You can do this with just about any surface but I thought a cutting board would be fun to make for the Mom who loves to be in the kitchen.  The video is under 40 seconds and will tell you everything you need to know. All supplies were purchased at Walmart for under $10 bucks! Enjoy!

Disclosure: I am an official Walmart Mom. Follow me and my fellow Walmart Moms as we share our experiences and ideas! Walmart has provided me with compensation and gift card in return for my time & efforts to create this post. My participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own, always have been, always will be.

I bought the supplies at Walmart for next to nothing.  Your flowers are under $5 bucks depending on which ones you choose and the floral tape was $1.97.  A 10 pack of Pens cost $1 and if you can find a container at your home, no cost there. If you can’t, I recommend those tall mugs that are around $5 bucks.  That’s under $15 if you have to buy a container, which is pretty good don’t you think?   I know you’ve seen them but have you made one?  If you have your own tips or ideas about pen bouquets, I’d love to hear them!

Disclosure: I am an official Walmart Mom. Follow me and my fellow Walmart Moms as we share our experiences and ideas! Walmart has provided me with compensation and gift card in return for my time & efforts to create this post. My participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own, always have been, always will be.

Now since I don’t have a Cricut, I reached out to my friend Vicki, a scrapbooking queen that was happy to help me out!  With the help of an AWESOME program Vicki had, we quickly put together each child’s name.  So with that, we’ll get right to it.

Aside from the mailboxes, the only thing I bought at this point was the white vinyl adhesive aka Cricut Cuttables, Adhesive-Backed.

THE MINI MAILBOXES (the fit in your palm pretty much)

1. Measure the space where you’ll be placing the names.  These were exactly 4 inches of space so we made the names just a hair smaller than that.

2. We used Vicki’s program to pick a font and create names.  A tip Vicki shared with me – We tilted and overlapped the letters so that it would cut and peel as one piece vs letter by letter.

3. Since the paper was 12 x 24, we cut it down to 12 x 12, making two sheets.  We were able to fit all the names on one sheet too!

4.  We applied the vinyl piece to the cutting mat and smoothed it down to prepare it for the Cricut.

5.  We connected the computer and Cricut together and began cutting!

6.  Once cut, Vicki gently pulled the excess off.  Be very careful and watch for the dots for i’s…..

7.  With this handy tool seen in photo, we gently pulled up the names.  I have no idea what that tool is called so if you know, share in the comments please. Vicki is on a cruise right now so I can’t ask her.

8.  Once that’s done, you simply peel the back off of each name and stick onto the mailbox!

9.  VIOLA!  Do this for all the mailboxes and you’re done!

Now I’m done with them yet.  I’m still undecided on what else I want to do as far as decoration.  I have a ton of stickers that I can put on them. I don’t know if I want to put them on or if I should let each child decorate their own.  I’ll be filling these mini mailboxes with tons of goodies and giving them to the kiddos at their Valentine’s Day party.

I’d love to hear your ideas as far as decorations….should I finish decorating them or let the kiddos put stickers on them themselves?

I had bought these cheap wooden bottles that were so light and I knew wouldn’t work.  We decided to take duct tape and just wrap and wrap and wrap it around to make the bottles thicker and heavier, however, upon entering the store and seeing our Walmart’s store manager, I was given a new, better idea!  (Thanks Randie!!)

BOTTLE PLAN – We decide to buy the wide mouth, aluminum beer bottles, pour the beer out, fill with dirt, and spray paint.  Not a bad idea huh! Of course a man thought of that!! LOL  (just kidding Randie…teehee)  So lets get started!

SUPPLIES

• Wide Mouth, Aluminum Beer Bottles (the Miller Lite came in a 9-pack which was perfect)
• Dirt
• Spray paint or even duct tape for an alternate method

DIRECTIONS

Simply drink or pour out your beer.  I’d hate to waste it so we had a few drinks with some steak.  Since we had just gotten 4 inches of rain, we had lots of mud.  I filled the bottles with mud which made them pretty heavy but you can use dirt.   If you do use mud, make sure it’s packed down tight. I just found a stick on the ground to do this.  Finally, you simply spray paint them your desired color and you’re done!    It took several coats to get them completely covered.

Since we were using these at the school, we decided to wrap them in blue duct tape to insure that the beer brand didn’t show through after being hit multiple times by the balls.  So actually, I probably recommend you use the tape and even skip the spray paint!  That would save you time and money.  We also ended up using tennis balls which was perfect!!

Cost?  Only $12 bucks for the beer.  The dirt was free and I had the bottle of spray paint laying around my house but if you were paying for all three, you could do 6-9 bottles for $20.  That’s a huge steal compared to the $50+ it would have cost to buy them online.

First, you simple need a pair of those gloves from Walmart.  They are usually 2 pair for under $2 bucks and come in all different colors.  You’ll need yarn, a needle, and thread.

• Winter Gloves  ($2)
• Yarn ($2)
• Needle
• Thread

I made the thread color the same as the glove.

I cut pieces of yarn all about the same size, enough that when you ‘fold’ them, they make a nice pom pom.  I should have added more but since this was a spur of the moment idea for me, I’ll make sure to do it on my next pair.   I take another piece of the yarn to tie the bunch together.

Then I took the threaded needle and sewed them on the tip of the gloves!!

Wow, it doesn’t get any easier than that!!!!  Now looking back, I obviously would have made the pom poms more full.  They look a little puny but I was learning as I went.  I’d probably actually use two different colored yarns to give them more depth and I think they’d look cuter too!

This literally took me only 15 minutes and that was doing it for the first time and stopping to figure a thing or two out.  I bet I could whip a whole pair out in 15 minutes now!  And for $6 bucks…..shoooooot, that sure beats the $25 and $30 price tags on the one in the stores!  I think you could get a helper too to cut up the yarn, one to tie them into a bunch, and you can sew them on.

So what do you think?  It’s frugal eh!!  I’m kinda proud of myself. I haven’t had the chance to do any kind of crafts lately so I’m tickled to have had the time to do this. And this is just the beginning!  I can’t wait to do more!  What are some crafts you plan on doing this holiday season?

P.S. I’m thinking this would make for a fun church craft that can be used towards a fundraiser! Get those ladies together and whip some out!

Disclosure: I am an official Walmart Mom. Follow me and my fellow Walmart Moms as we share our experiences and ideas! Walmart has provided me with compensation in return for my time & efforts to create this post. My participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own, always have been, always will be.

What I originally wanted to do was use 4th of July wrapping paper but I couldn’t seem to find any so I decided to go with tissue paper; red, white and blue.  I used a paper towel tube and a toilet paper tube, which was perfect. I never really plan anything but looking at them now, I would have probably changed the braiding to be just red and blue and no white.  I also would have added names to the firecrackers and set at placemats at the table.

This turned out to be a very budget friendly project that would make a lot.  I bought all my supplies at Walmart and it didn’t take me long at all either.   Once I figured out how I was gonna make one, it was a breeze from then on.

4th of July Party Favors – Candy Filled Firecrackers

SUPPLIES (total cost about $14.50 to make a bunch)

• Tissue paper in red, white, and blue colors $1.97 each = about $6
• bag of candy $ 6.50 (you could buy a smaller bag of candy but we like to keep extra on hand)
• glittery pipe cleaners (I recommend red and gold) $1.97
• empty tubes (like paper towel or toilet paper tubes) $0
• tape
• scissors

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut strips of the three tissue papers.  I made mine about 4 inches or so.  You need to allow enough for the top and bottom to tuck into the tube for a closing.
2. Start with one color tissue strip and roll around the tube, then tape.  Go to the next color and so on.
3. Close the bottom color by stuffing the extra tissue into the tube.
4. Fill with candy.
5. Twist a red & gold glittery pipe cleaner together and cut in half, sticking one half into the tube, inbetween the candy.  Then stuff the top tissue paper around the “fuse” to close the candy inside.
6. This is optional but I took three thin strips of tissue, braided them, and then wrapped around the top, using tape to hold together.

I asked around for ideas to create a DIY 4th of July craft and had lots of replies but decided to go with 2 very easy & budget friendly ideas; Candy Filled Firecrackers and a Table Centerpiece, which was Cat’s idea. Today we’re focusing on the centerpiece, with the firecrackers coming the next day!

Ready?!

TABLE CENTERPIECE - By far the easiest thing I’ve ever done and the cost? $8

Supplies

• Red, White, & Blue Ribbon $1.97
• Red, White, & Blue Flowers ( I went with fake so I can reuse) $2.00 each = $6
• Any clear jar or vase (anything around your house or even a drinking glass)

Instructions

1. Simply cut the stems off to fit nicely in your size jar that you’ve chosen.  You’ll probably need a wire cutter if using fake flowers.
2. Place ribbon in the jar any way you want.
3. Arrange flowers in jar and in the middle of ribbon so that stems aren’t seen.

Disclosure: I am an official Walmart Mom. Follow me and my fellow Walmart Moms as we share our experiences and ideas! Walmart has provided me with compensation in return for my time & efforts to create this post. My participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own, always have been, always will be.

Today I’m bringing you a really easy-to-make Valentine’s Day Pinata.   I don’t know if you know what goes into making a real pinata but it’s a lot of work.   Who has time for that anymore you know?  This pinata is something you can do in an hour or less, can get the kids to participate in, and is budget friendly.  In fact, we bought all the trinkets at Walmart where all the seasonal Valentine’s stuff was.  They have tons of those boxes full of goodies for $2 bucks or less and that includes bags with several pieces in them.  There was a lot of stuff for girls but not as much for boys. I still managed to find some cute spinning tops, kaleidoscopes, ball paddles, and candy.

With everything they have, you’ll be able to make an awesome large pinata OR, something I thought would be fun for kids in school, it to make several of these small ones that I made for Truett and give them to your child’s friends!

SUPPLIES NEEDED

• 1 brown or white paper bag
• Tissue paper in red and pink
• 2 ft of yarn
• Hole punch
• Stapler or tape
• Newspaper or other lightweight filler (can also use tissue paper)
• Small trinkets and candies (like the ones I bought at Walmart)
• Scissors
• White craft glue

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Open the bag and put treats and trinkets inside. Fill about ¼ full.
2. Fill remaining space with crumpled up newspaper (or tissue paper).  I cut them into big strips but you don’t have to.  Leave a small amount of space at the top of the bag so it can be folded over and closed.
3. Fold top over and secure with staples or tape.
4. Poke or punch a hole in the middle of the bag in the fold. Be sure it’s low enough that the hole won’t rip.
5. Cut long strips of tissue paper about 3″ wide and as long as the tissue paper sheet is. Fringe the ends of the tissue paper by cutting slits about halfway up.
6. Starting at the bottom of the bag, glue the tissue paper onto the bag by the solid edge only, do not glue the fringe down. Do this all the way around the bag.
7. Repeat these steps, working your way upward toward the top of the bag, alternating colors each time. We used a fun Valentine’s Day red/white themed one with a red alternation.  My husband thought a scalloped one would be nice to alternate with but every one I tried ended up looking like someone’s behind.  LOL So I stuck with fringe all the way up!
8. Gently lay the bag on its side.
9. Cut strips of tissue paper about 1″ wide. Fold in half, then glue to the bottom of the bag at the half-way point.
10. Set aside to dry completely.
11. Thread string or yarn through hole at the top and tie a knot.
12. Hang by your string and hit until it breaks.  We first tried a drum stick that goes to our game system but had to find a stick in the yard.  That worked much better!

Tips:

* Tissue paper usually comes folded. We folded up small (in a front/back zig sag motion) and cut the fringe that way.  Was much faster!
* To avoid a shoving match when the candy drops, try putting goodie bags together instead of loose candy and trinkets. Label each bag with a certain color label (think garage sale dots from the discount department store) and assign each child a corresponding color either via a sticker or ribbon bracelet. This will eliminate any fighting over who gets what candy.
* You can stuff your piñata with other material if you don’t have newspaper. Just remember that whatever you use may come out of the piñata with the candy. So if you use packing peanuts, you will be cleaning all of those up afterward, whereas if you use crumpled paper, clean up will be much less intensive.

Have you ever made your own pinata?

Disclosure: I am an official Walmart Mom. Follow me and my fellow Walmart Moms as we share our craft ideas! Walmart has provided me with compensation and gift card in return for my time & efforts to create this craft & post. My participation in this program is voluntary and my opinions are my own, always have been, always will be.

Okay, for some fun decorations this Halloween season without the high cost, try these 2 simple and cheap ghost craft projects.  Great projects for the kids to help too!

Trash Bag Balloon Ghost

For this, you will need a balloon, string & a large white plastic garbage bag. I would buy those cheap dollar store ones for $2 bucks and the balloons cost about a dollar.  Look for any string around your house; maybe some fishing string, yarn, or even old shoe laces.  Blow up the balloon and place it inside the bag. Gather the bag under the bottom of the balloon and tie it off with string to make the ghost’s head.

I suggest using permanent markers to decorate a spooooooooooky face!  Use another piece of string and add to the top of the ghost to hang it up.  Cost per ghost – .50 cents

Floating Ghosts!

These are always fun and make the little ones go stare.   For this craft project, you’ll need:

• a white helium balloon for each ghost
• markers
• sticky tape
• plus two white plastic grocery bags.

Cut the handles off the bags, then cut the remainder of each bag into one inch strips, cutting from the open end to about two inches away from the bottom seam.  Get it?  It’s gonna look like a fringe skirt so to speak.

Use the clear sticky tape to fasten one cut-up bag halfway around the bottom of the balloon. Put the second cut-up bag around the other half of the balloon.

Draw on a spooky face with markers – and don’t forget to tie a string to the bottom of the balloon to keep the ghost from flying away!  I suggest fishing line for this for a more real look.  Cost per ghost – .15 cents

First, you need the supplies.

• Hanes Toddler Boy 3 Pack T-Shirts
  
• Avery-Dennison Clear Avery Iron-On-T-Shirt Transfers
  
• Iron, printer

So basically, all I did was find a football picture of Tyler and since I’ve only seen him practice, I used one of those that I took.  Then I found a football font that was more kiddiefied.  I used my simple free paint.net program and made my design on a standard 8 1/2 x 11 template.  I used my trusty AdesClrPicker and went to the Hornets website to get the exact green they use, which is a perfect match!  I created a front and back design using big brother’s football number on the back!

Yes, I do have Adobe Photoshop CS3 but sometimes it’s much easier and quicker to use this paint program.

After the design is finished, print it using the “mirror” option and cut around as close as you can to the design.  Iron on as instructions state and within a few minutes, you have a cute little “hornet”!

Here’s the before and after……………

And here’s what they look like on little man!

Just in case you’re wondering, the Hornets won 61-24…..Do I smell a skunk? Bwahahahahah!  I was worried at first glance because some of them boys on the other team looked like they were taking prohormones or something.  Big fellas!