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Category: holidays

Friday Finds #12: Father’s Day

posted in Friday Finds, holidays by Hanna on
Father’s day is right around the corner and for the first time we are bring some inspiration to you early for what to do for all those amazing father’s out there! Sara and I are both pretty last minute planners so 2 weeks in advance is looking pretty good on our end not to mention these are all things that can be thrown together last minute…totally our style!
Being as my family will actually be staying with my parents on Father’s Day it got me thinking of what would “dads” really like without being too cheesy or giving them things they really don’t want. I decided that planning and cooking a relaxing, low key dinner with big taste would be perfect to all come together and celebrated having an amazing dad! And what better for that than a shrimp boil!
This recipe actually came from my husband’s side of the family. Since having it, it’s become one of our favorite meals considering you just throw everything into a pot to boil and then spread it out on some newspaper and eat; no plates or utensils required.
I would have to say a shrimp boil paired with these other recipes, eaten outside in the backyard on a warm, Sunday evening sounds like the perfect Father’s day celebration.
As for some actual gifts, here are some ideas we found that we love and would be great for involving the kids.
Free Father’s Day Printable’s from “Confetti Sunshine”


Father’s Day Card and Coupons from “Living Locurto”


Father’s Day Tie Printable from “The 36th Avenue”


Father’s Day Treat Jar from “My Sister’s Suitcase”

Happy planning! ~ HANNA

Link’n Blogs Linky Party {#20}

posted in baby, blogging, crafts, diy, family, food, health, holidays, inspiration, kids, lifestyle, marriage, motherhood, organization, parenting, party, recipe, sewing, thrifted, tutorial by Sara on
Today we’re honored to be guest hosting the Link’n Blogs linky party brought to you by Put a Bird On It. This is our first time ever “hosting” a linky party and we couldn’t be more excited to share with you the inspiration and talent of so many wonderful bloggers! It is actually through linky parties that we have come across some of our favorite blogs and have connected with some amazing people. With that being said, we invite you all to share, connect, inspire, and be inspired yourself!

Welcome to Link’n Blogs {#20} !
A place to link up your projects and make new friends. We are all about visiting links and following new bloggers here at Link’n Blogs. Remember to leave comments and PIN PIN PIN!
Cause sharing is caring. 


**Your links will show up on ALL blogs hosting the link party!**

Interested in guest hosting Link’n Blogs?!
I’ve created a spreadsheet where you can sign up to host a link party! It’s a great way to get to know other bloggers, share a recent post with other party goers and pick the features. Sign up using the link below!

Grab my party button! 
 



*Feel free to post my party button on your blog and say you linked up here!*



I am sharing a feature I did on Warby Parker collaborating with Architecture for Humanity. It’s a good company working towards a good cause!

Warby Parker + Architecture for Humanity






Katelyn is sharing a DELISH recipe for a spin on cheesy pasta. This looks so good! I love that it has bacon in it. Everything is better with bacon!



Be sure to give some love to our guest hosts – you will love their creative blogs!



These two girls have one of the cutest blogs! You’ve got to check out the Pinterest challenge they’re doing. Today, Hanna and Sara are sharing some divine cinnamon rolls – with a twist!






Chastity has a fun lifestyle blog and is momma to an adorable little cowboy! Today, she is sharing a heart filled printable perfect for the upcoming Easter holiday. I love it!





Carolyn’s blog is all about her life as a stay at home mom to her two daughters {which she never thought she’d be!}. And her post this week is about just that.




Here are this week’s features:

My Pick

DIY Felt Flower Headbands by Maddie Moe’s




Katelyn’s Pick

DIY Stenciled Tray by Life in Velvet



Hanna and Sara’s Pick

DIY Geometric Photo Display by The Caldwell Project



Chastity’s Pick

Picnic Basket Tutorial by Over the Apple Tree



Carolyn’s Pick

Bacon, Egg and Avocado Sandwich by Belle of the Kitchen


Fan Favorites


Reversible Easter/Spring Wood Blocks by Something Splendid



Pantry Makeover by View from the Fridge




I know the bloggers featured would love if you would visit their posts and say hello!

All features will be pinned to my Link’n Blogs board. Follow it here!



Follow my blog! If you want to receive an email reminding you about the link party, leave your email when adding your link.
Link to your blog post — not just your blog.
Share the love! Visit the other links and say who sent you.
If you enjoy a link, you can LIKE it {new feature!}
Adding your link gives me permission to feature you on my blog. 
Grab my party button! – See more at: http://iputabirdonit.blogspot.com/2013/12/diy-christmas-scriptures-advent.html#sthash.mPINNYsH.dpuf
Ok, here are the guidelines for the link party:  


Follow your HOSTS and GUEST HOSTS

If you want to receive an email reminding you about the link party, leave your email when adding your link

Link to your blog post — not just your blog.

Share the love! Visit the other links and say who sent you

Adding your link gives me permission to feature you on my blog
Share this link party on social media to help Link’n Blogs grow!

*Don’t be a LINK & RUN partier. Visit a couple links before you and a couple after!*


Happy Linking!

Leave a permalink on your blog back to the party to help our party grow!
*here is the link*
http://iputabirdonit.blogspot.com/2014/04/linkn-blogs-20.html


 

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I monitor each link and may delete a link if it is not something I want to promote on my blog. If you see your link was deleted, please email me. I’d be happy to chat about why! Thanks! 

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My Version of Birthday Cake

posted in food, holidays by Hanna on

There’s been a lot of birthday and party talk lately since both Sara’s and my girls have birthdays this month. I’m still in denial that my baby is going to be turning one! It’s such a precious time watching them grow in that first year but it’s also been so sweet to watch my girls interact more. By interacting I mainly mean screaming at the top of their lungs and then laughing about it. Oh girls.

Anyway along with not doing big birthday parties growing up in my family, we also didn’t have the usual birthday cakes either. My mom quickly learned that none of us really loved a regular birthday cake with an inch of frosting so it seemed pointless spending the time to make one and then have tons of leftovers that no one wanted. So instead we started a tradition where we just asked for our favorite dessert and in my family there a MANY! One of the big hits for birthdays is a Lemon Poppy Seed cake which I’m sharing with you today. The other is a Chocolate Eclair cake we’ll get to another time. Both are so so good and what is that word I seem to always be using? Oh yes, easy!
This Lemon Poppy Seed cake is great because it’s one of those recipes where you just dump everything in a bowl, mix and bake while the result is a moist and delicious cake. I also need to give a big shout out to my husband who finished this cake and took the pictures as I stuck the cake in the oven right before I was headed out to watch the General Women’s Meeting last weekend. It was a beautiful meeting with such a sweet and important message of lifting each other up as women through serving and befriending one another. If you missed it and are wanting some great inspiration you can watch it HERE.
Now let’s get to the recipe.
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
1 Yellow cake mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup poppy seeds
Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir together. It’s kind of a thick batter so I used my electric beaters.

Spray a bunbt cake pan with cooking spray and then coat it lightly with flour to insure the cake doesn’t stick to the pan.

Pour the cake batter into the floured bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until cooked through. Once the cake is done let is cool for 5 minutes before removing it from the pan. In the mean time, mix together lemon juice and powdered sugar to make a pour-able glaze. (Tip: Start out with just a little bit of lemon juice, maybe 2 Tbsp while making the glaze.) Lastly drizzle the glaze over the cake using a spoon.

I’ll just pretend that I didn’t eat half of this cake by myself before I decided to get a grip and froze the rest of it. It’s still taking me some effort not to go get it out of the freezer!
Anyone else have some special birthday treats besides the usual birthday cake?

Picnic Themed Birthday Party

posted in crafts, diy, family, food, holidays, inspiration, kids, party by Hanna on
It is officially spring (as of March 20th) which for me marks the beginning of shorts, sandals, vacations, and birthday celebrations. Ironically enough, my daughter and both of Hanna’s girls all have birthdays in April about one week apart. 
Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots
Last year, instead of throwing two separate parties (little Livy was not yet born) Hanna and I decided to combined our girl’s birthday parties. Growing up, we never really had big elaborate birthday parties where we invited all our friends. Instead, my mom would make whatever we wanted for dinner and dessert and we’d celebrate our birthday with our family. However, this is not to say that we don’t enjoy throwing a good party. In fact, since Hanna and I have started our own families, throwing fun little parties together have become one of our favorite hobbies.

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

We wanted to keep things simple, yet provide a fun environment for our family and friends while creating a sweet memory for our little girls. We finally decided on a casual picnic themed birthday party at the park. Minus the unexpected chilly weather, we managed to pull off a fun party for all ages on a small budget of just $100. 

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

Since the food took up the majority of our budget, we looked for inexpensive packaging ideas and decorations. Instead of purchasing “to-go” boxes, which can end up costing a lot of money, we bought simple brown paper sacks and then printed a cute little banner on them. All the sandwiches  were wrapped in wax paper and this cute pink checkered tissue paper that we found at Walmart for $3. The fruit cups were packaged in cheap plastic cups and then topped with saran wrap and baker’s twine. Finally, all the different sack lunch items got a colorful label that we made with scrapbook paper. 

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

For the decorations, we used some balloons I had leftover from my baby shower a year earlier and then we made some matching ruffled streamers. Here is a great tutorial from “Dana Made It” on how to make ruffled streamers– so cute! All the baskets and flowers were things that we had at home. 

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

Great parties do not have to mean spending a lot of money. Try and look for areas where you can cut back or make simpler. Find things around your house, friends or family’s homes, or at second hand stores that can be reused for party decorations.  And last but not least, have a good time. What truly makes a good party is the people that you celebrate it with. 

Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots
Honestly, this party seemed like it was just the other day. I can’t believe it has been almost a year later and that I’m already planning out birthday #2 for my daughter. Sadly, this year will not be a combined party since Hanna and I live much farther apart; however, we did manage to come up with the same birthday party theme for our girls. I guess great minds really do think alike… or maybe it’s our crazy twin connection. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this picnic party flashback! And for all you “go-doers” out there, I’ve also gathered up some more fabulous picnic party ideas and inspiration shown below:
Picnic Themed Party | by Stripes and Polka Dots

Popsicle Picnic Party | Little Lovely
Boxed Lunch Picnic Party | All Things Heart and Home
Fabric Tent | Inspiration via Pinterest

Kid Approved Valentines Party

posted in crafts, family, holidays, kids, lifestyle by Hanna on

It has been a busy week getting caught up with everything after our trip to Florida! I was pretty much behind on everything; blogging included! So today with it being Valentine’s I wanted share with you a little bit of my week that included this Valentine’s party I did for preschool.

Since moving into our new house I joined an at-home preschool group that some of the mother’s in the neighborhood had already started. We take turns doing preschool at our homes 2 days a week. So far it’s been really great for my toddler for social interaction with some bonus learning and crafts. It’s been great for me in getting to know some of the other mothers around me and finding some friends for Mia.

This week was my week and it being the week of Valentines I wanted to do something to celebrate. We spent the first day doing a craft that would serve as decoration for the party later in the week and then as a Valentine to give to their parents.

I cut up a bunch of scrap paper and had the kids glue them to inside of the heart. They love stick glue so they had a good time with it. This craft was perfect for a quick and easy decoration for the party!

Yesterday was our “party” day. We started by decorating bags with foam heart for all their Valentine’s to go in. Felt stickers was something we hadn’t done before and it was another hit with keeping the kiddos entertained.
Next we played a game of “Pin the Heart”. My daughter, Mia was my model for the girl we “pinned” the heart on and my helper in coloring it.
Our final activity was decorating heart cookies and eating them. Yum!

Now that the kids were all hyped up on sugar and before everyone’s mom came to pick them up I passed out their bags they decorated earlier and we passed around all the cute Valentines everyone brought.
Once the kids were gone I spent a good half-hour on clean up while Mia ate more candy and then we had a lazy afternoon. What a great day!
Hope everyone has a lovely Valentines day!
-HANNA

Friday Finds #5: Valentine’s Gift Ideas

posted in family, Friday Finds, friends, holidays, inspiration, marriage by Sara on
Last year, my husband Eric stayed up late the night before Valentines making me a flower bouquet from Hershey’s Kisses and tissue paper and leaving these flowers around the house with little notes. If you knew my husband you would know he is NOT a crafty person so this gift meant a lot to me. How sweet that he would take the time to make something for me since that’s what I enjoy? I’m hoping to top his gift this year, but with the holidays just getting over and a husband that just had a birthday my brain is strained for thinking of a good gift that is meaningful and affordable.Not to mention finding a great gift to spread the love with all the other special people in my life. So for our sake and yours, Sara and I have rounded up some pretty awesome gift ideas for all those special people in your life.
1. “Because I Love You…” Dry Erase Board | by Drawings Under the Table
2.  Mr & Mrs Coupon Book | by Day Spring
3.  “Open When” Letters | by The Dating Divas
5.  Felt Fortune Cookies | by “The Martha Stewart Show”
7.  Heart Balloon Surprise | by Oh Happy Day
8.  “You Are Golden” Printable Valentine’s | by The Crafted Sparrow
If you have any other ideas please send them our way! Also be sure to check out our Valentine’s Day board on Pinterest for many more cute ideas!
-HANNA