eighteen25

cookie valentines

2012-01-30T13:23:00.000-08:00

are you looking for something yummy for your kids to pass out to their classmates this valentine's?

SUPPLIES:

red, pink and white cardstock
white cd sleeves
twine
valentine peanut butter and M&M cookies recipe (below)
circle punch
scallop punch (or the silhouette)
and a heart punch (or the silhouette)
hole punch

. . . . .

Valentine Peanut Butter and M&M Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups Valentine M&Ms

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the corn syrup, water, and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chunks. Drop by 1/4 cupfuls 3 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

have a birthday coming up? we've shared this birthday version too!

[project life] weeks two + three

2012-01-29T10:05:00.000-08:00

[PROJECT LIFE] WEEK TWO

SUPPLIES USED: clementine edition project life kit... washi tape... paper doily... alpha stickers... paper smash tabs... smash pad

[PROJECT LIFE] WEEK THREE

SUPPLIES USED: clementine edition project life kit... washi tape... number stickers... paper smash tabs... yellow paper... floral paper

this just pinned...

2012-01-27T07:09:00.000-08:00

[past projects] The Love Notes Box

2012-01-26T06:56:00.000-08:00

This project is too fun not to share again for Valentine's Day. About a year ago, we had to come up with a gift for under $10. We managed to stay under budget and were very pleased with the outcome.

The Love Notes Box

What You'll Need:

an unfinished wood box (got ours at Hobby Lobby $4.99 but on sale for 50% off. about $2.50)
metal handle (from Hobby Lobby too $5.99 used a 40% off coupon. about $3.60)
spray paint (we used Krylon Blue Ocean Breeze about $3.00)
the following free downloads...
  Download Lovenotes
  Download Lovenotescards
  Download Lovenotestags
ribbon (from our stash)
3" circle punch (or you could trace the top of a cup)
3 3/4 " white scalloped circle (cut with the Silhouette)

STEP ONE: Gather all of your supplies and print off all the downloads. Cut or punch out the 3" tag and back with the scalloped circle.

STEP TWO: Spray a few coats of paint on the box.

STEP THREE: Once dry, attach the handle to the top of the box. (We used E6000 glue)

STEP FOUR: Attach the 3" round tag to the front of the box. (We used glue dots)

STEP FIVE: Tie the instructions tag onto the handle with ribbon.

STEP SIX: Fill the box with blank love notes cards.

STEP SEVEN: Make one for yourself. Your family will have so much fun leaving each other random love notes throughout the holidays and every day after.

eta: the font used on the tag is mr. and mrs. popsicle found here

[project life] week one

2012-01-25T06:45:00.000-08:00

[PROJECT LIFE] WEEK ONE
i'm trying to get caught up ;)

PRODUCTS USED: clementine edition project life kit... date smash stamp... washi tape... paper smash tabs... silhouette cameo

this week we welcomed the new year, welcomed a new baby girl (not ours). had stomachaches, an orthodontist appointment and cafe rio.

i fit the entire week in one page protector and as soon as the 6x12 protectors are back in stock, i will be typing up the details of the week and putting it in there.

i'm pretty sure the majority of my album will be filled with instagram photos taken with my iphone. i made a 4x6 file in photoshop where i can just drop my photos in, flatten and save to print at costco. then when i trim them, i'll leave a white border to keep the instagram-ish look. (instead of getting all of the different borders that the instagram app has)

here's a quick tutorial for putting your instagram photos onto the 4x6 psd file (found HERE)...

alright... i'm off to get weeks two + three finished.

[free download] made with love

2012-01-23T06:35:00.000-08:00

valentine's day isn't just for celebrating your sweetheart.

let others know you love them too.

a jar of chocolate chip cookies should do the trick. ;)

and let them know those cookies were

made with love

SUPPLIES: wide mouth jar (found this one at target)... white paper heart doilies... twine... patterned paper... 3" circle punch... small hole punch... tags (download HERE)

go show your friends... neighbors... family... teachers some love.

[project life] title page

2012-01-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

this is my first attempt at project life.

and i realize we're three weeks into january already, but here is my title page.

i'm hoping to share my pages with you every week.

(and maybe some free downloads once i get the hang of it)

[PROJECT LIFE] TITLE PAGE

SUPPLIES USED: clementine edition project life kit... silhouette cameo... washi tape... copied the cute idea for the 2012 card from here

i think my silhouette and washi tape are going to be my two best of friends during this project. it's been YEARS since i've done an actual paper scrapbook page and i'm really having fun getting back into the groove.

ETA: the large photo was an 8x10 and i trimmed it down to a 6x8 (using a pencil and ruler to mark my lines). then i cut it in half and then cut the bottom half in half again. did i lose you there? ;)

for the smaller photos, i shrank them down to 3x4's in photoshop and then put them on a new 4x6 photo and printed them that way. the 4x6 prints are only 13 cents each at costco, so i will be printing off a bunch for this album.

You Gotta See This

2012-01-20T06:18:00.000-08:00

we've gathered some more fun Valentine ideas from around the web for you today...

hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

. . .

love you more printable from the sweetest occasion

. . . . .

send a hug to those far away from roots and wings co.

. . . . .

DIY valentine arrows from two shades of pink

. . . . . . . .

googly eyes valentines from armommy

. . . . . . . .

snow globe valentines from dandee

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and just because they look too delicious not to share...

double chocolate brownies with caramel frosting from Today's Mama

just off the bookshelf

2012-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

geez... it has been a long time since we've had a book post around here. if you can't tell... when my life gets crazy busy, reading is the first thing i have to give up. sad. but true.

but now we are into my most favorite month of the year. january. [my favorite because there is absolutely nothing going on. thank goodness.] so i have been back to reading and enjoying some really great books!

ROOM

by Emma Donoghue

i'd give ROOM 4 1/2 gold stars.

it's written from the perspective of 5 year old jack and that in itself made the book different and unique for me. i didn't want to put this book down because i needed to know how everything was going to turn out for him and his ma.

Winter Garden

by Kristin Hannah

i've read quite a few of Kristin Hannah's books and i always seem to really enjoy them. i'd say this book (and most of her others) would get 4 1/2 stars. it's a good easy read that kept me interested and curious through the whole story.

Moloka'i

by Alan Brennert

i absolutely loved this book. it's a 5 star book for me. i just couldn't put it down. it was one of those books that i had to go straight to the computer and google the subject to see if it really happened. it's about a young girl, rachel who is diagnosed with leprosy and sent to the hawaiian island moloka'i to a quarantined leprosy settlement. i found it to be interesting, inspiring and heartbreaking. the perfect combination for a great book!

. . . . .

[i do this at target :)]

i tried to narrow down my top 3 favorite books from last year.

it wasn't easy, but i think i've decided on...

1. the book thief

2. these is my words, sarah's quilt, and the star garden (3 books but count as 1 right?)

3. sarah's key

what were your top 3 favorite books you read last year??

. . .

**come visit us at Less Cake {more frosting} today for lara's one word - one goal series!!**

Today's Guest: What the Teacher Wants

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

we are big fans of school teachers... and appreciate all the time and energy they put into teaching our kids and making learning fun for them. so we are super excited to have natalie and rachelle here from what the teacher wants today!

. . . . .

Hi friends! Natalie and I {Rachelle} are from What the Teacher Wants! We offer tips for teachers, parents, and anyone in between. We are so excited to be guest posting today! We're basically neighbors with the eighteen25 gals. Well, we're in Utah and they're in Nevada, but it's pretty close! :)

That's Natalie on the left. She teaches 5th grade!

I'm on the right and I teach 1st grade!

Click {here} to read more about us!

Today we really wanted to share some fun {and educational} ideas that you can do with your little kiddos at home. We are calling them "Mommy and Me Activities". This is a great way to integrate literature into your daily routine and have fun celebrating reading with your little ones. These fun Mommy and Me Activities involve crafts, food ideas, math games, activities, and free printables!!

Book #1: Where the Wild Things Are

We made a mini-packet to go along with "Where the Wild Things Are" just for you! Click {here} to download this {FREE} packet that has a writing activity, math game, and a cute art project.

{if you are having difficulties downloading, just refresh your web browser and it should pull up}

Book #2: The Kissing Hand

Click {here} to download the raccoon masks!

Book #3: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

We made an ABC practice book for you to do with your kiddo to go along with "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom" {or just for fun}. When entering kindergarten, it's important that your child has awareness of the alphabet and the alphabet sounds. Here's a fun way to practice with your child! All you need to do is click {here} to download this 27-page ABC book freebie! Just print it out, place it in page protectors, and use a dry-erase marker to practice!

{if you're having difficulties downloading, just hit refresh on your web browser and it should pop up}

We are so happy we could share our ideas with you today! Thanks to the gals at eighteen25 for

having us! For more fun teaching ideas, come stop by our blog {What the Teacher Wants} for tips on helping your child at home with reading, math, and MUCH more!

. . . . .

thanks so much rachelle and natalie! these are fantastic ideas that any child would love... i think it's great that they'll be having so much fun they won't even know that they are learning. :)

if you are a parent or especially all you teachers... i promise you... you'll want to check out what the teacher wants for great ideas on pretty much everything that has to do with school and teaching our children!!

[past projects] valentine's day

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

find all of our past valentine's projects over HERE on pinterest.

and if you're not on pinterest yet,

you can find all of these under the valentine's label on our sidebar.

[free download] love story print

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

i've seen this saying a few different times on pinterest now and i just love it.

i think it would fit perfectly on our grandma's photo wall.

she has tons of framed photos. including photos of her and our grandpa, her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

you can download the 8x10 print HERE.

(please check out the "where we print" tab at the top of the blog for instructions on printing at our favorite photo lab... costco)

frame from hobby lobby and banner made with the silhouette using the 4 love banner flags shape and twine from the twinery

You Gotta See This

2012-01-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

happy friday everyone!!
let's kick off the weekend with some great valentine's ideas from around the web...

valentine chex mix from miss betty crocker

. . . . . . . .

Valentine's Day Bunting from Crap I've Made

. . . . . . . .

crayon heart valentines from whipperberry

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valentine donut pops from positively splendid

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candy valentine gifts from tami wilson photography

and kid's artwork valentines also from tami wilson photography

fab fonts

2012-01-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

here are some fun and free new fonts for you...

just click on the links below to be taken to the fonts.

sybil green... ck cursive... odstemplik... treehouse... shadowed serif... blackout

and check out our past fab fonts posts

here... here... here... here... here... and here

[come and see us] lil blue boo

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

today we are so happy to be guest posting over at...

if you have never heard of lil blue boo, please let us introduce you.

this is ashley. she is the editor of lil blue boo, she is a designer & diy-er.

she creates amazing things. her right hand wo-man is boo, her daughter.
together they make marvelous things all while being in perfect company.
it is so sweet.

she has amazing tutorials...

and she has a shop. with patterns + clothing. very cute clothing!

trust me. there are a lot of reasons to fall in love with ashley and her blog.
but, the reason the three of us keep heading back there day after day after day...
her positive attitude
her amazing outlook on life
the love for her family
and her fight to live.
you see, everyday she makes a decision to

we will let her tell you the rest of that story....

**********

thanks so much ashley for letting us be a part of lil blue boo today.
thanks so much for sharing your talents with us and inspiring us and so many more!

valentine's day necklaces

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

our girls like to dress up.

especially on fun days like valentine's day.

so we made them some beaded

valentine's day necklaces

(of course they'll probably wear them all month long)

they were so quick, easy and fun to make!

we used:
- pink, red and turquoise paint
- 1" wood round beads with 1/8" holes
- 3/4" wood round beads with 1/8" holes
- 7/8" satin ribbon
- wood shape hearts
- paint brushes
- drill (for heart necklace only)

all we did:
- painted the beads and heart piece
- let them dry
- strung the beads on
the. end.

or you can get a little fancy...
for this necklace we just tied a double knot between each bead and at each end.

and for this necklace we drilled a hole on each side of the heart and strung the ribbon right through.

the possibilities are endless with these necklaces!!

p.s. i love when my daughter comes home from school and squeals and asks with a huge smile on her face.... did you make that for me??

[free download] this year's to-do list

2012-01-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

instead of making resolutions,

i'm making a list of all the things our family wants to do this year.

(and i've left some room for a few more additions)

this list will go up where we can always see it,

so we can make sure to get a lot of items crossed off before 2013 decides to roll around.

you can download this year's to-do list below. make sure to print off both 12x18 sheets (the top + bottom). you can find the instructions for putting it all together on this post.

download yellow bottom + top... download pink bottom + top... download green bottom + top... download aqua bottom + top

. . . . . . . .

what's at the top of your to-do list this year?

{we have a winner} a muse studio

2012-01-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

a congratulations goes to...

Kingdom Kreations
"Liked a Muse studio on facebook and follow your blog as well. Thanks for the giveaway..."

you are the proud owner of...

a super-awesome prize pack from a muse studio.

(please email us at eighteen25@live.com within 48hrs.)

{we have some winners} Slim Fast

2012-01-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

lucky for

dianna

and

alice

they each get a 4-pack of slim fast shakes

to try the new 3-2-1 plan!

congratulations!

(please email us at eighteen25@live.com within 48hrs.)

p.s. we will announce the a muse studio winner a little later today.

this just pinned...

2012-01-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

no certain theme for our pins this week. just some awesome-ness that was too good not to share.

. . . . . . . .

making streets with painter's tape from buggie and jellybean

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pet shop playhouse from kiki creates

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paislee press shares how to print on the project life journaling cards

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we had this for dinner (again) last night... ranch house crock pot pork chops with parmesan mashed potatoes from real mom kitchen

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a darling photo wreath by cindy tobey at american crafts studio

follow along with us on pinterest... jen... jamie... jodie

2011 DVD Cover

2012-01-05T08:04:00.000-08:00

Do you remember this post from last year?

We made a dvd case to hold photos from 2010.

Well, we've updated it for you. So you can save your photos from 2011 too.

(download the 2011 dvd cover HERE)

. . . . . . . .

We've also updated the Christmas Planners to 2012

for those of you that are REALLY on top of things!

You can download that right HERE.

. . . . . . . .

If you're interested in being an Eighteen25 sponsor... now's the time to sign up.

We're having a Happy New Year Sale. You can find all of the details on our advertising page.

resolutions and goals and a giveaway with Slim-Fast

2012-01-04T16:00:00.001-08:00

This post brought to you by Slim-Fast. All opinions are 100% mine.

are you a new year's resolutions kind of person?

well if you are, chances are that lose weight or get fit are on your list.

maybe you just need to take off those few "holiday" pounds...

either way, one option that can help reach your goal is Slim-Fast

look at their fancy new bottle. i love how they have a twist cap now and you can take them on the go! i can't wait to try the new Slim-Fast shakes... they say they are the richest, creamiest, best-tasting shakes ever! (and i was already a fan of the old shakes)

the Slim-Fast 3-2-1 plan can give you quick results!

(plus.... it's flexible and that's important)

here's how it works

[3] Pick three nourishing snacks a day like Slim-Fast 100-calorie snack bars, nuts, fruits and/or veggies

[2] Choose two Slim-Fast shakes or meal bars.

]

and

[1] Enjoy one 500-calorie balanced meal.

The new Slim-Fast shakes are available in the pharmacy sections of grocers and retailers nationwide, including Wal-Mart, Target, Safeway and Kroger and online at Amazon.com and the Slim-Fast 3-2-1 store on facebook.

would you like to try the new Slim-Fast shakes for free?

we are able to give TWO lucky readers

[1] four-pack of Slim-Fast shakes

(flavor is selected at random)

to enter just leave us a comment and tell us which flavor shake is your favorite or which Slim-Fast 3-2-1 product you are most excited to try!

also be sure to head over and like the Slim-Fast facebook page where you can find coupons, learn more about the Slim-Fast 3-2-1 plan, see before & after photos, and get daily tips!

lets talk traditions

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

we have mentioned many times... we are a family of many traditions.

from back to school fashion shows to pumpkin carving parties and "fancy" valentine's dinners to Christmas eve talent shows... just to name a few.

and now that we are at the beginning of a new year

i think it's the perfect time to decide and plan on new traditions to start!

for a few years now i've wanted to start one on one dates with my kids, but i just keep putting it off.

well this is the year and i'm so excited and i know my kids are going to be too. my husband and i will switch off each month and take one of our kids out on a date. whose ever turn it is to go out that month will plan what they want to do together. so i'm sure when dad's taking one of the boys out it'll be to some sort of sporting event and when i'm taking my daughter out pedicures are sure to be involved, but hopefully in the process we'll learn more about each other and grow closer together. (we'll see :))

i think some of the best traditions are those that don't have to do with any holiday.

like last year our uncle steve started enchilada day.

a couple different kinds of delicious enchiladas + family = the perfect day

[mel's kitchen cafe - creamy green chile chicken enchiladas]

. . .

wouldn't it be fun to have kickball day?

trust me if you haven't played in awhile... it's not just for kids... it's a blast!! :)

[image via pinterest]

. . .

one of my kids' favorite traditions is tuesday treat day. every tuesday when either i, or my friend steph that i carpool with, pick up the kids we either bring them a treat or run them to get a quick ice cream cone. let me tell you they do NOT forget when it is tuesday!! i don't know that they'll ever let me stop tuesday treat day either. it'll be interesting to see if i'll be taking a car load of high schoolers one day for tuesday treat day. (i hope so)

[mcdonalds ice cream cone]

. . .

do you have any ideas for new traditions this year?

have any non-holiday traditions your family loves?

i really would love to hear about them!!

(please!!)

{giveaway} a muse studio

2012-01-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

we would love to introduce you to

they have an amazing selection of cling-mount rubber stamps.

extremely easy to use with no assembly required.

they even have stamps that are clear, called the Clearly Creative line,

so you can easily place them...like the alphabet stamps.

i love that!

each of their stamps come in a dvd-like case for easy storage.

(what a great idea!)

they also have a color pallet with 40+ colors that are available in:

cardstock

ink

ribbon

buttons

and more!

feel free to see the whole selection in their catalog here.

i just love that there is so much you can do with them...

scrapbooking

card making

gift tags

gift bags

and my favorite...

your own recipe cards!

make sure you visit a muse studio to see it all!

and since today is giveaway day...

the nice folks at a muse studio would like to give one lucky winner

this awesome prize pack...

A Muse Studio cling stamp sampler
Twinkle stickers - red dots
Baker's Twine - Cherry
Heartbreaker Cardstock - Cherry - 20 pack
Main 2011 and Holiday Catalog
Retail value: $ 62

here's how to enter:

(you MUST be an eighteen25 follower to win)

* head over to their facebook page and "like" them (while you are there...tell them hello).

then, come back here and leave us a comment.

good luck!

we will announce the winner on sunday!

{we have a winner} silhouette cameo

2012-01-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

it's a happy, happy day for....

becky!

because she is the winner of this....

lucky, lucky girl!

(please email us at eighteen25@live.com within 48hrs.)

don't forget....

you still have time to get the great deal...

for $299

(just enter eighteen25 at checkout)
and if you already have the CAMEO...
get 20% off the fabric ink starter kit or any fabric ink supplies with the eighteen25 code

offer is good until jan.5th