Holidays Archives - Sweet Frugal Life

Easy Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe

November 3, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Life24 Comments

The best homemade hot cocoa mix recipe makes everything better!

We love keeping hot chocolate stocked in our home during the cold winter months. My kids will spend hours and hours playing outside in the snow and the first thing they ask for when they come inside is some hot chocolate! Back in my “spender” days I use to buy hot chocolate mix at the store like it was nobody’s business! Once I started learning how to save and live a frugal life I learned how to make hot cocoa from scratch with this easy homemade hot chocolate mix recipe and I have never looked back!

Not only does making your own hot cocoa save you money, it is also so quick and easy to do. We love this easy homemade hot chocolate recipe because it tastes much much better than anything we ever buy from the store. I like to whip a huge catch up at the beginning of every winter and keep it stored in the pantry for the kids to use whenever they need a warm drink.

How To Make Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Once you start making this easy hot cocoa recipe you will never go back to the expensive store bought kind. Kids love to help make this recipe and it’s a fun family activity to do together.

Gather Ingredients

All you need is 5 cheap ingredients to mix up this creamy hot cocoa….and you probably already have them all in your pantry!

You will need:

2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered creamer
1/8 tsp salt

Mix It Together

Now, with a spoon, stir all of the ingredients together in a large bowl.

That’s it! You are done! (see, I told you it was easy!)

You can store your homemade hot chocolate mix in an airtight container in a cupboard. This mix will should stay fresh for 6-12 months.

When you are ready to enjoy your hot chocolate just stir 1/4 cup mix with 3/4 boiling water in a mug. Enjoy! Feel free to add marshmallows, candy canes, or whipped cream for an even more festive treat!

Hot Cocoa Mix

Print Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup powdered creamer
1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in a tightly covered container.
To make hot chocolate: Stir 1/4 cup mix with 3/4 cup boiling water. Enjoy!

Related: 25 Completely Free Family Winter Activities

This easy homemade hot cocoa also makes a great, cheap Christmas gift for neighbors or friends!

Just put some in a mason jar and put a pretty bow around it! Make sure to attach the instructions so your neighbors will know how to use it.

Related: Cheap Gift Ideas for Neighbors, Teachers, and Friends

In Conclusion

This easy hot chocolate recipe will cost you pennies to make and tastes so very delicious! I hope your family will enjoy it as much as we do!

Christmas Hard Candy Recipe

Frugal Christmas Traditions For Families

Best Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

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I hope you enjoy this easy homemade hot chocolate mix recipe!

Easy Toilet Paper Pumpkin Craft Tutorial

October 13, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Life5 Comments

How to make toilet paper roll pumpkins!

Yesterday I pulled out all of our fall decorations and had fun getting the house looking a little more festive. After that I decided I wanted a few more small decorations, but didn’t want to spend very much money. So, I decided to make this easy toilet paper pumpkin craft!

My friend showed me how to make these toilet paper roll pumpkins a few years ago, and I knew they would be the perfect addition to my house this fall. The best part about these pumpkins is that they cost less than $1 to make! Yep, you read that right, $1!

The only item I bought for this easy fall craft was the fabric. I bought three fat fabric squares from Walmart for 97 cents each. If that’s not frugal, I don’t know what is! If you already have scrap fabric at home, these will be even cheaper to make!

Not only are these crazy cheap to make…..they are also one of the easiest crafts ever! Most importantly, I spent less than an hour making all three of these darling Halloween Pumpkins. If you aren’t a crafter, this is the craft for you!

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Toilet Paper Pumpkin Craft Supplies

First, let’s gather the supplies. You only need three items to make these cute pumpkins, and you probably already have most of them at home.

Supplies Needed:

One roll of toilet paper
One fat fabric square of fabric (or fabric cut to 18″x22″)
Hot glue gun (optional)
A twig for the stem

Toilet Paper Roll Pumpkin Instructions

Now that you have all of your supplies, the fun part can begin! Let’s start crafting!

First, lay the square of fabric right side down on the table.

Next, place your toilet paper roll right in the middle of the fabric square.

Now, take the ends of the fabric and tuck them into the middle of the toilet paper roll. As you tuck the ends, make sure to pull the fabric tight, this helps make some cute textures and creases for the pumpkin. Sometimes it takes me a few tries before I get it looking just right.

Keep stuffing the ends of the fabric into the toilet paper roll until all the ends of the fabric are hidden and the toilet paper is completely covered with fabric.

You are almost done!

For the stem, just go into your backyard, or a local park and find a small twig. I had to break my stick to get the perfect twig size.

Next, just hot glue a small amount of glue into the middle of your pumpkin and then stick the twig into the hot glue, making sure it is sticking up correctly.

If you don’t have a hot glue gun, that’s OK! Just stick that stick inside the pumpkin and you are ready to go! The twig will usually stand up straight without the glue.

And that’s it! You are done! Just beware, these toilet paper pumpkins are so addicting! You might end up making thousands. They make great gifts for friends and neighbors.

A Few Tips

Try playing around with the toilet paper to make different shapes and sizes. You can change the pumpkin look just by taking off some toilet paper.

For the polka dot pumpkin, I took off about 1/4 of the toilet paper to make a smaller pumpkin. I also wrapped some toilet paper loosely around the entire roll. This gives it a slightly more rounded look. So cute, right???

I wanted my other black pumpkin to be a little bit larger so, I added extra toilet paper to the roll, and tried to give it a rounded loose look.

I loved the way this one turned out! There really are some many possibilities! And for a whopping 97 cents…..you can make a dozen of these without breaking the bank!

Have you ever made a toilet paper roll pumpkin before??? It truly is such a fun and easy pumpkin craft! Let me know if you try it out, I would love to hear how they turned out.

Happy frugal crafting!

YouTube Tutorial

Check out my YouTube toilet paper roll pumpkin tutorial for even more tips for making this easy fall craft!

You might also like:

–Rice Krispie Halloween Monsters Recipe

–No Sew Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial

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Enjoy your toilet paper pumpkin!

DIY Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial

September 2, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Life3 Comments

Check out this No Sew Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial!

Halloween is just around the corner! I love this time of year; I love the pumpkins, the crisp cool air, the changing leaves, and the excitement in my children. My kids love to dress up and run around the neighborhood trick or treating. The urge to craft came on strong the other day and I decided it would be so fun to make my kids new bags for trick or treating. I wanted to create something cute, but also simple and frugal (because that’s how I roll!). I came up with the idea of this DIY trick or treat bag. I’ll be honest with you….it was even EASIER than I originally had planned! (win!)

Disclosure: “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

DIY Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial

My favorite thing about this tutorial is that it is an easy craft projects for non sewers, but comes out looking professional!

The first thing you will need to do to make this no sew Trick or Treat bag is to gather all of your supplies.

Supplies Needed:

–Canvas Craft Tote
Scrap fabric (I chose Halloween colors)
Wonder Under
Iron/ironing board
Pattern for tracing

Find Your Pattern

Now that you have gathered your supplies it’s time to find your pattern. You can choose any design, picture or pattern. It doesn’t even need to be Halloween related!

When we were choosing patterns I asked my kids what picture they wanted on each of their bags. My daughter requested a cat and my son asked for a spider, so those are the patterns I searched for.

You can easily find patterns by searching on google, they are fairly easy to find. Just type in the pattern that you want. For example, if you want to use a spider just type in, “spider tracing pattern.” You will find many different patterns to choose from!

Another great option for patterns is to look at clip art in Microsoft Word.

Once you have found the pattern you want to use, print it and cut it out.

Prepare Your Design

Next you will need to transfer the pattern onto your chosen fabric. I recommend following the directions on your wonder under fusing, they are all a little different.

When I transferred my pattern I cut out a large square of wonder under (large enough to cover the entire shape), and ironed the rough side onto the wrong side of the fabric.

Then I used my tracing pattern to trace the shape onto the paper side of the wonder under.

Once the pattern is traced, cut the picture out (fabric and all), fabric scissors are really helpful to cut out the fabric.

Lastly, gently pull off the paper backing of the wonder under.

Iron On The Picture

Now, center your cut out fabric picture on the bag where you want it. Use a warm iron to iron the picture to the bag. The wonder under fusing will fuse the fabric to the bag, making it stick.

I have found that holding the iron steady for 5-10 seconds over each section of the picture helps give the applique a nice firm hold.

That’s it! You’re done! See, I told you it would be easy!! It probably took me a total of one hour to finish both bags! Quick crafting, is my type of crafting! Imagine all the fun designs and fabric you could iron onto a bag! So many fun ideas!

In Conclusion

Use your imagination when making this DIY Trick or Treat Bag. There are so many fun possibilities. You could iron on a pumpkin, ghost, witch hat, bat, skeleton, or fun lettering.

I can’t wait to watch my kids go trick or treating with their new bags!

Easy Pumpkin Craft Tutorial For a Fun Fall Decoration

Fall Bucket List for Families

Monster Rice Krispie Treats

Pin for Future Reference:

I hope you love this DIY Trick or Treat Bag as much as we did!

Valentine Gift Ideas For Her Under $10

December 27, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life6 Comments

Budget friendly Valentine Gifts to give.

Are you looking for the best Valentine Gift ideas for her?? I have you covered! There is no need to spend a fortune on gifts. I believe you can show your loved one that you care about her, without spending a lot of money.

Here are 10 Valentine Gift Ideas, all under $10 you can give to the woman in your life. If you are looking for some budget friendly valentine gifts for him check out this article.

10 Valentine Gift Ideas For Her ALL Under $10!

1. Facial Sponge

I have been wanting to try this Facial Sponge with Activated Bamboo Charcoal for a while now. It is all natural and the reviews sound amazing and claim it is really beneficial at clearing up skin. I also really love that it is guaranteed, if you don’t like it you can return it for a full refund.

This would make a great valentine gift! Plus, it’s only $6.74!

2. Lavender Essential Oil

Another great gift idea for your special lady is this Lavender Essential Oil. The smell is perfect for a relaxing bath or to diffuse in the evenings. If you are shopping for someone you enjoys essential oil, this is a great buy!

3. Perfume

I love receiving perfume for gifts. It’s a luxury I rarely buy for myself, but absolutely love when someone gifts me some. You might consider buying this Versace perfume to gift to someone this year. It smells great and costs less than $8!

4. Book

If you are shopping for someone who loves to read, consider buying them a new book. The War That Saved My Life is a wonderful feel good book. You can get the paperback version for $6.89, which is a steal!

5. Phone Case

Another great Valentine Gift idea for her is to buy her a new phone case. I personally have this clear phone case and love it. Browse Amazon for a while until you find the right look for your special lady.

6. Gloves

It’s always nice to get a pair of new gloves during the cold months. These cute winter gloves are less than $10 and include touch screen fingers, so you can still use your touch screens while wearing the gloves. Yay!

7. Body Cream

What better way to pamper your loved one than with this Cocoa Butter Body Cream. It smells great and is the perfect consistency of soft and creamy! It is currently a great price at only $5.48!

8. Farmhouse Decor

Farmhouse decor is all the rage right now, and something many women would love to receive more of. This little blue lantern is really cute and less then $10! Yay!

9. Notebook

Are you shopping for someone who enjoys journaling? Maybe you could buy her a new notebook for journaling. This floral journal is so pretty and only $8.99.

10. Manicure Kit

A manicure kit is a great valentines day gift! It’s perfect for her to bring when traveling. Plus, it’s currently on sale for just $6.99!

In Conclusion

I hope this list helped you to find the perfect gift to give to someone you love this year. Finding great buys for a good price is my favorite type of shopping!

Remember, it’s not the price that matters, it’s the thought that counts. And, I truly mean this!

20 FREE Valentine Date Ideas

10 Gifts for Mom Under $10

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I hope you enjoyed these Valentine Gift ideas for her!

20 FREE Valentine Date Ideas

December 18, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life4 Comments

Our favorite budget friendly valentine dates!

With Valentines Day just a couple weeks away my husband and I started brainstorming some free date night ideas. Valentines Day does not always have to be celebrated with an expensive dinner and fancy night out. There is no price tag on quality time spent with the one you love very most. And now, here is our list of 20 FREE Valentine Date Ideas.

I’m sharing a few of our favorite ideas below! Some are a little more romantic, and others are just plain old fun! There is a great date idea for everyone!

These dates are perfect for any date night, it doesn’t have to be on Valentines Day! I hope you find a new favorite!

20 Free Valentine Date Ideas

It’s possible to enjoy a fun date with your spouse…without having to spend any money! Here’s a few ways you can do it!

1. Candlelight Picnic

There is no need to go out to a fancy restaurant to have a candlelight dinner. You can set one up at home!

To make an at home candlelight dinner, just put a blanket on the floor and few candles set around the room. Make sure to cook your loves favorite dinner and enjoy eating and talking over candlelight.

2. Night Drive and Star Gazing

You might enjoy going on a long drive, just the two of you. This is a great time to talk without any interruptions.

Drive to somewhere secluded and wrap up in a blanket together and enjoy some star gazing from the back of your car. Use a star finder app to locate a few constellations.

3. Netflix and Chill

Who doesn’t love to Netflix and Chill???? This is a classic date, and for good reason!

All you have to do is set up some blankets and pillows in front of the TV. Enjoy snuggling together while watching your favorite Netflix shows.

4. Game Night

Another great free date night idea is to have a game night together. Pop some popcorn, get out your favorite snacks and crack open a few games. Let your flirty and friendly banter come out and enjoy a fun game night together with just the two of you.

If you are needing some fun, family friendly games, check out this article!

5. At Home Star Gazing

If you don’t want to go for a drive to look at the stars, you could do some star gazing at home!

Make it a little more special by stringing up some Christmas lights on your back porch and getting out a few blankets to snuggle in.

6. Stroll through Memory Lane

Get out old pictures and letters you may have written to each other. Reminisce about your first dates and talk about how special your love story is. This is a great way to rekindle the flame and to grow closer together as a couple.

Related: Cheap At Home Date Night Ideas

7. Cook Dinner Together

Do you or your significant other enjoy cooking? You might enjoy spending an evening cooking in the kitchen together!

Turn on some music and enjoy each others company while cooking dinner together. Light some candles in the kitchen to help set the mood.

After the dinner is cooked you can enjoy eating the nice meal together!

8. Couple Questions

Even after 17 years of marriage, I am still learning new things about my husband! It’s always fun to find out a new quirk or story from his past.

Find a list of couple questions, like this one, to ask each other. This is a fun free date night to see how well you already know each other and enjoy learning new details about your lover.

9. Roast Smores at Home

You don’t need a campfire to make smores! You can roast them right at home over the stove.

Make them into gourmet smores by adding peanut butter or nutella to the graham cracker! Yum!

10. Dessert Iron Chef

Play an at home version of Iron Chef. This is such a fun cooking competition game!

To play Iron Chef, pick a few “secret ingredients” that you both have to use in your dessert concoction. Set a time limit for each person to whip up the best dessert they can, all while using the “secret ingredients.” End the game by taking turns judging each others desserts.

11. Snowy Walk

If you live in a cold climate (like I do), Valentines Day usually includes snow. Use this to your advantage by taking a walk with your love out in the snow.

Try to explore a new trail or area you have never been before and enjoy the winter beauty together.

12. Comedy Night

Have an at home comedy night. Grab your favorite snacks and search you tube for funny videos or watch a comedian on Netflix, our favorite is always Jim Gaffigan.

13. Window Shopping

If you are wanting a free Valentines Date out in the town you might enjoy window shopping. This is a fun way to browse the stores, without having to spend money.

Make it a little more fun by picking out funny items for each other to try one. See who can find the funniest outfit and promise each other you will try it on no matter what!

14. Photo Scavenger Hunt

Another fun and free Valentines date idea is to have a date night photo scavenger hunt. Try to complete the list together, but give yourself a certain amount of time to make it more exciting. This date is always so fun!

15. Fondue Night

Have a fondue night at home by melting chocolate chips in the microwave. Enjoy good conversation together while dipping fruit and marshmallows into the chocolate.

16. Heads or Tails Drive

A heads or tails drive is a really fun date night idea! First, pack a picnic dinner into the car. Then, go for a drive using a coin to find your destination.

At every intersection flip the coin. If the coin lands on heads, turn right. If it is tails, turn left. turn right if it’s heads and left if it’s tails. Do this for 10-20 intersections and then enjoy eating the picnic together at whatever the destination ends up being.

Related: 10 Valentines gifts for him under $10!

17. Paint Night

Let your artistic side show with this free Valentines Date idea! Whip out the paints and a few canvases for you and your honey to paint on. Enjoy talking to each other while painting your individual masterpieces. I’m not very creative, but I do always enjoy this activity. It’s so soothing!

18. Video Games

Play a few video games together and let your competitive sides show with friendly banter and laughs.

19. Sledding and Hot Chocolate

Enjoy a fun night outside sledding together. End the night back home snuggling next to the fire while sipping hot chocolate.

Related: Easy Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix Recipe

20. Health Night

If you are looking for a physical activity to do on a date, consider doing some couples yoga together. You can find a lot of great, free videos on YouTube! Afterwards prepare a healthy dinner together and enjoy each others company while focusing on your health.

In Conclusion

There are so many ways to date your significant other, without spending any money. The most important part of a date is spending quality time together!

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I hope you enjoyed these free Valentines Date Ideas!

Easy Cinnamon Candy Recipe For Christmas

December 9, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life4 Comments

Try this cinnamon hard candy recipe this year!

Years ago I went home with my boyfriend (now husband) for Christmas. We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas together and I was able to celebrate the holiday with new experiences. It’s always interesting to me how different families celebrate each holiday. On this visit all those years ago I was introduced to many new traditions (they open all of their presents on Christmas Eve, was, ALL the presents. Anyone else do this???) and lots of new foods! One of my favorite Christmas treats his mom made for us was Cinnamon Candy. I begged her for her recipes and I have been making this Cinnamon Candy recipe ever since!

It takes less than 30 minutes to make and requires very few ingredients. Yay! This Cinnamon Hard Candy recipe is now a tradition in our own home and we look forward to making it every year.

You can make this Christmas hard candy recipe two different ways.

The first way is with red food coloring and cinnamon oil, which is how I always make it.

Another way to make this candy is using green food coloring with peppermint oil.

My mother in law makes a batch of both flavors, but I have only made it with the cinnamon. I encourage you to make it however your family will enjoy it most!

How to Make Your Own Cinnamon Candy

It’s easy to make Cinnamon Candy, which is one of the reasons why I love this easy recipe!

First, gather all of your ingredients. You will need:

White sugar
Light corn syrup
Water
Cinnamon oil (or peppermint)
Food coloring (red for cinnamon, green for peppermint)

I usually buy cinnamon oil at a local craft store in the cake decorating section. It is also on Amazon here. Do not use cinnamon extract, it will not taste the same…I promise, I have tried! It needs to be cinnamon oil.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup and water together in a medium sauce pan. Stir mixture continually until it boils.

Insert a candy thermometer and continue stirring occasionally. Keep stirring until thermometer reaches 300 degrees.

Remove candy from heat once it reaches 300 degrees. Quickly stir in the oil and food coloring.

Immediately pour it onto an oiled cookie sheet.

Pick up the pan and gently tilt it left, right, back, forward to help the candy fill up the pan.

Let candy cool completely and then you can break it into pieces. I usually just use the back of a spoon to crack each section.

Now enjoy your delicious cinnamon candy! See how easy that was?!?!

cinnamon hard candy recipe - easy Christmas candy recipe

Christmas Hard Candy Recipe

Easy Cinnamon Candy Recipe for the Holidays!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

3 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon or peppermint oil
1 tsp either red (for cinnamon) or green (for peppermint) food coloring for cinnamon or green (for peppermint) food coloring

Instructions

In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and water.
Cook on medium to high heat until candy thermometer reads 300 degrees (hard crack stage), stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat.
Stir in oil and food coloring, keeping face away from mixture as odor is very strong. Immediately pour onto an oiled cookie sheet.
Cool and break into pieces.
Store in air tight container.

This Christmas cinnamon candy recipe also makes the perfect gifts to hand out to neighbors and friends! Just package it up in a cute gift bag, tie a bow around it and done!

Related: Cheap Christmas Gifts for Neighbors, Teachers, and Friends

Let me know if you try it and like it! It puts a big smile on my husbands face every year and I hope it will bring a smile to your face!

Check out my other Christmas Recipes:

Christmas Tree Cookie Recipe

Easy Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe

Don’t forget to pin this recipe for future reference!:

I hope you enjoy this easy cinnamon candy recipe!

Easy Easter Craft for Preschoolers: Egg Sun Catcher

February 27, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life8 Comments

Make this fun Easter craft with your kids today!

I found the perfect easy Easter craft for preschoolers! My son and I had so much fun making it together, and I am so excited to share it with you! The Egg Sun catcher is hanging up in our window right now and I love seeing the bright colors of it every day.

This project is so easy and I just used items I already had around the house. I LOVE when that happens!

The colors of the egg can easily be customized using any of your favorite colors. I did this craft with my preschooler, but it would also be great for a toddler to help them practice fine motor skills!

Gather Your Supplies

First, gather your supplies. You will need:

Tissue Paper: I just grabbed all my spring colors from the tissue paper I already had at home. You can find some for cheap at the Dollar Tree. Let your child choose their favorite colors!
Contact Paper: One roll of contact paper will last a long time and is fun for laminating things by hand or other fun little craft projects.
Scissors
Paper Hole Punch
String, yarn, whatever you have on hand to hang the egg with
Egg Pattern (I printed my pattern from clip art on the computer)

Egg Sun Catcher Tutorial

Now that you have your supplies it’s time to cut small squares out of your tissue paper. These do not need to be exact, just small squares will do. This is great practice for your child to use scissors!

After you have a nice pile of tissue paper squares it’s time to get your contact paper ready.

Cut two square pieces from your contact paper, make sure they are large enough for your egg.

Set one of the contact pieces aside and pull off the backing of the other piece and lay it sticky side up on the counter top.

Next, let your child place the tissue paper squares onto the sticky side of your contact paper. Make sure to overlap the tissue paper and fill up the entire square of contact paper.

Related: How to Make Easy Nature Bookmarks

Once you have your contact paper covered with the tissue paper you will pull off the backing of your second sheet of contact paper.

Carefully lay the two contact sheets together with both sticky sides together, sandwiching the tissue paper.

Cut Out The Egg

Now it’s time to cut out your egg.

Use your egg pattern to trace the egg onto the contact paper. Cut along the tracing lines. and then cut along the tracing.

Once the egg is cut out you can use your hole punch to poke a hole in the top of the egg.

Loop your string through the hole and your Easter Egg Sun Catcher is ready to hang in your window!

My son has a short attention span so he loves doing these quick and easy projects with me. Now if only the snow would melt and then spring would really be here!

Related: 15 FREE Things to do with your Kids over Spring Break

You might enjoy these other kids activities:

Easy Fourth of July Craft For Kids

Peanut Butter Play Dough Recipe

Dollar Tree Easter Basket Ideas

Don’t forget to pin for next easter:

Enjoy this easy Easter craft for preschoolers!

Yarn Hearts: An Easy Valentine Craft for Kids

February 7, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life3 Comments

An Easy Valentine Heart Craft for Kids!

A friend shared a brilliant idea with me the other day! She said she uses a small Christmas tree for Valentines Day; instead of decorating it with Christmas ornaments she has a little box of Valentines decorations that she brings out every February and her kids get to decorate a Valentines Tree. I thought this would make a fun valentine craft for kids.

So, I got to work putting together my own valentine tree. I already had a small tree that I use for Christmas each year, the only problem is that I didn’t have any decorations for the tree….and I did NOT want to buy any.

We got to work crafting. First, we made a few hearts out of beads and pipe cleaners. They were so easy, just stick beads on a pipe cleaner and shape it as a heart. Done and done!

Next, we made this darling Pom-Pom Garland. I loved it so much and I can’t wait to make more! You can find the tutorial here.

And last, but not least, we put together these Yarn Heart Ornaments. They were SO fun to make and easy enough for my 6 year old to join in. I love the projects that all three kids can enjoy together!

Yarn Hearts Tutorial

First, you need some cardboard hearts. I grabbed a box from my large stash of amazon boxes and cut out a few hearts.

Choose your favorite yarn color. Here is one of my favorite yarn brands. Use a little bit of tape to attach the yarn to the cardboard heart.

Now for the fun part. Just start wrapping your yarn around the heart. Try to wrap it in different angles to make the design interesting. It wasn’t easy to get all of the small nooks and crannies, but we kept working it and was able to get the entire heart covered.

When your cardboard heart is all covered and looks just right tie a small knot and cut off your excess yarn. I tucked the knot underneath some yarn to try to hide it, which seemed to work well!

And guess what! You are done! That’s it! We attached a few ornament hooks through the yarn and hung it up on our Valentines Day Tree.

I just love how these crafts and little tree turned out, and what’s even better….my kids love it! They are so proud that they helped make all of the decorations; and seeing my kids happy faces is the best kind of valentine gift I could ever receive!

Related Easy Craft Projects:

Tissue Paper Pom-Pom Tutorial

The Easiest Halloween Pumpkin Tutorial

How to Make an Easy Nature Bookmark Tutorial

Easter Egg Sun Catcher

Now it’s your turn to make this easy valentine craft for kids!

Dollar Tree Easter Basket Ideas

March 19, 2019 By: Sweet Frugal Life10 Comments

Cheap kids Easter basket ideas!

I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

A common misconception is that the only way for kids to have a childhood full of memorable holidays and fun traditions is to spend a lot of money…..I’m here to tell you that is just.not.true.

Kids remember the time spent together, the laughs shared, and the memories made MORE than they remember how much money was spent.

This is one of the many reasons why I LOVE The Dollar Tree. It helps me to give my kids beautiful, fun holidays, without spending to much money. I love watching their season aisle. It’s fun to see what they bring in every year.

Every year I buy my kids Easter Basket Stuffers from The Dollar Tree spring section. This year I spent a total of $6 per basket, making the grand total for 3 Easter Baskets only $18! AND! I know my kids will love them (yay!). Today, I’m sharing these Dollar Tree Easter Basket ideas with you! I hope that they will inspire you to put together some budget friendly Easter baskets for your own kids.

The Baskets

Every year I save my kids Easter baskets, grass and eggs. I just clean it up, and store it away in my basement storage room. This saves me from having to buy new Easter accessories year after year. These current baskets have last me over 5 years and I’m sure they will last another 5! One of my frugal rules is that every cent saved adds up to huge savings over the course of time.

However, if you are needing new baskets or plastic eggs The Dollar Tree has you covered! Their Easter aisle is packed full of eggs and grass in every imaginable color and Easter Baskets for every personality.

Teen Girl Easter Basket

Why are teens so hard to shop for??? I seem to always struggle trying to come up with gift ideas for my sweet 13 year old. Fortunately, I was able to find a few items at Dollar Tree that I know she will love!

My daughter loves all things artsy, trendy and girly; and I found the PERFECT items for her basket that fit these categories.

I was so excited when I found these darling faux potted cactus’s at The Dollar Tree. My daughter has a slight obsession with cactus’s at the moment (and tells me so do all of her friends….) so I knew this would be PERFECT in her basket.

I also found a fun Calligraphy book to help teach her pretty lettering, white nail polish, and a colorful kite (cause I mean, who doesn’t love kites in the spring????).

It turned out to be a darling teen girl Easter basket, don’t ya think???

Tween Girl Easter Basket

Next up was my 10 year old daughters basket. She is pure girl and loves using her hands in the kitchen or at the table crafting.

I found a nice selection of hands on science kits at The Dollar Tree and ended up buying this Crystal Growing Kit. We have tried to grow our own crystals at home and have failed every time! I’m hoping to have much more success with this kit!

She’s also getting a kite, some chapstick (don’t you love those spring colors!) and a Spiral Art set. Did you love Spiral Art as much as I did as a kid???? So fun! I can’t wait to play with it together.

Related: 25 Gift Ideas for Tween Girls; all under $25!

Boy Easter Basket

And last, but certainly not least is my sons Easter basket. He is 6 and loves all things boy and being active all the time!

I found a box of sidewalk chalk at The Dollar Tree and decided this would be the perfect way to get him outside during spring.

His basket is also filled with a kite, a cute robot on canvas to color and a slinky. He has ALWAYS wanted his very own slinky (little bother problems, amiright???) and I can’t wait for him to see this one on Easter morning.

Related: 25 Gift Ideas for 5-7 year old boys under $25

The Candy

What’s Easter without some candy???? I knew I needed to add some candy to their baskets and The Dollar Tree had me covered! I have a slight (ok, serious) addiction to Sweet Tarts Jelly Beans….have you ever tried them??? So good! I was very proud of myself that I left the bag at the store, otherwise, the entire bag would have been gone before I even left the parking lot (only kinda kidding…).

I DID buy a few pieces of candy for the kids though. Starburst Jelly Beans (also so good!) and chocolate bunnies to name a few.

Do you love filling Easter eggs with candy? I totally do! There is something so fulfilling about it! I have legit wondered if I could make a side hustle out of filling Easter eggs with candy…..

My kids will wake up on Easter Sunday, anxiously walk into our living room area, run to their Easter Baskets and proclaim with excitement about what it’s inside. They will laugh, they will smile, and they will remember their childhood with all the warm fuzzy memories we want them to have…..and all it cost was $6. Thank you Dollar Tree.

Remember, there is more to life than buying expensive toys for our kids and I hope that this article gave you some good Dollar Tree Easter basket ideas. I am wishing you and your sweet kiddos have a wonderful Easter full of laughter, smiles, and lots of jelly beans!

I hope these dollar tree Easter basket ideas gives you some inspiration as you stuff your kids baskets this year.

Christmas Tree Cookie Recipe

November 29, 2018 By: Sweet Frugal Life3 Comments

Try this easy Christmas cookie recipe.

Do you have a food or treat that just reminds you of your childhood Christmas’? Something that you see or smell and are instantly taken back to sweet memories from years ago. Mine are these easy Christmas tree cookies.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions as a young girl was my mom making these delicious Christmas Tree Cookies! I knew it was Christmastime when I came home to these delicious treats after school. This easy Christmas cookie recipe is so easy and always a hit for kids and adults! They are SO easy and I love the hint of almond flavor!

My mom is no longer living, so I have continued on the tradition by making them for my kids. I love getting to remember her and share stories of her life with my kids while we bake these cookies togethers.

Christmas Tree Cookie Recipe

One of the best parts of making these Christmas Tree Cookies is getting to use this fun Wilton Cookie Press. It’s really easy to use, and you can usually find one under $10!

The Wilton Cookie Press comes with a dozen different plates with fun shapes for cookies. All you have to do is fill it with the cookie dough, turn it upside down and press the trigger! Out comes a cute little tree. Easy, right???

The great thing about the Wilton Cookie Press is that you can make this recipe with many different shops and holidays. Just change out the shape, and adjust the food coloring!

Christmas Tree Cookies

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
green food coloring

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream the butter and sugar together in mixer.
Beat in egg and almond extract.
Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Gradually add to mixer.
Add a few drops of green food coloring. Mix well.
Fill Cookie Press with dough and insert the tree plate.
Use Cookie Press to make cookies on ungreased cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with red sprinkles.
Bake in hot oven for 8 minutes.

I hope your family will love these easy Christmas cookie recipe as much as my family loves them! These cookies also make great treats to bring to your neighbors and friends!

Christmas Hard Candy Recipe

Frugal Christmas Traditions For Families

Best Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

The best homemade hot cocoa mix recipe makes everything better!

How To Make Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix

Gather Ingredients

Mix It Together

Hot Cocoa Mix

Ingredients

Instructions

In Conclusion

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I hope you enjoy this easy homemade hot chocolate mix recipe!

How to make toilet paper roll pumpkins!

Toilet Paper Pumpkin Craft Supplies

Toilet Paper Roll Pumpkin Instructions

A Few Tips

YouTube Tutorial

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Pin For Later:

Enjoy your toilet paper pumpkin!

Check out this No Sew Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial!

DIY Trick or Treat Bag Tutorial

Supplies Needed:

Find Your Pattern

Prepare Your Design

Iron On The Picture

In Conclusion

Related Articles:

Pin for Future Reference:

I hope you love this DIY Trick or Treat Bag as much as we did!

Budget friendly Valentine Gifts to give.

10 Valentine Gift Ideas For Her ALL Under $10!

1. Facial Sponge

2. Lavender Essential Oil

3. Perfume

4. Book

5. Phone Case

6. Gloves

7. Body Cream

8. Farmhouse Decor

9. Notebook

10. Manicure Kit

In Conclusion

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I hope you enjoyed these Valentine Gift ideas for her!

Our favorite budget friendly valentine dates!

20 Free Valentine Date Ideas

1. Candlelight Picnic

2. Night Drive and Star Gazing

3. Netflix and Chill

4. Game Night

5. At Home Star Gazing

6. Stroll through Memory Lane

7. Cook Dinner Together

8. Couple Questions

9. Roast Smores at Home

10. Dessert Iron Chef

11. Snowy Walk

12. Comedy Night

13. Window Shopping

15. Fondue Night

16. Heads or Tails Drive

17. Paint Night

18. Video Games

19. Sledding and Hot Chocolate

20. Health Night

In Conclusion

Don’t Forget To Pin For Future Reference:

I hope you enjoyed these free Valentines Date Ideas!

Try this cinnamon hard candy recipe this year!

How to Make Your Own Cinnamon Candy

Christmas Hard Candy Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Check out my other Christmas Recipes:

Don’t forget to pin this recipe for future reference!:

I hope you enjoy this easy cinnamon candy recipe!

Make this fun Easter craft with your kids today!

Gather Your Supplies

Egg Sun Catcher Tutorial