without the blue berries.  I attached a plaid ribbon of white, green and red I made out of a roll I used on my tree a few years back.

Again it is attached the same way as the others.  I also decided to go with the green and red and used this small metal “Happy Holidays” sign that, again, I found at a local Thrift Shop for .50c.  I attached with the green floral wire.

I placed this wreath on a wooden chair in the front of my house where I have a Country Christmas Table set up.  I think it looks perfect.

Another great thing to add, would be red Holly Berries.  Last year I was able to collect a lot, but this year I haven’t had the time to take the drive to find them.

I also enjoying hanging the wreaths inside for a fresh Christmasy smell.

Again very simple, inexpensive and can be a very last minute decor project.

I hope you have a Very Blessed but Simplicity Holiday Season.

Merry Christmas.

The post Homemade Christmas Wreaths appeared first on GraceandGravy with a side of life!.

   

… and a Denim Shirt Cushion Cover

Easy Taco Pizza

Burlap & Lace Garland

 

Mini Oreo Cheesecake

from Titi Crafty

I learned the bease for a cheesecake recipe from my mom when I was a teen and I hadn’t changed it  a bit.

ORGANIZE OCTOBER | ADVENTURES IN…

CLEARING OUT THE BEAUTY STASH

from AM to PM Blog

Doing a full-on beauty stash clear-out after neglecting it for a while is pretty grim.   It’s really not pretty.

What do you look for in a friend?

from Penny A. Zeller

I recently watched the movie Mom’s Night Out for the second time. I love this movie and highly recommend it. One of my favorite things is the friendship between Allyson and Izzy. They’ve been best friends since grade school, and while they have totally different 0personalities, they can rely on each other no matter what. Even when Allyson has a major meltdown, Izzy is still her best friend, cheering her on…and being there for Allyson through thick and thin.

Olaf Dress Up Costume

from  Ruffles And Rain Boots

I wasn’t going to make a FROZEN inspired Olaf dress up apron until some friends of ours suggested that all of our kids go together as the cast of FROZEN for Halloween this year (thanks Ang and Kris!). Because I’ve already made FROZEN inspired Princess Anna and Queen Elsa costumes, the only one left was this little cutie. When sketching out this Olaf costume, I designed it while keeping a certain young man in mind. That adorable, precocious little flirt of a fellow has a sensory processing disorder so whatever I designed couldn’t have a hood or anything on his face because he doesn’t like that.

 

HONEY SPICE STREUSEL MUFFINS

from  Annie’s Noms

These Honey Spice Streusel Muffins are just perfect for your breakfast! Soft, sweet and spicy with the added crunch of a streusel topping. Yoghurt makes these muffins tender and soft, whilst the honey sweetens and adds a tang which is perfectly complimented by the spices; an Autumnal taste sensation!
How to Have a Backyard Scavenger Hunt with FREE Printable

from My Big Fat Happy Life

We have done scavenger hunts in a couple different ways 1) creating a chart with photos and words on the computer (see below for a FREE printable) or 2) hand drawing the pictures of the items and writing out the word.  For older children you could just write out a list of items to find.  I also like the idea of re-enforcing numbers by having S find 5 rocks or 8 leaves.

The Best Free Apps for Moms

from MBA SAHM

There are lots of items I would consider absolutely essential as a mom, but honestly there’s only one item I can’t go 20 minutes without and that’s my phone. And it’s not because I’m playing Candy Crush or posting pictures on Facebook. It’s because of the collection of free apps I’ve gathered that tell me what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Ones that calm my baby, put him to sleep, then calm me. And ones that tell me what’s going on outside the world of baby. And for those moments when I do have time to post on Facebook, it makes the process possible (and fun).

Turn Coke tins into Beautiful Candle Votives

from Let’s Make It Lovely

Be it Diwali or Christmas, this is a perfect craft for the coming up holiday season. Wouldn’t it make a lovely gift for friends or family? Or how about just adding a little accent decor piece to any corner in your home? All you need to do is save some soft drink tins and get started. Before I begin on how I did it, let me tell you my inspiration for this one came from these Brass Candle holders when I was searching google images for Diwali decor ideas. Let’s get started.

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Please visit some other bloggers and make some new friends and say hello to old friends..

 

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An InLinkz Link-up

The post Wake Up Wednesday “Linky” Week 38 appeared first on GraceandGravy with a side of life!.

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!

The post Birthday Party on a Budget appeared first on GraceandGravy with a side of life!.

Ten years ago, my husby and adopted a little, bright and cheery twelve year old girl. No one explained in depth what an emotional roller coaster life would be like for all of us. Sure you are given the ins and outs, but come on, this is life, real life. There is no script that can prepare you for the struggles of when past and present collide.

And Oh Boy, did they ever collide!

Fast forward ten years. Our daughter Gracie is getting ready to give birth to our second grandbaby on Thursday! Yes I did say grandbaby! My husband and I were both fairly young, married 5 years with two toddlers when we adopted. I knew there would come a time when I would be a “young” Mimi, but I’m not sure if I was really prepared for when it happened!

When I think about grandma’s, I think of little gray haired ladies with buns, sitting in the rocking chair. (:
Not sitting at a laptop blogging about my crazy life of cooking, homeschooling and TEENAGERS!

One good thing is, I am young enough to chase after those kiddos!  And yes there is more than one.

Last year Gracie got remarried to a man who has two boys from a previous marriage.  Gracie, has her daughter Lilli from a previous marriage for a total of 3 children.  Now with Gracie getting ready to have Laila, there is a grand total of 4 children 6 and under.  Wowzers!!

They were very limited on space for a baby room, but after finding an awesome “Closet Nursery” on the ever so wonderful Pinterest, everything started coming together.

The closet was painted pink, in with the crib, and up with a design on the wall. VOILA!  Ready for baby Laila.

photo courtesy of my daughter Gracie

I really wanted to make something special to personalize the space, even if it was small.  I found these adorable letters that came 2 in a pack from a local craft store and they are only appx 3 inches tall.  PERFECT, for above the crib.

The theme is owls, but I wanted to incorporate other designs onto the letters, so I choose a variety of polka dots, chevron, stripes, and a cool old sheet music design.  I even found a sheet that had all the designs I picked out on that one sheet, which tied the letters all together.

I pilled out my old Mod Podge and Glue Gun (for owls and birds), and got to work.  I really like using a pencil to trace around the letters on the back of the paper.  It makes it so much easier to cut out evenly.

After all my letters were cut out of paper, I Mod Podged them onto the wooden letters and added one extra coat of Mod Podge on top to seal them good.

After all the letters were complete, I added wooden owls and birds to some of the letters to tie the theme of the nursery in!

I am really excited how well they turned out.  All together it was appx a 1 1/2 hr project.  Not bad for a Crafternoon!

Did I happen to mention Baby Laila will be making her appearance today?  Yes, you heard right!  My daughter is being induced this morning so Laila should be here before tonight!

Even though I am so very excited, I am also very nervous.  See, when Gracie was in labor with my grand daughter Lilli, She started having some issues with her blood pressure dropping which caused Lilli to go into distress.  Very scary moment for me as a mom, watching your daughter have complications during Labor.

I’m asking for Prayers today for Gracie and Baby Laila, that everything will go smoothly!

And I would love to see any  Mod Podge Projects you are working on!

Miranda

The post DIY Tutorial Thursday: Mod Podge Letters & BABY ON THE WAY! appeared first on GraceandGravy with a side of life!.

I love thrifty finds and turning them into something amazing I can use. Whether its just for fun or decorating project for the house.

This past week I was in my local Dollar General Store, when I came across white ceramic candlesticks on clearance for $1.50! Well, I don’t know about you but that was too good of a deal to pass up. My mind instantly started turning thinking of something I could make out of a candlestick.

Now don’t get me wrong, I could have just used it the way it was but it really didn’t match any decor in my home right now. Then I thought, if I attach a plate on the top I could turn it into a Cake Plate. BINGO!

I love cake plates, but gosh they are so expensive!

So I paid for my candlestick and headed home. Later in the week I drove to a nearby town to a Dollar Tree and picked up a white cermanic plate for $1. And then I was ready to craft!

I went home, pulled out my trusty glue gun/sticks and my E6000 glue, which by the way if you havent used to AWESOME, and started my project.

There is just something about a quiet “Crafternoon”, using my creativity and just relaxing. Sometimes when I’m by myself it’s a little too quiet, so I have to turn on my “Crafternoon” Playlist, which is my favorite music while working.

This playlist I call “ThriftedGrace”. I hope you guys will check it out!

Anyway, back to my cake plate. It’s so simple. Really guys, like 3 steps and your done! A 10 minute project which would be great decor for a party, or celebration such as a Baby or Bridal Shower or a Wedding. Mine I think will look just right on my kitchen island with a nice chocolate cake sitting on it! HAHA!

Items you need:
Candlestick
Plate
Glue Gun/Glue Sticks
E6000

1) Squirt E6000 around the edges and on top of Candlestick
2) Add hot glue to underside of plate
3) Even up and press the plate firmly on top of Candlestick
4) Bake a cake and enjoy your creation!

That’s all it is. $2.50 Project!

The E6000 works so well, the only thing I use the hotglue for is to set it in place til the E6000 settles good!

I was also looking around at the Dollar Tree and found short glass candlesticks and clear dessert plates that would make a really cute cupcake platter (for 1) or to serve a few cookies or tea sandwiches on. So many possiblilites. I don’t know if I will ever buy a “real” Cake Plate again!

So then I got to thinking……I know other bloggers/crafters have thought of this before, so i decided to find some! And what I found amazed me! I decided to share a few of my favorites with you!

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/222435669066839074/ (Must try this one one)

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/222435669066789968/ (To serve candy! Love it!)

http://wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-to-make-homemade-cake-stand.html (would be beautiful for a wedding)

Hope you enjoyed my DIY Tutorial on Cake Plates!

The post Thursday’s DIY Tutorial:CakePlate appeared first on GraceandGravy with a side of life!.