June 2025

It’s A Bloggy Birthday- And You Get The Present!

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Hey everyone!  My AZ blogger friend Julie blogs at White Lights on Wednesday.  If you haven’t been there, you definitely need to go check it out.  Julie’s blog is full of delicious creations for your family to enjoy.  Plus she is a lot of fun to be around!



To celebrate her bloggy birthday, we’ve teamed up with a whole bunch of fun blogs to offer you some awesome presents!  





If you enjoy cooking, you’ll be thrilled to win these e-cookbooks to give you some new ideas.  And who doesn’t love money for shopping?



Enter via the Rafflecopter entry below.  And don’t forget to visit the fun blogs below to say thanks!  Just click on each button to be taken to the blog.




a Rafflecopter giveaway
  

Connect with us! You can find us here:

Occasionally Crafty

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My oldest son turned 4 on Saturday.  To celebrate, we threw a pirate party.  But it couldn’t be just a pirate party- it had to be a “Jake and the Neverland Pirates” pirate party.  If you don’t know, this is a brand-new show from Disney Jr.  It’s so new there is no merchandise out for it yet.  So, I did my best to combine “basic” pirate stuff with some homemade “Jake” stuff.  My son even insisted on dressing like Smee- so he wore his blue and white striped shirt and I made him a red stocking cap out of a dollar store t-shirt. All “Jake” images are copyrights of Walt Disney.  I’m sure they’ll have their own stuff out soon, but until then, I’d like to think that old Walt would understand a parent trying to please their child. To begin with, I downloaded the “Jake” image from Disney Jr. and made my own invitations.  I used a free skull background, then put the Jake image in the header.

For decorations, we had “basic” pirate stuff- a treasure map tablecloth, black, blue, and red balloons, some skull and crossbones signs, etc.

When the kids got there, we gave them bandannas, eyepatches, and earrings, and they decorated a “Jake” spyglass, found here:

Then we played a few games, jumped on our new trampoline, ate lunch, opened presents, ate cake, went on a treasure hunt, and jumped on the trampoline some more.  Who knew pirates had trampolines 🙂

For food I served pirate themed food.

Fish n Chips- (goldfish crackers and potato chips)

Swords (pretzel sticks)

Cannonballs (grapes)

Golden Nuggets (chicken nuggets)

X Marks the Spot breadsticks (pizza dough shaped into x’s)

Crocodile Blood (Red Kool-Aid)

For activities I tried to incorporate some “Jake”-style games-

Pin the Hook on the Captain (I sketched this from a clipart image I found online)

Search for gold Doubloons (Jake and his friends earn these through their adventures)

A treasure hunt for their goody bags (not pictured)

The cake was from FamilyFun magazine and can be found here:  

For the goody bags, I made my own labels, filled brown paper lunch sacks and tied them with jute rope to make them look like loot sacks.

Inside I put a pirate compass and pirate paddleball from the dollar store, bubbles that I wrapped with a “Jake” logo I printed out, pirate stickers, a “Jake” coloring page (found here) and a bag of Hershey’s nuggets and individual Rolos.  They also got to keep all their pirate gear and gold doubloons.

P.S.  If you have a “Jake” fan and are headed to Disneyland anytime soon, make sure you check out the Disney Jr. show in California Adventure!  It truly was a magical experience for my kids!

(If you’re planning a trip, book through Get Away Today- I’ve used them several times and it has been awesome every time- no bumps or goof-ups, and we always save a little money with their hard-to-find ticket discounts!  Use code OCRAFTY to save an  extra $10 off any 2-night or longer Southern California package (hotel and 2 ticket minimum).

The kids had a great time, and I had fun being a pirate!  Maybe these ideas will help someone else until Disney gets its Jake party gear out, so I’m linking up to some of these parties: 

Spring Fling Giveaway Sponsor: Very Jane

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If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you know how much I LOVE Very Jane.  They have the cutest daily deals on everything from jewelry and accessories to home decor.  I pretty much have to stop myself from ordering something every day, because, you know, I have a budget and all.

Seriously:  take a look at some of the things they offer!

Last week they had these beautiful Chevron Tote Bags (which sold out and I missed!  Bummer!)  Make sure you sign up for their newsletter so you can get all the deals right in your email inbox.


They often have beautiful hand-stamped jewelry at amazing prices!


If you keep an eye out, you can score some really cute table runners, pillow covers, or even curtains at a great price!  


And they always have cute, trendy clothing.

But my FAVORITE thing is that I am introduced to tons of handmade shops through Very Jane.  I love that I can support handmade and get great deals!  

Very Jane is generously helping you to craft or dress up your food or party supplies with this 13-color bundle of Baker’s Twine.  


If you can’t use all of this yourself, it would make a great gift for the crafter/baker in your life!

You can enter to win this bundle and other great prizes here.  

Now, go shop Very Jane and tell me what you buy so I can be jealous 🙂

Connect with us! You can find us here:

DIY Photo Wedding or Anniversary Gift

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Give something meaningful to your friends or your significant other this year with this simple

Song Lyric Photo Wedding/Anniversary gift!








My husband and I got engaged on Valentine’s Day, 15 years ago!  So this year I wanted to give him a bit of a sentimental gift for Valentine’s Day, or “Engagement Day” for us! 



I’m sharing how he proposed and the full tutorial to make this special gift over on Kenarry: Ideas for the Home today.  This would be the perfect gift for a special friend’s wedding or for your own anniversary.  



Do you and your significant other have a special song?  What would you put on your photo gift?

Christmas Specimen Art

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I hope you are all having a wonderful Holiday season. I’ve had so much fun making specimen art all year long. After Christmas I’ll have one last one to do, but that’s for another day. 

Today I present my favorite specimen art so far, Christmas!

This one sits atop my piano and wide array of Santa decorations. It’s a perfect fit! Ho Ho Ho!


Connect with us! You can find us here:

Three Things Thursday

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Don’t forget to enter my Memories Suite Giveaway!  Entries are low, so you’ve

got a GREAT chance at winning!  It’s a great gift for the digi-scrapper or photographer

in your life.  Click here to enter!

Welcome to Three Things Thursday- where I can share with you some things that have inspired me this week.  As I’m sure you can guess, Christmas is on most every crafter’s mind these days.  There are so many amazing home decor projects out there that I almost feel overwhelmed!  I’ve got to choose a few to do, and then just smile and be happy at the rest. Here are three Christmas projects that inspired me this week:

1.  What a great way to use those mini ornaments from the dollar store (Target’s dollar spot?).  The House of Bledsoe put together this Mini-ornament Garland that I love!

2.  There are a lot of advent calendars out there, but many are prohibitively expensive (at least for my cheap-o budget).  If you want a thrifty version, too, check out this Matchbox Advent Calendar from Alderberry Hill

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3.  Texas Cottage shows us how to make these no-mess Glitter Christmas Ornaments.  They’re gorgeous, and it sounds so easy to do! Thanks for the inspiration, ladies!  Feel free to grab a featured button if you like!

Ultimate Valentine’s Day Round Up

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Love is in the air! Valentine’s Day is around the corner and the Social Fabric Community has put together the Ultimate Valentine’s Day Round-Up to help you prepare for the season of love. From tutorials to crafts to delicious recipes, we have something for everyone. We dare you not to fall in love with these ideas! Friendly Valentine Candy Jar – Creative Ramblings Valentine Felt Envelopes – Good Morning Loretta Valentine’s Day Candy Filled Mason Jar – Savvy Saving Couple Valentine’s Day Love Bug Craft – Maryland Momma’s Rambles Last-Minute Quick, Cute Cut-Out Cards – Our Daily Craft DIY Heart Shaped Massage Bars – Thriftanista in the City  Valentine Memo Chalkboard – Southern Couture  Valentine’s Day Chalkboard Decoration – Pretty in Pigment Flower Vase Craft – Polka Dotted Blue Jay  No-Sew Ribbon Embellished Cocktail Napkins – Atta Girl Says Macaroni Art Lace Hearts – ABCs and Garden Peas Cupid’s Arrow Valentine’s Day Favors – Home. Made. Interest. Hand Lettered Valentine Notecards – One Artsy Mama Instagram Magnetic Bookmarks – Happy Go Lucky Blog Birdseed Heart Valentines – Made with Happy Valentine’s Day Burlap Wreath – The Farm Girl Gabs Cute Flower Valentines for Kids – Love, Jaime DIY Valentine Flower Corsage – Suburban Wife, City Life  DIY Valentine’s Snowglobes – Woods of Bell Trees Valentine Envelop Chair Backers – 2Paws Designs Mini Bubblegum Machine Valentines – Bubbly Nature Creations DIY Button Heart Picture Collage – Our Piece of Earth Kids’ Valentine’s Day Gift with FREE Printable – A Cowboy’s Life Easy Mesh and Ribbon Valentine’s Day Wreath – My Pinterventures  Snickerdoodle Sugar Scrub Recipe – Sunny Sweet Days Valentine’s Day Verse on Burlap – Life with Captain Fussybuckets 12 Days of Romance Scavenger Hunt – The Mama Zone Candy Kiss Ring – So TIPical Me Valentine’s Day Hand Print Craft – As Cute as a Bug’s Ear How to Make a Valentine’s Day Ribbon Banner – Aprons and Stilletos Date Night with a Romantic Treasure Hunt – The TipToe Fairy Chalkboard Gift Box – Organized Island Easy Valentines Felt Pillow Cover – Creative Southern Home Polar Fleece Ruffle Heart Wreath – Joy’s Life Washi Tape Bubble Valentines – Moneywise Moms Homemade Candles in 5 Easy Steps – Lemon Peony DIY Felt Ornaments for Valentine’s Day – 3 Little Greenwoods Butterfly Valentine’s Day Craft – Sarah in the Suburbs Epsom Salt DIY Valentine Candles – A Day in the Motherhood I “DOVE” You Printable with Candy – Newlywed Survival  Rainbow Heart PomPom Garland – Cupcake Wishes & Birthday Wishes Valentine’s Day Printed Burlap Subway – Occasionally Crafty Pom Pom Cupcakes Valentine Craft – Cute as a Fox Valentine’s Wooden Door Hanger – We Got the Funk  Hearts Aplenty: Valentine’s Day DIY Decor – Woman in Real Life Love Letters Simple Valentine’s Day Craft – Craving Some Creativity  Valentine’s Day Coffee Cup Sleeve – Craving Cynchronicity How to Make a Great Loves Print – My Sweet Sanity Cross Stitch Heart Pillow – Cutesy Crafts Free Valentine’s Day Cards Kids Can Make – Happy and Blessed Home Valentine Cupcakes – Home Maid Simple  Valentine’s Day Cakes – Charleston Crafted Red Velvet Pudding Cups – Mostly Homemade Mom Blood Orange Panna Cotta – Mooshu Jenne Candy Cane Chocolate Hearts – Drugstore Divas Cranberry Bliss Bars – Swanky Recipes Valentine Rice Crispy Treats – Midwestern Moms Chocolate Valentine Sandies – Cindy’s Recipes and Writings M&M’s® Red Velvet Brownies – Julie is Coco and Cocoa Nutella Filled Conversation Hearts – A Million Moments Conversation Hearts Martini – JVKOM Chronicles Valentine’s Day S’mores Dip – Our Mini Family M&M’s® Red Velvet Blondies – The NYC Talon Valentine’s Day Cheesecake Brownies – West of the Loop Red Velvet Cheesecakes – Houseful of Nicholes Chocolate Kiss Valentine’s Day Cookies – Moscato Mom Chocolate and Candy Valentine Popcorn – Made by a Princess Easy Valentine’s Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies – Janine Huldie Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe – Scrappy Geek Coeur a la Creme with Raspberry Sauce – Graceful Order Love Dipped Wafers – Sparkles to Sprinkles Valentine’s Day Bento Lunch – Diana Rambles “Blackened” Seafood Medley for a Low-Calorie Valentine’s Dinner – Broken TeePee Sweet Salty Fudge – Foody Schmoody Blog Valentine’s Day Covered Pretzels – Texas Type A Mom Valentine’s Popcorn – Mommy’s Bundle The Easiest Valentine’s Day Fudge Recipe – Young at Heart Mommy Valentine’s Day Butter Cookies – Ilona’s Passion Valentine’s Day Blondies – Saving You Dinero Brownie Cut-outs – Tramplingrose Puppy Valentine’s Day Cookies – Staying Close to Home Valentine OREO Brownie Bar Recipe – As Mom Sees It Strawberry-Vanilla Ice Cream Pie – Johanny’s Kitchen Strawberry Filled Chocolate Cake – Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks Chocolate Raspberry Truffles – Food Lovin Family Honey Bee My Valentine Cakes – I Don’t Have Time for That Red Velvet Valentine’s Day Parfaits – Living a Sunshine Life Homemade Strawberry Syrup – Day by Day in Our World Cranberry Hootycreek Cookies – Momma DJane Red Velvet Donuts – Frugal Family Tree Strawberry Mocha Granola – Strength & Sunshine Chocolate Shot Glasses – The Bewitchin’ Kitchen Chocolate Pretzel Kisses – Just 2 Sisters Valentine’s Candy Bark – Life with the Crust cut off Chocolate Kiss Shooter! – Housewives of Frederick County Super Simple Valentine’s Day Candy Hearts – My Real Food Family Easy Strawberry Crinkle Cookies – Meatloaf & Melodrama 3 Ingredient Strawberry Brownies – Fun Things to Do in Central Mass Nutella Baked Brie – Basil and Bubbly  Easy Cupid Crinkles – Creative Southern Home Valentine’s Day Edible Tic Tac Toe Game – A Frugal Friend Valentine’s Day Ombre Sweet Treat – Tastefully Frugal  How to Throw a Budget Friendly Valentine’s Day Party – Amber Nicole Blogs Valentine’s Day Party for Tweens – Soiree Event Design Love is in the Air Valentine Table – Not Just a Mommy Valentine’s Day Tea Party – The Peanuts Gang Easy Valentine’s Printables – I am the Maven® Printable Valentine’s Day Lunch Box Notes and Coupons – Gluesticks Blog “I Love You Like” Valentine’s Free Printable – C’mon Get Crafty 4 Free Valentine’s Day Coloring Pages – Saving More than Me Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt Clues – Mom on the Side Valentine Gift for Kids {Free Printable} – Fun on a Dime Crayon Valentines Printable – Mom’s Messy Miracles Tic Tac Toe XOXO Valentine with Free Printable – Housewife Eclectic Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids – Simple Living Mama 2 Free Printable Valentines (Owls) – Altamonte Family Love is in the Air Valentine Card – Making of a Mom Matchstick Valentine Free Printable – Frenchie Valentine’s Day Lunch Box Notes & Jokes – Coupons are Great I “Wheelie” Like You Car Valentine Printable – Artsy Momma Valentine’s Day Guide – The Ranting Latina! 24 Frugal Valentine’s Ideas – Real: The Kitchen and Beyond 7 Gift Ideas for Valentine’s Day – Downshifting PRO 5 Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts for Bloggers – That Chic Mom Top 5 Romantic Restaurants to Eat at in East Greenwhich, Rhode Island – Mama Luvs Books War Room Movie Night – A Beautiful Exchange Pairing Chocolate with Wine & Spirits – In Good Taste Valentine’s Day Make-up Tutorial – Glam Hungry Mom  Valentine’s Day Dinner at Home – Natasha Byrd

Can you feel the love tonight with all these great Valentine’s Day inspired activities?

Check out my favorite Valentine’s Day projects too:

Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies

Scrappin’ Wednesday- Fishing

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My kids love to “fish”.  We don’t usually let them use real hooks, as they are still a menace with flying things.  Instead, they use their kid-size poles with floaters to cast off and reel in over, and over, and over! One day, my husband and his buddy took the kids out on his boat for some fishing.  The kids had a blast.  They drove the boat, and even touched the real fish the guys caught!  Well, my daughter wouldn’t dare…. Here’s the page I put together to remember their day:

Occasionally Crafty

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** This is a sponsored post.  I have been compensated with product from this company in return for a full and honest review.  All opinions herein are my own.**

We’re checking in from our summer break because a really fun company (one that I am a big fan of!) contacted us to do a review.  If you haven’t heard of Paparazzi Jewelry yet, you NEED to know all about it.

Paparazzi  is a fairly new company that sells cute and trendy jewelry and accessories for only $5!  There are fun items for women of every age, and their products include necklaces, earrings, bracelets, headbands, hair clips, and more.   A great part of this company is their “Starlet Shimmer” line, which is geared towards younger girls and includes bracelets, rings, earrings, and headbands.

You can purchase the jewelry through direct sales associates, whom I’ve often found at craft fairs or hosted parties.  Another great option is purchasing online, which is a lifesaver for people like me.  I have three kids and two of them are boys that hate shopping.  So, going online to buy cute jewelry is awesome!  If this sounds like an option you’d be interested in, check out Paparazzi Accessories at www.DebsJewelryShop.com

Some of my favorite items are this Blue Turquoise Necklace


This awesome Silver Flower Ring


And this Gold Circle Cuff


Now, if you need to earn some extra income, becoming a Paparazzi Consultant is a great business opportunity!  Here are a few great reasons to work with Paparazzi:

1.  All the items are $5!  That is a great selling point.  You can’t buy jewelry anywhere for cheaper.  Women can afford it and they LOVE the selection!

2.  This company is still fairly new!  It’s possible to be the only consultant in your area.  That means you’ll have great demand when people find out you sell jewelry for only $5!  It’s also a great way to build a team and be a leader.

3.  You get 45% commission!  That means for each piece you sell, you make $2.25.  That’s going to add up FAST!  And, when people join your team, you make 5-10% of what they purchase through the Paparazzi website.  It adds up quickly as well!

You can sell Paparazzi just about anywhere:  Home parties, office visits, basket parties, fundraisers, boutiques, fairs and festivals, in retail stores, at your home, and even by trade! 

I personally own quite a few pieces of Paparazzi jewelry, and I love how they add a little style to my wardrobe.  I can’t say they last forever, as I’ve had a few break after several months of wearing them, and one of the rings did tarnish quickly.  Still, for $5, I’m thrilled to find fashionable and affordable pieces to complement my wardrobe. I always get excited when I find someone selling them, and am sure you will have the same experience.

So, if you’re looking to make ends meet, or just bring in a little extra money for your family, consider becoming a Paparazzi Consultant.  I’ve heard nothing but good things from anyone who has worked with this company.  Good luck, and enjoy!

Connect with us! You can find us here:

New Sponsor- Coquette Bath

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I’ve got another great sponsor for you to meet this month. Let me introduce you to Coquette Bath!

“Coquette Bath offers handmade soap, candles, lip balm, perfume, lotion bars, body spray, sachets, and more! Since 2001, I’ve been crafting quality for you. 

If I won’t use it for my family, I won’t sell it to you and yours. I use only the highest quality ingredients. All ‘making’ is done in small batches for quality control and freshness. You will love my products!”

She offers several different types of Sugar Cube Scrubs, like these Pink Grapefruit Cubes.

The lotion bars are great for travel, and sound like a great way to pamper your skin!

How about an ultra-soft, extra creamy lip balm?  It comes in many different flavors.  Great stocking stuffers (hint, hint)!

These beautifully wrapped, individually poured hand soaps sound divine!  


When you’re looking for a unique gift, I hope you’ll check out Coquette Bath for something she won’t forget!

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