15 Ways to Spend Quality Time with Your Young Adult Children During the Holidays

My three kids are spread out all over, but I can almost always count on the holiday season being a time when we can all be together, if only just for a day or two. It's important to make the most of the time we do have with our young adult children. It's important to remember that we worked hard as parents to launch our kids and it's important to remember that they are busy creating lives and traditions of their own, but it's still important to make the most of the time we have together. Here are 15 creative and meaningful ways parents can spend quality time with their young adult children during the holidays.

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How to Celebrate the Holidays on a Budget

I know, I know, it feels a little early to start writing about the holidays. But friends, it's the perfect time to start thinking about the holidays. Especially if you want to celebrate without falling into the trap of overspending. I'm here to show you that you don't need to break the bank to have a memorable holiday season with your loved ones. You can be generous and frugal all at the same time! I'll be sharing creative tips and ideas on how to celebrate the holidays in a budget-friendly way without compromising the holiday cheer! The secret is to start planning now!

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The Cricut Holiday Gift Everyone Wants Under the Tree!

I got a cutting machine as a Christmas gift ten years ago! As an adult, there aren't many gifts that I hope for, but a cutting machine was one of those I hoped to find under the tree. It literally changed my crafting game. I learned how to vinyl all the things, to make custom invitations for birthdays, designed shirts and clothing for basically any event, and cut out everything from paper for science fair posters to leaves I used to create DIY wreaths. 
I couldn't imagine not having a cutting machine. It's like a workshop not having a hammer or a screwdriver. And honestly, you don't even have to consider yourself crafty to use a cutting machine. The biggest game-changer for me this year though has been getting a Cricut Joy. If you have ever thought getting a cutting machine would be a good idea, or even if you have a larger traditional machine like the Cricut Maker, the Cricut Explore, or even the Silhouette Cameo, I'm going to lay it all out there so you can clearly see why the Cricut Joy is the holiday gift everyone {should} wants under the tree.

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Personalized Holiday Gift Using Handwriting with the Cricut Joy

There is something distinctive about handwriting. Handwriting is very personal and in a world where everything is typed and texted, those personal connections are becoming a lost art. Finding something written by someone close to you who has since passed, can immediately tug at your heart.  You can identify the loops of the letters or the scrawled cursive to the one who created it. Creating a personalized gift with someone's handwriting creates the ultimate gift to give this holiday season. I'm going to show you how you can take a handwritten note, a recipe, or a signature and create a keepsake gift using the Cricut Joy. 

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DIY Christmas Holiday Letterboard Sign

I love a good DIY. I craft and create all year long, but especially around each holiday and even more so at Christmas. I'm sharing this DIY Christmas Letterboard sign now so you'll have plenty of time to whip one up for your holiday decorating or gifting. Letterboards are such a fun way to decorate with words {and I obviously love words!}. You can change the phrases and sayings often or leave it with the same phrase all holiday long. Get the full DIY Christmas Letterboard tutorial! Read on!

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Last Minutes Valentine's Day Gifts under $10 All Available with Prime!

Some holidays just sneak up on you. Valentine's day is one of them. At least for me! So how can you quickly and easily get prepared for the upcoming holiday without spending a lot of dough but still show the people you love how much they mean to you? I've got you covered. I've got the perfect last-minute Valentine's day gifts all under $10 and all available with Amazon Prime. You're welcome.

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5 Reasons I love my Cricut Explore Air 2 for Holiday Crafting

When I got my first cutting machine for Christmas in 2010, I think the words I said were "man, this is really going to up my crafting game." And it has! I've found that the more I've used a cutting machine the more I realize how much the machine can help me in my everyday life. I used to think that cutting machines were only for crafters, but in the years that I've had one, I have seen countless needs it could have met. From teachers in the elementary school to junior high projects, for fundraising activities and everything in between. I can't even begin to tell you about every project I've created because there have been so many, but I can tell you 5 reasons why I love my cutting machine, and recently, why I'm enamored with my newest cutting machine, the Cricut Explore Air 2, especially for holiday crafting.

Stick around for the tutorial for the DIY Santa Snack Holiday Tray. 

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Santa's Magic Key Plus Free Printable

Not everyone has a house with a chimney and this time of year that can be quite disturbing. Not because it's some DIY project you should put on your to-do list, but because of Santa, that's why. Parents with inquisitive kids know this can create quite the conundrum, so why not explain that there is a "magic" key that will let Santa enter into your home on Christmas Eve when he can't go the traditional chimney route. If you've got a concerned kiddo, put their mind to ease with Santa's magic key.

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Last-Minute Movie Night Gift Idea with Free Printable Gift Tag

There is nothing like the last minute especially when it comes to holiday gifts. This is a quick one to put together and it won't cost you a lot of money. These last-minute movie night gifts can be put together quickly and are the perfect gift for a crowd. You can also just gift one, but I'm thinking neighbor gifts, teacher gifts, and a quick gift for those unexpected people on your list. I've got the free printable for you and easy instructions so you can make your own. No one will know you waited until the last minute. Promise!

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Rudolph Repair Kit Printable with Free Printable Bag Topper

There is nothing more fun than the magic of Christmas. Kids love to use their imaginations and they love the traditions that the holiday brings. I know when my kids were younger, I was always looking for easy holiday gifts to give to their friends or to stuff in stockings, and these Rudolph repair kits are the perfect thing for this time of year. You can easily create enough for a whole classroom celebration, for a simple and fun craft for a group or make a few just for fun. They are easy and everyone is sure to love them!

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DIY Faux Hand-Lettered Holiday Scroll Wall Hanging

I know this isn't a new confession if you are a long-time blog reader, but Christmas music is not my favorite. There are few songs that make the short list of allowable holiday songs, but O Holy Night is one of them. Every year it seems a different line of that song sticks out to me as one to focus on and this year, the line "and the soul felt its worth" is that line I can't shake. What a powerful line! So much so, that I wanted to hang it in my home somewhere. I was shopping at a holiday market and saw some beautiful kraft paper scrolls and knew that I could replicate it quite easily for a fraction of the price using a line that was meaningful to me. So with packaging paper from the dollar store and a few supplies I had on hand, I made a DIY hand-lettered sign minus the hand lettering. 

As much as I try, I can't seem to make my writing produce the beautiful script, and I revisited a chalkboard hack I shared with you years ago to create this faux hand-lettered scroll wall hanging. See how I created this large holiday wall hanging for around $1!

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DIY Flocked Christmas Tree Using Supplies from the Dollar Store

Being from the midwest I am a fan of a white Christmas. It doesn't happen often around here, but I love it when it does. Couple that with childhood memories of a sweet flocked Christmas tree that was deemed "the kid tree" and I decided to try my hand at flocking my own tree this year. I walked into the local Dollar Tree {you all know how much I love that store!} and picked up all the supplies I needed for under $5. I think the end result is pretty spectacular! Keep reading to get the full tutorial on how to flock an artificial Christmas tree using supplies from the dollar store.

Don't miss my whole series on What Not to Buy at the Dollar Store

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Easy DIY Velvet Acorn for your Fall or Thanksgiving Tablescape

A few weeks ago when my husband and I took a quick trip through NYC, one of the must see's on our list was to stroll through Central Park. While we were exploring...ok fine, while I was waiting for my husband in the bathroom, I found a whole pile of acorn tops. I started picking them up and putting them into my purse. I'm not much of a souvenir person. Sure, I like collecting things from where I've been, but I don't want to just collect things for the sake of collecting them. It was then that I realized that I could make a pretty cool souvenir with the acorn tops.  I could display them in the fall and they would remind me of our trip to NYC. You don't have to travel to Central Park to make these DIY velvet acorns, but you will probably need to take a stroll to your local park or in your backyard to get started.

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Mummy Rice Krispies Treats

It's a little known fact that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. There is something about the fun childlike decorations and treats with googles eyes that get me. Plus, what's not to love about going door to door and people handing you out FREE candy?! I think you will love this Halloween twist on the old rice krispy treat favorite. Why not whip up some mummy rice krispy treats for an after school snack this afternoon? I bet your kids will love them. 

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Easy Halloween Microwave Candy Corn Taffy Recipe

One of those random childhood memories I have is of pulling taffy in the basement kitchen of our church. I have no idea how old I was, but I know I was under 10. It was such a fun thing to do because, well, candy. What kid doesn't love candy! 

Halloween is one of those special times when candy is in over abundance, but why not share some time with your kids and teach them how to make their own candy. This easy microwave candy corn taffy is the perfect recipe to get started with. It's a fun seasonal fall flavor everyone {not just the kids!} will love!

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Polish and Preserve Your Decorative Pumpkins

I call it a healthy sign of adulthood when you have a favorite designer brand of pumpkin. My teenagers would call it "basic". We don't agree on a lot of things. I'm lucky enough to live close to a local farm that sells some amazing decorative pumpkins at a great price. Over the years I've learned a trick or two on how to polish and preserve them so I can get the most out of my pumpkins for the whole season. And by whole season, I mean from September until late November. I love how I'm able to take the muted colors of the various gourds and make them shine all season long. And now I'm sharing my secrets on how to polish and preserve your decorative pumpkins all season long.

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How to Make Shaving Cream Dyed Easter Eggs

I have always loved dying Easter eggs. It's been one of those things that we've done in our family since I can remember and now I continue the tradition with my kids. I like to find new techniques and methods to decorate our eggs and break out of the old way of doing it with the magic tablet dropped in vinegar that sits in your moms favorite coffee mug. You know what I'm talking about. The small box that has the perforated holes so you can punch them out and let your eggs drip dry all over the counter.  Well, I've got a new method. I did a crash course myself and then think this is the technique I'm gong to introduce to my kids. It was easy, a little messy but in a fun way and the eggs all turned out a little different. Why not give shaving cream dyed Easter eggs a chance? I'll show you how!

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DIY Coordinating Christmas Ornaments and Wrapping Paper the Easy way!

I love the look of coordinating decorations at Christmas time, don't you? Unfortunately, this look can get expensive and require you to replace what you have. I found a way to work with what I had and create coordinating Christmas tree ornaments and wrapping paper and you can too! I'm sharing how you can do this with the purchase of just a few items and a few minutes of your time.

 

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Mixed Metal Mirror Duck Tape Wreath

Remember how gold anything made us gag like 10 years ago? Now I can't get enough. Especially around the holidays. My absolute favorite part about Christmas {besides the cards} is the twinkly shiny everything. Twinkling lights on the tree, shiny ornaments and now, my new favorite Christmas decoration is this mixed metal mirror Duck Tape wreath. What's that you say? This is Duck Tape??? Stop it!!! Yep, it doesn't look like it because it's too busy looking like a million bucks that's why. 

I'm sharing the tutorial with you so that you can add some beautiful sparkle in your home. Plus, this stuff will have your mind running a million miles an hour thinking off all the amazing things you can cover with Duck Mirror

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Sheet music wreath

Easy to Make Sheet Music Wreath Tutorial

On Monday, I shared with you how I made my sheet music Christmas trees.

Today, I will be sharing with you how I made my rolled sheet music wreath.

Isn't it beautiful?!

I started with a large piece of sheet music.

Roll the sheet music lengthwise.

I always knew I had a good roll when I would end up with a triangle in the middle of my cone.

Glue the end of the paper in place with your glue gun.

I used a Styrofoam circle from the Dollar Store.

You all know how much I love the Dollar Store!

I marked the center with a dot, but I don't think it really matters one way or another.

Once I rolled a fair amount of cones, I was ready to start gluing them on to the Styrofoam circle.

I made a large cone pattern to start off with,

then slowly starting to fill in the spaces as equally as possible.

Once I finished gluing the cones on as full as I could, this is what it looks like from the front.

I did the same thing to the front of the wreath filling in the Styrofoam with cones until I was pleased with the fullness of it.  The center needed to be finished off with something, so I decided to attempt to make a sheet music fan for the center.

I took 3 sheets of 2 inch wide paper for the big fan

and one sheet of one inch wide paper for the small fan

Small fan tutorial

1. fold the small paper accordion style

2. glue one end to the other end and place on it's side

3. carefully gather and pinch the end pushing down in the center to make a flower.  Place a small piece of glue in the center to hold it together.

Large fan tutorial 

1. fold the three sheets accordion style

2. glue each end to one another

3. form a circle with the paper

4. pinch and glue the inside together 

 I glued the big fan and the small fan together, and then glued it to the center of the wreath.

You could also glitter the edges of the fan if you wanted to.

 That's it!

Glue a ribbon to the back and hang your wreath in your favorite spot!

As you can see, I really love sheet music. Have you made anything beautiful with sheet music?

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