Give those kids something they really want and that will last forever – and you’ll love it too! Give them some of your time and make some fun memories with them. Because, what kid wouldn’t want a special date or activity and to be the center of your attention? Carve out some special time for your favorite activities together with these printable Kids Love Coupons.

KIDS LOVE COUPONS: A MORE MEANINGFUL GIFT

As a mom of 4, I know all too well what it’s like when kids have plenty of stuff. Mine definitely don’t need more toys and things to leave on the floor. Because of this, I try to give my kids meaningful and worthwhile gifts. And, as a busy mom, time is one of the most precious things. I would much rather spend more time doing fun things with my kids than picking up more toys.

And I love that these kids coupons are perfect for every budget. The actual coupons cost some ink and paper. The outing redeemed with the coupon can be as expensive or frugal as you want or need it to be. My kids get just as excited about going to the park as they do about going to the movies.

They don’t need fancy, they just need you.

Things come and go. Toys break. Fun and memories can last forever.

KIDS LOVE COUPONS: THE PERFECT GIFT ANYONE CAN GIVE ANYTIME

These Kids Love Coupons are a perfect gift to receive from anyone. What kid wouldn’t love to get some fun dates and special activities from one of their favorite people? Anyone can give someone their time: Parents to children, grandparents to grandchildren, favorite aunt or uncle to niece or nephew, even friend to friend.

And Kids Love Coupons are great for lots of occasions:

• holidays
• birthdays
• big life events
• as rewards for accomplishments and exceptional behavior

It can be hard to juggle life’s demands. Love coupons are one way we help ensure our kids get some quality one-on-one time. If they need some extra attention, they redeem a coupon. It’s a great non-confrontational or mom-guilt-inducing way for them to say “hey, I need a little extra right now.”

MAKING YOUR OWN KIDS LOVE COUPONS BOOK IS AS EASY AS 1-2-3

A good homemade gift is the best. But life is busy and there aren’t always hours to spend putting together something for every gift that comes along. This kids love coupons book is simple, quick and will look great when you’re finished.

With just a handful of materials you probably have already and a half an hour, you will be ready to hand your favorite kid some memory-making magic in the form of 9 awesome things to do with you.

KIDS LOVE COUPONS SUPPLIES:

• Kids Love Coupons – free download below. There is a full set of 28 ready-to-print coupons, plus editable files to easily create your own custom coupons in my Etsy shop, if you want a larger set of coupons.
• Printer and Paper – I recommend cardstock
• Paper Cutter or Scissors
• Washi Tape or Ribbon and Hole Punch
• Craft Knife (optional)

KIDS LOVE COUPONS DIRECTIONS:

1. DOWNLOAD AND PRINT YOUR COUPONS

Step #1a: Download your free printable coupons by clicking on the green “Click to Download” button below. Save the file to your computer.

Step #1b: *If you upgraded to the full set of coupons in my Etsy shop, make sure you personalize the cover and fill in any of your own special coupons before you print! Follow the directions on the Printing Guide.*

Print your coupons. This file is designed to print at “actual size” on 8.5″x11″ paper. I recommend printing on cardstock for added durability. Personally, I use THIS CARDSTOCK for most of my projects. I prefer a 110 lb weight and a brightness of at least 90.

This file is intended to be printed on a single piece of paper. If your printer has the option to print double sided, use it and flip on the long edge. If your printer does not print double sided, you will have to manually flip the page and put in back in the printer before printing the 2nd page.

PRO TIP: When manually printing double sided, I put a little ‘x’ in pencil at the bottom left corner of the page before I print anything so I know how to put the page back in the printer when I print on the back side. The ‘x’ will need to be at the same end of the printer, facing down when you put the page back in.

2. CUT APART YOUR KIDS LOVE COUPONS

Step #2a: Cut the coupons apart. I love my Swingline SmartCut paper cutter for this stuff. Makes cutting straight lines a breeze and so, so fast. And I love that the blade is fully enclosed with all the little fingers around my house.

PRO TIP: Your coupons may not have printed perfectly straight on the page. Make sure you check the edges of the coupons on your cutting line before you cut so your coupons don’t get cut crooked.

You could also use a ruler and craft knife or scissors to cut the coupons apart.

3. BIND YOUR KIDS LOVE COUPONS BOOK TOGETHER

Step #3a: Gather your coupons together and arrange them in the order you want them. Line up all the edges on the side you’re going to bind. The easiest way to do this is to hold the coupons loosely in your hand and knock the side you’re going to bind against the table a few times.

Step #3b: Cut a piece of washi tape a little longer than the length of the edge you’re going to bind. It doesn’t need to be precise, the tape just needs to cover the entire length of the edge. Place the tape on the edges of the coupons, pressing firmly. Wrap the excess tape around the front and back of the coupon book. Press each coupon firmly into the washi tape binding. Use your craft knife or scissors to trim the ends.

PRO TIP: If your coupons aren’t sticking to the washi tape and staying in the book, put a thin zigzag of white glue across the full length of your washi tape. Because washi tape isn’t a permanent tape, some kinds won’t be sticky enough to hold the coupons in place. A small line of white glue should help with that, without making the coupons hard to remove from the book.

That’s it! You’re ready to wrap and give those love coupons to your favorite kid. And get ready for some awesome good times and memory making!

GIVE YOUR FAVORITE KIDS A GIFT THAT WILL LAST THROUGH THE YEARS: KIDS LOVE COUPONS

Theodor Seuss Geisel, maybe you know him better as Dr. Seuss, said “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.”

It might seem like building a fort or going to the library isn’t a big deal, but when your kids look back on their childhoods they will remember the people and the fun. They will remember the forts and the story times. They won’t remember the things.

Go make your favorite kids their very own Kid’s Love Coupons Book and give them something to remember. 

Want to expand your Kids Love Coupons collection? Check out my Etsy Shop for the full set of 28 ready-to-print coupons and an editable file that will help you make your own personalized, custom coupons in just minutes!

The post Kids Love Coupons are a DIY Gift That Will Last Forever appeared first on While He Was Napping.

In just 8 super easy steps and an afternoon, you’ll create a one-of-a-kind set of DIY scratch off cards that will add a little fun and mystery to date night. They are perfect for romantic gifts or just for a little change of pace.

DIY SCRATCH OFF CARDS: SPICE UP DATE NIGHT WITH A LITTLE FUN AND MYSTERY

The best part about these DIY scratch off cards are that you can customize them to fit your needs. If date night has become predictable and lost it’s excitement, then something like a Date Night Lotto card would liven things up! Scratch off a square and you have a great date idea without adding a ton of stress or prep to date nights!

Or maybe you’re looking for a way to reconnect with your sweetie or to spice things up in the bedroom a bit? Then a set of Lover’s Lotto or Spicy Lover’s Lotto cards might fill your needs best. Scratch off one of those squares and forget your boring, old routine! Right at your finger tips is a great new romantic idea to fill your evening!

And I’ll give you the blank templates in just a minute! Doesn’t get much easier than that!

(But, if you do want it to get easier, I have pre-filled, ready-to-print cards as well as an editable PDF you can just plug your own ideas into in my Etsy Shop.)

ARE DIY SCRATCH OFF CARDS YOUR KIND OF PROJECT?

This project is pretty simple, but it’s not for everyone. So, how do you know if it’s the kind of thing you’re looking for? Who is this post written for? What demographics will benefit from this information? Make an emotional connection and hit a pain point.

• Do you enjoy a good, simple DIY project?
• Are you looking for a way to liven up your love life?
• Do you need a romantic gift idea that doesn’t cost a lot, doesn’t take a ton of time to put together and is something your gift receiver will love?
• Are you trying to stick to a budget?

If you said yes to those – or any combination of those – then this project is exactly what you’re looking for.

However, if you’re looking for something RIGHT NOW or don’t like DIY projects this might not be what you’re looking for. (My printable Date Night Jar or printable Truth or Dare: Couple’s Edition bedroom card game might fit your needs better right now. They are literally print and cut and done.)

HOW TO MAKE DIY SCRATCH OFF LOTTO CARDS

With just a few simple supplies and an afternoon, you’ll have custom DIY scratch off cards perfect for your needs. A quick print job, some trimming and laminating, and a splash of paint is all you need to get one step closer to a spicier love life.

And don’t worry, most of the project time is waiting for the paint to dry. While it will take a few hours for your DIY scratch off cards to be all ready to go, you don’t need to carve out a whole afternoon to spend slaving away.

DIY SCRATCH OFF CARD SUPPLIES:

• Blank scratch off card templates – Print your free blank templates HERE or you can grab all the pre-filled, ready-to-print cards and the editable PDF files to fill in yourself RIGHT HERE)
• Printer and Paper
• Scissors or paper cutter
• Clear contact paper, cold laminating pouches or a thermal laminator and thermal pouches (I absolutely LOVE this thermal laminator starter kit – works great and totally affordable. I have the older model and it still works like a charm.)
• Acrylic paint and paintbrush – any color will work, but a metallic paint will look most like a typical scratch off card. Follow your colorful heart, there is no wrong choice.
• Paint palette or something to mix your paint on
• Dish soap – the kind you hand wash dishes with, not the kind you put in the dishwasher.
• Skinny 3mm washi tape – optional

PRINT & FILL IN YOUR DIY SCRATCH OFF TEMPLATES

Step #1: Download and print your blank lotto card templates. I recommend printing with a laser printer and on card stock for durability. Ink jet and regular paper will work just fine though.

*If you choose to grab my editable PDF files from my Etsy shop, you’ll want to fill those in before you print them.

Step #2: Fill in the blank templates with a pen or marker. Leave some space around your writing to make sure it won’t stick out from under the paint when you cover them up. You don’t need to leave a lot of space, but try not to write all the way to the borders of the boxes.

COVER AND CUT YOUR DIY SCRATCH OFF CARDS

*If you use laminating pouches or a thermal laminator, you will want to switch steps #3 and #4. Cut the cards apart first and then laminate each individual card. After each card is laminated, cut it apart and trim the cards, if desired.*

Step #3: Cover the front of your lotto card templates with the clear contact paper. You can cover the back too, if you want, but it’s not necessary. This cover will help protect the cards and is how the paint will scratch off your DIY scratch off cards.

Step #4: After the contact paper is on the cards, cut the cards apart. The files are formatted to cut an 8.5″x11″ paper into quarters. You absolutely can cut the cards smaller though. I did trim mine smaller for neater edges and smaller margins.

PREPARE YOUR DIY SCRATCH OFF CARDS FOR PAINTING

Step #5: If you choose, mask off the edges of the cards. 3mm washi tape is perfect for this! Just put a line of tape on all the grid lines on the card. It’ll keep your paint lines nicer. Repeat with each card.

Step #6: Mix your acrylic paint and dish soap with an approximate 2:1 ratio – 2 parts paint, 1 part dish soap. It’s not rocket science and you don’t have to have precise measurements for this to work, so don’t stress over it.

PAINTING YOUR DIY SCRATCH OFF CARDS

Step #7: Apply a thin layer of paint over the words on your card. Let the paint dry thoroughly.

Step #8: Repeat step #7 until you can no longer see the text through the paint. Depending on what color paint you use, you may need 3-5 coats. Let dry overnight once you can no longer see text through the paint layers.

That’s it, your ready to spice things up!

DIY SCRATCH OFF CARD TIPS & TRICKS

** A laser printer will keep your ink from smudging, should the cards get wet. Using laminating pouches will also accomplish this. An ink jet printer will work just fine, just be cautious not to get the cards wet if you don’t laminate them with pouches.

** Skinny 3mm washi tape is perfect for masking off your grid lines while you paint, however it is NOT a necessity. It will keep your paint lines neater, make painting easier, and make your cards look better overall, but free-handing the painting process is definitely an option and will save some time if you don’t have to mask off your grid lines. You could also cut down and use masking tape or scotch tape, if you prefer.

** Use fresh paint. By that, I mean not paint you’ve had in a cupboard for a few years… As you can see in that last photo, I started using silver paint. But it was old. It was clumpy and kept separating and didn’t mix well with the dish soap, so I ditched it for the red and pink paints. Newer, non-clumpy paint will give you a much better result with far fewer coats of paint.

** The painting and waiting to dry process is the longest part of this project, but it will turn out so much better if you do thin layers rather than a thick, globby one. You can use a blow dryer on low heat, low air flow to speed this process up.

** If all this masking off and painting thing is more than you want to deal with, you can use scratch off stickers to cover your date ideas instead. Take this cute idea and simplify! Find scratch off stickers on Etsy or on Amazon.

Got more questions? You’re always welcome to leave a comment or shoot me a message!

READY TO MAKE SOME DIY SCRATCH OFF CARDS AND SPICE UP YOUR LOVE LIFE?

In just an afternoon you can spice up date night and add some fun and mystery to your romantic life. This project is simple and fun. It’s a great romantic gift idea that is customizable to fit your exact needs. And who wouldn’t love to get some DIY Scratch Off Cards like these?!

Turn on some mood music, grab a coin and start scratching off those fun ideas!

If you want more romantic gift and date night ideas, check out the Date Night Jar (or HERE is a printable version!)

The post DIY Scratch Off Cards that will Spice Up Date Night appeared first on While He Was Napping.

Everyone is cranky and snappy and whiny. And it’s only 6:11pm.

I’ve found that the best way to deal with this is to distract my kids.  If they are busy doing something, they aren’t fighting.

Usually.

If they aren’t fighting, I can cross a couple things off my to-do list. Like the the dishes or picking up toys or laundry. There’s always laundry.

This play dough has been my go-to lately. It’s fun, it’s easy and it smells amazing. Sure, it dries your hands out a bit, but that’s just the excuse you were looking for to give yourself a little DIY mani after the kids are in bed, right?

PUMPKIN SPICE PLAY DOUGH

 

Pumpkin Spice Play Dough Ingredients

• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tbsp cream of tartar
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• extra flour (I added about another 1/2 cup)
• orange food coloring (I used red and yellow)

Pumpkin Spice Play Dough Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the salt, water, flour, and spice over low medium heat. Stir to combine. Texture should be like glue.
   
2. Turn off the heat and add the food coloring to get the shade you desire. I put in about 15 yellow drops and about 10 red drops. You can adjust the ratio to your liking.
   
3. Mix until well combined and texture is smooth.
4. Add additional flour, approximately 1/4 cup at a time and mix until the paste becomes a dough. It should form a ball and be slightly difficult to stir.
   
5. Remove from heat and let the dough cool a bit. It will be hot.
6. Sprinkle flour generously on counter top and, as soon as the play dough is cool enough to handle, dump the dough on the floured counter top and knead in the flour until it is no longer sticky. Keep adding flour until you reach your desired consistency.
   

Tips & Tricks to get the most out of your Pumpkin Spice Play Dough

The post The Best Pumpkin Spice Play Dough Ever appeared first on While He Was Napping.

EVERY TOY CAR NEEDS A TOY CAR ROAD!

Now that we have all these super cool cars to play with, I was itching for some fun play road time. Giving kids the chance to free play is high on my list, but sometimes it’s fun to have a little guided play too. This DIY is the perfect way to combine the two. Make your car-loving kids this printable toy car road track set for their cars, because what’s a race car with nowhere to race?

The best part? It’s reusable and there is no right or wrong way to play. When my kids feel like they are in control of play time it tends to lead to longer and more engaged play, which means I can cook dinner without tripping over little boys in my kitchen. Between their imaginations and this DIY toy car road, they should be happy for quite a while.

MAKE YOUR TOY CAR ROAD IN 5 EASY STEPS

Life with kids is great, but play time can get rough and tough. A paper toy isn’t bound to last long in my house. Yours either? Well, I’ve got a few tips so you only have to print this toy car road once and to help it last as long as possible once you let the kids loose. Ready? Let’s do it!

Toy Car Road Materials:

• Printable Track Pieces in Color | Track Pieces in Monochrome
• Scissors
• Laminating pouches or self-laminating sheets | I recommend these pouches. I haven’t used the self-laminating sheets, but these ones have been recommended to me
• Laminator (if using thermal laminating pouches) | this is the new version of the one I use and love
• 5/8″ hook and loop fastener dots | get them here

Toy Car Road Assembly Instructions:

1. Print the track pieces. I suggest a card stock or other thick paper for durability. You may want to print more than one copy of the pieces, so there will be more to play with. This tutorial uses 2 sets of the color track set.
2. Cut the track pieces out with the scissors, getting as close to the edge of the road as you can unless you want a white border on the edges.

3. Laminate the pieces. I prefer a thermal laminator, but you can use self-laminating sheets too. Follow the directions on the packaging to get the best seal. A thicker sheet or pouch may help your track pieces last longer. I use these thicker 5mm ones and love them.

4. Cut around the track pieces with the scissors. Make sure to leave enough border so the seal stays intact.

5. Attach the hook and loop fastener dots to the ends of each piece. Put the hook pieces on the front side of the track pieces and the loop pieces on the underside. This makes it so you can rotate the track pieces. Repeat for each track piece, trying to get them as close to the center as you can so they will line up.

That’s it. You’re ready to play! Store pieces in a ziptop bag or other container with a couple of cars so you’re always ready for some race time play! Not much room to play? Only get out a few track pieces out for a compact track. Or go all out and try to use all the pieces!

NEED A TOY CAR ROAD THAT WILL LAST?

Let’s admit it, this version is pretty simple and not terribly expensive. A year later, ours is still in pretty good shape, all things considered. But, it definitely has some wear and tear on it. I’ve had to replace a couple of the hook and loop pieces and we’ve had things spilled on the pieces, like half a bottle of bubbles… So, if you’re looking for a toy car road set that will hold up just a bit better you should really check out this Felt Road Track. It takes slightly longer to create, but the pieces will hold up better – and just toss them in the washer if they need a quick cleaning.

RACE ON, MY FRIEND!

The post The Printable Toy Car Road Race Track Set your Kids will Love appeared first on While He Was Napping.

TOILET PAPER TUBE OR BEST MOM EVER?

When I told my boys we were going to use toilet paper tubes to create noise makers, they were a bit skeptical. But, as we talked about it and Ii gave them more details you’d have thought I told them they had free reign in a candy store. They went crazy! It’s nice to score cool mom points on easy stuff like this. These noise maker rain sticks are great for parties, dress up boxes, celebrations, and they make a fun learning activity too! Ready to score some cool mom points of your own?

MATERIALS:

• Empty toilet paper tubes
• 1 3/8″ finish nails
• Pencil
• Cardstock
• Hot glue gun and glue stick
• Scissors
• Colored duct tape or cardstock
• Push pin
• Filler material (we used both rice and dried beans. But other ideas include small beads, dried peas, and small pebbles. We experimented with the different sounds different fillers would make.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Use the pencil and trace around the end of the toilet paper tube to make 2 circles that will cap the ends of the tube.
2. Cut the circles out with the scissors.
3. Hot glue one circle to one end of the tube. 
4. Use the push pin to poke holes in the side of the toilet paper tube in 3 or 4 layers.
5. Poke a finish nail into each push pin hole. 
6. Put 1/8 – 1/4 cup of your chosen filler material in the tube. You can experiment with how much filler to use by placing your hand over the open end and turning the tube upside down to hear what it will sound like.
7. Hot glue the other cardstock circle over the open end of the tube. 
8. Cover the tube with colored duct tape or cardstock. You can decorate with markers, stickers, or adhesive foam if desired. 

CREATE A TON OF FUN WITH YOUR NOISE MAKER

Use your rain sticks to create your own rain storm. Or use your rain sticks as maracas. Add them to your dress up stash. Whatever you decide to do with your noise maker rain sticks, just have fun.

The post DIY Rain Stick Noise Maker for kids appeared first on While He Was Napping.

Are you getting ready for the holidays yet?

Do you wish there was a way to make your holiday preparation easier?

Do you just love the most wonderful time of the year?

If the holidays have you in a stressed out craze already or if the mention of mistletoe, sipping hot cocoa, and winter wonderlands make you a little giddy inside, listen up! Christmastime is my favorite time of the year! But, it’s busy and crazy and sometimes even stressful! Well, you can just call me Santa; because, I have a holly jolly surprise just for you that will help you calm the stress so you can enjoy the season!

Pay attention because… This. Is. Amazing! {And it’s only for a limited time so you gotta hurry!}

Okay, ready…

Remember the fall bundle that I and some other great digital designers put together a couple months ago? It was a complete and total HIT; and, as soon as it was over we had tons of you asking us if we could do this again for Christmas!

Well… You asked. We listened!

That’s right! We’ve done it again! I teamed up with 20+ other extremely talented designers. Some of them are big names you already know and love, and some of them are up-and-comers; but, they are all spectacular at what they do. This time, we created the ULTIMATE All Things Christmas bundle!

ANNND – of course – we’re totally hooking you up with a crazy, killer not-gonna-believe-this deal!!

Yes, this one is EVEN better than the last! Not even kidding. There’s tons of value in this bundle. If you’re like me, you’re on a strict budget for the holidays and don’t have a lot of extra cash to throw around. This is gonna help you out and be totally worth the cost. I cross my heart, pinky promise it’ll be worth every penny.

Let’s take a look!

There’s over 500 pages of printables that will bring out the best kind of cheer for your holidays.

22 helpful Christmas printables— all for a CRAZY LOW price!

You can get over $200 worth of ADORABLE items

for only $15!

No. That’s not a typo. You really will save over 90% when you grab this holly jolly bundle!

Get gorgeous wall art, gift ideas, stocking stuffers, service ideas, holiday organizers, holiday recipes, and MORE all from your favorite bloggers!

Order from me, and you’ll get a mini bundle of some of my most popular holiday printables as a FREE bonus! My bonuses alone are valued at more than you’ll pay for the whole bundle+bonuses!

How’s that for a KILLER steal?!

You’re waiting for the catch, right? Well, there is a teeny, tiny one…

You’ll have to ACT FAST- this is for THREE DAYS ONLY!

If you miss it, you’re out of luck and it will cost you hundreds to piece it together yourself.

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

This is a 3-Day sale, but the price goes up a little each day. So, you can snag the whole All Things Christmas bundle for ONLY $15 today! BUT the price is going up tomorrow! Here’s the breakdown…

• Buy on the 16th for only $15
• Buy on the 17th for only $18
• Buy on the 18th for only $20
• After that – this deal is GONE FOREVER!

You definitely want to act fast to lock-in the best price!

Okay, are you ready to see what’s included?! I think you’ve waited long enough…

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Beautiful Christmas Prints to Decorate Your Home for the Holiday Season
• Fun and Creative Christmas Gift Ideas and Stocking Stuffers
• Meaningful Family Countdowns and Advents for Making Memories
• Delicious Holiday Recipes and Party Printables
• AND SO MUCH MORE! {See EVERYTHING in detail below!}

All together – it’s a collection of OVER 500 PAGES of darling printables… only available for a limited time!

Yeah, {Santa} BABY!

Get Yours Now for just $15!

WANT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT EVERYTHING INCLUDED? WHAT EXACTLY IS IN THIS KILLER ALL THINGS CHRISTMAS BUNDLE? CHECK IT OUT!

1. Christmas Memories Printables by A Girl and a Glue Gun – Keep track of all those fun Christmas memories with this printable pack! These printables to help you remember the food you ate, movies you watched, songs you sang, how your Christmas tree was decorated, people who visited, and presents you gave and received! There is even a calendar to give a day-by-day of fun events and spots to glue on pictures and your Christmas card! AND BONUS kids printables! Kids can draw their presents, what the Christmas tree looks like and their favorite Christmas activity! Print it year after year and your kids will have a blast reading about all the fun things they have done over the years! (I wish I had this growing up! Don’t you wish you could remember what you got for Christmas when you were 10?!)

2. “Bust out the Ugly Sweater” Party Printables by A Pretty Little Party – Bust out your ugly sweaters for the most wonderful time of the year! Entertain your friends & family in style at the ugliest party in town. This printable pack includes everything you need to print, cut & create your own party. Including: Assembly Instructions, an 8×10 Voting Sign, 3×5 Official Voting Ballots, Award Badges for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place, Cupcake Toppers and Decorative Decals, Fold Over Menu Cards, Straw/Appetizer Flags, Wine/Sparkling Cider Bottle Labels, AND an “Ugly” Banner with two decorative pennants!

3. Gorgeous Hand Lettered Christmas Prints by Alexa Z Design – Tis the season for holiday decor! Use these darling printables to spruce up your walls or pop in a frame for an easy holiday gift. Each of the 3 prints is sized as an 8×10 and hand lettered by the crazy talented Alexa Lurcher. (Honestly, I would buy this pack for these prints alone. Not even kidding!)

4. “Oh Joy” Banner by Andrea’s Notebook – Deck your halls with this fun and festive banner! All you have to do is: cut, hole punch, thread, and hang! Doesn’t get much easier than that. And don’t you just adore this fun Christmas sweater pattern?

Ready to get yours?

5. Watercolor Holiday Printables by Bella Love Letters – What’s better than curling up in a comfy chair listening to Dean Martin croon your favorite holiday tunes? How about a collection of watercolor printables – so gorgeous they’ll make you forget how cold it actually is outside? Each and every element was hand painted with love by Bella Love Letters and is print-ready. Use the charming “Baby, it’s Cold Outside” print as cheerful holiday decor (or heck, a quick gift for a neighbor!), send the “Merry and Bright” greeting card to your grandmother (she’ll love it), attach the recipe card to a gift plate of your famous homemade cookies, and have the kiddos write their letter to Santa in style this year!

6. Christ-Like Christmas Service by Chicken Scratch n Sniff – Over 40 pages to help you fill your Christmas season with acts of love. Perfect to do as a family or for date night! From bag toppers to gift tags and candy wrappers, you and your family will discover just what you need to compliment your acts of kindness.

7. Two Christmas Countdowns AND Stocking Stuffers by The Dating Divas – TWO of our best-selling countdowns, the Spouse Christmas Countdown AND the Family Christmas Countdown to help you celebrate each day leading up to Christmas! Our adorable Stocking Stuffer Kit complete with gift card holders, coupon booklets, Santa letters, and SO much more!

8. Intentional Christmas Planner by Faith Filled Parenting – The holidays can be so chaotic. We sometimes forget the true meaning of even enjoying the holiday season. This intentional planner will walk you step by step to a less-busy holiday. We will talk decor, meals, gifts, and more. This Christmas is all about simple, and this guide is your ticket to enjoying your Christmas with your family.

Don’t miss out on this amazing deal!

9. Your Santa’s Family Initiative Kit by Frugal Confessions – Santa has issued your family an initiative this holiday season and a family reward under the Christmas tree is up for grabs upon successful completion. Are you and your kiddos up for the challenge? You will decide which of the 3 initiatives − spreading Christmas cheer, volunteering at a location, or completing a household project your family will complete together, and what the family reward will be. (Pssst: don’t worry about coming up with ideas yourself! Santa’s included a sheet of ideas to get your brain working).

10. Merry Christmas Party Pack by Happy and Blessed Home – This printable party pack includes 30 pages of Christmas Party Printables including a Merry Christmas banner, Santa and his sleigh cupcake toppers, napkin rings, straw toppers, labels, invitations, and Christmas party decorations.

11. The Christmas Story- A 12-day Advent Banner by How Does She – A simple way to focus on the real meaning of Christmas: Christ! This darling 12-day advent banner features the story of the birth of Christ, as found in the Bible. Simply print the double-sided banner and flip over each day to reveal the full Christmas story by Christmas Eve. Perfect for stringing across the mantle or hanging on the tree.

12. Christmas Cootie Catcher with Bonus Christmas Lunch Jokes by Inspiration Made Simple – Worried about having a silent night around the Christmas dinner table? Well don’t be! This Christmas Cootie Catcher is the perfect way to keep conversation light and fun. Bundle includes a pre-filled cootie catcher full of fun Christmas themed questions and jokes, as well as a blank version so you can come up with your own! BONUS! Also included is a set of 8 Christmas themed lunch jokes, sure to get the kids in the Christmas spirit.

The Holiday Cheer is waiting for you…

13. Holiday Gift Tag Variety Pack by Less Ordinary Designs – Spruce up your holiday packaging with these printable gift tags from Less Ordinary Designs. They are incredibly easy to download and print and they take your gift wrapping to the next level. With 8 unique designs included, you will surely find something to coordinate with your wrapping paper or gift bag. Print one style or print them all! Why buy tags when you can print as many of these as you’d like, year after year? These are the perfect finishing touch and will look great top your holiday gifts.

14. Christmas Printable Art Bundle by Lolly Jane – No time to decorate for the holidays? Need a festive gift tag to tie onto holiday gifts? Want to make a bunting that’s Christmas-y and cute but easy to make? Print off this 3-pack of holiday themed printable art and size it to whatever suits your fancy! Frame for easy decor, size down and punch a hole in the corner to make a gift tag, or print all 3 cute styles and string up for an easy holiday bunting! All 3 styles are perfectly coordinated in the popular buffalo check and handwritten fonts together OR print separately to break them up. Whatever you do, we know you will love these cuties!

15. Favorite Holiday Recipes by One Good Thing by Jillee – Jillee says… Holidays = Happy Times in our house! There’s no place like home for the holidays, and not just the ones that take place in November and December. No holiday celebration would be complete without some really good food thrown in the mix! Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without My Mom’s Famous Sour Cream Cookies…and the 4th of July wouldn’t be the 4th of July without my Mom’s Homemade Ice Cream and Snickerdoodles! I love sharing the recipes that have become traditions in our family and a delicious part of our “happy times!” Find a new tradition for YOUR family in this beautiful collection of recipes my family uses to make the holidays special throughout the year!

16. Printable Christmas Planner by Planning Inspired – Get organized this holiday season! This Christmas Planner includes everything you need to take the stress & chaos out of the holidays! Use these holiday planner printables to create your own Christmas Binder and have the most organized Christmas ever! Print and punch for your 8 1/2 x 11 inch binder or similar sized planner!

You’ll be oh, so organized with those printables! Get ’em now!

17. Ultimate Road Trip Bundle by Printable Crush – This Ultimate Road Trip Printable set includes everything your kids need to prep for your road trip, activities for the car, and pages to keep track of all the memories you make along the way! Set includes over 40 pages of bright, colorful and fun printables for all ages.

18. 10 of the Best Cookie Recipes for Santa by Six Sisters’ Stuff – Santa will definitely leave you the best gifts on the block with this eCookbook! From festive and cutesy, to downright delicious – these cookie recipes will be the highlight of the season. Download the simple PDF eCookbook to any device and use it all season long.

19. “Pun”ny Christmas Song Neighbor Gift Tags by Somewhat Simple – Such a clever and simple way to put a smile on your neighbors’ faces this Christmas! These tags will take the guesswork out of gift-giving this year – grab some muffin mixes, Sprite, Hershey Kisses, Joy Dish Soaps, seasonings, Jolly Ranchers, etc. and start ‘singing” your way to a less stressful holiday season!

20. Essential Holiday Recipe Guide Book and Holiday Printable Art by That Crazy Oil Lady – Do you LOVE essential oils? Whip up some crazy-awesome Christmas recipes in the kitchen and in your home with the Essential Holiday Recipe Guide and Holiday Printable Art set! These beautiful recipe cards are great to create family memories with, gift to a loved on this holiday season with some essential oils, or use as a gift tag along with the recipe you make yourself! You are not going to want to miss out on this beautiful bundle, that includes beautiful framable wall art as well! Simply print on paper or card stock and cut out the recipe cards! Use the outer red edge as your guide, (cut if off completely) leaving the outside edge of your Recipe cards white.You can use these recipe cards yourself, or gift them along with essential oils, a hot-cocoa ready mug with an essential oil bottle, or one of the fab brownie recipes in here, this holiday season! The recipe cards are the perfect size to put into a standard 4×6 photo album if you are looking to share this as a gift, or if you’re looking for a cute and pretty way to store the recipes in your own kitchen!

Everything you need this holiday season is waiting for you!

21. Christmas and Holiday Gift Tag AND Banner Set by Thirty Handmade Days – This adorable Christmas Gift Tag Bundle is perfect to make all of your gifts sparkle this holiday season. There are over 50 tags – from movie lines to handlettered awesomeness, for Christmas and the holidays in general. There’s also a Merry & Bright banner in there too. You will love all 7 pages included in this set!

22. Naughty or Nice Love Coupon Set for Couples by While He Was Napping – Spice up your love life when your sweetie opens up these Naughty or Nice Love Coupons this holiday season! This is one naughty list your sweetheart should definitely be on! You’ll both thank me later. Included are 66 ready-to-print coupons, 4 cover options, and blank templates so you can customize them just for you and your lover; plus, printing is a breeze and assembly is simple – just print ’em out, cut ’em apart and wrap ’em up!

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL! DON’T MISS OUT ON THESE BONUSES!

If you grab your copy of the All Things Christmas Printable Bundle through one of my links, I’m going to throw in my own little mini bundle just for you! My little mini bundle is valued at $24 – that means you’ll get your money’s worth just from my bonuses!

See?! Told ya! EVERYTHING you could ever want or need this Christmas! Buy now and save BIG! This All Things Christmas bundle has a value of well over $200 but you can get it all for just $15 – $20!

Remember the price goes up tomorrow and this is only a 3-day sale!

What are you waiting for?! RUN, don’t walk!

Put a little hustle in your step and get the All Things Christmas printable bundle because the price jumps up tomorrow and it’s ONLY AVAILABLE FOR TWO MORE DAYS! Get on it!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The post 22 things that will make Christmas easier this year! appeared first on While He Was Napping.

Enter these candy corn decorations. This project piggybacks off another one that is coming next month and I just happened to have these two extra pieces that I thought would look good as candy corn decorations, so they are last-minute.

WOODEN HALLOWEEN CANDY CORN

 DECORATIONS

Materials:

• 1″x6″ board
• Tape measure or ruler
• Pencil
• Sand paper
• Masking tape
• White acrylic paint
• Orange acrylic paint
• Yellow acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Circular saw or other saw

Directions:

1. Use the tape measure or ruler and, on the top edge of the board, measure 2.5 inches from the end of the board. Make a small mark with the pencil.

2. Move the tape measure to the bottom edge of the board, and measure 1.25 inches. Make a mark with the pencil.

3. Use the straight edge of the ruler and line up the bottom mark with the top corner of the board. Draw a line to connect the two marks. Do the same from the bottom mark to the mark at the top.

4. Repeat the measurements for the remaining length of the board. Use the saw to cut along your marks.

5. Use the sand paper to clean up the edges of each of the triangles. A rougher grit will take the edges down more than a finer grit paper.

6. Use your masking tape to tape off the middle section of each triangle so your paint won’t bleed into the other sections. You can measure the sections, but I just free handed and eyeballed it on mine.

7. Paint the top section of each triangle white and allow to dry for 20-45 minutes. Continue to add coats of paint so the wood is adequately covered.

8. Paint the bottom section yellow on each triangle. Allow to dry for at least 20-45 minutes. Repeat and continue to apply thin coats of paint until you have adequately covered the wood.

9. Remove the masking tape when the paint is completely dry. Wait at least 2-4 hours, or overnight if possible so you don’t have any paint bleed or smudging.

10. Paint the middle section orange. You can tape it off if desired, but I just free handed it carefully. Candy corn lines aren’t perfectly straight in reality, so I wanted mine to be unperfect too.

11. Allow the paint to dry overnight so you can set them out to display.

The post Wooden Halloween Candy Corn Decorations You’ll Want to Eat! appeared first on While He Was Napping.

What time of the year is it for you? Here, Summer is getting closer and closer. Which means my boys will be home. All my boys. All. Day. Long. I’ve discovered the best way to get through the long summer days is to have a plan. A fun plan!

With all the fun we’ll be having around here, we need to keep our energy up! Between my three boys and my husband, some one is eating AT ALL TIMES. But we can’t be tied down to the kitchen! There’s too much to do, too much fun to have. And, frankly, I get tired of cleaning it all day long.

We reach for Mott’s® products a lot around here. I love the quality and that they have options to take snacks with us on the go. One of our favorites is the new cherry apple juice. It’s such a delicious treat and pairs perfectly with lunch.

We also love the applesauce cups and the squeeze pouches are perfect when we’re going out. The occasional treat is great and we love Mott’s® fruit snacks for that. They are pretty much a staple in our diaper bag for church. They help keep my boys quiet, which is a huge feat all on it’s own!

Mott’s® keeps up fueled up and running all through our summer fun! I love that they have boxtops on them too! Extra bonus for my kids’ school and products I already love?! Yes, please!

So, are you looking for some fun to schedule into your summer plans. Take a look at these fun projects and see which ones your kids would love to try out!

10 FUN THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS THIS SUMMER

1. Egg Toss Painting. Because sometimes it’s okay to throw eggs! This is tons of fun and super easy to clean up! Plus you get a fun piece of art when your finished.

2. Cardboard Box Cars. A great upcycle for empty boxes! You can spend an afternoon making the cars and then play with them until they fall apart. We have a fun “drive-in” movie night and my boys watched the movie in their cars. They loved it!

3. Sun catchers. These are fun and so versatile. We made some for autumn and then did it again with valentine’s hearts. It’s a great project for those crayon stubs, but definitely needs adult supervision.

4. Make cookies. We love to make cookies. My boys don’t have a big attention span, so a package mix is perfect. They get to help dump the ingredients in. By the time they are no longer interested it’s time to put them on a pan and bake them. It’s perfect. And delicious!

5. Preschool Olympics day. With the Olympics coming up, this could be a fun way to introduce it to your kids. This is a fun activity to introduce the Olympic rings. Throw in an obstacle course, run a race or two or do some water races and you have the perfect summer afternoon.

6. Make Sparkle bottles. These are fun to make and almost as much fun to watch. But, they can be a bit messy. If you can, make them outside. You’ll also need to help with the hot water part. The kids love to pick the colors for their bottles and watching the glitter fall is super relaxing.

7. Building with marshmallows. This is so fun! We did this as an activity for the little kids for a movie night we had. It was the perfect distraction when they got bored and wanted to run around. It was amazing to see what they came up with. Such a fun sensory and imagination-building activity!

8. Science projects. We love to do science projects! You could do a whole afternoon of projects or make some fun goop to play with.

9. Put together a boredom buster jar with some craft sticks and pretty washi tape. Write down all the fun things you want to do this summer and then pull them out when you need an activity or distraction.

Or for an even easier activity, check out this fun printable version. All you have to do is print, cut it out and fold them up and put them in a jar for the next time the kids start bickering or pull out the dreaded “I’m bored!”

10. Headed out on some road trips this summer? Check out these fun ideas to keep your toddlers busy and happy while you’re on the road. Or maybe you have preschoolers? Here’s some ideas to help keep preschoolers busy too!

But, that’s not all! Mott’s® is having a contest and YOU COULD WIN $100 e-gift card to Walmart! It’s super easy to enter. Here’s what to do:

1. Take a photo and make a post on Twitter and/or Instagram and share why you think  is your perfect health partner – include the hashtag: #MottsMoments and #sweepstakes
2. Register: CLICK HERE to register with your Instagram/Twitter handle and name/email
3. Get Lucky! The lucky winners will win a $100 e-gift card to Walmart!

Tell me, what do you think of new Mott’s® Apple Cherry Juice? You can find it at Walmart! And don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a $100 e-gift card to Walmart!!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Mott’s®. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Top Ten Things To Do With Your Kids This Summer appeared first on While He Was Napping.

WELCOME! I’m so glad you’re here!

Do you let your kids be kids, even when they get messy and their clothes get dirty? Do you have the confidence that you’ll be able to get those clothes clean again?

With three boys in our house, things get messy. In fact, things are pretty much always messy. There’s an endless supply of dirty dishes, toys on the floor and the laundry… oh, the laundry. There’s so much laundry. And these aren’t just dirty clothes, they are rough-and-tumble, explore-the-world, stains-on-everything kind of dirty.

But it’s important to me for my kids to have the chance to explore and have adventures. This world is so amazing and I want my kids to discover that. I want them to play with bugs and make mud pies and climb rocks and trees.

I need a laundry detergent that can keep up with my family. I know that my kids can play and explore and I can handle any stains they might pick up on their adventures.

And that’s where all® Fresh Clean Essentials Fragrance Free comes into play in our house. This new detergent is sulfate free and gives a powerful clean without the harshness. I love to use sulfate free shampoos – they leave my hair feeling clean and strong. I knew I had to try this detergent on the adventures that my boys wear on their clothes. I love that my boys can be rough and tumble kids and I can let all® Essentials worry about getting their clothes clean again!

With my active boys, I have to find active and creative ways to get them to practice learning games. Little N is starting to learn colors and it’s good review for Little J too. And we couldn’t leave Big J out of all the fun. Because throwing eggs is naughty and sometimes it’s fun to be naughty!

EGG THROW PAINTING

Materials:
– 12 eggs
– Pair of scissors
– bottle with a narrow neck
– toothpick
– container for the eggs
– paint (I like to use washable paint, because, well I’m not completely crazy)
– canvas or poster boards
– plastic drop cloths for super easy clean up

Directions:
1. Empty the eggs by poking a hole approximately the size of a dime in one end of the egg with the tip of the scissors. Gently tap the scissors on the egg until it breaks. Use your finger to clean the cracked egg shell out of the hole. If the membrane in the egg didn’t break, pierce it with a toothpick.

2. Tip the egg so it sits on the mouth of the bottle with the hole pointed down into the bottle.

3. Gently tap a hole in the other side of the egg. This doesn’t need to be a big hole, but you do need to break the membrane.

4. Blow into the hole you just made in the egg to push the egg yolk and white into the bottle.

5. Wash out the egg shell and set it to dry in the carton. You don’t have to let the shells dry, but your paint will be a little runnier if you don’t.

6. Fill the eggs with a tablespoon or more of paint. The more paint, the bigger the splatter and the cooler the effect. Also, the bigger the mess. But it’s super easy to clean up. I suggest washable paint, just to make things easier.

7. Lay the plastic drop cloths out over your work area. I definitely suggest doing this outside, but if you’re super brave you can try it in the shower. Or the garage maybe. It would be pretty easy to clean it up in either of those spots.

*Optional Step: you can let your kids put stickers or spell out their name with tape on the canvas. After they throw their eggs and the paint dries, remove the stickers or tape and you’re left with some cool negative space art.

8. Set the canvases or posters up on the drop cloth. I found that hanging the drop cloth on the fence and then setting the canvases up against the fence worked out well. You can lay them flat too. The paint will have more of a splatter pattern without the drips. This is good if you have a little one that isn’t very consistent with throwing yet. They can drop the eggs instead. The biggest thing is to make sure there is something solid behind your canvases.

9. We did this one at a time, because I was trying to get photos, but it would’ve been more fun to do it all at once. Pandemonium is fun, right?! You’ll want your kids to stand close enough to hit their canvas each time they throw an egg. We found the eggs were actually much harder to break than expected. Which meant we could throw each egg multiple times, and that was fun.

10. Let your kids throw the paint-filled eggs at their canvas. We used a dozen eggs and each boy got 4 eggs. You can let them use a paint brush (or their fingers!) after they’ve thrown their eggs to finish off their masterpiece if they want.

11. Let the paint dry. Display your little painters’ works of art.

Clean up is as simple as throwing the drop cloth in the trash and a load of laundry in the washer.

I love knowing that with all® Fresh Clean Essentials, my kids and I can do these messy projects together. And it’s super easy to get it online at Walmart.com! I can focus on having fun and being in the moment, not worrying about if I’m going to be able to get their laundry clean. And I’d much rather make memories than worries.

Check out more fun ways to let your kids be kids and get their clothes clean again with all® Fresh Clean Essentials.

The post Egg Throw Painting appeared first on While He Was Napping.

I’m so glad you’re here! Have you ever needed to charge your cell phone somewhere than you normally do? Just wait until you see the Cell Phone Charging Station we’re going to make today!

But first, I have a couple questions for you…

• Do you reuse what you can?
• Do you like to recycle?
• Is it something you are teaching your kids to do?

We do recycle. But, we don’t spend a lot of time doing it. We have a recycle bin under our kitchen counter that collects tin and aluminium cans, glass and plastic containers. Every two weeks, we sort it into the recycle baskets and set it out with the trash. Mr. Napping takes our cardboard to work and recycles it there, since we can’t do that from our residence at this point. We spend less than 20 minutes a week in our recycling efforts, but we are still reducing waste that would otherwise end up in the landfill.

I also re-use empty containers and things around our home. Old spice bottles makes great maracas. Empty toilet paper tubes are fun to make into play binoculars, race cars and rain sticks. Empty, clean tin cans are great for organizing pens, pencils, crayons and other art supplies. Reusing these items are just as much for the sake of fun, and recycling is just a bonus!

There’s lots of things you can repurpose and reuse. And what you can’t reuse, you might be able to recycle. Most recycling is done in the kitchen. Have you ever thought about recycling in the bathroom?

WHERE DO YOU RECYCLE?

A 2016 consumer survey on in-home recycling habits, conducted in partnership with Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., shows that 34% of regular recyclers admit that it never even occurred to them to recycle in the bathroom! They found one of the main reasons people don’t recycle personal care products in the bathroom is a lack of tools and resources; only one in five recyclers have a recycling bin in their bathroom. We don’t! Do you?

Here’s a couple recycling pointers you might not know:

• #1 and #2 plastics are the most widely accepted plastics in curbside and town recycling programs
• #5 plastic bottle collection is increasing, but it’s still not generally accepted in curbside and town programs
• Plastic tubes and plastic films are not accepted
• Plastic caps can be left in place
• Pumps need to be removed and discarded in the trash
• Rinsing the bottles before recycling is appreciated

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. have created the Care To Recycle® program to encourage recycling of personal care product packaging and as a gentle reminder to extend your recycling habits outside your normal areas. Care To Recycle® wants to help parents extend recycling habits outside the kitchen and into the bathroom. We can involve our children in the fun and ease of recycling and reusing.

Here’s a fun, quick and easy little project that will help you reuse and recycle things you use in the bathroom.

RECYCLED DIY CELL PHONE CHARGING STATION

Materials:
– Empty plastic bottle large enough to hold your phone. I used an Aveeno lotion bottle. The stress relief lotion is amazing (because as a mom of three boys, I have stress. Lots and lots of it). The bottle is a great size for reusing. If you don’t want to reuse it, it is recyclable.
– Rubbing Alcohol and Cotton Balls
– Permanent Marker
– Scissors, Razor Blade and Craft Knife. You can get by with just one, but I ended up using all three of them.
– Washi Tape

Directions:
– Start by washing out your empty bottle. Get out all the gunk and goop. Keep rinsing…. Almost there. Great, it’s goop-free now.

Here’s a video of the next five steps. Watch me do this project in less than a minute and a half. Or read through the directions below. If you get confused, come back and watch the video.

That’s it. Your cell phone charging station is ready to use! What I really love about this is that there are so many possibilities! And, I turned the cut out part of the bottle into a sink spout extender in our bathroom so Little N can wash his hands without needing to be held! Double score!

Do you have any great repurposing hacks? Leave a comment and tell me about it!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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