Looking for some cute ways to put your favorite feline through hell in a costume? Searching for some festive fun for your kittah? Search no more!
DIY Gifts for your Neighbor, Co-Worker, Teacher or somebody like that
December 3, 2009 by
Are you looking for a cheap gift to give a neighbor, a co-worker, a teacher, a babysitter or somebody in that realm…you don’t want to spend a ton but you want them to know you care? I’m going to give you a few ideas…
Give them stuff in a jar. Get a jar, get some cute fabric, and get some raffia to tie the fabric on with and shove one of these ideas in. You can either put the ingredients for a mix of some sort minus the wet ingredients or put something pre-made (ala nuts). Write or print out the recipe and attach it.
- Cowboy Cookies
- Nuts: Sweet (Cinnamon Almonds) or Spicy (Hot & Spicy Peanuts)
- Hot Cocoa Mix
- Spice Rub
- Bean Soup
- Dog Biscuit Mix
Thinking something a little more hardcore than nuts, cocoa mix and dog biscuits? How ’bout a round on you? So…this may not be the one to give a teacher or babysitter especially if they are caring for your children at the time…this might be more of a neighbor/co-worker thing.
Make a homemade mixer and pour it in a pretty bottle, then include whatever libation goes with it in mini bottle form, put them on a mini serving tray (or dessert plate) and tie it up with some cellophane. Write or print out the drink “recipe” and attach it.
My Glass, your glass, WHOSE GLASS!?!?
December 2, 2009 by
Stop the madness now and invest in some of these awesome glass markers!
- This Wine is Mine, Personalized Wine Markers
- Etsy, Vintage Oija Boards
- Etsy, Custom Wine Charms
- Sur la Table, Wine Lines
- Amazon, Vacu Vin Party People Glass Markers
- Etsy, Winter Wonderland Wine Charmer Gift Set
Toddler Books in High Rotation at My House
December 2, 2009 by
If you are looking for a gift for a little one on your list, let me tell you….these 5 books are almost at falling apart state because my kiddo LOVES LOVES LOVES them. He carries them around, he brings them to me or my husband to read, he wants to turn the pages, and on and on.
- Baby Fix My Car, this book is part of a series of the “Baby Be of Use” books. They are hysterical. I’m not sure what draws my son to the car one, but he likes to just carry it around with him.
- Five Silly Monkeys, about monkeys jumping on a bed and all their shenanigans that ensue because of it. My son loves the rhymes and of course the end…you’ll have to read it, I don’t want to ruin it for you.
- The Going to Bed Book, just a cute cute book. This was my son’s first favorite book ever…I can’t even count how many times I’ve read this.
- If You See a Kitten, initially you might think this is a girly book but OH NO! This book has many opportunities to partake in special sound effects and my son LOVES it!
- The Pigeon Loves Things That Go, if you haven’t heard of this pigeon series–OMG you MUST! They are super super funny, very fun to read and have both me, my husband and my son cracking up. This is just one of the favs, but all of them are great.
The Twelve Days of Jack
November 30, 2009 by
So. October 2008, my husband and I welcomed a little bambino. Because of the timing, we got a ton of Christmas baby stuff…booties, hats, PJs, bibs–you name it. So the hubmeister and I came up with a way to showcase our little man in all his winnings but not put him through 500 clothing changes in the one day that is Christmas. Our solution? The Twelve Days of Jack (that’s his name hahaha)!
This is the way The Twelve Days of Jack worked: In the 12 days leading up to Christmas day, we would dress him up in his Christmas socks or his Christmas bib or what have you. Then we would upload that pic to Totspot which is a Facebook type of thing for babies. It’s fabulous–all your relatives and friends sign up to be your kiddo’s friend and then you upload your journal entry, picture or video ONCE and it sends out a link to everybody he’s friends with. Each day SOMEONE gets to relish in the fact that their Christmas themed present was showcased AND your kiddo doesn’t have to endure the revolving dressing room door. It’s definitely a WIN WIN.
We got TONS of applause for this idea from the fam–everyone was anticipating the next day, excited to see what Jack would have on the next day. So go forth and gear up for your Twelve Days!
Hump Day Happy Hour: Cranberry Mimosa
November 25, 2009 by
It’s just about Turkey time, so I am sure that most of you could use a happy hour break from all that Thanksgiving dinner prep. I’ve got just what the doctor ordered… a Cranberry Mimosa! I make these for my family gathering every Thanksgiving and let me tell you… there sure are not any leftovers to take home!
In a large punch bowl, pour equal parts cranberry juice cocktail and orange juice, I use about 4 cups of each. Next, dump in 2 bottles of your favorite bubbly(I use $5 Andres and it tastes amazing) and stir. Garnish with orange slices if you’re feeling fancy!
Party Time: Not Your Average Vase
November 23, 2009 by
I have this vase. It’s awesome, I love it. It was gifted to my husband and I for our wedding. It’s unusual and just the right height, and just makes the perfect little arrangement. I wish I had a couple more.
When I have little get togethers at our house, I love to buy fresh flowers and make little arrangements here and there. I generally don’t have enough vases, so in classic MacGyver style I use drinking glasses. I’ve got these pewter goblets for fancier soirees and for the laid back fiestas I use my recycled SOL glasses.
Walking in a Weiner Wonderland
November 23, 2009 by
I know what my dogs, and probably yours, want for Christmas. It goes by many names and looks kinda funny, but when my pups see one coming… they are overcome with joy. A BoBo, a loofah dog, a booda… they come in many sizes, themes and colors.
- Petsmart, Loofah Dog
- Petco, Neoprene Dog
- Petco, Loofah Santa Dog
- Petco, Hanukkah Loofa Dog
- Petco, Jumbo Dog
- Petco, Booda Tuff Plush Long Friends Dog
And my tiny dogs will naw one to death in under a few hours, leaving me with a living room full of snow. Living in Texas, that just doesn’t happen very often. The White Christmas I always wanted!
Amazingly Chic Wedding for UNDER $10,000!
November 19, 2009 by
My beautiful little sister got married a couple of months ago, 9/26/09, and I wanted to share how AMAZING it turned out. Not only was it amazing, but the entire thing cost just under $10,000, which, in wedding terms, is on the cheap side…especially with a crowd of around 100 people!
1. THE DRESS: Wedding dresses are crazy expensive, especially if they’re a recognized designer. However, Rachael was able to find a surprisingly affordable Nicole Miller dress that I swear was made especially for her. I think the tip is to not go overboard with the fabric of your dress. This particular one was made of a jacquard cotton material. Oh yeah, it took us all of one hour to pick out THE DRESS.
2. This is just a great picture of my sister and our Dad…they were both so happy! (Check out the flower/feather headpiece she wore instead of a veil…classic.)
3. Wedding Party: You’re going to hear all kinds of rules and regulations when it comes to picking a bridal party, which, even though you don’t realize it, totally adds to the wedding cost as well. I mean, you’re talking extra flowers, extra gifts, etc…So, if you want to stay on a budget, keep your wedding party small. Don’t worry, your friends won’t shouldn’t be offended. (That’s me in the picture, aka the Maid Matron of Honor, and my dress was AWESOME!)
4. The Venue: This is a tricky one because every place you fall in love with wants to charge you an arm, a leg, and all your hair just to book it! We did a lot of research on this one and wound up having the wedding and reception at the upscale Shoreline restaurant in Austin that overlooks TowneLady Bird Lake. What saved us the moola is that they don’t have a rental fee! You do have a food and beverage minimum, but you would have spent that anyway…so bam…$2,000 (average rental fee) back in our budget! (Did I mention that our menu consisted of hand-passed hors d’oeuvres, salad, grilled chicken w/ preserved lemon and sun-dried tomato sauce, and prime rib?)
5. Flowers: Keep them simple! Rachael opted for amazing bouquets for herself and I that included a lot of different flowers that had a lot of texture, but when it came to the table decorations, she kept it classic and simple with short hydrangea centerpieces and tall hydrangea and curly willow centerpieces at alternating tables. Oh yeah, and candles…you can never have too many candles…so romantic!
6. The happy couple: If you look closely you can see the lake in the background…and look at the cowboy boot-clad Groom and barefoot Bride…totally Austin…
7. Entertainment: Band vs. DJ is always tough. Rachael ended up finding a great local southern rock band that charged a minimal fee AND played at the ceremony too…double-score! (Seriously, she gave them the music she wanted them to play at the ceremony and they played it amazingly.) They were great and they kept the dance floor packed ALL night!
8. Cake: I don’t have any budget-saving tips on this one except that there wasn’t a typical “Bride” and “Groom” cake…there was only one. However, Rachael did alternating layers on the cake. Her layer was an almond-butter cake with passion fruit preserves and Sam’s (the groom) layer was red velvet. Stardust Pastry was the cake designer and it was perfect!
9. Another one of the Bride and Groom…was this not the most perfect setting?
10. The Getaway: Sparklers are cheap, but oh what an exit they make…
Congrats Rachael and Sam…we wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
Many thanks to the great photographer, Natalie Blake, for capturing these happy moments.
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