By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
Love book made from deck of cards
I am so glad that it is finally time to start making Valentine’s Day crafts. I just love them. Can’t get enough of those hearts and flowers and rainbows and paper doilies.
I found eight lovely and do-able Valentine’s crafts.
- Little felt heart pins. These are so simple and yet so sweet. Just a bit of felt cut into heart shapes, hand stitched and stuffed with a little pin backing.
- A garland of love. Print out pictures of your loved one(s) and cut into the shape of hearts. Glue picture on a heart shape red card. Tie heart onto a string. Make a garland of love. (more…)
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
Soda bottle lantern/Things Deb Loves
I LOVE holiday crafts! They are so sparkly and fun to make with kids of all ages.
Here is a list of 8 of my favorite holiday crafts.
- Soda bottle lanterns. Cut the top off a 2-liter soda bottle. Take off label. Decorate with tissue paper put on with watered down Elmer’s glue. Punch two holes on top and string wire or string for a handle. Put a battery operated tea light or glo-stick inside. This is more beautiful than you can image. (more…)
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
wuestenigel/flickr
Now that Halloween is past us and we’ve eaten all the candy corn and miniature Snickers bars that we can hold, it is time to turn our attention to one of my favorite of holidays – Thanksgiving. Although Thanksgiving has become as commercialized as all the rest of our holidays, you can still create a special family event that brings years of memories without destroying the budget.
Here is a list of ten wonderful frugal and homemade Thanksgiving decorations.
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
Zager Family / Flickr
Halloween is behind us and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I love Thanksgiving because it is a time for family, reflection and thanks. The following activities can help you create a special day.
- Make a Thanksgiving scrapbook. Every year, take a picture of who you sit down with. Note who is the oldest and who is the youngest. Enter in any special relationships (Aunt Josie just got engaged to Fred) and where people are currently living. Over time, this will become a treasured family album.
- A variation on a scrapbook is a yearly
This sponsored post for Factory Direct Craft was written by Jennifer Richards.
Arts and crafts are my favorite hobby and when purchasing supplies, I try to save money whenever possible by searching for the best bargains I can find. Shopping for discounts can be fun, especially when you learn where to search for these bargains. I am planning to get crafty this fall and create decorations for my house. There are many great ideas to consider when it comes to fall decor, but leaves and pumpkins and some Halloween themed decorations are perfect. You can find the necessary craft supplies for these projects at any craft supply store but online shops seem to have the best prices. Although it can be fun to visit your local craft shop, it is not always the best option for saving money.
I found a retailer called Factory Direct Craft, which had the craft supplies I needed to create these decorations and once I am finished, my kids are going to enjoy helping me decorate the house. My plan is to create decorative pumpkins, leaves and some Halloween themed decorations. I cannot wait to start since they will look great and I will be happy knowing I saved money by purchasing the supplies online.
This is paid content. Interested in an ad? Read my blog advertising page.
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
photon/flickr
It’s hard to believe but the end of the school year is not far away. Parents are starting to make plans about what to do with their kids during summer break. For many, taking a vacation with their kids is out of the question. Summer camp might be possible for a week or two. If you don’t want your kids vegging in front of screens the entire summer, here is my list of 100 frugal and fun projects and adventures you can create with your family.
- Cover your sidewalk with chalk art.
- Sell lemonade from your homemade lemonade stand.
- Make jewelry out of noodles.
- Finger paint.
- Acquire articles of clothing and accessories to fill a costume box.
- Plant a garden.
- Go to museum free days.
- Volunteer. (more…)
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
Universal Wrapping Paper
I love getting presents. Don’t you? I especially thrilled if someone has taken the time and effort to make the wrapping special. The more unique the wrapping, the more special the gift. However, the last time I walked into a Hallmark store, I was taken aback by the fact that the wrapping paper now cost more than the gift that I was going to give. Well, that just won’t do. I went off to find a new gift wrapping idea.
I just adore this idea by Fabio Milito & Francesca Guidotti. It is (more…)
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
{| h.e.a.t.h.e.r |}/Flick
Valentine’s Day is here and along with it comes my favorite craft season. You can buy a dozen over-priced roses, but I always create my own valentine gifts. Making homemade valentines is fun no matter what age you are. Some of the first craft projects I did with my kids were Valentine’s Day cards for Daddy. Ooooh!
Here are five of my favorite Valentine card craft tips: (more…)
Krispy Kreme
There are 12 freebies and coupons total today!
Free Krispy Kreme - Buy a dozen Valentine’s-theme donuts and get 12 cards that have coupons for free donuts, coffee, or hot chocolate. Ends Feb. 14, 2011. Look for heart-shaped donuts with sprinkles, a chocolate iced donut with sprinkles, or a chocolate iced heart with red drizzle. At participating U.S. and Canadian stores.
Free pizza? If the Superbowl goes into overtime, Papa John’s has promised a free pizza to every American. Catch is you gotta register on the site by Feb. 5, 2011. (more…)
gwrrty/Flickr
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains
A couple of years ago during the Los Angeles fall fire season I had to decide which of my belongings to pile in my car when I evacuated. The items I left might be burned to a crisp. The stuff I could take with me was limited and therefore HAD to be my favorites.
One of the things I grabbed was my Klutz book
What are Klutz books? They are THE standard in hands-on learning for everything from crafts to science.
Over 33 years ago, three college buddies stood a sidewalk corner and began selling juggling lessons. This turned into the very successful how-to book “Juggling for the Complete Klutz,” which now comes with instructions and juggling balls. People liked it. I mean, they REALLY liked it. These three guys must be making a fortune.
My first Klutz book was the polymer clay book. I bought it used because I didn’t need the clay that the new version comes with. I needed the instructions. I pulled the book apart, put the individual pages into a ring binder, and used it to teach hundreds of students how to work with oven hardened clay.
Then I discovered that many people sell their Klutz books once they have used up the supplies that come with the book. The supplies are good, but the best part is the instructions. So began my pursuit of used Klutz books.
The books are almost always bound with white wire spiral, which makes it simple to find them at a yard or book sale. I just reach in, grab that binding and if I am lucky, there is a fabulous Klutz book in my hands. Instead of paying $10 to $24, I pay a buck. Yipee skipee! Yard sale score!
I have Klutz books on face painting, costumes, table top football, nail art, trick photography, magic, science, car games and more. My latest Klutz acquisition is the “Klutz Book of Animation”
The next book I really want to get is the Superhero Starter Kit
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Free movie tickets for kids and families this summer
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains
wendypiersall/Flickr
One of my favorite mottos is: “You can never do too many art projects.” Many times when I tell this to people, their response is “Oh, but art materials are so expensive.” Oh please! Who do you think you are taking to? Would I suggest doing something if there were not loads of free or highly discounted resources? Of course not.
As stated in the my recent article “How to teach arts and crafts for pennies” most of us have a computer, internet access and a colored printer at our disposal. We might not have these things at home, but they are available for free at libraries and many schools. Staples and Office Depot have great printing departments as well.
A great resource for paper-based art projects is printer manufacturers. They WANT you to have things to do with your shiny new color printer, so they make sure there are some really cool free online projects.
- I particularly like the 3D race car project from HP since finding art projects for young boys is always a challenge. The 3D race car is a color printed cut and fold project. An easy craft that looks good. I suggest using slightly heavier paper than your regular photocopy paper.
- Canon has a mini roses paper craft project that will keep even the most detail oriented crafter busy for quite some time. This finished product will look great as a gift box topper or a hat decoration. Truly for more advanced and patient crafters.
- Epson’s art project site includes some timely graduation-themed invitations, thank you cards and money card. These templates are great for personalizing your own invites and cards. Available for Mac and Windows.
Do you have a favorite free online craft project site?
faith goble/Flickr
St. Patrick’s day is Wednesday, Mar. 17. If you are planning to celebrate or hosting a party, keep costs down with these tips, courtesy of The Party Goddess.
- Wrap a wreath you already own in clovers.
- Hand out basic limerick guidelines as your guests arrive and hold a limerick contest after people have had a few drinks. Prepare a small prize for the limerick that gets the most cheers – a set of pencils, a bottle of Guinness, or a book of limericks.
- Create a vibrant green runner with sheets of wheat grass, rolls of sod, or vases of clover.
- Spray paint terra cotta pots gold and fill them with shamrock or clover plants.
- Serve a green cocktail. Start with vodka or tequila and add a splash of green juice, Midori, or Absynthe. Pre-make them in pitchers for faster service and garnish with fun green candy. Or make an Irish cocktail.
- Engage kids by having them decorate their own leprechaun hats. Provide plain hats and tools to decorate.
Here is a true or false quiz about St. Patty’s day that you can have guests take.
- A legend regarding St. Patrick is that he rid Ireland of snakes by ringing his bell.
- We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th because that is when St. Patrick died.
- The holiday got its American start in 1737 in Boston.
- The shamrock was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring.
- St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish.
- There are more Americans of Irish origin than there are Irish in Ireland.
- Delaware, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire Irish are the leading ancestral group.
- On St. Patrick’s Day, you can bring yourself good luck by finding a four-leaf clover, wearing green and kissing the Blarney stone.
