• Christmas Beer countdown Sampler
    Christmas,  Gifts

    Christmas Countdown Beer and Cider Sampler

    This homemade Christmas countdown beer and cider sampler is the perfect gift for almost any guy on your list. The idea is simple. Think of it like those paper advent calendars you had as a kid. Instead of opening a little door with chocolate behind it, your recipient unwraps a new beverage each day. You can make each package the same drink or mix it up like I do. The first year I collected beer and ciders from all over the world and included local brews as well. It was a huge hit with my husband who looked forward to the surprise that awaited him at the end of the…

  • Celebrations,  Fall

    DIY Deer Costume

    Doe a deer, a female deer… I realize female deer do not have antlers and it’s highly unlikely that a male would have pink sparkly antlers with flowers. However, in my imagination, this is what I would look like if I were a deer. There are lots of deer and fawn makeup tutorials on-line, most of them are pretty similar. Some are very extravagant and require skills. Luckily, I found a few that I thought were do-able for someone like me with zero make-up skills. So with that, I decided to become a deer for a day. This look was inspired by a tutorial from Whippy Cake who I’ve been following for…

  • Create an invitation that will really excite your guests
    Birthday,  Celebrations

    Invitation in a Bottle

    Create an Invitation that will Really Excite Your Guests  Everyone loves getting letters in the mail, but these days it’s a rare occurence for sure. What little boy wouldn’t be thrilled to get his own message in a bottle delivered right in his mailbox? Over the years I have done several variations of this invitation from mermaid parties, luau dinners, pirate parties and now a surfing party. It always draws attention and it always gets the guests excited for the upcoming event. Believe it or not, these invitations in a bottle can actually go through the mail. I add just under 1/4 cup of sand to the bottom of the…

  • Cleaning,  DIY Tutorials

    Homemade Laundry Detergent: A one Year’s Supply

    Due to the mounting costs of remodeling, I am always on the look-out for ways to cut spending on products we use regularly. This spring as I was scrolling through my facebook feed, I came across a post that caught my eye. In the article, the author shared her experiences saving money by making her own laundry detergent at home. Now, I’m no stranger to DIY and making things from scratch. I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to DIY household products, but what intrigued me was that this “recipe” was actually supposed to make enough laundry soap to last an entire year. One less item to have buy at…