Walgreens is doing their annual Week of Photo Deals.  For today, Sunday, August 15, they are offering a free 8×10 photo.

Enter FREE_8X10_DEAL code, and be sure to “update total”

If you choose in store pick up, you won’t have to pay for s&h, and your total will be $0.00!  YEA!  Normally, they’re ready in one hour for pick up.

I’ve been asked several times how I made the following projects:

The answer is with Freezer Paper Stenciling.  It’s super easy.  I’d say the hardest part is cutting out your design with an exacto knife.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Freezer Paper (I got mine at Walmart in the section that has Aluminum Foil, Wax paper, etc.)
• Exacto Knife (also purchased at Walmart, in the sewing section)
• Fabric Paint (I got mine from Hobby Lobby and Walmart.)
• Iron
• Paint sponge/brush
• Cardboard

I’ve made up a video to describe the process for you.  One thing though, at about 50 seconds into the video, I gave the wrong info. . . .  You actually put the middle sheet of paper waxy side UP (not down, as said in video).

Some extra information . . .

• ****I’ve been told by one person that she had a problem with printing her image (the paper got really stuck).  Sooo, you might wanna be on the safe side and trace your image onto the paper side of the freezer paper.
• Freezer paper is rolled up like wrapping paper.  I like to cut mine in 8.5x11 inch sheets, so they can go directly in the printer.  If you don’t want to print onto the freezer paper, you can print onto a normal sheet of paper and then trace the image onto freezer paper.  Regardless of how you print, you want your design on the freezer paper to be on the paper side because you want the waxy side to be ironed onto your fabric.
• Also, cut the image with an exacto knife on top of cardboard, cutting board, or a rotary board.
• I open the shirt and insert a cardboard in the middle, so the paint won’t bleed.
• You can use tweezers to remove the small bits of freezer paper after you’re finished painting.

Any questions?

So, we went to Chick Fil A for the Dress Up as a Cow Promo and got $21.82 worth of free food (1 sandwich, 2- 12 ct nuggets, 3 drinks, 2 fries, and a fruit cup).  Jonathan actually went to different ones for breakfast and lunch, too, so I guess it was more like $35 worth of free food.

I felt so sorry for all the people there without cow outfits on who had to PAY for their food.

Abi excited to go get her grub on

Our Cute Little Cow Family

One of the workers asked to take our picture with the company’s camera

My Gorgeous Girls

We had a good time, and I’m saving the outfits for next year.  All I did was paint the shirts and headbands we already had on hand with fabric paint I already had, so I spent nothing on supplies or clothing.  Jonathan opted for wearing ears (I cut from scrap fabric) taped to a hat.  Check this post to see him sporting udders, too.

Can’t wait til their next promo!  Way to go Chick fil a; we love you!

I was going to write about this prior to Vday to give y’all a free gift idea, but I didn’t want to spoil the surprise to Jonathan.  Sorry, I guess I love him more.

Anyway, here’s a gift you can do at any time, not just Vday:

I covered some canisters with paper and stickers.

Here are the rules:

His & Hers Requests

-Write 46 things (since there are 46 weeks left in the year) that we want the other spouse to do with us or with us.

-Put those sheets of paper in your canister, and then we will swap canisters.

-On Sundays, we will each pull a strip of paper out of each other’s jar, and we’ll have to do whatever the spouse asked for.
-We will have the whole week to do the request.

-We will put the papers (with the writing hidden) on our bathroom mirror as a reminder.

On Sunday, Jonathan and I each drew one strip of paper (his were blue; mine were pink).

I don’t know what he’ll be doing for me or when, but I’m pretty nervous about what I’m supposed to do for him.  I’ll update you after I do his request.

I got this idea from an article I read, and I was happy that Jonathan was super excited about this project.  Yea for a good, free gift!  This way, we can work on showing love in the ways we want to receive it.

Do you have any good, cheap ideas for gifts??

Here’s the tutorial for how to make a crinkle square mini blanket with taggies like the one below for a baby.  It’s super easy, quick, and doesn’t cost much.  If you don’t have ribbon on hand, that might be your biggest expense. 

Supplies

• thread
• 2 squares of flannel (I used 9×9 inches)
• ribbons cut to about 4 inches long and folded in half (I used 4 big pieces, 4 medium pieces, and 4 skinny pieces)
• crinkly sheet/package, the same size as your flannel (I used a wrapper from a sample diaper I got in the mail).  Some other options: wipes package, microwave popcorn wrappers, chips bag, clear gift wrap . . . Just make sure that you cut your flannel pieces to whatever size your crinkle sheet ends up being
  

Directions

1. Put one piece of flannel right side up and pin ribbons along the edges with the cut sides off of the flannel.  between the two pieces of material (wrong sides together).
2. Put the second flannel sheet on top of the ribbons right side down.
3. Put the crinkle sheet on top of the flannel and pin all layers together.
4. Sew along all the edges– except, make sure to leave a big enough section not sewn so that you can turn the blanket right side out.  Take the pins out.
5. After sewing, turn the blanket right side out.
6. Then, sew all the way around the square, and you’re done!

   

Back in November, we decided to grow my daughters hair out, but her hair kept getting in her eyes.  Bows come in and out easily, so I decided I’d try to make her some headbands.  You could make some for yourself, too, and your daughter might be extra excited about wearing headbands, just like Mommy.

Materials Needed:

• material
• an elastic hair band/ponytail holder without the metal
• coordinating thread

Instructions

1. Measure around your toddler’s head to the nape of her neck.
2. Cut your material to the appropriate size and iron flat.  [Cut a rectangle that is double the width of what you want your headband to end up, plus about 1/2 in for seam allowance and 3 inches less than measurement you got from step 1.  I think I cut mine 3.5 x 15.5inches.  If you want it to be reversible with two different patterns, cut accordingly.]
3. Measure in on the bottom ends in about 1/2 “  on each side and mark, draw a line up to the top corners and you will have a tapered rectangle.
4. Fold right sides together “hot dog style” and iron flat.
5. Then pin together and sew around, but leave a “U shape” opening in the bottom, as if you were sewing a pillow.
6. Turn tube of fabric inside out and iron flat.  Also, fold a 1/4 inch or so on each end and iron down.
7. Put elastic pony tail on one end inside the flap created in step 6.  Fold the 1/4 over the pony tail, and sew straight down.
8. Do the same with the other side.
9. And you’re all done.

I made the headband in the pictures and a pink one.  I also made a reversible one: one side black and one side red.  Abi loves them.  Let me know if you have any questions.

Just a little note to say that I have done a few crafty projects that I thought I’d share with you . . . sometime.  I just need to write up some tutorials.  So, you can look forward to learning how to make:

• Baby Square Crinkle Mini Blanket

• Fabric Headbands

• Baby Legwarmers (I’m still working on these, so I haven’t uploaded the pictures, yet.

I love these soaps from Bath and Body Works.  Not only do they smell great, but they’re soft on your hands, and it’s so much easier for Abi to wash her hands with the “bubble soap.”

I had even put them on my wish list for Christmas this year because we just ran out of the bottles in our kitchen and guest bathroom.  Then, I discovered there might be a way to make the foaming soap with regular soap and save lots of money.  Easy and super quick.

Ingredients

• An empty bottle of Bath & Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand soap
• Any liquid antibacterial soap (I used Bath & Body Works)

Directions

1. Put about an inch of the liquid soap into the empty foaming bottle.
2. Pour water into the bottle pretty slowly.
3. Screw the lid on, and turn the bottle upside down slowly several times.  Try not to shake it up because it’ll get too soapy.  And you’re finished!

Also, you could just keep pouring a little water into your regular Bath & Body works Foamy Soap whenever it gets a low.

*In these pictures I used a creamy hand soap, which didn’t work as well as when I used a liquid hand soap.

You can make a personalized video from Santa Claus to your child for FREE.

You fill out a short checklist about what your child’s name, what your child looks like, where he’s from, what he wants for Christmas, etc.

You can also upload a picture so that when Santa opens his “Naughty or Nice Book,” your child can see his photo.

To get an idea of what your video clip might look like, you can click here to see the video I made for my daughter.

And click here to make your own video.