no sew pillow
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DIY No Sew Pillow (She: Carmella)

Hi there! It’s Carmella and I am happy to be back and I’m excited to share this super easy spring project with you all! You only need a few things to make these pillows… and you can leave your sewing machine in the back of the closet where it’s safe from its user, {oh, wait… am I the only one scared of her sewing machine??}. That’s right, this is a no sew pillow you can whip up using a few craft supplies.

White Chocolate Bunny Fudge
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White Chocolate Bunny Fudge (she: Gina)

Easter will be here in just 10 short days & I have the perfect quick treat for you & your Easter guests. When it comes to holiday entertaining- for me quick is key. With so much to do in preparation for gatherings on top of everyday life – I always gravitate to things that come together with minimal prep. This White Chocolate Bunny Fudge certainly fits that requirement & yet they look so great on the buffet table. With just 3 ingredients – you can’t beat it.

Pecan Blondies with Browned Butter Frosting
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Pecan Blondies with Browned Butter Frosting

Wassup, my friends. Okay, these Pecan Blondies with Browned Butter Frosting are soooo good. It seems pretty rare that I’ll try a recipe and know that it’s more than a keeper, it’s a CRAVER! I keep walking past my pan of these, telling myself, ‘Don’t to it. Don’t…. do… it.’ And, then I do it. I snag one more little piece. Then I walk past again like 5 minutes later.

So, I found this recipe in this huge Pillsbury cookbook I’ve had kicking around for years. It was taking up so much space in my cookbook cupboard, that I decided to go through the whole thing and pull out just the recipes I wanted to try.

what's hot in southern california this summer

What’s Hot in Southern California This Summer (she: Kimberly)

Hey all, it’s Kimberly from Get Away Today. I know it seems like spring has just sprung, but before you know it, it will be summer! The kids will be out of school and it will be time to hit the road for the all important summer vacation. Southern California is a happenin’ vacation destination year-round and there’s always something new and exciting going on. This year is no exception, so I wanted to share what’s hot in Southern California this summer at what I call the Big Three – the Disneyland Resort, Universal Studios and SeaWorld. I hope it helps in your summer vacation planning!

Fun Easter Egg Spelling Scramble for #Easter morning. www.orsoshesays.com #games
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Easter Egg Word Scramble – A Spelling Game for Kids! (she: Brooke)

Happy spring Or So She Says readers! It’s Brooke again and I’m happy to be visiting you today from Blissful Roots. Don’t you love this beautiful, refreshing time of year? It’s one of my favorite seasons. Come to think of it, I say that at the beginning of every season, and then by the end of some seasons I’m complaining a bit. But never with spring! Spring could last forever in my book!
Today I have a fun, easy educational holiday game for you to do- an Easter egg word scramble.
When I taught first grade, we did a lot of great activities for our literacy centers. This was always a hit with my students during the weeks leading up to Easter. When I taught, we didn’t use Easter words, we used our spelling and/or high frequency words, but since Easter is just around the corner I think Easter words are perfect for this activity!

easter place setting
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Easter Place Setting Idea … using simple craft supplies (she: Maria)

Hi Everybody! This is Maria from Shopgirl, and I’m excited to be here again to share a fun Easterplace setting idea with you! Can you believe that Easter is just around the corner?! With as long as winter has lasted this year, it’s hard to believe that spring is finally here! I love this time of year; I love that after months of cold, dark and dreary weather (especially this year!) the world all of a sudden becomes beautifully colorful as trees turn green and flowers begin to bloom! You may already be planning your Easter menu and decor (and if not, you still have time!) and I have a fun place setting idea to share with you today! All you need are a couple of craft supplies and you have these cute little Easter egg place settings for your holiday table! Here’s what you’ll need and how you can make these…

Family Night – Teaching Kids Their Words Matter! (she: Tonii)
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Family Night – Teaching Kids Their Words Matter! (she: Tonii)

Hello everyone, it’s Tonii again and I am so glad to be back with another fun and simple Family Night! This month, I felt inspired to talk to my kids all about the importance of WORDS. The words that we use, and the way that we use them. It’s so important to spend time teaching kids their words matter.

To get started I whipped up a simple printable with the words I say to my kids every day before they head off to school… Check it out!

toilet training

Toilet Training: Is Your Child Ready? (she: Heather)

Toilet training our children can be one of the most challenging things we have to do. One of the reasons it is so hard, is because we often start training our children before they are ready. Regardless of the method you choose to use when you train, knowing if your child is ready is the first step.
Remember, our goal shouldn’t just be to get our children to go to the bathroom in the toilet and not in their pants, but to teach our children to go to the bathroom in the toilet by themselves. Here are a few simple tests that can help you gauge if your child is ready to be toilet trained. Most children 20 months and older are capable of being toilet trained. But remember, every child will be different. Three simple tests (Bladder Control, Physical Development, and Instructional Readiness) can help you assess if your child is ready.

Personalized Initial Letter Art on www.orsoshesays.com. A fun project to do with (or without!) the kids. #initialart #letterart #lettering #homedecor #DIY #crafts
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Personalized Initial Letter Art (she: Darleen)

I love anything with a personalized touch, and you can see that in many of the jewelry pieces I design. We recently moved, and I have slowly been decorating my youngest daughter’s bedroom–making the transition from crib to bed. I have wanted to add a little something to personalize her room. Usually for wall decor in my other children’s bedrooms, I have displayed a piece of their artwork in their room. So, since my youngest daughter is at that toddler’s age and she loves to make “messy” artwork, I thought it would be a fun project to create an abstract piece together using a large canvas initial letter.
This is just your basic painting project–paint brush, acrylic paint and canvas painting board. But the one who is making the personalized initial letter art is your child.

Blackberry Crumb Bars (she: Gina)
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Blackberry Crumb Bars (she: Gina)

Happy Spring Everyone!! It’s Gina from Kleinworth & Co. again. Do you love spring?? I am so excited for the warmth to come back. I really enjoy this time of year when the days are longer, the sun shines more & there’s more fresh fruit available. I just feel better when I have an abundance of fresh fruit & vegetables stocked in the house. I know that I always have a healthy snack available whenever I want it. Plus – I love baking with fruit, especially berries. They are like little gems with those gorgeous, vibrant colors – they just make me happy.
I was so happy to do my usual stock up run for produce & my house is overflowing with colorful foods. I was looking forward to using some in some test recipes. Since we are on the countdown to Easter I am already planning my celebration meal. This means that I am making many test recipes to figure out what exactly will end up on the final menu. I created these Blackberry Crumb Bars as a little snack that guests can grab while chatting or would also work well topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I think they may just make an appearance on Easter day. They have just the right ratio of crumb & berry – so yummy.

Free, Customizable Spring Printable (she: Anne)
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Free, Customizable Spring Printable (she: Anne)

It is hard to believe, especially with the snow still falling, blowing, drifting, and staying in WNY, that Spring is actually here. But it is and regardless of what is out my window, I am seeing bright and cheery days ahead. I just can’t wait to get out and start my spring planting, to see the roses start to bud, and to be able to get out of the house without layers on. Inspired by the coming Spring weather (it IS coming, right?), I decided to switch out some of my usual wall art up with something a little more fitting given my anticipation.
I made these fun prints using the Janda Flower Doodles Font. For a little bit of experimentation, I printed one on kraft card stock, one on plain white card stock, and one on vellum. Then I colored each with a different medium. I admit, sometimes I am not quite sure what I want until I try some things out.

Products to prevent and treat lice
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Products to Prevent and Treat Lice (she: Rebecca)

So, this is a post I thought I would never be qualified to write … at least I hoped I’d never become an expert at dealing with dreaded lice! But, I’m coming to you now as a seasoned veteran of the war against these horrible, nasty, persistent little pests.

Let me start from the beginning. I have a first grader with long, thick, thick, thick (Did I mention her hair is thick?!?) gorgeous hair. At the end of the Christmas break, she started complaining about her head itching, so I casually checked her head only to find the tell-tale white nits buried deep in there. I was horrified! I cancelled all our plans, called any friends we’d been in recent contact with, loaded the three kids in the car and headed straight for the drug store. I bought everything I could find, spent a fortune and went home to begin the war!