Pamper Me Basket

Need a gift idea for someone you love?
I made the cutest pamper me basket for my granma's 80th birthday party, but it would be perfect for a student going off to college as well.

 

This is the * caddy * I purchased at Target.

Here are some item ideas you may want to include:

• shower caddy *
• back scrubber *
• bath salt *
• bubble bath *
• shower gel *
• shampoo and conditioner
• homemade body scrub - link to a recipe I use
• rice pillow- how to directions for making your own rice pillow
• gel eye mask
• sleep mask
• matching lip and nail color *
• floral hair clips- * I used infant clips since my granma's hair is thinning.  The infant clips were cuter than the adult one in all reality.
• throw blanket *
• book to read or favorite magazine
• several different flavors of tea *
• tea mug- * This tea mug comes in a Vera Bradley print.  It has a lid to keep the contents warm and a little hole for the tea bag string to hang out of.
• single serving coffee brewing mug- For $6 and a microwave, you can brew the perfect cup of coffee in 3 minutes.  I started using this in my classroom and considering how simplistic the entire system is the coffee is pretty good.
• handmade card *
• gift card

I am sure there are tons of items that could be included, but I think I gave you a good place to start. I made sure that I had a different item for each pocket of the caddy.  That way there was a little prize awaiting with each peek into the basket. 

Have fun creating your own Pamper Me Basket for someone you love.

Just an FYI: The bold faced items are items I actually purchased.  The starred items are items I have included in my kit, but I have only linked to a similar item and not the exact item I used. 

The total basket cost was around $50. 

Bee Mine

Since my computer crash awhile back I have been unable to download photos.  I just got around to using my husband's computer, so sorry for the late Valentine share.

I got this cute Valentine card idea from Valerie at Frugal Family Fun Blog.  All you need is a couple of markers and white construction paper.

Here is what we did:

1. Color your thumb yellow with a marker.
2. Press your thumbprint to the white paper toward the top and in the center.  If the yellow is not dark enough, repeat this step.  Make sure to try to get the thumbprint to match up as close as possible to the original print when stamping.
3. Take a black marker and add detail to the "bee".  Also, write the words... Bee Mine... under the thumbprint design.
4. Next, use 5 different colored markers and add 10 dots onto the card in each color.  (i.e. 10 red, 10 blue, 10 green, etc.)
5. Finally, use decorative scissors to fancy up the edges.

Simple, cute, and fun. 

We send our cards to sick children in the local hospital, so they wouldn't miss out on all the Valentine's Day fun.  The kinder kiddos really loved this project!

Cookin' with the Kids for Valentine's Day

image source


Valentine's Day is Monday, so why not bake up something this weekend in honor of this special day.  From cookies to pizza, I am sure your kiddos will have a blast experimenting in the kitchen... especially when their creation taste so darn good.

So, what are you waiting for?  Choose a recipe and get cooking with the kids.

A Hearth Witch's Valentine Cookies: Pagan Household Post... Italian cookies that sound scrumptious.

Valentine Cookie Pops... Perfect for kids to help make.

Sweetheart Strawberry Banana Pancakes... Who wouldn't eat this cute heart shaped pancake?  Plus, it is a healthier alternative.

Heart Shaped Pizzas... Use ready made dough or make your own.  Before topping the pizza use a large cookie cutter or a knife to cut the dough into a heart.  Top as usual and bake.

Nutella Stuffed French Toast... Too good to be true.  Nutty, chocolaty goodness all rolled into one.

Lemon Cranberry Muffins with Chocolate Chips... Little bits of red show through these yummy homemade muffins.

Peppermint Hershey Kiss Cookie... This pink and white cookie is perfect for Valentine's Day.  The chocolate kisses adds the final touch of yumminess.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Valentine Pencil Toppers

Valentine's Day  is just around the corner.  I always like to have my boys give pencils instead of candy and cards.  This ensures all the kiddos are safe from nut and other various allergies as well as provides a usable outcome.  Who doesn't love a new snazzy pencil?

Last year, we cut paper hearts out of cardstock and wrote each classmate's name on the heart before attaching it to the pencil.  It worked in a pinch and the second graders didn't seem to mind that it was thrown together at the last minute.

This year I am planning ahead a bit.  I already purchased 50 pencils from the dollar spot at Target.  I think there were 10 pencils in each Valentine themed pack.  I am wanting my boys to be more involved in the creative process this year, so I am on the hunt for some easy ideas.

Here is what I have found so far:

• felt and beads heart topper
• felt and initial toppers... scroll down post to view
• printable toppers... 2 Valentine themed and one of Washington and one of Lincoln
• printable Mickey Mouse toppers
• free printable toppers... just follow her blog and she will send you the PDF... very professional looking
• foam conversation heart toppers

I think  we will probably color and paint the PDF toppers from Margot Madison.  They are super stylish and require my boys to put their heart into their gift.

Happy Creating!
One Pink Fish

Love the thought of giving scented pencils or pens, check out  I Love Smencils.

*Note From a Teacher: If you give pencils as Valentines, please make sure that you sharpen them before hand.  A teacher does not have time to sharpen 22 pencils and the kids are greatly disappointed if they have to wait until they get home to use them... <wink>*

Projects from the Holidays

We have worked on many projects in the last few weeks.  I thought I would share our accomplishments.

Girls' Night In: 
My friends and I got together for some holiday fun and made gingerbread houses.  The friend that threw the party went all out and made homemade frosting and provided the graham crackers.  We just had to bring a box to use as our base and tons of candies.

My gingerbread house towered over the rest.  It looked a bit silly in comparison to the other houses, but it was the only box I had.

Having a Gingerbread House making party was alot of fun.  This is an idea I will definitely keep to use again.

Worry Jar: 

Not sure if I have posted about our worry jar before, but it has been used alot lately.  Any clean jar you have handy will work for this project.  You do not need to embellish the jar, but you can if you would like.  I just tied raffia around the rim.

The purpose of the jar is simple.  If you have a worry, write it down.  Fold the paper and place it in the jar.  Once the paper (worry) is in the jar you cannot think about the worry any longer.

I allow my boys to draw or write words.  I also encourage them to incorporate colors that represent their feelings onto the slip of paper. 

Since I implemented the worry jar tattling has cut down tremendously.  If it is not hurting someone physically or emotionally, it is probably a worry and does not need mommy's attention.

Worry, worry go away.

You make me sad

on this happy day.

Teacher Gifts: 
Being tight on money this year I made teacher gifts.  The rice pillows were super easy and very economical.  The jar is filled with an organic sugar scrub... a bit pricier, but mainly due to the essential oils.

I made one of each of these items for myself as well.  The scrub is amazing on my feet.  I think I might add peppermint oil next time though.  The rice pad can be used either warmed in the microwave or chilled in the freezer depending on the use.

Dream Pillows: 

I wanted to make my boys something special for the Solstice.  When I stumbled upon these dream pillows, I knew I had found what I was looking for.

The boys love making a wish and squeezing their pillows before bedtime.  They also truly believe the pillows will help them to have peaceful dreams.  It's really sweet.

I was so proud of my accomplishments.  I am teaching myself to sew which is not always easy when you are doing it alone.  I think I need to find me some crafting buddies.

So...
What did you work on for the holidays?

Any special homemade ideas you are quite proud of?

Book on Every Bed

*I wish I had come across this concept before the holidays and not a few days too late.*

The Book on Every Bed Campaign is simple:

• Wrap a book.
• Place a book on the end of every bed in your house for Christmas morning (or whatever holiday you celebrate).

What a wonderful new tradition to add to your family. 

The great part is that it transcends time.  There is no age limit to consider. No worry that the gift will not be well received.  Even if the recipient is not an avid reader; you can always choose an audio book. 

The Book on Every Bed Campaign strives to bring literature and reading to the forefront of every family... to instill the love for and value of reading into a culture that is lacking in so much.

In this technological age of video games, I Pads, computers, and gadgets, take a step back to the basics.  Place a book on the bed of every person you hold dear. 

This does not have to be a holiday tradition... consider birthdays, Easter, the first Saturday of the month.  You hold the key to giving this amazing gift to those you love.  They will get to share the memories with you for years to come.

Getting Gifts From Others

Getting gifts from others for my children has been hard.  You are always appreciative of the thought, but you still want to stick with your beliefs about simplification and the open endedness of the toys.  You want toys or items that will enhance your child's play and free time.  Not "things" that will become part of the household clutter.

This year I had to enlist my mom to help out a bit with a few items for the holidays.  Below you will see some of the items, she is getting for the boys:

Wildcraft! An Herbal Adventure Game is perfect for anyone wanting to better understand the properties of herbs.  OR so the game proclaims.  I did read on another blog though about this game.  The mother is very particular about the items she purchases and absolutely raved about this game. 

This Happy Camper Bag is perfect for my nature loving JJ.  Not alot more to say. 

T Man thinks this beaver tote is too funny.  Has been wanting it for some time to use as a lunch box.  It may not be the most appropriate lunch bag ever, but if he gets a laugh during the day, it is worth it.

This a ten sheet set of beeswax used to make your own candles.  Great for kids with allergies.

Both boys are getting an Earth Friendly Nature Bag.  I think this will bring hours of fun for the entire family.  The bag contains note cards, a magnifier, observations squares and more.

Cat's Cradle string games definitely need string.  The brightly colored string game string from Klutz is perfect for beginners as it is very thick and durable.

Recommended by professional artists for those inspiring to do the same.  I think T Man will love drawing with these creamy, colored pencils.

So what are you getting your kiddos for the holidays?

What criteria do you look for in gifts?

Do you go with items you know your kids will use and love? OR items your child request (even if you know it will seldom be used)?

Simple Gifts for the Holiday

My  boys do not play with many mainstream toys.  Even before embarking on my simplification journey, the boys knew what they liked.

When T Man was really little I was enamored with the Little People toys... the farm house, airport, etc.  I think he had almost all that was on the market at the time.  Every occasion would send me out in search of a new design.

Now, don't get me wrong.  He did play with them, but the time was short before his attention would wane and he would search for something else.

Blocks, legos, and tinker toys have been the main stay at out house.  Anything that gets my boys building is a hit.  Lately, both of them have been into playing games... both old school and new.  Something as simple as rock/ paper/ scissors can give them an hour of entertainment.  Uno... let's just say the whole evening must be dedicated.

With this being said, I decided to go old school this year.  Money is T-IGH-T, so I had to also go for items that have the most bang for the buck.

Here is the list:

This marble and pouch set also contains a book on the history of the game as well as several different ways to play. 

The little wooden case these jacks come in is fantastic.  This set reminded me of the past and hours of fun spent with friends.

I love the fact that these wooden pick up sticks come in such natural hues.  Have this natural element made these a first choice in pick up sticks.

  

This is the largest wooden build your own marble run set I have found.  The price is about half as much as some of the other sets and it has gotten very good reviews as well.

The spinning top above is wooden and comes with a nice history booklet full of various tricks to keep kids entertained for hours at a time. 

This isn't the exact dart board that I got the boys, but it is very similar.  My boys love throwing things, so I thought I would give them a constructive way to take care of that boyish erg.

Pretty much that is it.  I do have a few odds and end for stocking stuffers, but other than that it is a done deal.  I hope they enjoy playing with these traditional toys as much as children have in the past.

*Little J (4 years-old): spinning top, pick up sticks, marble run, tangle free parachute,

fairy tales collection

*T Man (8 years-old): dart board, jacks, marbles, What's Happening to Me?: Boy Edition, The Boy's Body Book, tangle free parachute