Gift giving

I have mentioned this before, but will mention this again... I administrate a Facebook group called "Extraordinary Visiting Teachers."

   

You should go join, because there is a lot of really good conversation on that group, that can be so helpful in so many ways! Anyhow....I recently posted  a page of ideas to help people come up with "Easy, quick and cheap, but thoughtful things to take to a friend," which are gift giving ideas.  I cannot tell you how often I am in need of  a little thoughtful gift to give to someone at a minutes notice.  I included links to some blogs or websites for some of them, but I have no affiliation with any of them, but needed an example of the gift ideas. (You know what they say... a Picture is worth a thousand words.)  Anyway... Feel free to use these or copy the page, and pass it on to help others.  That is what it is all about... Serving others, and a side benefit from doing kind things for others is that it makes you feel so darn good too!  Go out and serve.  Enjoy!  Katie G

Very Cute Valentine Ideas

 

   Have been looking for some cute and original Valentine Ideas to do for my children.  I have found some really cute one that I wanted to provide links so that you too could see these fun things to do.  Here is the first one that I found.  It is soooo cute and would be cute even not hanging with a berry wreath behind it.  I have put this link below the image.  To see it closer, click on the image 
http://www.lilluna.com/2011/01/tutorial-tuesday-valentines-wreath.html  There is a complete tutorial of how this was made and it only cost $4! 

Now I found this next one in my search for really cute and creative things to do for Valentines at this site: http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/01/whimsical-valentine-wreath.html  I can't believe just by looking at the picture that it is made out of cupcake liners.  The tutorial on how to make it is on the blog, so be sure to go to it and have a look see!  My mind of course went wild with this one, because think about all the other holidays that you would like to have  a wreath up and you could buy the cupcake liners for St. Patricks Day ( which I have a hard time finding decorations that I actually like for that holiday) of for any other holiday or time of year!   SO CUTE!  Make sure to scroll down below the instructions, because displayed on that blog are a bunch of other cupcake wreaths!

When I find some ideas from blogs that I like, I usually find that their tastes are like mine, so I really enjoy looking at the other cute things they have created, and I make sure to save them to my favorites list so I can find them again when I need another project.  So.... I kept looking around on this same blog and found this other cute idea for Valentines Day....  They are playing cards made into Valentine Coupons.  Now how cute and cleaver is this?  She even has the printable coupon link on it so you can benefit from her work and ideas.  It is so very cute.  Here is the direct link to this project http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/02/valentine-project-playing-card-coupon.html  You will need to go look at other projects on this blog because she has so many other ones that are just darling!  So here is the link that will take you there http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/search/label/crafts 

and as I scrolled down I came to these darling flowers made out of felt or leather, but I also thought you could buy some vinyl and make them too.  http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/2010/11/1-leather-or-felt-flower-gift-idea-with.html is the direct link to the tutorial to make these but what a versatile project.  These could be given as a gift to someone or made for yourself to have a purse clip, a hair clip, a belt clip, a shoe clip or any other kind of clip that you came up with.   I absolutely love this site and the ideas that she has so cleverly come up with that are new and fresh.  You know, I have seen cute purses that have cute flowers and ruffles all over them, and you could make one using a plain purse or bag pattern and adorn your purse with these darling flowers.  We have a store in Utah that is called Home Fabrics, that have bolts and bolts of fabric that can be used for draperies, upholstering  furniture, and they also have large rolls of vinyl and leather for really cheap per yard.  I think this must be a seconds store, but looking at these darling flowers tutorial, my mind went wild about where I can go to get the materials to make something really cute like this. 

This image came from this blog http://ptskjohnson.blogspot.com/2010/09/jizdani-designer-bags-giveaway.html and gives sort of an idea of what you can do to decorate a purse with flowers.  The one on the image aren't the same ones as above, but you can find a pattern for those as well online.  Look how she has added a cute button to the center of the flower to make it even cuter!
Here is a link to a site that has all different kinds of free patterns for making purses that you can use.  There is even one that is made out of duct tape if you can imagine!!!!
http://pursepatterns.com/free_bag_patterns.html    Here is one that looks very simple to make, http://tinyhappy.typepad.com/tiny_happy/2006/06/shoulder_bag_tu.html and would be darling with flowers all over the front of it.  I would make the purse in a vinyl and then put darling fabric or vinyl flowers all over the front of it.  I found this purse at this site http://craftstew.com/sewing/free-purse-and-tote-bag-patterns and it has lots of other purse patterns too.  I think just alittle clutch purse with a zipper would be so cute decorated with these flowers.  Can you tell I like these flowers???

 
           One last thing... Don't forget to go to my own Valentine ideas on this site that I have created in the past years for ideas too.  (go to the Labels section on the right and at the bottom, click on "Valentines" ..They are still cute and current ideas and there are printable things that make it so much easier, that is if you own a printer.  Enjoy!  Katie G.

More wonderful ideas for gift giving and for Halloween!



http://createwithjulia.blogspot.com/2008/12/flexible-flyer-loaf-of-bread-beyond.html

 While I was looking for something else, I stumbled on a great tutorial for a darling bread box.  It is made from Scrapbook paper and is so very cute. 

Here is the link to the blog that you can find it at.  http://www.technostamper.blogspot.com/2008/10/bread-box-mini-tutorial.html 

This second blog uses stamps from Stampin Up too.  Both are very cute!!! Great ideas for sharing the fruit breads we make this time of year.

I  found these darling Halloween ideas and thought I had better pass them on too at

http://www.thelennoxx.com/?p=3531

Boo-nana Bread

Christine T from West Virginia emailed me and said that she was going to use my header idea for her Banana Bread.  She changed the header from Caramel Boo-corn to "Boo"nana Bread. I thought that was a great idea so I wanted to pass it on to you.  I also told her that I would make another header for a Gallon Bag so here it is .  Enjoy, Katie G

If you have any great ideas please email me and let me know!!!

You have been Boo'd

I love Halloween, partly because it is my birthday month, but because it lots of fun.  I love to decorate my home and even dress up in my old age, to greet the trick or treaters.  I must be crazy, but I am sure having fun.  So... I created my own "You have been Boo'd" flyer to go out when you take treats to your neighbors and friends.  You are welcome to use mine if you like.  You might want to start with those you visit teach!  ( but don't count that as your visit!  Ha, ha!)   Enjoy!!!  Katie G

P.S. I had forgotten about my other storage blog that goes with this one, and accidentally started posting this Halloween handout in that one.  I thought I had better remind you too since I am the one who created it and forgot about it.  Here is the link to see the things that are in it!  http://visitingteachingsurprisedocuments.blogspot.com/

My Sweet Son Andy, who is my computer guru, came over and fixed what was wrong with my internet that would not let me insert any photos on my blog.  It took him less than a minute.  Am I ever grateful for him, and you should be too.  What is this blog without all the images that I put on it for you to download.  Thanks, Andy!!!!  Happy Halloweening.... Katie G.

I have been asked about whether or not people can  use popcorn with the caramel recipe and I have said yes but....if you use it with puff corn, I can guarantee you that it will be gobbled up so fast, your head will spin.  Everywhere I have ever taken it, people love it.  There is a recipe on the back on one of the different brands bags of puff corn, but it just isn't like my caramel, but it is pretty good too. I recommend my caramel recipe.  I also recommend that you try the puff corn and see if you agree about how yummy it is.  One tip though.... caramel corn can really set up fast, and you want to be able to keep it as soft as possible.  You could cook it about a minute or two less, but what you need to do is to put it immediately into plastic bags, so it stays as soft as possible.  Oh and with popcorn... you can never get all the hard kernels out, and you about break your teeth chewing into one.  Puff corn is so soft it will about melt in your mouth and the chewieness will come from the caramel.  SOOOOOOO Good.  Here are a couple of different brands of puff corn that I found on the internet:

Fathers Day.... Quick, cheap and printable cards, and gifts.

I just had some fun ideas for Fathers day.......I thought I would add some links of some cute fathers day printables for you in case you find yourself wanting to do something creative and fun, lacking funds to buy a card or gift, or just want something original for you or your kids to do for fathers day.  I have inserted a bunch of links that can take you to some pretty awesome and creative printables.  The first site is one that I want to focus on as I just happened upon them today and LOVE, love, love, their site. The site is  http://thetoymaker.com/  They not only have fathers day printables but printables for just about any other holiday or occasion you could think of and soooooo cute!  They have some darling inline readable books as well that could keep your kids busy during the long summer.  I want to insert a photo of the darling Fathers Day box that they have that you can print off and fill with with some of dad's favorite treats......

If you go to the link located here: 

 http://www.thetoymaker.com/Holidays/Fathersday/DADBOX.pdf you can print it off.  Be sure to look through this entire site as you will find all kinds of fun things and they are sooooo cute!!!!!
More from that site can be found here for Fathers Day:
Card for Husband http://www.thetoymaker.com/Holidays/Fathersday/besthusband.pdf
Card s for Dad http://www.thetoymaker.com/Holidays/Fathersday/Bestdad.pdf

Thanks Toymaker.com for you talents, and hard work and for sharing!!!!

Other fun printables are here:
Coupons - http://familycrafts.about.com/od/fathersdaycrafts/ig/Printable-Father-s-Day-Coupons

Marble kids face magnets  http://crafts.kaboose.com/family-marble-magnets.html







Fisher Price Printables
http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=5254&e=thumbnail&mcat=pcFathersDay
Parents printables http://www.parents.com/holiday/fathers-day/printables/printable-fathers-day-cards/
Coupons http://www.associatedcontent.com/theme/1259/fathers_day.html?cat=74

Coupons  http://familyfun.go.com/fathers-day/fathers-day-printables/fun-fathers-day-coupons-704055/







Fathers day Certificate http://familyfun.go.com/fathers-day/fathers-day-printables/printable-gift-worlds-greatest-dad-certificate-704051/

King for a day crown http://familyfun.go.com/assets/cms/pdf/printables/fathers-day-crown-printable-0510.pdf

To go with the printable here is a darling king for a day cake by wilton King for a day cake http://www.wilton.com/about/pressroom/pressrelease.cfm?id=320FAF4F-1E0B-C910-EA39B599F655FF69

This cake would be fun to just do a King for a day themed dinner and tread Dad or your husband like Royalty.

I found a site that takes this idea one step further and it can tell you all kinds of fun things to do to make your husband or Dad, king for a day at http://beautyandbedlam.com/fathers-day-ideas-king-for-the-day/  They even have a cute fathers day coupon booklet to print off located here http://beautyandbedlam.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/FathersDayCouponBook.pdf
Wondering what to cook on Fathersday?  How about a "PAPA'S PIZZA"?  This darling idea comes from the same site I found the king for a day ideas.  Thanks again.... and here is the link http://beautyandbedlam.com/celebrate-dad-this-fathers-day-with-a-papa-pizza/  Thanks Jen at beautyandbedlam.com for all the great ideas!!

Enjoy these fun Fathers Day finds!!!!!  Katie G.