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Donut Miss This Party!

posted in family, food, friends, money saving tips, party, printable, recipe by Sara on
Hello again! As I’m sure many of you can relate to, life have been a bit busy…then again when is it not?! In the mist of all the working, blogging, and family time I got a little behind with some of my other responsibilities. There were heaps of laundry everywhere, the house needed a major cleaning, the fridge needed to be restocked, and I was literally running on fumes. I wish I was one of those super moms who could balance life perfectly and get it all done, but I am simply not one of  them. In fact, balancing life is quite a struggle for me. I sometimes get to the point where life is so out of balance that I need to step back, re-group, get organized, relax, and start again. Unfortunately, last week was one of those weeks. I wish I could say  that I’ve come back with all the answers on how to live a balanced life, but to be honest I’m not sure I will ever have all the answers. It is something that I strive to work at everyday; some days I succeed, and other days I fail completely. Such is the game of life I guess. Tomorrow is always a new day and a new beginning. As for today, I feel refreshed and so happy to be back!
During our week away, both Hanna’s daughters and my daughter all had birthdays! These little girls are growing up so fast! My little Addie turned 2, and I’m still besides myself at when my baby girl became a toddler! As you may remember from the Picnic Themed Birthday Party post I wrote several weeks ago, we’re not big birthday people. Growing up we always had quiet birthday dinners with our family, and while we still like to keep things simple, you know how we love to throw parties! So, this week we will be showing you some ideas on how to throw an inexpensive birthday party while still wowing your guests and making your child’s birthday special. 
While my daughter is still very small, I like to choose party themes that will entertain guests of all ages. This year I decided to go with an adorable donut themed party. Originally I had planned to have this cute little party at the park, but sadly due to a rainy forecast we were forced to move it inside at the last minute. With the last minute changes I didn’t have much time to plan out or decorate the new space, but in the end it didn’t really matter and every one seemed to have a good time… the birthday girl included! Any excuse to play with friends and eat yummy treats and my daughter is totally there!
As you can see, I tried to keep things fairly simple. Here is a tip: when doing a party on a budget, be sure to check out your local dollar stores and party discount stores for all your paper products and party decorations. That is where I bought 95% of my decorations, plates, cups, napkins, etc. The adorable striped straws I found at Target for $2.99 for a pack of 20. Sometimes Target will also have some cute party stuff in there dollar section. I was also able to find some darling donut printables from Oh Happy Day and Confetti Sunshine. Not only where they a perfect addition to the party, but they are completely free! You’ll definitely want to check these out!
As for the food budget, I didn’t have $50 to spend on six dozen donuts so I decided to “make” them myself for half the price. By “make”, I mean fry. I simply took the Pillsbury Grand Buttermilk Biscuits, punched a hole in the middle of each biscuit, and then fried them in a pan of oil. Within minutes you have yourself a perfectly golden brown, delicious donut. After letting the donuts cool for a bit, I frosted them with homemade cream cheese frosting. For the cinnamon and sugar coated donuts you’ll want to toss the donuts in the cinnamon sugar when they are still hot. 
Here is what I  used for the frosting:
Basic Cream Cheese Frosting
4oz brick cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup butter (softened)
2-3 Tbsp milk
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tbs vanilla
Added flavors:
Chocolate: add 2-3 Tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder, plus an addition 2-3 Tbsp of milk
Strawberry: blend in 1/4 cup of freshly sliced strawberries
Maple: add 2-3 Tbsp of pure maple syrup
Lastly, I topped off my donuts with sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, and almond slices.
To tie our two parties together, Hanna created this fun confetti dot banner. I mean seriously, what birthday party is complete without confetti?! You’ll see how Hanna used the banner in her party theme on Wednesday. If you love it as much as we do, we’ve created a FREE downloadable version below!
(click the text to download)
 Overall, I spent under $75 in total on the party. $30 was spent on the decorations and paper products, and the rest went toward the food budget. After it was all said and done, here are some tips to take away when planning a birthday party on a budget:
  • Shop at you local dollar store or discount party store when looking for decorations or paper products
  • Search your house for items you can re-purpose or use as decorations
  • Ask friends to borrow certain items you do not have instead of buying them
  • Search for free printables online or design your invites/banners yourself
  • Keep things simple (this will make your life and your budget a lot happier) 
  • Plan ahead, and shop sales!
While not everything went completely as planned, it was a great party celebrating a special little girl. While we are still fairly new-comers to the area, I felt blessed by the number of our new friends who came to celebrate with us.

DIY Ice Cream Sundae Kit

posted in diy, printable by Hanna on

Let me just start off by saying how much fun I had putting together this ice cream sundae kit. There is nothing better then doing something that will brighten up someone’s day especially when it involves sweets! Speaking of kit’s have you seen THIS post with a round up of all the different kits you can make to give to someone? So cute!

Anyway, for this kit I started by searching the candy isles of Walmart looking for everything I would want on an ice cream sundae of my own. By the time I was done I ended up with mostly chocolate things. You should have seen my daughter’s eyes as I kept putting sweet after sweet into our shopping cart. You would have thought it was Christmas or something! Don’t worry she got to taste test just about all of it. 
In the end the toppings for this particular ice cream sundae kit included the following:
– Oreo’s
– Snickers
– Reese’s
– Sprinkles
– M &M’s
– Fudge topping
– Caramel topping
– Waffle cone bowls
(I was also planning on adding some chopping walnuts but complete for got about them while I was wrapped up in getting all the sweet things.)
So except for the rare few who dislike chocolate I would say this was a safe concoction of toppings for anyone.
For the candy bars and the Oreo’s I used a mixer of my food processor and blender to make them a little easier to go on the sundae’s. The Snickers where a little too tough for my small food processor which is when I pulled out the blender. Then I put all the toppings in individual bags. I used zip-lock sandwich bags because that is what I had an hand.
Next I created and printed off these Tasty Topping labels. I cut them out and folded in half; then stapled them over the top of the bags with the toppings in them.
Now I was ready to assemble my kit in a box that fit everything nice and snug since I was sending it. Before wrapping the box up with some kraft paper I put this little note on top. Done!
If you’re wanted to make this ice cream sundae kit you can download the “Tasty Toppings” labels and the “Just Add Ice Cream” note HERE.
I’m sure someone special out there would love to receive a yummy package like this 🙂
Linked To:

Contact Paper Furniture Update

posted in crafts, diy, home, tutorial by Sara on
There is always something about springtime that makes me what to start fresh– out with old and in with the new. As soon as the warm weather hits I’m ready to throw the dull winter clothes into storage and replace them with bright new colorful ones. I clean out, get organized, and rearrange almost my entire house. It’s all so refreshing! First on my list this year is a bedroom makeover, starting with this dresser update.  
Update your furniture with contact paper: It''s easy, inexpensive, and produces fabulous results // Stripes and Polka Dots
We inherited these drawers from my mom after we got married due to the fact that we were poor college students with hardly any money for furniture. They’re actually those inexpensive Closetmaid drawers, and while they’re nothing fancy, they certainly did the job. Really, we were just happy with anything we could get.
Well, four years later we’re still poor college students with no money for new furniture. Since we didn’t have it in the budget to go out and buy a new dresser, I basically had to work with what I had. My husband kept suggesting we paint them, but to be honest I hate painting furniture (especially laminate furniture). I simply don’t have the patience for it. After some thought, I finally came up with an easy solution to my problem…contact paper! 
Update your furniture with contact paper: It''s easy, inexpensive, and produces fabulous results // Stripes and Polka Dots
You all know how much I love shiny metallics so naturally I went with a faux stainless steal look. It just seems so sleek and sophisticated! The great thing about contact paper is that it is inexpensive, easy to apply, easy to replace, and comes in many different colors and patterns. So, if in a couple of months I decide I want a different look, it would be an easy fix.   
Anyway, here is how I transformed my dresser in just 4 simple steps:
Update your furniture with contact paper: It''s easy, inexpensive, and produces fabulous results // Stripes and Polka Dots
Update your furniture with contact paper: It''s easy, inexpensive, and produces fabulous results // Stripes and Polka Dots
Update your furniture with contact paper: It''s easy, inexpensive, and produces fabulous results // Stripes and Polka Dots
This whole project costed me under $15! I got my contact paper at Home Depot but you can get it on Amazon for a little cheaper. I was going to buy new hardware for it as well but it would have cost me over $25 so I settled for a $4 can of spray paint. Overall, I love how it turned out! It is the first step in my bedroom makeover and I can’t wait till it all comes together. To give you an idea of what I what the end results to look like I’ve created a little inspiration board below (final reveal to come later!). 
Update your furniture with contact paper: It''s easy, inexpensive, and produces fabulous results // Stripes and Polka Dots
– SARA
Linked to:

Because of Him

posted in faith, lifestyle, Uncategorized by Hanna on

Wicker baskets, colorful Easter eggs, and bunny shaped candy continues to fill the stores as Easter draws near. As children, we always looked forward to dying Easter eggs, searching the yard for plastic eggs filled with money and chocolate, and getting fun Easter baskets filled with goodies. And while these are all beloved childhood traditions, we wanted to take today to reflect on the real reason we celebrate Easter– that is, Jesus Christ the Savoir of the world. We celebrate His life, His death, and His triumph over the grave. Because of Him, there is no end only beginnings. Christ paid the price for our sins, died on the cross, and rose from the dead– providing a way for each of us to return and live with God and our loved ones someday.
Because of Jesus Christ we don’t have to say good-bye forever at the grave, but only for a short time. Also, because He suffered for us and for our sins, we are not alone in our trails and struggles. He knows us. He knows our pain, our sorrows, and our weakness. Without question, Hanna and I have both felt Christ’s abiding love as we have faced trails of our own; both big or small. As we have mentioned before, Hanna and I are perfectionist in almost everything we do– it is sometimes more of a weakness than a strength. We’ve always know the kind of women we wanted to be and we’re constantly striving for it, but we are only human. There are times when we loose our tempers; when other things gain precedence over our family; when we’re not as loving as we should be; or when we’ve made wrong decisions. We’re constantly falling short, but because of Christ’s great sacrifice there is no end to how many times we can start again.
This Easter we invite you to share the blessing that are yours each and every day because of Jesus Christ. Share with us through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or by commenting below using the #BecauseofHim. We challenge you to remember the Savior in your Easter celebrations this year and allow His life and His ultimate sacrifice to help you start again and work miracles in your life. We only say this because we know it to be true. We have experienced it in our own lives, and it has brought more hope, joy, love, and happiness then we ever thought possible. We look forward to your thoughts this week as we prepare for Easter!
You can learn more about Jesus Christ, His atoning sacrifice and His resurrection at mormon.org/becauseofhim.

Pinterest Challenge Week #3

posted in food, printable, recipe by Sara on
Wow what a week! Besides the beyond beautiful weather, I got to spend some time with family for a bridal shower and a wedding earlier this week. Sara and I have also been talking pretty much everyday in making some future plans for our blog– we’re so excited about it! But, for now let’s get to this week’s Pinterest Challenge. For week #3 I put together an ice cream sundae kit. I’m an all around chocolate lover when it comes to mix-ins for my ice cream so this kit was nothing short of that! I also created my own labels which I’ll be posting next week and I’ll give you the run down of everything I put in the kit.
Mmm, I could definitely go for an ice cream sundae right now… I hope that box it coming my way! The weather here in Oregon has been absolutely wonderful as well, perfect for a cold refreshing treat! Thankfully the warm sunshine has given me the energy and drive I’ve needed to overcome a busy week. While life has been a little very busy around my house lately, it always remains exciting. Hanna mentioned some big plans we have coming up regarding our blog, and while we are keeping them under wraps for now, she is right, we’re super excited about them! Anyway, with a busy schedule I’ve needed so some quick and easy meals to add to my recipe collection. In my Pinterest search, I found this Pesto Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Roasted Asparagus. As always I put my own little twist on the recipe based on what I had in my fridge. Instead of using sun dried tomatoes (which are like $5.00 for a little jar!) I used some cherry tomatoes that I sauteed with garlic. I also decided to add some roasted zucchini to the mix as well, and of course lots and lots of cheese! To top it all off, I whipped up a loaf of my dad’s Fabulous French Bread (that is really the name of the recipes in my family cookbook). All in all, it was delicious and easy to make. Definitely a keeper! 

That wraps up week 3 of the Pinterest Challenge! If you haven’t already seen what the other talented ladies in the challenge have been up to, here are some of our favorite projects from week 3!

 Lime Cream Popsicle | by Delineate Your Dwelling

 Be sure to visit all the other talented bloggers that have joined in on the challenge– there are a LOT more fun and inspiring projects! Again they are:
Katelyn // Ginny // Corey // Megin // Vanessa
 Amy // Havalah // Stephanie

Also, become a follower of our Pinterest Challenge Pinterest board to keep up with all the lasted projects and inspiration!

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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Metallic Photo Wall Collage

posted in diy, home, Pinterest Challenge by Hanna on

For those of you following the Pinterest Challenge we are currently doing, a couple weeks ago I posted my metallic photo frame that I did. I promised then that I would show you the entire wall collage that I created around this frame. So today I’m sharing!

This photo collage also shows more progress in the decorating of my home. So far I’ve been really hesitant to put anything up or do anything in fear I will hate it or my style will change; once I actually figure it out that is. Finally I just decided to do something and not worry about changing it later, because that’s the great thing about home decor…it can be changed many times! Anyway, the living room where this photo collage now resides is slowly coming together and it all started with a bronze vase I have. It gave me the inspiration to continue a metallic, bronze throughout the room.

Also I don’t know if you’ve noticed that beautiful piano below the collage, but can I just say how in LOVE with it I am?! We were given it as a wedding/house gift from my husband’s parents when we moved in. After years of not having a piano, it has been so nice to have one in our house. I wouldn’t say I’m a concert pianist in the least bit, but I find such relief in playing it everyday. My girls also love it as they dance along while I play. The great part about it is the house has this little nook as you walk in the front door between a closet and the stairs that is just perfect for a piano. After getting the piano I knew I wanted to do some kind of photo frame display above it and eventually decided on the collage.

I couldn’t be more thrilled with the result and it’s given me the push to get more things up around the house.

-HANNA

Linked To:
http://placeofmytaste.com/2014/04/work-wednesday-42.html
http://thediydreamer.com/from-dream-to-reality/112-share-your-projects/
http://polkadotsonparade.blogspot.com/2014/04/wow-me-wednesday-140.html
http://iputabirdonit.blogspot.com/2014/04/linkn-blogs-20.html