KdBuggie Boutique

Mingle Monday - 1.30.2012

2012-01-29T14:44:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another fun filled week! If I can get some crafting time I have some great tutorials lined up for this week... here's hoping!

In the meantime, make sure you check out the NEW CLEARANCE SECTION in my shop. With markdowns of 20% or more these items are selling fast! Get your order placed asap. Some new items will be added this week, so check back too!

BTW... did you see the BIG announcement from last week!!?

While you are linking up this week, feel free to grab my Mingle Monday button so you can remember to come back week after week.

Visit as many blogs on the link list as you would like. Make sure you leave a comment and tell them you are stopping by from Mingle Monday!

Become a follower here on my blog so that you can take advantage of any and all freebies that I offer {usually once a week}.

And make sure to have some fun!!

How did this happen? ... and a HUGE announcement!

2012-01-25T10:29:00.000-08:00

Do you ever look at a room in your home and wonder, "how did this happen?" That how I felt this morning walking into my office/craft room. Since my craft show in November things have gone from good to bad in here. I finally got most of the craft show leftovers {what a horrible way to refer to them} put away. But I still have a box full of shipping supplies to put away. A pile of fabric that I ran out of time to use for the craft show. Items waiting to be photographed. Spools of ribbon - wound and unwound thanks to a helpful little 3 year old. Toys that have made there way in here from the adjacent playroom.

Projects that are half done. Supplies that are waiting for their turn to be turned into something fabulous! My sewing machine in it's traveling case. Clothing that needs to be mended. You name it, it's there. I can't help but wonder what in the world happened for my once super neat and organized craft room/office to get to this point.

...and then I remember this....

Yep... I have a bun in the oven! I suppose this little guy {or girl} may have had a little something to do with the chaos and clutter. Especially when the last 3 months or so have been spent going from the couch, to my bed, to the bathroom floor! To anyone who never experience morning sickness... let me start by saying.. I think I might hate your guts! Thankfully I am starting to feel better and getting back to semi-normality {including working on this mess}.

{Unfortunately this is the BEST ultrasound pic I have. Baby is face towards you - head on the right!}

Me, my hubby, and the kids are so excited to soon be welcoming the newest addition to our family. My daughter wants a girl so she can share her bedroom with her {little does she really know what they means!}. My son wants a boy so he can share his toys -- uhh... yah, I'm sure that would happen. He also thinks I have a baby and a mommy in my tummy. I guess that makes sense to him... otherwise, who would be taking care of the baby!?!

We'll find out the gender in about 3-1/2 weeks and can't wait. I am already brainstorming a fun way to share that news with the family. So far I have come up with:

• Taking a picture of my kids wearing t-shirts to announce it.

• A gender reveal party.

• Mailing out homemade scratchers.

• Just being boring and posting it on Facebook.

Any other ideas?

For TODAY ONLY, enter coupon code BABYBABY when you place your order in my shop and get 10% off your entire order!!

I Have Been Featured!!

2012-01-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

I have been waiting in anticipation all weekend! Finally Monday is here. Ucreate, a fantastic source for all things creative, is featuring my tutorial on how to make burp cloth cupcakes today on their website! You can view it here.

Make sure you stop by and check out my tutorial, or you can find it on my website here. If you stop by Ucreate's website make sure you leave a comment on my tutorial! :)

Thanks so much for all the bloggy love!

Don't forget to enter your link for Mingle Monday!

Mingle Monday: 1.23.2012

2012-01-22T13:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another fantastic Mingle Monday!! For anyone just joining us, I feature a blog hop on Mondays -- though usually it is posted Sunday afternoon -- for everyone to link their blog to. It's a great way to meet new people, find some new blogs that you can obsess over, and recruit some new followers to your own blog!

Feel free to grab my Mingle Monday button so you can remember to come back week after week.

Visit as many blogs on the link list as you would like. Make sure you leave a comment and tell them you are stopping by from Mingle Monday!

Become a follower here on my blog so that you can take advantage of any and all freebies that I offer {usually once a week}.

And make sure to have some fun!!

Organizing a Little Boys Room: aka... cleaning up after a tornado!

2012-01-19T12:32:00.000-08:00

Anyone who has small children knows that they are not born with a desire to clean up their messes. None are worse than little boys. With short attention spans, they move quickly from one toy or activity to another. Which means that by the end of the day you have a home covered in little messes from the entire day. My little guy just turned 3. I have tried desperately to ~~bribe~~ inspire him to WANT to clean. Ha!

Usually around the holidays my hubby and I {though it's usually me since he works outside of the home} go through the kids toys and either pack up or donate a bunch to make room for any new things they get for Christmas -- and in my sons case his birthday.

This year, due to circumstance, it didn't happen. Unfortunately that has led to the chaos in both the playroom and my kids' bedrooms. My sons room just happened to be first on the OVERHAUL list.

Part of it is that my hubby has been out of town on business and I have been holding down the fort on my own. Needless to say things have been a little hectic and just didn't get taken care of... until now!

I had pretty much had enough of the mess, and the nagging for the kids to clean up THEIR messes that I took matters into my own hands.

This was my approach:

I while back I bought some hanging organizers at JoAnn's for like $2 on clearance. I thought {at the time}
What a great way to store the kids' stuffed animals. They would be put away, out of sight, but still accessible." Boy was I wrong. Both kidlets emptied our their organizers onto their closet floors. So much for that brilliant idea.

So, first up!? The stuffed animal pile. I kept a couple out that they actually play with. The others got packed away in a clear storage bin that will go in the garage. Why clear? Clear storage bins make it easy to see what's inside. It's the ONLY way I am storing things in my garage anymore. I got tired of opening bins to see what was in them -- even when they were labeled.

Next up? The clutter and toys that have taken over his floor.

I made a HUGE trash pile. All the loose papers he has been hoarding from around the house and various church handouts got tossed. The wipes box and the diapers got put away in the closet where they actually belong. Books were put back on the bookshelf, and I bought a new addition. This wonderful kids room organizer from Target. I can't find the white one online, but it's this same organizer in white... weird.

My super smart sister-in-law helped me to put it together. I have put together a million {okay not that many, but close} bookcases and shelving units all by myself. BUT, the darn angled piece on the bottom of this one was tough! The instructions were not helpful as to which way to place that piece so that all those nifty holes lined up. My SIL figured it out! It only took both of us with our college degrees to put together a stinkin' organizer... BUT I LOVE IT!!

Here's how his room looks now {and I do mean, like right now}.

The bigger toys that don't really have a "home" now have one on top of this new organizer.

The diapers and wipes were put away on the shelf in his closet and the hanging stuffed animal organizer has been put away for now... until I can think of another use for it.

The bookshelf has been reorganized and now you can see the carpet! I had forgotten what it looked like!

And here's my little guy in all his mischievous glory!

Next up on the organizing list? His sister's room... ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

How do you get your kids to clean up? Do you have a routine? Do you sing a song? Do you time them? Do you offer rewards? What's your secret!!? I would LOVE to know!

How to Make Cupcake Toppers: The Easy Way!

2012-01-18T10:30:00.000-08:00

There are so many different ways to decorate for a party... but cupcake toppers have quickly become one of the most popular. It's a fun way to snaz things up a little.. put a little extra f-u-n in your party!

Or, use them in gifts, like these burp cloth cupcakes. Perfect as a baby shower gift, or table centerpiece for a shower.

Whatever the occasion, there are countless places to purchase digital cupcake topper designs or even pre-made cupcake toppers.

Maybe some of you haven't yet experimented with these fun guys. Well, if it's because it seems like a lot of work to put them together you can rest assured that it doesn't have to be.

Here's a super simple way to put together your cupcake toppers.

Start by either purchasing or designing your toppers. I have some available in my shop or even some free printables you can download.

My designs are created for 2" punches. This time I used a 2" flourish punch by eksuccess. See how I turned the punch over? This let's me center the circle center of the topper on my punched shape. I know exactly how it's going to look when punched out.

Here's the finished punch. Just continue for the rest of the toppers that you would like to make. You may need to trim your printed paper so that your punch can reach all the way to center the circle.

Now for your other supplies. You will need a package of lollipop sticks. You can find these at any craft store where cake decorating products are sold. I have also been able to find them at Wal-Mart from time to time.

Second, you will need a package of 1" round labels. You can buy these at office supply stores and maybe even Wal-Mart {depends on each store}.

Simply stick the label onto the end of your lollipop stick like this. Press it firmly onto the top surface of the stick.

Then find the center of your topper and press the stick and the label firmly to the back.

Here's how it looks from the front. No need to bother with foam squares, glue dots, hot glue, tape, or even a back to your topper. Using the label gives it a clean finished, polished look.

Here are the finished 3 toppers that I used. The labels are made to stay put, so you won't have to worry about your cupcake toppers.... they will stay put too!

So, now that you know the easy peasy lemon squeezy way to put these cute little guys together, go ahead and start using them!

Have you ever used cupcake toppers before!? If so, what occasion did you use them for??

"Sweet" Baby Shower Gift Idea: Burp Cloth Cupcakes

2012-01-17T12:33:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been to a baby shower where someone comes up with a super clever gift idea... and you think to yourself.. "man, I wish I would have thought of that!!" I know I have done that... more than once!

Today, I am giving you an idea for the next shower you attend.. or throw!

Nothing is cuter than some colorful cupcakes! But these aren't the edible kind... they are actually made using 3 of my chenille burp cloths!! Yep... how fun is that!?!? Not only is it cute, but it's a totally awesome gift too!

Want to give away some of these cuties at the next baby shower you go to!?!? Here's how to do it!

Take the burp cloth and fold it in half length-wise {like a hot dog bun}.

Then fold it in half again. This gets tricky because it doesn't like to stay folded.

Then start at one end of your rectangle and carefully roll it up. {This would be easier to take a picture of if I had a third arm!}

Since it has a tendancy to unroll itself, just make sure you hold on tight. You might have to straighten out the non-rolled part of the rectangle as you roll to make sure that your layers are all lined up.

Then grab a regular sized rubber band and use it to hold your roll together!

Repeat for all of your burp cloths.

Now comes the fun part. The embellishing! This is where you can be as creative or as simple as your want. Here's what I did.

Take a piece of 12"x12" scrapbook paper and cut a 2" strip for each cupcake.

Take one of your strips and wrap it around the base of your roll.

Be sure to pull the paper fairly snug. Otherwise it won't stay put once you are done.

Trim the excess paper leaving about a 1/2" overlap.

I just use a piece of scotch tape to tape the band in place. It's really easy to do one-handed {since you will be using your other hand to hold the band in place}. I try and line up the tape pretty close to where the end of the burp cloth roll is -- figuring that is the "back" of my cupcake roll.

Here are all three with their completed bands.

All that's left is for you to get creative and decorate those cute little cupcakes! I tied a simple white organza ribbon around each one and placed them in a jumbo cupcake liner. Then I used my baby cupcake topper printable to add a little something extra!

These would make a great centerpiece for your tables if you are throwing the baby shower. Make a couple, and place them on a cake stand on a sign in table. Or visit your local bakery supply store, purchase a jumbo sized cupcake box and wrap them up in the box!

If you are interested in the printable I used, you can find it here on my Etsy shop. It is only $1. You will receive a PDF file with pink, blue, orange, and green toppers {just in case!}. Use it again and again, and AGAIN!

There will be a post tomorrow on a short-cut way to put together cupcake toppers!

Mingle Monday - 1.16.2012

2012-01-16T08:59:00.000-08:00

Good Monday morning! Sorry about getting this up so late this morning, hopefully I didn't throw a wrench in your holiday plans! {If you get MLK Jr. Day off that is...} I was home all day yesterday with my sick little guy, and up last night with the same bundle of cuteness. Hopefully his little cold will go away quickly and no one else will get it! {crossing fingers... and toes!!} It is so hard as a mommy to watch your kids sniffle, cough, and just feel miserable.. especially when it's just a cold and there really isn't anything you an do for them.

Here's hoping to a much healthier rest of our week!

If you missed it, I posted two Valentine's Day printables for you.. here and here. Just make sure you are a follower of the blog before you download.

Now let's mingle!

Please be sure to grab a button for your blog so you remember to come back next week, and to share it with all your peeps!

Please link to a FAMILY FRIENDLY BLOG ONLY!

Follow as many new friends as you like. Make sure to tell them you stopped by from Mingle Monday!

Have fun!

FREE PRINTABLE: Valentine's Day Cupcake Toppers or Tags

2012-01-13T15:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I posted a FREE Valentine's Day banner for you to use to decorate at home or at your workplace. Today, I have another fun freebie for you.

{download here}

You can use these to make your own cupcake toppers, or as tags for your little Valentine's treats this year. They are perfectly sized to fit a 2" circle, scalloped circle, or flourish punch. {I use the ek success punches that I have bought at Joann.com - but most craft stores will carry a 2" punch}

If you don't have a punch, feel free to cut them out as squares -- they are cute both ways! Just punch a hole in the top, add some baker's twine or a cute ribbon and you have a cute tag!

Make sure when you print that you choose the highest quality printing setting to maximize the clarity of your image!

As always, free printables are available to ALL GFC followers of KdBuggie Boutique and Designs. Please take a sec and become a follower if you aren't already. Feel free to share this freebie on your blog, but be sure to link them back here to download their own copy. This file is for personal use only! It may not be distributed, sold, or claimed as your own. THANKS!

Have a great weekend!!!!

P.S. If you are looking for larger tags, you can view last years free printable here for this tag:

Free Valentine's Day Banner Printable

2012-01-12T11:18:00.000-08:00

I am not usually one for doing any major decorating for holidays other than Halloween and Christmas, but this year I am making a change!

My kids are at an age now {3 and 4.5} where they are excited for any and all holidays whether big or small ones. This next couple of weeks we will be doing various projects and crafts to create some kid-made Valentine's Day decorations.

BUT, I thought I would make one of my own! I will be assembling mine this weekend when the hubs is home to help keep the kids out of my crafting mess {yes, when I paper craft, it usually makes a mess... I have to see everything to put my plan together! hehe}.

I created a simple Valentine's Day banner printable for me, and figured I might as well share it with all of you too! Once I get mine put together I will post some pics so you can see what I did to embellish mine!

That's the great thing about simple printables... you can glam them up a bit!

ENJOY!

{download here}

Please remember that these printables are available to GFC followers only. So, take a sec and become a follower! Thanks!!

If you use this printable and put your own banner together, post a picture to my facebook page! It's so fun to see all these printables in use!

Mingle Monday: 1.9.2012

2012-01-08T14:52:00.000-08:00

I am BACK!! It's been a pretty rough couple of weeks here. Yesterday we tackled a major plumbing problem in our master bath. Thanks to my husband's skills, my analytical nature, and a couple videos from Home Depot online ... we were able to get it solved and it's better than it has ever been!

My shop is going to take a BIG turn in the next couple of weeks, so watch for major discounts and sales! AND, speaking of my shop... I have a brand new line of DIY printable party collections starting to hit the store! Here's a preview of the first one to go LIVE. It's a Noah's Ark themed baby shower. It is completely DIY with the exception of the invitation and the welcome sign which I will customize for you. Take a look:

As always, I will take cutsom orders, so don't hesitate to ask! Now, let's mingle!

P.S. For all recent giveaway winners, your items will be shipping tomorrow! :)

Project Life - Are You Doing It!!?

2012-01-06T14:59:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about Project Life? If not, you are absolutely in for a treat!

Becky Higgins - a stay at home mommy - started this idea a few years ago. Project Life is a way to help all of us scrapbookers who are super far behind in our scrapbooking {raise your hand if that's you!} to have a much easier approach to documenting life.

You can use the supplies to create a photo-a-day scrapbook where you take a photo everyday for the entire year. Her specially designed photo pocket pages allow for you to create scrapbook page spreads of a week at a glance.

The core kit comes with journaling cards {for the center pockets on the pages} as well as a filler card for you to write the dates for that week, and smaller filler cards for any extra spaces.

{Clementine Edition}

- OR -

Use your album and the core kit to create specific albums for your wedding, honeymoon, pregnacy, baby's first year, school, etc..

....

Whether you are a scrapbooker or not, Project Life is simple enough for anyone to use. If you like the creative freedom the scrapbooking allow... well, guess what!?!? You can still do that with Project Life!

Ali Edwards {a graphic designer} has a fantastic blog where she posts about her take on Project Life. She takes full advantage of the various pocket page layout designs that Becky Higgins offers.

....

However, if you are not a scrapbooker but would still like to document either your daily life or the BIG events, you NOW have the option of creating digital photo books using Becky's designs on Shutterfly!

Currently the only designs available on Shutterfly are the Clementine and Turquoise Editions.

So, are you convinced that you need to start Project Life yet? Well, now is a great time to start. Get your family involved. Let your kids take some of the pictures or help to write some of the jouranling for the day.

I started Project Life last year {and unfortunately due to illness and holiday chaos I haven't quite finished all of my journaling yet}. My kids love to sit and look through the book and remember all of the fun things they did. Sometime I did a picture a day, sometimes I use the week's spread to hi-light the BIGGEST events of the week with several pictures.

For those of you in the U.S., Project Life products can be purchased on Amazon.com -- making it super easy!! Purchase only the products that you want! She has several different designs to choose from! Some of the products are currently sold out online but will be back in stock next month. So, if you are planning to start Project Life, start taking your pictures so that you are ready!

....

Is anyone already doing Project Life this year!? I would love to hear what your approach is. Are you a picture-a-day person!? Do you hi-light events from the week? Are you doing your wedding or pregnancy!?

Throughout the year I will be sharing some free printable desiged exclusively for Project Life!

Have a great weekend, and start taking those photos!!

Making New Year's Goals/Resolutions

2011-12-30T14:01:00.000-08:00

With Christmas done, and hopefully the cleaning up from the holidays at least started... it's time to celebrate the start of a new year!

Does anyone else take time at the end of the year to really sit and reflect on the "stuff" that you and your family accomplished? I try to. Here are my top 10:

{1} Finally unpacked all the boxes from our move
{2} Donated lots of stuff to Goodwill
{3} completed 2 craft fairs
{4} My DD started preschool
{5} only a couple allergic reactions for my DS (definitely an accomplishment!).
{6} 1/2 of the house now has baseboards
{7} sealed the grout on our kitchen floor tile (no easy task)
{8} planted and successfully harvested vegetables from our garden
{9} found several new allergy friendly recipes that we LOVE
{10} set the groundwork for some major organizing!!

How about you, what did you get accomplished this year!??!

Now it's time to think about all those things that we want to accomplish or change this coming year. Have you had a chance yet to think about what is on your list?

Here are some simple tips when it comes to putting together your goals or resolutions for 2012:

Make it attainable: There is nothing worse than setting a goal/resolution that you know you won't be able to reach. I promise you, you will attempt it maybe once or twice, and then give up. In addition, don't set too many goals. If the list becomes overwhelming it will be very hard to attempt anything on it because you won't know where to start. If you have a specific project (ie. paint the trim on your home) set a specific date when you would like to have it completed. Leaving an open-ended time frame can be dangerous!

Set benchmarks:
If you have lofty goals for next year, put together some benchmarks or checkpoints within your goal to keep yourself on track. If you plane - for instance - to make it a goal to lose weight this coming year, set a couple of smaller benchmarks to make sure you are doing it. Split up the poundage you want to lose into smaller chunks and give yourself a reasonable amount of time in which to do it. Then when you reach that smaller goal, give yourself a reward.... which brings us to the next point...

Create incentives:
We all know that from time to time (or maybe most of the time) we are in need of some major motivation. If your goal is to get the kids to school on time think about an incentive to help motivate both you and your kids to do it. Whether it is a toy for them if they get to school on time everyday for a month, or a new pair of shoes for you... incentives DO help!

Write it down:
How do you plan on keeping track of these goals and resolutions? Do you have a journal, a notebook, a calendar? If not, then get one! The only way to remind yourself of what you are working on is to see it everyday! If you aren't looking at the goals they won't be in the forefront of your mind... and it will be like most of us who... at the end of the year dig out that list of resolutions and realize that you didn't do any of them because the list was packed in with the Christmas decorations from last year.

Be Accountable:
This one goes hand in hand with being able to see your goals as well as creating incentives. You have to hold yourself accountable for getting these things done. If there is no accountability, how do you ever plan on accomplishing these goals?!?!

Evaluate Your Progress:
Plan to sit down with your goals at the sixth-month mark and evaluate your progress. Take inventory of the goals you may have accomplished and those that maybe need a little more help. You may need to tweak a goal or two because you have found that maybe it isn't quite as attainable as you thought it was. Don't let it get you down. We are all human... life happens! Sometimes a goal needs to be adjusted.

Hopefully this will be of some help to us all as we sit down this weekend and put together our goals for 2012.

Here are just a couple of mine:

1. Throw away junk mail as soon as I bring the mail in the house. This is a big problem for us. We constantly have piles of ads and junk mail on the counter, the table, the bookcase, and everywhere else. By choosing to do one simple act like this everyday I hope to be able to eliminate a lot of the clutter that builds up.
2. Keep the kitchen sink empty. One of my biggest pet peeves is that our kitchen sink is almost always full of dirty dishes. So much so, that when I get around to doing them, it takes two loads in the dishwasher to get them all clean. I used to be really good at keeping up with the dishes and not letting them pile a mile high. In the last 3 months or so I have become very lax in that area. I BEG my hubby to do them sometimes... but really, if I just always tried to keep the sink free from dishes (when possible -- since there are those times when you just can't) not only would I have more free time - since I won't be standing at the sink for 30 minutes loading and unloading the dishwasher - but my kitchen would be a much cleaner and happier place to be!
3. Plan Family Home Evening Weekly: This is something that we struggle a lot with. My hubby works very unpredictable hours and some nights doesn't get home until the kids are in bed. I used to think that a weekly family night HAD to be perfect! I had to plan a spiritual lesson, have a snack, have an activity, and make it an enjoyable time for all while still being structured. Well, I have learned that is a completely unattainable goal for us. Our family schedules just don't mesh well with that plan. So, instead we will have a weekly family activity. Maybe it will be a trip to the park, a movie night, a game, or whatever it is. BUT, it will happen at least one night a week. I am not going to be stingy on the DAY, but plan one every week.
4. Purge and Organize: These are two of my weakest areas! I am a pack rat at heart... which you would see if I was willing to share pictures of my craft room! I also have a hard time getting rid of or donating my kids' old toys. I have 3 storage bins in the garage full of toys and books. We have so many, yet I can't seem to part with them. Partially because we plan on having other children and will want to pull out some of the infant toys when that happens, but also because I remember how much each of my kids LOVED these toys. So, one of my goals is to purge some of the toys. I can't bare to get rid of them all... but I will definitely give away/toss a BUNCH! I am thinking probably close to half. Then, the ones that are left need to be better organized. Same applies to other areas in our home.. particularly my craft stuff! In order to organize it, I have to get rid of the stuff I am NOT going to use!

Now that I have made some BIG confessions to the utter chaos that can sometimes ensue in our home, what goals or resolutions are you planning to make for 2012?

Here's wishing you a very safe and happy new year!

OMG.... A Little... no Make the A LOT of catching up to do!!

2011-12-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

So, the holidays totally took over for the last week or so, and my blogging has taken a hiatis. I am finally starting to feel a little better and I am definitely looking forward to sharing both an explanation as well as some exciting news!!

I hope you all ha a wonderful holiday celebration and that you were able to spend some quality family time as we were!

• • •

Now, for ~~a little~~ A LOT of catching up!!!

I still have not heard from my winners, so I am picking new ones!

Chenille Blanket winner: #17 Natalie {sent you an email}

Rhinestone Flower clip and headband: #2 Macey {sent you an email}

Thirty-One Tote Bag: #15 Maureen: I love the market thermal tote in circle spirals. How cool would that be to take to the supermarket? {sent you an email}

All winners have 48 hours to return my emails or new winners will be announced!

Mingle Monday 12.19.2011

2011-12-18T14:23:00.000-08:00

Sorry about no Mingle Monday last week... I have been seriously under the weather! I am finally starting to feel a little better.. thank goodness!

Winners for the 31 giveaway and new winners for the blanket and hair clip giveaways will be announced {since those winners never contacted me} tomorrow.

Have you had a chance to check out the first few posts of my 12 Days of Christmas!?!

Let's mingle!

12 Days of Christmas - Day 5: Holiday Gift Checklist {freebie}

2011-12-09T03:30:00.000-08:00

How many of you {or me for that matter} have ever accidentally left someone off the holiday shopping list!?! Have you ever shown up to a party and realized ... oh shoot ... I forgot to get something for so and so!?! I know I have!

I created a checklist to use this year so I don't forget anyone, and I am sharing it with you!

{download here}

I have left spaces for your to write the names of everyone you need to shop for this year, the gift you are getting them, and the price of the gift {great if you are working with a budget}. Then you can keep track of whether or not the gift has been bought, wrapped, and shipped or delivered.

Print out as many as you want! It is yours to keep for-ev-er! Use it again next year! Use it year round for birthdays {just white out or cover the word "Holiday"}.

Don't forget anyone this year!

Freebies are available to blog followers only. Please take a second or two to become a follower before downloading. Thanks!

12 Days of Christmas - Day 4: Salt Dough Ornaments

2011-12-08T03:30:00.000-08:00

A BIG welcome to Brooke from Get Out of My Head Please.

She has a fantastic blog where she shares tutorials, craft ideas, giveaways, and much more! Her blog is simply fantastic. If you have a second {or two} after reading her guest post here, go check it out!

• • •

It's that Time of the year for us to make our Dough Ornaments. We have been making these for about 5 years .

It's a great way to change up your look from year to year and a great way to get the kiddo's involved. But the biggest bonus is ... it saves a lot of money :)

Plus, it's super easy to do!!

Salt Dough Ornaments

You will need:

4 cups of flour
1 1/2 Cups warm water
1 cup salt
rolling pin
cookie cutters
cookie sheets
Wire Hangers ( Found mine at the dollar store )

I like to dissolve the salt in the warm water for just a min , then add the flour and knead for about 15 mins.
( it helps to get hands a little damp if it needed)

Rub some flour on the surface you plan to roll it out on to help it from sticking .

Roll out the dough until it is about 1/4" thick.

Use holiday cookie cutters to cut out the shapes you want. OR... use a knife to cut shapes if you don't have cutters.

(the owl and small star are from the boys play dough stash. A great resource for some good shapes!)

Make sure to poke a hole in the top of the shapes where you want the hanger to go. I used the tip of an ink pen to make my holes.

I got about 35 ornaments out of this batch of dough.

Pre-heat your oven to 325ºF and cook for about 30 mins.

I let them sit for about 3 hours to cool before painting.

Now for the FUN! part Create!

Hmmm...... I actually took his paint and rubbed it all over his face! ( oh my Correction! I meant HE not I, I would NOT do that lol )

it's so much fun! I just love it

• • •

Thanks so much Brooke for sharing this fun idea! In addition to decorating your own tree, why not give some away!? Wouldn't they make a cute gift for a school teacher, or a neighbor? Since it has a hole in the top for hanging, you could simply tie on onto the Christmas gifts you are giving this year with a simple

"♥ the ______ Family"

message on them. So cute!

I can't wait to make some of our own. My kids would love to paint their own ornaments.

Winner, Winner, Winner!!!!

2011-12-07T07:50:00.001-08:00

I finally have the winners of the blanket and rhinestone hairclip giveaways! With close to 40 total entries, the lucky winners are.....

Chenille blanket: #7 - JanelleS

Rhinestone Clip: #16 - Natalie

If you left me your email I am sending you one right now. If you don't get it, make sure to email me within the next 48 hours or new winners will be chosen!

Thanks to everyone who entered. Make sure to stop by and enter the new giveaway for today!

{thanks random.org}

12 Days of Christmas - Day 3: Thirty-One Giveaway

2011-12-07T03:30:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Lauren is a Thirty-One consultant.

Are you familiar with Thirty-One!? If not, you are totally missing out! I think I would like just about one of everything they have to offer. There are great organizing totes and baskets, purses, travel bags, backpacks, and so much more!

Here are a couple of my favorites:

I am LOVING the 5th Avenue purse!

I own one of these thermal totes and gave one to my mom for Mother's Day this year. It is perfect for keeping kids food cold on trips... especially since we bring my little guys fod every where we go due to food allergies.

And what mom wouldn't want one of these cute Zip-Up Pencil Pouches to keep all of their office supplies in!?!?

Lauren has so kindly sent me an organizing tote to review as well as one to giveaway! A $25 value!

I use mine on day trips to keep all of the extra clothes, cups, and diapers for the day organized. I love the pockets on the sides. They are a great place to keep the sippy cups!

We used it to take to the beach full of our towels and extra clothes. Because it is made of laminated nylon material it cleans up great! Even when sand is involved. Those side pockets are great for sunscreen!

It would be great to keep all the kids toys organized in the car. I hate when the toys, blankets, pillows, etc. are all over the place.

Here is what you can win! Lauren is giving away an Organizing Utility Tote in the Circle Spirals pattern {circled}.

Here's how to enter:

Mandatory Entry: You must be a follower of this blog. Then leave a comment that you follow.

Additional Entry: Follow me on facebook.

Additional Entry: Take a look at Lauren's Thirty-One catalog and leave a comment with something you would love to have!

Additional Entry: Share on facebook, twitter, or your blog. Please leave a comment for each entry plus the link to your post.

All entries must be received by Wednesday December 14th. Winner will be announced on the 15th.

(Open to US and Canada)

Mingle Monday - 12.5.2011

2011-12-05T08:46:00.001-08:00

Wow... yesterday just FLEW by! These last two months are like a big blur! Sorry, for getting this up so late this morning!

Have you had a chance to check out the first few posts of my 12 Days of Christmas!?!

Let's mingle!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 2 - Recipe and Tutorial for Marshmallow Snowmen

2011-12-02T03:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome Kristi from Cooking Unbound.

She is a follower and a super awesome cook! I have been browsing her blog trying to decide what fun recipes to try out! Seriously... I have been drooling! Kristi is here today to share with us a fun holiday treat idea. This one if great for the kids to do too!

• • •

I came across this idea in a Living magazine and thought it was just too adorable to pass up. Aubrey (my 3 year old) and I made them together and took them to a friend's house for a snack. When my friends saw them, the first thing they said was, "This is going on your blog, right?!" They looked at me incredulously when I told them that I hadn't taken any pictures. So one of them grabbed my phone and snapped this shot of me holding a snowman and told me to upload it to facebook.

I decided to take a pic without me in it :) and posted this one instead.

To my surprise, I received a lot of feedback from others wanting to make them, so here it is! Yes, I made them again just to take pictures...and to make my daughters' day. :)

Now, although I do love a lot of Martha Stewart's ideas (and I subscribe to her magazines), I'd have to say that she has a tendency to make difficult things seem super easy. I, unfortunately, am not that talented. Please tell me I'm not the only one!? :) I tried one snowman Martha's way and after a failed attempt, I came up with my own way to make it a little more manageable. I can guarantee that it will be well worth the effort when you see the look on your little cherub's face when you hand her one to eat. :)

What you need:

Marshmallows
White decorating sugar (for the front of the snowmen)
Different colors of decorating sugars (for the hat)
Larger sprinkles for the eyes, nose, and buttons (we used brown for the eyes, orange for the nose, and different colors for the buttons).
A 3/4 inch circle cutter, or something fairly close to that size (I found something in my kids' playdough stash that worked).
A 1/2 inch circle cutter, or something fairly close to that size that is smaller than your 3/4 inch cutter. (I used a small frosting tip).
A toothpick (to poke holes)
Small bowl of warm water
Skewers (I had wooden kebab skewers that I just broke in half)

The process:

1. For the body, cut marshmallows in half, crosswise. One half will be the body.

2. For the head, take the other half of the cut marshmallow, and cut it with the 3/4 in. cutter.

3. Slide these pieces onto the skewer, with the cut sides (sticky sides) facing forward, as this will be the the front of the snowman.

4. Dip the front of the snowman in a bowl of white decorating sugar.

5. Using a toothpick, make holes for the eyes, nose, and buttons. Place sprinkles in the holes. Try to push them in a bit so they stick well.

6. For the hat, cut a marshmallow crosswise into thirds. Cut another marshmallow crosswise into quarters.

7. Using the 3/4 in. cutter, cut circles from the quarter slices. These will be the brims. Coat brims in decorating sugar of choice, then slide onto skewer.

(Tip: Dip the cutters into warm water first. This will help the marshmallows to release easily. Otherwise, they might stick to the cutter and misshape when you try to pull the piece out.)

7. Using the 1/2 in. cutter, cut circles out of the marshmallow that you sliced into thirds. Coat in decorating sugar of choice, then slide onto skewer.

8. Now stand back and admire your work! And make sure to have someone take a picture of you with your snowman, and post it on my facebook page for me to see! :)

The Living magazine version included a scarf. If you're up for it, use the scraps from the cut marshmallows, coat them in decorating sugar, and wrap it around the "neck." I tried one and it didn't turn out so good, but maybe you'll have better luck than me. :)

• • •

Thanks Kristi! I am so excited to make these with my little ones. Since they are dairy and egg free, my whole family can enjoy them. What a fun idea!!

Can you imagine how cute they would be sticking out of a cup of hot cocoa!? How about on top of a cupcake!? Oooh... the possibilities!

12 Days of Christmas: Day 1 - Giveaway {make that 2 Giveaways!!!}

2011-12-01T09:53:00.001-08:00

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.

• • •

First off, a big happy birthday to my darling hubby! {Not that he really ever reads my blog, but that's okay!}

• • •

Welcome to my

To start out the fun, I thought I would offer a giveaway of my own!!! I just finished a craft show where not only did I have TONS of fun, but I got to meet a lot of people and sell a lot of products! Craft fairs are great because I get to try out new products and see what kind of reaction they get!

Today, to get us all in the holiday spirit, I am giving away 2 {two} separate items! You can choose to enter one or the other, or enter for both!

First up: A Chenille Baby Blanket

This blanket measures approx. 26"x31" {a little smaller than those sold in my shop}. The print is Sea Ta Dot by Michael Miller.

Retail value is $30. It is 100% cotton with white chenille on the back. It has been prewashed and preshrunk. All of my blankets, including this one, are triple stitched for long time use!

This cute and fun print is perfect for baby boy or girl!

Second: Rhinestone Centered Flower Clip and Headband

This is a new product in my production line. These clips come in varying colors and so do the headbands. They will be hitting the shop as soon as pictures can be taken! But here's your chance to win one before they are sold online!

This flower clip and headband are a gorgeous wine color. The headband is made of stretchy elastic with a loop to attach the flower clip. The flower has a double prong alligator clip attached to the back for use either with the headband or with a ponytail. The beautiful rhinestone center really sparkles in the light. It is the perfect accessory for your little girl for holiday pictures!

This headband comes sized for 6 months and up! The great thing about the flower clip is you can mix and match it with any headband you have or use it without a headband.

Here's how to win:

{open to US and Canada}

Mandatory entry: You must be a follower of this blog in order to enter the giveaways. Take two seconds and click to become a follower. Then leave a comment that you follow.

Additional Entries: Leave 1 comment for each item you would like to enter to win {If you want to enter for both, leave 2 comments}. Please be sure to leave your name and email address so that you can be contacted when you win.

Extra Entry: Share this giveaway on facebook, your blog, or twitter. Please leave 1 comment for each entry. Be sure to include the link to your post or tweet.

• • •

All entries must be received by Monday, December 5. Winner will be announced on Tuesday the 6th. {This way your items can ship in time for the holidays!}

Good Luck!

A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That...

2011-11-28T09:02:00.001-08:00

How is everyone's cyber Monday going so far? Have you scored any super deals!!?? If you are in the market today for some baby goodies... be sure to become a fan on facebook. I just posted an exclusive super deal coupon code for followers ONLY!

Also, I still have a few openings left for my 12 days of Christmas! I am looking for any of the following:

• guest posts

• give aways

• tips or tricks for the season

• decorating ideas

• crafty tutorials

• holiday inspiration

If you want a little extra publicity for your shop, or to get some new visitors for your blog, this is the perfect opportunity! Send your submissions to

kdbuggieboutique[at!]yahoo.com

I am hoping to start posting on Dec. 1st! So, hurry and get those submissions in!!!

Mingle Monday - 11.28.2011

2011-11-27T13:56:00.001-08:00

While putting together today's post, I realized I haven't posted anything since last Monday! Yikes!! I guess that's what happens with both a holiday in the week and when I feel sick as a dog! I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend and that you were able to hit up some of the black friday deals!

I have hopped on this year and I am offering two coupon codes through Cyber Monday. BLACKFRIDAY gets you 10% off your ENTIRE purchase! SUPERSHIP2011 gets you FREE shipping! Choose your code so you can get the best deal! All blankets already come with free shipping!

PLUS, become a fan on facebook for a special CYBER MONDAY deal tomorrow!

Let's mingle!

Mingle Monday 11.21.2011

2011-11-20T12:38:00.001-08:00

Sorry about the lack of posts last week. I am now officially DONE with my holiday boutique. I spent Friday and Saturday with my mom and sister - who graciously offered to come along with me to my BIGGEST craft fair! It was held Saturday from 8am-noon at the Disneyland Hotel. The boutique is an annual event held by CUW (California Utah Women).

I will be sharing some pictures of the fun later this week!

In the meantime, I am still looking for a couple more bloggers or small business owners looking for a little publicity and a lot of fun in the next couple of weeks to contribute to my 12 Days of Christmas! I will be featuring tutorials, home decor ideas, receipes, giveaways, and much more!

Check out all the details here. For now, let's mingle!