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15 Frightfully Fun Halloween Cakes

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Halloween Cakes 2 Final

All the ghouls and goblins will be happy to create and eat these frightfully fun Halloween cakes!

1. Easy Eyeball Cake | Source: Cake Whiz

2. Trick or Treat Cake | Source: Spend with Pennies

3. Monster Bundt Cake | Source: Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

4. Halloween Ghostly Graveyard Kit Kat Cake | Source: Jade Louise Designs

5. Candy Corn Poke Cake | Source: Baking Beauty

6. Spooky Eyeball Cake | Source: Surviving a Teacher’s Salary

7. Kitty Litter Cake | Source: Noble Pig

8. Scary Eyes Halloween Cake | Source: Organized 31

9. Kitty Litter Cake | Source: Amanda’s Cookin’

10. Easy Halloween Haunted House Cake | Source: The Joys of Boys

11. Pumpkin Cake | Source: Creative Green Living

12. Easy Halloween Eyeball Cake | Source: The Joys of Boys

13. Halloween Bundt Cake | Source: Love Bakes Good Cakes

14. Jack Skellington Cake | Source: Bombshell Bling

15. Monster Eye Cake | Source: The Cake Blog

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15 Boo-rific Halloween Cookies

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Halloween Cookies

Ghosts and Goblins alike will gobble up all of these adorably spooky Halloween cookies!

1. Cut-out Halloween Cookies | Source: The Baking Fairy

2. Halloween Chocolate Chip Blossom Cookies | Source: The Baking Fairy

3. Spider Cookies | Source: Spaceships and Laser Beams

4. Witches Hat Cookies | Source: Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

5. Spooky Ghost Cookies | Source: Who Needs a Cape?

6. Dead Lady Fingers Cookies | Source: The Nerd’s Wife

7. White Chocolate Candy Corn Cookies | Source: Baking Beauty

8. Super Simple Spooky Cookies | Source: Corter Moon

9. Easy Chocolate Black Cat Cookies | Source: Meal Planning Magic

10. Spider Cookies | Source: Jen’s Favorite Cookies

11. Halloween Sugar Cookies | Source: Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

12. Halloween Spiderweb Cookies | Source: Thrifty Jinxy

13. Spiderweb Sandwich Cookies | Source: Home Cooking Memories

14. Witch’s Broomstick Cookies | Source: Dragon’s Kitchen

15. Witch Hat Cookies | Source: Explore. Dream. Discover.

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15 Party Perfect Halloween Cupcakes

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Halloween Cupcakes 2 Final

Add these fun Halloween cupcakes to your party desserts!  Everyone will go batty for these cute and creepy cupcakes.

1. Witch Hat Cupcakes | Source: Jade Louise Designs

2. Bloody Eyeball Halloween Cupcakes | Source: Baby Loving Mama

3. Evil Eye Cherry Cupcakes | Source: Sugar Dish Me

4. Tombstone Cupcakes | Source: Your Cup of Cake

5. Halloween Mason Jar Cupcakes | Source: Extreme Couponing Mom

6. Walking Dead Cupcakes | Source: Kailley’s Kitchen

7. Pudding Filled Dirt Cupcakes | Source: Inside Bru Crew Life

8. Black Cat Cupcakes | Source: Jenn’s Blah Blah Blog

9. Spider Cupcakes | Source: 365 Days of Crafts

10. Halloween RIP Tombstone Cupcakes | Source: Moments with Mandi

11. Maleficent Cupcakes with Horns | Source: Thrifty Jinxy

12. Easy Spider Cake and Cupcakes | Source: The Joys of Boys

13. Frankenstein Cupcakes | Source: Moments with Mandi

14. Halloween Bloody Eyeball Cupcakes | Source: Savvy Saving Couple

15. Creepy Halloween Cockroach Cupcakes | Source: Kitchen Dreaming

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15 Spooktacular Halloween Party Foods

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Halloween Party 2 Final

1. Halloween Candy Bark | Source: Feeding Big

2. Spiderweb Sandwich Cookies | Source: Home Cooking Memories

3. Halloween Haunted House Cake | Source: The Joys of Boys

4. Pumpkin Cake | Source: Creative Green Living

5. Deviled Egg Eyeballs | Source: Organized 31

6. Goldfish Filled Mini Pumpkin Halloween Treats | Source: 100 Directions

7. Eyeball Donuts | Source: The Joys of Boys

8. Eyeball Pinwheels | Source: Home Cooking Memories

9. Mummy Pizza | Source: The Joys of Boys

10. Candy Apple Punch | Source: Feeding Big

11. Scary Eyes Halloween Cake | Source: Organized 31

12. Spider Cake and Cupcakes | Source: The Joys of Boys

13. Black Widow Spider Bites | Source: Mom on Timeout

14. Spooky Spiders and Creepy Eyes Deviled Eggs Recipe | Source: Hot Eats and Cool Reads

15. Monster Pudding Cups | Source: Just 2 Sisters

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23 DIY Halloween Costumes for Adults – Singles and Couples and Groups

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23 DIY Homemade Halloween Costumes for Adults

23 DIY Homemade Halloween Costumes for Adults, from singles to couples to groups. Make the perfect costume and be the hit of the party.

  1. Flattery – Deer Costume
  2. Flattery – Demon Costume
  3. Studio DIY – Birthday Cake Costume
  4. Lovely Indeed – Lumberjack Couple Costume
  5. Syl and Sam – Bjork’s Swan Dress Costume
  6. Over Stuffed Life – DIY Cheshire Cat Costume
  7. Foodie Friends Friday Daily Dish – Amy Farrah Fowler Costume
  8. Meaningful Mama – Pinata Costume
  9. Whitney Avalon – Grayscale Costume
  10. Talking Trash and Wasting Time – T-Bird and Pink Ladies Costumes
  11. Girl Loves Glam – Flo from Progressive Costume
  12. Sammy Davis Vintage – DIY Celebrity Costumes: Lady Gaga, Snooki or Kim Kardashian
  13. Camille Styles – Shoot for the Stars Costume
  14. Coolest Homemade Costumes – Homemade Chicken Costume
  15. I Wear the Canvas – Flapper Costume
  16. Brit.co – Princess Peach Costume
  17. The Joy Of Fashion Blog – Sheep Costume
  18. Love Maegan – Merida Costume
  19. Coolest Homemade Costumes – Ursula Costume
  20. The Joy Of Fashion Blog – Cookie Monster Costume
  21. The Joy Of Fashion Blog – Audrey Hepburn Costume
  22. The Joy Of Fashion Blog – Gumball Machine Costume
  23. The Joy Of Fashion Blog – Queen of Hearts Costume
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12 Old Fashioned Frugal Tips for Modern Times

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12 Old Fashioned Frugal Tips for Modern Times

Have you ever taken a look at how your grandparents or great-grandparents lived?  Chances are, they were really, really good with their money.  Why do you think that is?  Basically: they lived through times when things were hard…and I mean harder than you have (hopefully) ever experienced.  They may have lived through the Great Depression.  The Dust Bowl. World Wars.  Been immigrants.  Been part of big families with not enough for everyone.  They may have been poorer than you can imagine.  Because of that, they learned to do things differently than you and I have.  I remember many stories told to me by my grandparents and great aunts and uncles, fascinated by stories of no running water and no electricity.  Nothing compares to the life of comparable luxury we enjoy today — some of which is in part to their hard work and sacrifices to make future generations of the family successful.  Here are some of the best lessons I learned from the “Olden Days” that still apply today.  I try to incorporate these into our life and am teaching my daughter the same.

  1. Waste Not Want Not – Your grandparents learned to use everything until they couldn’t use it anymore, and most of us could take a hint from them. Are you using everything in your life until you no longer can?  For example, using chicken or beef bones until they’re mush to make stock then using the mush to make pet food, or keeping a bag in the freezer for vegetable scraps to use for stock or soup.  Make sure you extend this to every single area of your life and use the last of your makeup, toilet paper, ink in a pen and more.  My grandma always saved the last slivers of a bar of soap in a jar, and she added a little water to make her own Soft Soap.
  1. Save every dime (0r penny) you can – Savings account looking a little bare?  Or  is it non-existent?   Take a tip from your elders and save every penny you can.  A penny saved really is a penny earned.  In fact, a lot of people who were kids during the depression later invested those pennies and are living quite comfortably now thanks to that smart thinking.  In that vein, try to use coupons and shop sales.  Saving a few dollars (to a few hundred a month) just by using coupons really does add up.
  1. Let go of your pride – Ask anyone who grew up in that time period and they will tell you that they were willing to do any job at all to help take care of their families. In today’s world, it’s common to think that we’re above a certain job because it may pay less or we may just feel it’s “beneath” us. If things are rough? Nothing is beneath you when it comes to feeding your family. What you may think of as a menial job, they thought of as opportunity.  Do the same.
  1. Get Creative with your meals and eat at home – Some of the most memorable meals are the simplest and this holds true for cooks during the Depression Era. One of the best tips is to replace ingredients with cheaper ones. Lentils or beans are great for substituting ground beef and you can easily stretch most soups or casseroles with rice or egg noodles. Want to use the meat but make it go further?  Mix in some oats or oatmeal.  And save meals out for special occasions.  Even a drive through trip can cost $20!  Planning ahead for those busy nights by having some meals in the freezer will save your budget, and taste much better than a burger in a bag.
  1. Skip the store and make it yourself – Depression Era families learned how to make things at home instead of buying them. This could include things like toothpaste, deodorant, laundry soap, bread and more. All of these things are much cheaper to make yourself than to purchase.
  1. Grow it yourselves – Most families had gardens and they were a necessary part of life if you wanted to eat.  Victory Gardens were popular during World War II, and many families depended on what they grew to feed the family.  There was no super grocery store to run to when you needed food, and many families could not afford store bought anyhow.  If you try, make sure that you include things like celery that can be grown from scraps so that you don’t waste anything.  And a compost pile is a great way to recycle food scraps into beautiful organic fertilizer.
  1. Fix It Yourselves – Have a skirt that needs hemmed?  Learn to do it yourself.  Need a rip sewn?  Learn to mend it yourself.  Plumbing need fixed? You guessed it, fix it yourself. Your grandparents learned to do it themselves (often by sheer necessity) and you can too. Your wallet will thank you, and you will feel accomplished.  And these days Google and YouTube are fabulous resources of information for practically anything you want to learn to do.  Just know when you really should call that professional to be safe.
  1. Trade for it – Money was not the only commodity, and in fact trade was very common. People traded things they had or services they could do for things they needed.  Doctors were often paid in eggs or crops.  My own grandmother used to trade her excellent sewing skills for things the family needed all the time.
  1. Learn Needs vs Wants – Money does not in fact grown on trees, and when budgets are tight needs vs wants become stark reality. I am not talking about basics like food, shelter and utilities.  I mean the extras that we THINK we need.  Not sure if you really need something?  Try this test:  Consider the thing you need/want.  Would you be willing to have the thing or the same value in cash?  If your answer is the cash…you probably don’t need it, you just want it, so consider carefully.  Things like satellite tv, data packages on smartphones, and expensive coffees out are all nice.  But if you need cash more, then you need to consider cutting back.  Brew your own coffee.  Sign up for Netflix.  One trick I do when I want something is figure out how long I have to work to pay for that item.  Usually it goes right back on the shelf.
  1. Hand it Down and Pass it On – Ok this one can be really fun! I try to shop at thrift stores, and I learned this from my grandma who dressed very nicely on the cheap!  There are some good thrift stores nearby and the clothing is great quality, so when I have NOTHING to wear (lol) I head to the thrift store to satisfy my shopping bug without breaking the budget.  Here is the fun part — When I am done wearing something, I put it in a bag and then I pass the bag to a friend.  I get bags passed to me.  Take what you want and add to it and pass it along.  It is a great FREE way to rejuvenate your wardrobe.  And for kids, definitely pass those clothes (and TOYS as well!) on or even SELL them on resale sites.  And invest in classic items for things like coats, boots and bags.  Fads are pricey and often poor quality.  Sometimes it is a better value to spend a little more on something that you want to use for years.
  1. Sell Sell Sell – One man’s trash really IS another man’s treasure! I sell things we no longer need on Facebook resale sites.  You would be surprised what people will buy, so give it a go.  My grandma sold jelly and jam.  My grandpa earned extra cash working on boat engines in his spare time.  My other grandma made custom draperies at home.  If you have a hobby, see if there is a way for you to get paid to do it!
  1. Live Below Your Means This one is really the biggest.  My grandparents lived in the same small house they bought in 1942. They raised 4 kids in it and lived there proudly until the day they were unable to care for themselves.  They didn’t buy a new car every year, they used it till it wore out.  They could have afforded more than they had, but they didn’t spend frivolously or foolishly.    My parents still live in the house I and my brother grew up in.  Don’t take on debt for bad reasons, like keeping up appearances.  There really do come those rainy days (Or months.  Or years even.) when NOT keeping up with the Jones’ pays you back in spades.  My grandparents eventually needed their savings to take care of themselves in a decent place when the time came, and our family felt better that they were well cared for until they days they passed.  They taught us all well, and I am trying to live their lessons and teaching my daughter the frugal way.

 

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How to Build a Gift Closet Without Breaking Your Budget

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A pile of Christmas gifts in colorful wrapping with ribbons.

Are you famous in your family for last minute gift buying?  Do you spend too much because you don’t plan ahead?  If so, I have the answer for you –  Build yourself a gift closet!  What in the world is that?  Pretty much exactly what it sounds like.  It doesn’t have to be a closet, but it is a stash of gifts that you can go to whenever you need one before going out and buying one.  That’s all fine and dandy, right, but building one frugally one does take a bit of time and planning.  After all, if you just ran out and bought a bunch of gifts to stock it with, you would be broke in no time. Check out these tips on how to build your gift closet without breaking your budget.

Start small – As I said earlier, the last thing you want is to buy a bunch of gifts all at once.  Instead, start small.  Buy one or two things at a time when you find them on sale then stash them away.  Shop throughout the year with your recipients in mind.

Start early – Some of the thriftiest shoppers in the world start early…as in the day after Christmas early…for the next year.  Why?  Because clearance deals are too good to pass up during that time period.  Start building your gift closet as early as you can and you’ll not only save, but you’ll score awesome gifts, too.

Scour the deals – Not only should you make friends with your favorite deal blogs, but you should also get to know the clearance section at your favorite stores and websites. On top of that, you may want to consider signing up for your favorite cash back website to help you save even more on online purchases.  And if you shop Kmart or Sears and thousands of other partners, sign up with Shop Your Way and make me your Personal Shopper.  It is FREE and you earn points on every purchase = cash money off your next one.

Use Free Gift Cards – When you’re using gift cards to pay for something?  You’re not using cash.  See the savings?  If you aren’t sure how to get started earning free gift cards or want to start earning more, check out these 10 ways to earn free gift cards.

Think ahead – Your child might like Dora now, but will she the next time Christmas rolls around?  If not and you don’t have any other little ones to buy for, you may want to stay away from toys and things that they may grow out of before you can gift it.  Stick with the classics, as well as stocking gifts for kids birthdays

Check the thrift stores and garage sale sites for your area – I kid you not, I have scored some terrific, unique and brand new gifts at places like Goodwill and on the garage sale Facebook sites for my area (Search Facebook garage sale or buy sell trade then your local city, town etc.)

Don’t forget the cards – I also stash away cards to save me a trip to buy one at $4.99 while we are dressed and in the car on the way to the event — I like the $1 cards at Family Dollar and Target.  I keep a good selection, grabbing a few at a time when I see ones I like.  Remember, too, that sometimes a handmade card is just as great and way more personal (and frugal).

Having a gift closet around is a fantastic time saver, money saver and just overall sanity saver.  Keep your gifts stashed away where no one will find them and when the time comes and you need one, you’ll be all set with no shopping required!

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15 DIY Halloween Decorations

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15 DIY Halloween Decorations

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays to make decorations for.  It is so much fun and really gets me in that Fall mood.  Check out these great and fun 15 DIY Halloween Decorations and get your spooky crafting on, and pin the post for later reference.

1. Spiderweb Garland | Source: 100 Directions

2. DIY Halloween Wreath | Source: Passion for Savings

3. Easy Halloween Milk Jug Ghost Craft | Source: Drugstore Divas

4. Colorful Skull Luminaries | Source: Crafts by Amanda

5. DIY Fabric Halloween Wreath | Source: More Than a Mom of Three

6. Lovely Lace Pumpkin | Source: Living Frugal with Erika

7. Bat Hanging Centerpiece | Source: 100 Directions

8. DIY Frugal Porch Decoration | Source: Extreme Couponing Mom

9. DIY Skeleton Party Banner | Source: Baby Loving Mama

10. Halloween Footprint Sign | Source: Home. Made. Interest.

11. Jack O’ Lantern Jars | Source: Who Needs a Cape?

12. Halloween Garland | Source: 100 Directions

13. DIY Scarecrow | Source: Living Frugal with Erika

14. Easy Halloween Door Hang | Source: Drugstore Divas

15. DIY Halloween Fabric Strip Wreath | Source: Growing Up Gabel

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25 Delicious Recipes for the Grill you will want to make now

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25 Summer Grilling Recipes

The barbecue grill is an icon of summer, but a barbecue can be way more than a backyard get-together featuring burgers and hot dogs. Grilling gives vegetables and meats and even desserts and fruits a delicious char and wonderful smoky flavor.  Not even your stovetop grill pan can give you the same flavors as the outdoor versions, so branch out and find some new grilling recipes to take advantage of outdoor cooking.  What type of grill is better, charcoal or gas? Well that depends on what you want to do.  Gas grills give you more temperature control with accuracy and quick adjustments, and features like warming racks can be employed.  My preference is classic charcoal for the pronounced smokiness that can’t be duplicated, especially with the addition of wood chips like mesquite, hickory, apple, etc.  Whatever your choice, check out these 25 awesome recipes for the grill and enjoy a delicious meal.

1. Grilled Fish Tacos with Lime Cabbage Slaw from Cooking Classy
2. Grilled Brown Sugar Chili Pork Tenderloin from Katie’s Cucina
3. Grilled Potatoes with Rosemary Smoked Paprika from Cookin’ Canuck
4. Grilled London Broil from Spicy Southern Kitchen
5. Loaded Nachos on the Grill from Passion for Savings
6. Grilled Avocado and Vegetable Tacos from Two Peas and Their Pod
7. Cilantro Lime Chicken Wings from Casa De Crews
8. Grilled BBQ Chicken Potato Skins from The Recipe Rebel
9. Grilled Turkey and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers from Chili Pepper Madness
10. Grilled BBQ Shrimp from How to Feed Aloon
11. Grilled Tex Mex Chicken Burgers with Hot Pepper Corn Relish from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles
12. Grilled Steak and Feta Wrap from Recipe Geek
13. Grilled Buffalo Turkey Meatball Subs from Little Leopard Book
14. Grilled Strip Steak with Onion Sauce from Man Titlement
15. Honey Sriracha Butter Grilled Corn from Rasa Malaysia
16. Grilled Steak Fajitas from Veggie Balance
17. Grilled Basil Garlic Chicken Breasts from A Family Feast
18. Grilled Balsamic Vegetables from iFOODreal
19. Grilled Pork Chops with Spicy Balsamic Grilled Peaches from Foodiecrush
20. Grilled Brussels Sprouts from SugarDish Me
21. Perfect Grilled Asparagus from Or Whatever You Do
22. Grilled Corn on the Cob with Herb Butter from A Food Centric Life
23. Grilled Lemon Tarragon Chicken from Small Batch Treats
24. Southwest Grilled Salmon with Blueberry Corn Salsa from Recipe Runner
25. Bacon Wrapped Chicken Legs from The Weary Chef

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Spinach, Mozzarella and Mushroom Stuffed Burgers

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These Spinach, Mozzarella and Mushroom Stuffed Burgers are delicious and easy to make.  I use high quality Zaycon Fresh 93/7 ground beef to make sure that you get a delicious and healthy burger that doesn’t shrink up to a little bitty nothing.  Find out MORE about Zaycon Fresh foods and find out how you can save more than 30% off grocery prices when you order online and pick up at a location near you!

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Spinach, Mozzarella and Mushroom Stuffed Burgers

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 Min

Cook Time: 8- 10 Min

 

Ingredients:

1 Lb 93/7 Zaycon Fresh Ground Beef

1/2 Cup White Button Mushrooms

1/2 Cup Fresh Spinach

1/4 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 Tsp. Garlic Powder

1/4 Tsp. Onion Powder

1 Pinch Salt

Extra spinach, cheese and mushrooms for garnish.  

Mayonnaise

 

Instructions:

Chop mushrooms and spinach into small pieces.  Add in mozzarella.  In large mixing bowl mix ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and 1/4 of the mushroom mixture.  Separate the beef mixture into 4 equal balls. Pinch a small amount (1/4) off each ball.  Take the larger ball and make it into a round patty with a hollowed out center.  Place some of the mushroom mixture into the hollowed area.  Now take the small pinched off part and flatten to make a top to put over the stuffed burger.  Lightly push down on the sides of the top so that they sick to the filled burger, trying to seal in as much of the filling as possible.  Now cook for 8 – 10 minutes on a medium high grill or until juices run clear.  I used an indoor grill to makes these, but you could also use a pan or a outside grill.  Just make sure to adjust time accordingly and be food safe!  When burgers are done, top with extra cheese if desired.  Garnish with spinach and mushrooms and mayo as you like.  I also like to toast the buns on the grill.  Super delicious and nutritious!

Burger 6

 

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10 Unique Easter Egg Decorating Ideas

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This is definitely NOT the Easter egg decorating I grew up with (umm hello stained fingers, vinegar and food coloring!)  These 10 Unique Easter Eggs are way too pretty to hide, so grab some supplies and get ready for some, “WOW, you made those?!” compliments!

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10 Unique Easter Egg Decorating Ideas

1. Napkin Decoupage Eggs from Red Ted Art
2. Magazine-Inspired Easter Egg Decorations from Meaningful Mama
3. Tie Dye Easter Eggs from Divine Lifestyle
4. Marbled Easter Eggs from Carolyn’s Homework
5. Foil Covered Easter Eggs from Suzy’s Sitcom
6. Rubber Band Easter Eggs from Simply Stacie
7. Easy Tissue Paper Eggs from Thrifty DIY Diva
8. Silk Tie Easter Eggs from Family Food and Travel
9. Easy DIY Monogrammed Easter Eggs from Divine Lifestyle
10. Mod Podge Glitter Eggs from Mod Podge Rocks

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15 Gorgeous DIY Easter Wreaths

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 Why break the bank buying a custom made Easter wreath when it is so much more fun (and thrifty!) to make your own?!  Get ready to want to make several of these beautiful Easter wreaths.  Good thing I have more than one place to hang because I have a few favorites and I want to showcase them!

15 Gorgeous DIY Easter Wreaths

1. DIY Easter Ribbon Wreath | Source: Suzy’s Artsy-Craftsy Sitcom
2. Easter Wreath and Vase | Source: A Spectacled Owl
3. DIY Easter Egg Wreath | Source: A Cultivated Nest
4. Easter Fabric & Felt Wreath | Source: Life With Love Bugs
5. Let’s Make an Easter Wreath | Source: Bare Feet on the Dashboard
6. DIY Easter Wreath | Source: Clever Pink Pirate
7. DIY Peep Wreath With Rolled Ribbon Rosette | Source: Mom Advice
8. Easter Egg Wreath | Source: Wine & Glue
9. Easter Mesh Wreath Tutorial | Source: Kristen’s Creations
10. Easiest Burlap Wreath You’ll Ever Make | Source: Top This Top That
11. Moss Wreath | Source: A Diamond in the Stuff
12. Grass Wreath | Source: Miss KopyKat
13. 10 Minute Spring Wreath | Source: Living Locurto
14. Yarn Egg Wreath | Source: The Sweet Survival
15. Easter Egg Hunt Wreath | Source: Positively Splendid

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Ten Tasty Casserole Recipes to Try

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These 10 Tasty Casserole dishes will surely become favorite meals in your household.  Casseroles are an excellent way to use up those leftovers in your fridge.  In fact, once a week my mom made a “kitchen sink” casserole.  It was so named because she used everything but the kitchen sink in it.  We didn’t waste things, because we didn’t have anything TO waste.  I come by my frugal ways quite honestly!  Casseroles are easy to make, freeze well (so perfect to make ahead), and are great dinners especially in the fall or winter months.  Try some of these casserole dishes to find out which ones will be your new favorite.

  1. Twice Baked Potatoes
  2. Hamburger Hash Brown
  3. Chicken Divan – THIS has been a favorite since I was a kid!
  4. Tamale Pie Casserole
  5. Egg, Potato and Chili Casserole
  6. Bacon Ranch and Chicken Casserole
  7. Pizza Spaghetti Bake
  8. Chicken and Biscuits
  9. Acorn Squash and Wild Rice
  10. Baked Pierogi Casserole
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Lady B’s Budget Boredom Busters! Make an Easy, DIY, Frugal Floral Hair Clip

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Lady B’s Budget Boredom Busters! Floral Hair Clip

Lady B is a busy gal and I am a tired Mommy.  Don’t get me wrong… I wouldn’t change a single thing because this child is on fire and I love her and her constant state of activity.  That makes us always be on the look out for fun things to make.  Recently, we were at a local mall and on one of the carts in the middle they were selling some cute tropical looking hair clips.  She loved one in particular and then I saw the price.

 Ummm…not happening!  So I explained to her that it was a little too much to spend on a hair clip.  ‘That’s OK Mom, we can make one!’ she said.  Well of course she was right, we are DIY girls and we can totally make these to play,  to wear for us, heck for her new American Girl Doll even!  Where would we go?  To the 99 Cent Only Store of course!

What did we find?  Well we found silk/fabric flowers with 4 blooms for $1, one large and a pack with two medium hair clips.  I have a glue gun and wire cutters so for $3 we were going to be able to make 3 clips!

PicMonkey Collage

Easy peasy.  Seriously like ridiculously easy

You cut the stem off the bloom and glue it to the hair clip and TADA!

I’ve truly have had so much fun with this gal this summer and we still have another week for another activity, then my Lady B will be off to 3rd Grade and I will find a way to fill my days with not so fun stuff 😀

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Lady B’s Budget Boredom Busters: DIY Homemade Frugal Flower Pen!

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Lady B’s Budget Boredom Busters: DIY Homemade Frugal Flower Pen!!

My daughter B is in a constant state of movement and creativity.  I had no clue I’d be on my toes so much.  My son is quieter but my Bumble Bee, wow!  So we were a little bored (lie, she was I could have used a nap, but noooooo),so off we went to the 99 cent store.  Between this store and the Dollar Tree, I find a lot of what we need to keep our creativity quota up and our boredom meter down.

What will you need?

Flower tape, its green

Silk Flower or flowers

Florist Foam, optional

Pen or pens, go crazy make a garden

Wire cutters (also a find at the 99 cent store or Dollar Tree)

Glue Gun (or crazy glue up to you).

Bored child

Willing Parent

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The green tape, the flower (in its little pot),  the foam (not shown) and wire cutters were all from the 99 Cent Store  The Pen is from my school supply stash from last year and I think I paid like 25 cents for the pack at Staples.  I have the glue gun.  Now with this little flower that we bought, we didn’t need the foam or a container to put it in because it came with its own (I like to have a little pot but its optional).  I also like to take ribbon and glue in around the pot adding a bow for added decoration.

PicMonkey Collageflower

I picked this one because it had leaves. I took it apart and inserted the leaves into the pot, you can add glue if you like I think I may add moss or something to cover the foam (I didn’t for this because I’m making this frugal and you will use what you have at home).  Then I started on the pen, I cut the flower and attached it with the florist tape to the pen and wrapped around.  Going up and down the pen to fully cover.  I do not end this at the bottom, a lot of people do but it will come undone that way with use.  You need to keep wrapping back up to the top and use your glue gun to secure because this isn’t sticky tape.

PicMonkey Collageflower4

Tada!

My daughter got the hang of this and loved it.  She plans on making a few more to have and to give one to her new teacher.  We also have a little craft fair at a local ice cream shop and she may set up to sell a few to get her feet wet in having her own business (she’d fry in Phoenix with a lemonade stand).   I have made these and put them in a jar to look like a bunch of flowers, I’ve wrapped single ones in cellophane as party favors, so many ways to use these and make them fancy.  You can totally take this and run with it and make it your own.  I like this option a lot.  The Flower tape will last for many many pens, and depending on if you buy single or a bunch of flowers at the 99 Cent store or at Walmart you can make a lot cool gifts made with lots of love for a little dinero.

Cause well really, Frugal Moms and their Kids Rock.

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Frugal DIY Homemade Mouthwash Foot Soak

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DIY Homemade Mouthwash Vinegar Foot Soak

If you are like me you’ve seen the pin’s and shares online claiming that the dead rough skin will fall off your feet when you soak them  in Listerine, vinegar and water.  Well I had a problem with this cause I’m frugal and I’m not going to use a $5 bottle of Listerine on my feet if I’m doing this at home and if I score a bottle for cheap its going in my stockpile for my pearly whites.  For $5 I can let the lady at the salon scrub away and do the job.

 What can I say if I’m going to DIY it has to save me money or else why go through the hassle?

To start with I should tell you I’m either barefoot or in flip flops cause I work at home and my feet were long ago liberated from high heels or pumps ☺  The most action my feet see are wedges LOL.  Being that the case, I’m too shy and embarrassed to share a picture but lets all take a moment and think about Fred Flintstone and what his feet surely should have looked like…there got the mental?  Ok, now moving right along…

Today I went to my favorite joint, the Dollar Tree and thought hey I can totally use their brand of Listerine looking mouthwash for this foot soak to see if I like it.

Beauty on a Budget is the way to go.

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Here is what you’ll need:

1 Bottle mouth wash from the Dollar tree or comparable dollar store (2cups)

2 cups white vinegar

2 cups warm water

Mix it all in a tub

I sat down to watch Shark Tank and soaked my feet. (boy were they brutal tonight)

One thing, it feels good…tingly

Did the skin magically come off?  No.

So what happened T tell us!

Well, it cleaned my dead skin, you know you get the gnarly looking dirty heel?  I can never get that clean enough.  While I was soaking I took my $1 pumice stone and scrubbed all around and soaked again.  My feet were clean and some of the rough skin was super soft so one more time with my pumice stone and I’m super duper happy!  I can wear sandals tomorrow after some polish and won’t be hiding my feet!

So is it magical?  Nah

Would I use Listerine?  Nah, I’m frugal hello?

Will I make this again spending a $1 from the Dollar Tree?  Heck Yes!

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