Free Download: Christmas Gift Tags!

By Meg Hodson

I take great pride in wrapping presents. I always like to put personal touches on them. I like to be creative. 

I was playing around making gift tags the other day and came up with these cute, oversized tags that would be perfect for large gifts, gift baskets, a bottle of wine, and more. So, I decided to share them with my faithful readers, too!  

Just click on this link to be taken to the free download:

Click Here For The Tags!

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Shutterfly: Review + Giveaway

By Meg Hodson

Disclosure:  Shutterfly sent me complimentary samples of products I designed myself.  The opinions expressed here in this blog post are my own.

I take TONS of photos!  Between Instagram and other social media outlets, having 3 kids, a blog, and a small wedding business, I am constantly snapping.  But life, as for a lot of us, gets busy.  I kept putting off the task of uploading, organizing, and creating albums out of the hundreds of photos I have taken.  

When I was recently asked to review some products from Shutterfly, I could not have been happier to finally get my photos uploaded and sorted.  I have had a Shutterfly account for many years, but it had been awhile since I had any time to devote to it. Well, the first feature I was impressed with, and OVER THE MOON to see, was the ability to upload directly from Facebook and Instagram.  A significant amount of my photos (not all, but a lot) are in those feeds, so that made the process of adding them to my account very easy.  It was a seamless, very straightforward process to get them transferred.  

You could say I was gawking at the sheer amount of products and options available to use your photos on. In the past, I've done basic prints, photo books, posters, calendars, magnets, and key chains.  But wow, there are a lot of options now, like iPhone cases, notebooks, place mats, blankets, and more.  

One of my favorite items from my samples is the Curved Glass Frame.  It is such a unique item and I still am trying to figure out how they magically and perfectly transferred my photos to the glass....which, did I mention, is curved?! I just love it and it has a special spot by my bedside.  

Another one of my favorite items I received are the photo place mats.  My kids are IN LOVE with them!  I think the best part for them was having them personalized with photos of them and their names.  My 5 year old's typical "play spot" is his chair at the kitchen table, so I knew the speedway place mat would be a hit.  A few race cars and he is good to go!

I love the idea of doing annual photo albums with a recap of the year's photos.  Since we aren't too far into the new year, I took this as an opportunity to do a sweet photo book of my kids from the past year.  I decided to do the small 8x8 album and for me, that was perfect for 1 year of photos focused on my children. But Shutterfly offers many size options, cover variations, and dare I say too many backgrounds for the pages to choose from.  It's easy to customize one to fit your theme or style.  

Hey, we are all still in the Valentine spirit, right?  Well, I am ready to still spread the love an offer an amazing gift for my readers.....a $50 gift certificate to Shutterfly!  So, get your photos ready and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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"You Warm My Heart" Valentines + Free Download

By Meg Hodson

Valentine's Day is just around the corner.  Being a wedding business owner, I love beautifully wrapped, intricate gifts, so it's no wonder that I go up and beyond for Valentine's that stand out for my kids.  

A few years back, I took it too far and made gumball necklaces for ALL the girls in my daughter's class. Well, they were adorable, but a lot of work.  That project will be for individual gifts going forward!  It was time to brainstorm ideas that still were handmade, but a little less work.  

Enter "You Warm My Heart" Valentines!  These have a personal touch, but are very easy to make and it's easy for the kids to help out, too.  The hearts are hot cocoa servings--simply dissolve one in warm milk for your hot cocoa! You don't need specialty items like chocolate melts or a candy thermometer.  Here is what you will need:

• Valentine-themed flexible silicone ice cube mold or craft mold (available at a craft store, Target, eBay, Amazon, etc.); I used hearts. Each mold insert should be about 1-2 inches wide and about 1 inch deep.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips (see recipes below for additional ingredients)
• Festive sprinkles
• Crushed peppermint candies
• Clear plastic bags
• Stapler or hot glue gun

My daughter and I decided to create 2 recipes:  Mexican Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Hot Chocolate. 

Mexican Hot Chocolate (For 10 Small Molds)

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. himalayan salt OR 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Peppermint Hot Chocolate (For 10 Small Molds)

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

1 tsp. himalayan salt OR 1/2 tsp. sea salt

For either recipe, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and melt over medium  heat, stirring constantly. Alternately, you can melt in a glass measuring cup in a microwave (heat for 30 secs, check and stir, repeat until melted).  Your mixture should be thick and creamy.  With a small spoon, take a small scoop and gently shake the melted chocolate into each mold.  Smooth the top as best you can, but if it's a little uneven, that's okay.  Gently coat the top of each mold with your Valentine sprinkles (crushed peppermint for the peppermint hot cocoa). Don't overcoat!  Put in the refrigerator and let set for 30-40 minutes.  Then, remove gently.

Choose the clear cello or plastic bag of your choice.  We decided to do 2 hot cocoa melts, one of each flavor.  We also added a few mini marshmallows.  Our bags are 3 inches wide.  Print off the complimentary toppers for your bags.  I've provided numerous sizes, depending on what size bag you use.  Cut the toppers out evenly and fold in half. There is a convenient "to" and "from" area for your child to address their Valentines.  Hold across the top of your bag and staple or hot glue each bottom corner to the bag.  Have fun!

--To download the 400x400 size, CLICK HERE

--To download the 300x300 size, CLICK HERE

--To download the 275x275 size, CLICK HERE

--To download the 175x175 size, CLICK HERE

**Instead of printing directly from Google Drive, I recommend downloading the graphics as a PDF and saving to your computer, then printing.**

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DIY Crayon Pencil Holder For Teachers

I actually made this project about 2 years ago, way before crayon projects and Pinterest.  One thing I have a lot of around the house are crayons, tin cans, and ribbon (care of my wedding business).  What I like about this one that sets it apart is using a large size can and the addition of the satin ribbon.  My kids teachers' absolutely loved them!

Here's what you'll need:

1 large tin can (rinsed, cleaned, dried)

Crayons (I used new ones and bought a 48 count box)

1.5 inch wide satin ribbon, about 1 1/2 feet long (I used a bright orange....craft stores usually sell this by the yard, so you don't have to commit to a full roll)

Hot glue gun

Copyright: Happy Kids, Inc

1.  Apply a zig zag strip of hot glue across the top of your tin can.  Carefully wrap and press the satin ribbon around the top of the can and tie in a bow.  

2. Place a thin strip of hot glue on the back side of each crayon and align straight around the can. Alternate amongst all colors, or if you bought enough crayons, you can re-create a rainbow!

3.  Have your child use a Sharpie and write a short note (or just sign their name and the date) to the bottom of the can.

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Is It Worth It? Homemade Laundry Soap

Hey readers!  I've got a new series coming at you every Tuesday called "Is It Worth It?".  The idea is to see if it's worth the trouble to choose one option over another.  Handmade or pre-made?  Organic or conventional?  Car wash or wash your own car?  You get the idea.  So, today's first installment is homemade laundry detergent.

If you are a regular pinner, you know Pinterest is flooded with MANY DIY ideas, including home cleaners.  I thought it would be fun to do a test.  I've compiled the ingredients needed for a homemade laundry detergent powder.  I have bought what I would consider the equivalent store brand of the product.  Here are the two contenders:

1.  Homemade Laundry Detergent ingredients:

-16 cups baking soda ($9.00, bought in bulk)
-12 cups borax (Cost: $16.29)
 -8 cups grated castile or glycerin soap flakes* ($18.00)
-3 tablespoons lavender, lemon or grapefruit essential oil (Cost: $14.95)
*Combine baking soda, borax and soap flakes. Add essential oil and mix with a wire whisk. *Use 1⁄8 cup per load. *Yield: This recipe makes enough powder to last a family of four one year.  

Total yield is 36 cups of detergent (or 288 loads).  Total cost of all ingredients used: $58.24  Cost per load:  .20 cents.

All images courtest Amazon.com

Pros:  You control the ingredients, lasts the whole year, reduced impact on the environment due to less packaging
Cons:  Need to buy/order from various sources, invest in container to hold the detergent, time 

2.  Seventh Generation Powder Detergent, 112 oz box, $14.39.  Recommended measurement per load is 1/3 cup.  

Box thus yields 70 loads.  Cost per load:  .21 cents.

Pros:  Pre-made and ready to use, eco-friendly, saves times, widely available
Cons:  You use the scents pre-made, excess packaging (although it's recycled)

Conclusion.  Well, you save a penny per load by making your own detergent.  Based on the pros and cons I outlined above for each version, I have to conclude that it is NOT worth it to make your own detergent.  Unless you are really picky about scents, there are plenty of good, eco-friendly choices out there that are comparably priced to homemade detergents.  Furthermore, you can scout good deals on eco-friendly detergent at places like Costco and Wal-Mart.  Most eco-friendly detergents come in recycled packaging (whether it's liquid or powder).  

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