February 4, 2019 by Krista

Kids Love Coupons are a DIY Gift That Will Last Forever

Hey there, do you have a favorite kid – or two or three – in your life? Do you know any kids that are hard to get gifts for? Maybe you’re struggling with giving meaningful gifts versus gifting more stuff? These cute Kids Love Coupons are perfect for kids that don’t need more toys.

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!

January 28, 2019 by Krista

DIY Scratch Off Cards that will Spice Up Date Night

Hi there! Are you looking for a fun way to spice up your love life that won’t break the bank? Or maybe you’re searching for a fun DIY gift? Do you ever play the “Well, whatcha wanna do?” game on date night? Do you love scratch off cards – or maybe know someone who does? Then these DIY scratch off cards are just what you are looking for!

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!)

January 25, 2017 by Krista

Make Celebrating Easy with The Valentine’s Day Printables Bundle

ALL THINGS VALENTINE’S DAY

Blogger Bundle

The BEST Valentine’s Day ideas in one place!

AND we have the BEST deal for you, too! But you gotta act quick. The timer on this deal is ticking down FAST!

And they don’t call it the day of love for nothin’. We wanted to show our love for YOU in a verrrrrry special way.

Listen up lovelies, cause we’re giving you a special deal that not even Cupid can touch. Yep. It’s that awesome!

{Drum roll please….}

Remember our Christmas bundle? It FLEW off the virtual shelves! It was such a smashing success that the second it ended, we had tons of you asking us if we could do it again!

Well, we couldn’t let you down. {You know we LOVE you!} And, of course, we HAD to make this one even better than the last two.

We teamed up with 20+ extremely talented designers to create the ULTIMATE Valentine’s Day Printables bundle! And ohmygosh, we’re head-over-heels IN LOVE!

Guys. This Valentine’s Day Printables bundle is so full of cuteness, we don’t even know where to begin.

Wait for it…

See what we mean? It really IS even better than the last bundle!! What you’re looking at is almost 200 pages of printables for you, all in one handy dandy Valentine’s Day Printables bundle. And OF COURSE, we slashed the price! So much that you’ll think it’s a typo. It’s not. The deal is THAT FREAKIN’ AWESOME.

20+ crazy, cute printables—ONE crazy, low price!

You can get over $200 worth of ADORABLE items for only $15-$20!

We’re NOT KIDDING! Gorgeous wall art and decor, creative gift ideas, cute classroom valentines, craft and activity ideas for the kids, romantic date ideas, and MORE all from your favorite bloggers! You’re waiting for the catch, right? Well, there is a teeny, tiny one…

You’ll have to ACT FAST—this deal only lasts for THREE DAYS!

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS:

This is a 3-Day sale, buuut the price goes up a little each day. So, you can snag it today because the price is going up tomorrow! Here’s the breakdown…

Buy on the 25th for only $15
Buy on the 26th for only $18
Buy on the 27th for only $20
After that, this deal is GONE FOREVER!

So basically what your mama always said is true- procrastination doesn’t pay!

Wait too long {like after the 27th at midnight MST} and this deal will be gone FOREVER!

And now, the big reveal. Here are the deets of the deal!!

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

This baby seriously has EVERYTHING you could ever WANT or NEED for Valentine’s Day! Including…

Beautiful Valentine’s prints to decorate your home.
Romantic gift ideas for your sweetheart.
Cute and creative classroom valentines for kids and teachers.
Meaningful activities and an advent for making memories.
Darling party printables and decor.
AND SO MUCH MORE! {See EVERYTHING below!}

Um, one page of wall art ALONE can be around $20 on Etsy! And you get ALL THAT JAZZ for the same price? This is a no-brainer!

WANT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT EVERYTHING INCLUDED?

I thought so! We are seriously obsessed with Every. Single. Thing. In this whole dang bundle. Just wait until you see all of the LOVE-ly printable goodness…

1. Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt by Ashlee Marie – Chose from two different Scavenger Hunts for your spouse OR kids! The Kids’ Scavenger Hunt will have them hunting for Valentine’s related items, and the String Scavenger Hunt leaves a trail of string with lots of sweet love notes!

2. Valentines Wall Art by C Dot Love – These 3 Valentine’s printables are perfect for displaying together or separately. You can trim to 8×10 for framing OR put behind a mat in a larger frame. (I’m thinking it would make for darling bedroom decor!)

3. Our Love Story by Kristen Duke – We just LOVE this next one. Check out this cute printable Love Story Journal. With places to write down “His Version” and “Her Version” this is a keepsake you’ll want to keep forever!

4. Valentines Happy Mail Kit by Crafting Chicks – Send some LOVE this Valentine’s Day using this adorable Valentines Happy Mail Kit. This printable kit includes a banner, cupcake toppers, and mailing label.

5. Woodland Creatures Valentine Craft by FaLaLa Designs – Help your kids create their own Valentines with this simple craft. I can’t even get over how CUTE these little critters are. The heart they’re holding even opens up to deliver a personal message.

6. 3 Valentine’s Prints by Family Ever After – Still need more festive decor to get your house decked out for V-day? We’ve totally got you covered. Print and frame all 3 of these cute Valentine’s prints, available in 4×6, 5×7, AND 8×10 sizes.

7. Love Coupons by Inspiration Made Simple – Give your honey some love coupons this Valentine’s Day! It’s a fun gift that keeps on giving. And who wouldn’t love some spoiling and pampering from their sweetie? It even has a page of blank coupons so you can personalize it with your own ideas!

8. Chocolate Bar Valentine Variety Pack by Less Ordinary Designs – Chocolate is a Valentine’s Day staple, and giving candy bars just got a whole lot cuter with these printable wrappers. This pack features 5 different designs sized to fit a standard bar of chocolate (normally around 1.55 oz). These wrapped bars of chocolate will be a sweet way to give a unique Valentine’s Day treat!

9. Valentine’s Party Printables by Love The Day – If you’re hosting a party this Valentine’s, this pack has everything you’ll need! We’re talking: Party Flags, Cupcake Wrappers, Drink Labels, AND lots of different Party Tags! (I think I’ll throw a mini-family party just so I can use them!)

10. Valentine’s Dinner for Kids by My Sister’s Suitcase – Let the kids enjoy a special dinner that’s just for them! Included in the Dinner Kit: printable Invitation, Coloring Placemat, Straw Flags, Mini Banner, and a Tic Tac Toe game (for a little after-dinner activity).

11. Heart-on-a-String Lunch Kit by Paging Supermom – Why not send the kiddos to school with a little extra LOVE in their lunch this Valentine’s Day? The Lunch Bag Seal, Sandwich String Charms, and Juice Box Wrap are sure to make it a lunch they’ll remember! (I’m thinking the hubby would love it too!)

12. Love Checks by Petite Party Studio – These darling love checks from “The Love Bank” make the perfect, meaningful gift for your Valentine. They even come with a cute checkbook cover to put them in! How fun is that?!

13. Cheap Date Night Printable Set by Printable Crush – Plan out weeks of inexpensive, fun, and creative date nights with this Cheap Date Night Printable Set! It has everything you need for a fun night out, or a night in, including a dating journal, photo props, gift tags, games, surveys, and more!

14. Red Dot Alphabet Bunting by Remodelaholic – This fun red dot bunting printable is so versatile! Use it to create the perfect Valentine’s Day mantel. Create a banner with you and your honey’s name, the word valentine, or another fun saying! Bonus- The pretty red color is also great for patriotic holiday, birthdays, or even Christmas!

15. 3 Love Cards by Smitten By – No need to buy Valentine’s cards this year, this printable pack has everything you need. Including: A DIY Scratch-off Card (with instructions), an “I Love You” card, and an “I love you because…” card! Good luck choosing just one. Clearly you need them ALL!

16. Valentine Advent Boxes by Somewhat Simple – Count down to “LOVE Day” all month long with these 14 ADORABLE Advent Boxes. Fill them up with sweets & treats, activities to do as a family, or anything your heart desires!

17. Valentine’s Dinner Printables by Tatertots and Jello – This printable pack is jammed packed with goodies for a memorable Valentine’s Dinner. Including: Cupcake Toppers, Banner, Plate Toppers or Silverware Holders, Place Cards, Straw Toppers, and even 2 5×7 prints!

18. EPIC Valentine’s Essentials Bundle by That Crazy Oil Lady – Do you LOVE essential oils? Whip up some crazy-awesome Valentine’s recipes in the kitchen and in your home with the Valentine’s Day Essentials Kit, Kids Scavenger Hunt, Printable art, and Valentine’s Cards! These beautiful recipe cards are great to create some sexy, sensual, and romantic moments, gift to a girlfriend for her Bachelorette party with some essential oils, or use as a gift tag along with the recipe you make yourself when you give it to your spouse! This beautiful bundle includes framable wall art as well! Also included is a set of 8 Valentine’s cards, ready for your personal touch, and a fun Scavenger hunt game for the kiddos!

19. At-Home Date Night by The 36th Avenue – Can’t get out for Valentine’s Day? This printable pack has absolutely everything you need for a romantic night in- no babysitter required! Including: Invitation, Menu, Napkin Rings, Coasters, Food Toppers, Small Banner, Bottle Wrapper, AND Valentine Print.

20. Choose Your Own Valentine Adventure Date by The Dating Divas – Get ready for an adventure! That’s right, we have your Valentine’s date already planned out for you. Just print the clever “Choose Your Own Valentine Adventure” booklet, hand it to your honey, and let him decide how the night will go.

21. “Dine & Be Mine” Bedroom Fun by The Dating Divas – Surprise your sweetie with this sassy but classy way to spice things up on Valentine’s Day! Give him the invitation to a night of romance, then present him with the romantic Menu of Services and his Love Cash. Now what man wouldn’t love THAT?! *wink*

22. 4 Valentine’s Day Prints by The Girl Creative – Add some instant V-day decor to your home with these 4 different, GORGEOUS Valentine’s Day Prints. You can print and frame all 4 in both 5×7 and 8×10 sizes! (These are so beautiful, I’d leave them up year round!)

23. You Color My World Valentine’s Pack by Thirty Handmade Days – You won’t believe all of the cuteness included in this pack! The Bag Toppers and Sticker Labels are perfect for pairing with a box of crayons as valentines for the kids’ classmates and friends. The two gift card holder templates are perfect as a cute teacher gift… AND the Valentine’s coloring page finishes off the set!

24. Valentine Gift Wrap Set by Whimsicle Designs – Your Valentine gift-giving just got a whole lot easier (& cuter!!) This darling set includes 5 gift tags, 3 bows, & 3 wrapping paper sheets! (And hey- you can use most of it even AFTER Valentine’s Day too!)

25. Valentine Monster Bingo Yellow Bliss Road by – Add some fun to the holiday by playing this cute but simple game with your kids. Bingo set includes 6 different Bingo Cards as well as the Calling Cards. (This would be a FUN one to bring to class parties too!)

26. Printable Coupon Book for Kids! by How Does She – Don’t forget your kids this Valentine’s Day. This coupon book allows them to cash in on a variety of fun activities! It’s a wonderful, simple way to make sure each kid feels loved this Valentine’s Day!

BUT WAIT!

Hold the phone! You didn’t think that was all, did you? It’s not. Because I LOVE you so very much, I’ll be sending you a special little treat if you purchase the bundle through the link below.

Truth or Dare Couple’s Edition is a great little game to play on Valentine’s after the kids are in bed and you’re ready to turn up the heat a little bit! It’s all DIY, you can choose the cards you want or make your own and it comes with a non-descriptive box you can put together to keep it all in. There’s 48 pre-written cards, a blank template, Rule Card, box template and instructions to put it all together.

Score this fun Valentine’s Day Printables coupon book (12 total coupons in the set) for the kids and a super easy Valentine’s Day gift that will keep on giving to everyone long after the 14th passes. Spend some time with your favorite little people and show them how much they mean!

See?! Told ya! EVERYTHING you could ever want or need this Valentine’s Day, all in one AH-Mazing bundle! Buy now and save BIG!

$200 worth of stuff for only $15-20 buckaroos!

Three super, duper important things to remember:

The price jumps up tomorrow!
It’s only available for TWO MORE DAYS!
Midnight MST on the 27th, this deal is gone FOREVER!

What are you waiting for?!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 11, 2016 by Krista

Truth or Dare: Couple’s Edition

We don’t do big Valentine’s Day outing plans, because our anniversary is 6 days before, but we still like to do a little something. We like to spend time together and that’s usually the gift we try to give each other. We’ve also been together for (almost) 8 years. While things are still amazing, we like to spice things up from time to time. Something along the lines of intimacy we actually make time for, not a quick encounter we squeezed between homework and dinner preparations or as we’re both tired and crawling zombie-like into bed. Truth or Dare: Couple’s Edition is the little game I came up with for us to play this Valentine’s Day.

TRUTH OR DARE: COUPLE’S EDITION

The preparation on this is incredibly simple. You just have to print and cut. Seriously, that’s all there is to it.

Materials:
– Truth or Dare Download Cards (Disclaimer: You’ll have to click through the link to see the cards. Given the intimate nature of some of them, I haven’t included a photo of them in this post. If you want to check them out, just click the link.)
– Paper Cutter or Scissors

Directions:
– Download the game cards and save the file to your computer.

– Print the Truth or Dare Cards. The link above is to the trial pack of cards. You’ll get 16 cards to try out the game with. If you like it, you can get the full game from my Etsy shop. Not all the cards you see in the photos are included in the free download.

You’ll want to print the cards double sided; and, if you can print them on card stock, that’ll be even better. My printer has a two-side print setting, which eliminates the guess work of re-orienting the paper in the tray to print the back side. If you have that feature, use it! It’ll be so much easier for you!

If you don’t want to print the cards at home, you can have them printed locally almost anywhere you can make copies – I’m thinking office supply and copy stores. After you download the file to your computer you can upload it to whatever site you decide to get it printed from.

– Cut the cards apart with a paper cutter or scissors.

You are now ready to play!

PLAYING TRUTH OR DARE: COUPLE’S EDITION

If you’ve never played Truth or Dare before, here’s the rules. One player draws a card and asks the other player “truth or dare?” The other player chooses if they would like to answer a question in total honesty or perform a dare. The first player reads which ever option the second player chose. The second player then answers the question or performs the dare. Then players switch roles and the second player draws a card and asks “truth or dare?” and play repeats as many times as you want.

Some helpful tips for a game you’ll both enjoy:
– This is something you’re gonna want to set aside some time for. It could be some good organized foreplay.
– Stop whenever you want… to finish other things. The idea is to spend some one-on-one with your sweetie.
– The only change to the original rules I would make would be to encourage you to look through the cards and make sure you’re both comfortable with everything. In the original rules, truths are usually embarrassing and dares are usually embarrassing and/or dangerous. The bedroom is not the place to try to embarrass your partner. Make sure you both feel comfortable with the game or it won’t be enjoyable!

WANT MORE TRUTH OR DARE: COUPLE’S EDITION?

If you want more dares and more questions, I have an expanded version of the game in my Etsy shop. There is a blank template included so you can write in your own questions and dares to make the game totally your own. There’s even a box you can put together to store your game in. So, if you’re looking for a quick and super easy gift idea, check out my TRUTH OR DARE: COUPLE’S EDITION in my Etsy shop.

February 9, 2016 by Krista

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Sugar Cookies

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SendSweetness #CollectiveBias

Valentine’s Day has never been a holiday just about romantic love for me. Growing up, my mom always made sure we knew that we were loved and that, in later years, relationship status didn’t matter on Valentine’s Day. It was a day to express your love and gratitude for everyone who was special to you. And that’s something I fully intend on passing on to my kids. We are tightening the budget around here and so that means homemade Valentines this year. Since Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday and we will be going to church, Big J asked if we could make something for his Primary teacher. He’s had the same teacher for the last three years and he adores her. I headed out to Walmart and picked up the new M&M’s® Strawberry and decided to make some Dipped Strawberry Sugar Cookies to show his teacher that we are so thankful for the time and effort she puts into teaching our hooligan son every week and that he really does love her.

DIPPED STRAWBERRY SUGAR COOKIES

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Dipped Strawberry Sugar Cookies

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 60 mins

Total time: 1 hour 20 mins

Serves: 3 dozen cookies

Kick up your favorite sugar cookies with a fun chocolate-strawberry twist.

Ingredients

1½ cups sugar
¾ cup butter, softened
2 eggs
4½ tbsp milk
¼ tsp salt
3½ tsp baking powder
4½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp strawberry extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Mix the sugar, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
Add the eggs, butter and milk. Mix until smooth.
Add the flour, one cup at a time, and mix until dough is formed.
This dough can be rolled into 1-inch balls and placed 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
If you want to cut shapes from the dough, lightly sprinkle the counter top with flour and roll the dough out until it's approximately ¼" think. Then, cut it with cookie cutters and place the dough on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Depending on the size of the cookie, bake for 5-10 minutes. If you want a chewy cookie, your cookies should NOT be golden anywhere - even the bottoms. See the photo below. If you like a crispy cookie, bake until the tops are lightly golden.
Cool cookies 3-5 minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

This is my go-to sugar cookie recipe. The cookies are soft and chewy and just perfect. But, what does every great sugar cookie have? A great topping, right? Well, I wanted something easy and delicious. And what goes better with strawberry than chocolate?! So, I dipped those cookies in some chocolate and they were amazing. It was super easy, but they turned out great!

I started out melting the chocolate as it directed on the package in a glass in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. When the chocolate was melted, I just hand dipped my cookies, set them on wax paper to dry and then decorated them before the chocolate hardened to hold the candies on. Quick tip: use a fork to help spread the chocolate around where you want it when it starts to cool enough that it doesn’t move around very easily anymore. You won’t have to reheat as often – which can make the chocolate crystallize.

I crushed up a few of the M&M’s® Strawberry to top the cookies with. They were a little bigger than I had hoped they would be so I crushed them up a bit with a meat tenderizer. I tried some with whole M&M’s® Strawberry too and they were fun, but it was kinda hard to eat them by the time I got my whole mouth around the cookie and the candy.

While I was at Walmart, I found these awesome DOVE® chocolate tins and some super cute American Greetings® cards. There was a great card for Big J’s teacher and one for Mr Napping that was just perfect… A dad of three boys is definitely a superhero! And the way to my man’s heart is definitely through his stomach… and my sweet tooth won out on this one. He will be getting (and sharing!) the DOVE® chocolate tin this weekend. Walmart became my one-stop shop for Valentine’s Day, which was super nice! I loved all the awesome options all in one place.

You can check out even more amazing ideas with M&M’s® Strawberry, DOVE® and American Greetings®! What will you make this Valentine’s Day?