Life is a Picnic - Marriage Survival Kit

Hello! Welcome to my blog!

I love to give practical yet unique gifts. I have made quite a few marriage survival kits. I am always trying to come up with new ideas so that the recipients have no idea what they are getting - other than they know they will probably get a survival kit. I thought a picnic theme was good for a spring/summer wedding gift. Here is what I put in it:

1. Item I purchased - LAWN BLANKET - saying to go with it:

TAKE TIME TO RELAX AND GET WRAPPED UP IN EACH OTHER

2. Item I purchased - THERMOS - saying to go with it:

LIVE WITHIN THE WARMTH OF EACH OTHER'S HEART

3. Item I purchased - BUG NET - saying to go with it:

KEEP THE BUGS OUT

4. Item I purchased - ICE PACK - saying to go with it:

KEEP YOUR COOL

5. Item I purchased - WATER BOTTLES WITH LEMONADE PACKETS - saying to go with it:

WHEN LIFE GIVE YOU LEMONS MAKE LEMONADE

6. Item I purchased - FOOD CONTAINERS - saying to go with them:

FRESH IS BEST - DON'T LET YOUR LOVE GO STALE

I originally was going to give this gift in a picnic bag that I made out of a table cloth (one of those plastic ones from the dollar store) then I changed my mind and purchased a cooler. I still put everything in the bag, then I put the bag in the cooler. Check out my tutorial HERE on how to make a no sew bag (with duct tape and staples). I made this bag the same way except I sewed it (seriously easier to zip it up with a machine if you have one). I also added a few pockets.

With the left overs from the table cloth I made a bow and ribbon. This is the first time making a bow, and I think it turned out pretty good. I love that the ribbon goes with the theme.

I made tags using freebie picnic tags from a site that is AWESOME called Laminas & Laminas - check it out HERE.

Of course - with most of my survival kits I like to include marriage advice. For the tags and the marriage advice click HERE.

If you have ideas that would work with this kit or any other comments I would love for you to drop me a line. Thank you for stopping by!

Linking up to...

Tatertots and Jello

The Power of a Christ-Centered Home

Hello! Welcome to my blog! 

I like to make my Sunday posts spiritual posts. The quote in the quote art above comes from a talk titled, "For Peace at Home" written by Richard G. Scott. If a home is Christ-centered, you will find a peaceful home. The reason why this would be the greatest blessing we could offer the world is because the gospel of Jesus Christ is the "one remedy for universal distress - a panacea for the sickness of the world". (Lorenzo Snow) What is the gospel of Jesus Christ - what does it teach? It teaches pure love.  Charity, the pure love of Christ, has these characteristics at described in 1Corinthians 13

As you read about these characteristics - think about how the world would be different and blessed if we were taught these principles and lived them:

Charity, or the pure love of Christ:

 - suffereth long (patient, self control, restraint and tolerant)

-is kind (friendly, generous, considerate nature)

-envieth not (not discontent, or resentful of others)

-vaunteth not herself (does not boast or brag)

-is not puffed up (is not full of themselves/prideful)

-doth not behave itself unseemly (is not indecent or unbecoming)

-seeketh not her own (unselfish)

-is not easily provoked (patient, slow to anger)

-thinketh no evil (too many evils to list)

-rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth

(does not delight in injustice or unrighteousness, but delights in truth)

-beareth all things (conducts oneself with dignity)

-believeth all things (belief is the beginning of conviction)

-hopeth all things (an inner light that guides and reassures)

-endureth all things ( a willingness to press forward amidst challenges)

I will close by quoting more words from Richard G Scott - 

"I have learned a truth that has been repeated so frequently in my life that I have come to know it as an absolute law. It defines the way obedience and service relate to the power of God. When we obey the commandments of the Lord and serve His children unselfishly, the natural consequence is power from God - power to do more than we can do by ourselves. Our insights, our talents, our abilities are expanded because we receive strength and power from the Lord. His power is a fundamental component to establishing a home filled with peace."

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking up to...
Tatertots and Jello

A Pinterest Inspired Graduation Party

Hello! Welcome to my blog! 

My daughter graduated last year, and we were so busy that I did not post the numerous projects I did for her graduation party - so here they are. Most of the projects I did were inspired by "pins" and I want to do a shout out to all those amazing crafters who helped this process go a lot easier. The grad party invitation was inspired by this pin CLICK HERE. 

I made cupcakes and put on cupcake toppers. I wanted to make diplomas, grad hats at numbers of the graduation year like I pinned HERE ; however, time ran out so I whipped up these toppers. I made these awesome tissue pompoms in the grad colors. I followed this tutorial HERE. The adorable grad hats on a stick are from Bakerella. I bought yellow string licorice type candy for the tassle. I used a chocolate chip for the cap top. A little tip for inserting the lollipop stick into the peanut butter cup - my first attempts ruined the peanut butter cup. After ruining two cups (darn I had to eat them) I realized I needed to make a little whole with something that had a pierced end (a toothpick) instead of the blunt end of the lollipop stick. 

I saw the small mason jars for cups, that you can match with any party decor by changing the tops. Check out this drink set HERE by Brown Paper Packages -  that uses cupcake liners. I decided to buy extra plates and cut circles out of the plates so they matched. I also used the plate idea to use on the back of the cupcake toppers.

Here is a jpeg if you would like to print off the cupcake toppers.

 I made this graduation gift for my daughter - click HERE to check it out.

I hope this gives you some ideas! Thank you for stopping by!

Linking to....

Tatertots and Jello

Mother Quotes

Hello! Welcome to my blog! Mother’s Day is soon approaching us. It is a time to show appreciation towards mother’s and the mother figures in our lives. I hope you enjoy these quotes on the Motherhood.

The flower background is from Laminas & Laminas blog

The Mother/daughter background is from Graphics Fairy

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking up to:

Graphics Fairy

Mother's Day Candy Bouquets

Hello! Welcome to my blog!

I couldn't get past this Mother's Day without making my new addiction:

CANDY BOUQUET'S!!!!!

I started this candy bouquet adventure by figuring out what chocolates and candies were available. I needed most of them wrapped. When I found the goodies, then I chose my color themes and bases.

The yellow theme bouquet has a bean can for the base that I covered with drop cloth and added lace and pearls to. CLICK HERE to see how I prepare a can for a candy bouquet. Pretty much all the goodies and fillers are glued to wooden skewers and then poked into a styrofoam ball, with the exception of a couple flowers that were on a wire stem. After I have all the items poked into the foam the way I like them - I fill the holes with tulle. 

The blue theme bouquet had a frosted glass vase that I purchased at a second hand store for 25 cents. I hot glued a styrofoam ball to the bottom - I did not need to add weight as the glass had enough weight to it to be sturdy.

The pink theme bouquet has a glass vase that I purchased at a dollar store, and I filled it with pearls - the frugal way, by making a cylinder out of card stock a little more narrow than the vase and filling the pearls between the cylinder and the glass. I put a styrofoam ball in the middle of the cylinder for the skewers. 

Here is the Mother's day tag!

Visit my other Mother's Day gift ideas (Click on pics to go to post)

Kick up Your Feet and Relax Gift Basket

Oversized card with pics and nice sentiment

Mother - What you mean to me - Envelope Album

Salad Gift Basket With Recipe Book

Thanks for stopping by!

Linking up to:

Skip to my Lou

The Influence of Mothers

Hello! Welcome to my blog! It is Sunday and time for an inspirational quote. 

Todays quote is from Sheri Dew and it is on influence. I often think that society is confused about the meaning of being influential, but this quote give what I think is the true meaning. With Mother’s Day quickly coming upon us, I would like to thank all the influential women out there that truly know that being influential does not entail elevating self, but rather, lifting others. Sheri Dew is the President and CEO of Deseret Books. She wrote an article on the Influence of Mothers. A shortened version of that article is below, but you can read the whole version 

HERE.

 “As a tribute to the highest, noblest calling a woman may receive, I share five truths about mothers.

Truth #1: Motherhood is a sacred trust from God.

The destiny of mankind is in the hands of mothers. This is not hyperbole. The proverb, "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6) is more than a formula; it is reality. Mothers not only perpetuate the human race, they raise up the next generation...God has placed the well-being of His children in the hands of mothers.

Truth #2: We tend to define motherhood as maternity, but the word "mother" has layers of meaning.

Eve was called "the mother of all living" before she ever bore a child. Mother is the word that best describes the essence of who we are as women. It defines our identity, our divine nature and the gifts with which we have been endowed.

In reality, all women are mothers. We all need the nurturing touch of the mother who bore us and the "mothers" who bear with us. One of the greatest blessings of my life has been the privilege of learning from marvelous women — beginning with my mother and grandmother, but including others who have taught me things I would have never grasped on my own. They have made all the difference.

Truth #3: Mothers can do more than any others to cure the problems that exist in our society.

There is no better place to teach integrity or compassion or the virtue of virtue. Perhaps that is why President Gordon B. Hinckley called women the "one bright shining hope in a world that is marching toward self-destruction" (One Bright Shining Hope, Deseret Book, 1)

Truth #4: Satan is real, and he has declared war on women.

The adversary understands full well that those who rock the cradle are strategically positioned to rock his diabolical empire. Thus, today his destructive myths about women and mothers abound. Here are just three:

Myth #1: Men are more important and have all the power, so if women want to have influence they should be more like men.

Myth #2: A woman's value is based solely on size and shape.

Myth #3: The only worthwhile validation comes from outside the home, and thus, motherhood is a waste of any talented woman's time.

Too many women have bought these lies. Our culture is disintegrating at the speed of light, and regrettably, the female gender is doing its share of the damage. Sleazy women who flaunt their indiscretions jam the airwaves and monopolize magazine covers.

Other distortions are equally troubling. One prominent magazine annually publishes its "100 Most Powerful Women" cover story. Almost every woman mentioned is a politician, entertainer or CEO. I mean no disrespect to any of these women. What I dispute is the distortion that in order to have influence, a woman must have money, fame or a title. That is a lie!

External validation has short-term value at best. It's difficult to hug an award. No one from the office will call on Mothers Day to thank you for changing their life. There world's praise pales when compared to the joy of family.

Truth #5: Mothers have more influence than they realize.

Women are the leaders of leaders. Who has more influence on a man than his wife? Or on children than their mother? The word that best describes leadership by a woman is mother. Is there any influence more enduring than a mother's shepherding of her children along the path towards exaltation?

Mothers are always teaching, often in simple ways...A mother's voice is unlike any other because a mother's influence is endless.”

Happily Ever After Marriage Survival Kit

Hello! Welcome to my blog! This year, the weddings started early. I am big on giving presents that are unique, and I have a reputation now for giving survival kits. I do have another wedding survival kit theme coming soon.... but first, let me show you this one.

The theme of this survival kit was inspired by all those fairy tales that end with the saying - "and they lived happily ever after". It would be nice to live happily ever after, and the reality is you can, but it will take work - hence the survival guide on how to do that. 

I came up with all sorts of story like sayings and I bought some handy household items to go with those sayings. I made a tag for each item that also had some marriage advice in the pocket that went with the particular topic I was going for. Let's go through them.

1. Item I purchased - CLOCK - saying to go with it:

Once upon a time there was a young prince and princess who fell in love and got married. Their love was so grand, their love was so divine, they promised each other to uphold that love throughout all TIME.

2. Item I purchased - FLASHLIGHT/LAMP - saying to go with it:

Let light reign over dark by continually rekindling your spark.

3. Item I purchased - CUTTING BOARD - saying to go with it:

All great kingdoms face an evil threat. The enemy will indeed attack, but a strong kingdom will fortify and protect.

4. Item I purchased - FORK LIFTER - saying to go with it:

The greatest heroes and heroines are those who rescue another by lifting them to higher ground.

5. (not pictured here) Item I purchased - GRATER - saying to go with it:

Royal treatment is bestowed when appreciation and gratitude are made known.

Each tag is made from an 8 1/2 x11 piece of card stock. One piece of paper makes two tags. The bottom is folded up to make a pocket. The edges  are sewn to hold it together.  The tags make a booklet after the gift is opened. The title page I attached to the outside of the present. It is the only page without a pocket.

Click Here for PDF file of the tags. Have fun, and thank you for stopping by!
Linking up to...