November 2025

Welcome to our Fun In the Summertime Series!  You can find the rest of the posts here!

You’re going to love this roundup of Summer Activities I’ve put together for you.  I have three kids home for the summer, and I don’t think I could ever find enough ideas to keep them busy (without breaking the bank!)  Read on for some fun (and frugal) activities to keep your kids entertained and you worry-free!





1.  Free Summer Reading Programs from Frugal Living Mom.  My kids LOVE to read, so I’m all about earning free stuff along the way!  These are also great motivation if your kids don’t enjoy reading.

2.  Dolly Bookmarks from Two Sisters (Review Books).  So sweet and easy!

3.  50 Summer Activities your Family Can Enjoy For Free from Saving Cents with Sense.  So many of these are perfect for my family!  How about yours?

4.  Fly Swatter Painting Kid’s Craft from Glued To My Crafts.  I know two little boys who love to hit things!  At least now I can make that impulse into art!

5. Surprise Rocks/Dinosaur Dig from The Kitchen Is My Playground.  What a great idea!  I want to do this in secret so my kids are truly surprised!

6.  DIY Kiddie Car Wash from Mom Endeavors.  Anything to help keep cool is a bonus in my book!

7.  Summer Backyard Chalk Activities from In the Playground.  Saying yes to drawing on the house?  Your kids will love you for it!

8.  DIY Sponge Bombs from Stockpiling Moms.  Again- harness your kids’ love of throwing things!

9.  Free (or Cheap) Online Summer Camps from Frugal Living Mom.  I’m a cheapskate, so this is right up my alley!

10.  Truffula Tree Pencils from Two Sisters (Review Books).  I love making things to go along with favorite books.

11.  Smashin’ Ice Fun from Glued To My Crafts.  Hammers and water?  Oh yeah!

12.  Use Baking for Summer Reading, Writing, and Math Practice from The Kitchen Is My Playground
   (Can I just eat all those treats?  Yummy!)

13.  DIY Ring Toss Game from Mom Endeavors.  This would keep my kids entertained for hours.

14.  10 Fun and Free Activities for Kids in the Garden from In the Playroom.  I don’t have a garden but I do have lots of space for one!

15.  Lemur-themed Food from Two Sisters Review Books- perfect for any of the Madagascar movies!

16.  Backyard Fishing Activity from Mom Endeavors.  What kid doesn’t love fishing- especially if it doesn’t involve having to bait a real hook?
I hope that helps you get started on an awesome summer!  Which one are you dying to try out first?

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It seems like a lot of my friends are due with babies, and it’s a never-ending, gift-giving, craft-making opportunity! I still enjoy making onesies for the newborns, and snack/sippy cups for turning one, but you always need a card to go with a gift!

I’m all about mass production these days. Honestly, with the time you spend to make one card, you can duplicate your design and make a handful without much extra effort. (I’ve been doing the same thing with meals, doubling and freezing the extras!)
So I found a CUTE design on the Silhouette Store….

…and took advantage of Michael’s 5/$1 scrapbook paper (I know I had plenty, but sometimes you need fresh paper to get you motivated!) and got to work on 3 boy cards and 3 girl cards. That should last me the year, right? 

Once all the pieces were put together I had fun embellishing them with buttons, brads, sparkles and a fun saying! There’s plenty of room on the inside to write a personal message, and they’ll be a fun addition to an already personal gift.
We hope you stop by later this week- our friend Abby from The Cards We Drew is celebrating her birthday all week with awesome roundups and over $1000 in prizes given to three winners.  Come back Wednesday to enter!
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Thanks to the following blogs and websites for featuring our projects!
 

   

    


  


  

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Occasionally Crafty is a PR-friendly with several advertising options.  I’d love to see if your company is a great fit for my readers. For a media kit with current statistics please email Valerie at  [email protected]

Ways to Advertise:

• Giveaway a Product or Gift Certificate: We’re always happy to host a giveaway of your product if we think it and/or your business would be a good fit with our readers.  Giveaway packages include an introduction to your shop or business, product features including text links and images, two entries of your choice for readers to complete (sign up for a newsletter, like you on Facebook, etc.), and a social media campaign with “touts” on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.

• Sponsored Posts (no giveaway)–  We only do sponsored posts for items or companies we love or really think our readers would love.  A Sponsored Post package includes a full post review of your company or product, including text links and images, and also includes a social media campaign with links on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.

Again,  email us for a price quote if you are interested in advertising with us!  We would love to partner with you!

I often link up projects to Linky Parties.  If you haven’t checked them out, please go now! Let me know if you’d like me to add yours.

Monday

Nap-time Creations, Kleinworth & Co., 
The Crafty Blog Stalker, Marvelous Mommy- Create Link Inspire

Mad in Crafts- Mad Skills Party

Homestories A to Z- Tutorials and Tips Link Party

Uncommon Designs | That’s What {Che} Said | Creatively Living | Club Chica Circle | A Night Owl Blog | Becoming Martha | Wait ‘Til Your Father Gets Home | A Cup Full of Sass- Monday FUNday Link Party

Sugarbee Crafts, A Pumpkin & a Princess, SNAP, Flamingo Toes- Show and Tell

Fearlessly Creative Mammas, Life After Laundry, KrystaSteen.com, Clark’s Condensed, Confessions of a Cooking Diva, Glenrose Square- Tips and Tricks Link Party

Tuesday

Tip Junkie- Tip Me Tuesday

Coastal Charm- Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

Funky Polka Dot Giraffe:  Too Cute Tuesday

Homework:  The Inspiration Board

Sowdering About in Seattle-  Awesome Things Tuesday

 My Craftily Ever After

 Artzy Creations

 Krafting Kreations

Wednesday

The Thrifty Home- Penny Pinching Party

Real Housemoms, White Lights on Wednesday, I Love My Disorganized Life, Self Proclaimed Foodie- Wednesday Whatsits  (Tues 11 pm)

The NY Melrose Family, – Whimsy Wednesdays (Tues 6:45 pm)
Smart School House, Oh My Creative,
Simply Designing with Ashley, Princess Pinky Girl

Thursday

Here Comes the Sun, Practically Functional, Shaken Together-  Creativity Unleashed Link Party
One Project Closer, The Bold Abode,  The DIY Village

The Shabby Chic Cottage- Transformation Thursdays

Chocolate, Chocolate, and More- Thursday’s Treasures

Friday

Just Us Four- Pin-worthy Projects

Feature Fridays- Penny Love Projects and Bye, Comparison

The Idea Room, The 36th Avenue,
Whipperberry, 30 Handmade Days –  Best DIY Projects

Lolly Jane, The Crafted Sparrow, Craft-o-Maniac,
NoBiggie, Classy Clutter, The Cards We Drew-     The Creative Collection
Blooming Homestead, Giggles Galore

Weekend

Under the Table and Dreaming- Sunday Showcase

Tatertots and Jello Lil’ Luna
Somewhat Simple I Heart Naptime Today’s Creative Blog     – Link Party Palooza (Fri 7pm EST)

Reasons to Skip the Housework- Skip the Housework Saturday

Bring spring inside with this colorful Spring Subway Art Chalkboard!

Wow, it’s been awhile since I posted.  To be honest, when it’s cold and snowy/rainy/foggy, I have very little motivation to do anything except sit on the couch in a warm blanket, reading a book.  Of course, I have to participate in real life, but in my down time, I haven’t been able to muster up the motivation to create.

Well, now that March is just about here, I figured it’s time to get creating again.  One of the things on my to-do list is to replace one of my favorite decorations.  I made this Spring Subway Art Plaque a few years ago and love to display it each spring.  Unfortunately, it got destroyed in our move!

So, I decided to make a new project with the same design, but with a totally different spin.

I used this cute scrolly chalkboard from Hobby Lobby, and adhesive vinyl from Expressions Vinyl.  Oracal 651 is the best to use on this project, as the chalkboard has kind of a slick surface, but honestly I used scraps, so some colors are 631 and some are 651.  Use those scraps!

First, I imported a photo of the plaque to Silhouette Studio so I could make sure my design would fit the way I wanted.  I changed the page sized to match the actual dimensions of the plaque.  Then I imported the shape (you can find it here) and filled the words with the colors I wanted to use when I actually cut the vinyl.

Then I just cut by color.  Since this image isn’t really layered, I can push the same colors close together to cut and just place each piece by hand, eyeballing it as I go.  If it was a true layered image, I’d keep each color in it’s correct spot as I cut, then layer it all together. Here are some progress photos as I transferred each line to the plaque.
And here’s the finished project! I can either hot glue a ribbon to the back to use as a hanger, or display this using a plate stand.  I’m thinking I have a perfect spot for this on my built-in shelves! Are you ready for spring yet?  Someone please send me some sunshine!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That’s what helps fund this blog so I can keep bringing you fun new craft projects to try at home!

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Hi Everyone!  Thanks for stopping by my blog!

Occasionally Crafty is a craft blog for the busy woman.  I focus primarily on crafts that are simple to make and will give a big impact on a small budget.  You’ll even find some family-friendly recipes, activity ideas, and parenting posts!

I’m Valerie, a SAHM of three!  I play the flute and the piano, though my playing opportunities are few and far between!  I’ve been married 20 years to my handsome husband.  We are opposites in nearly every way, but that just makes us an awesome team!  My three kids keep me running all over town and are the source of the wrinkles that are beginning to appear- but I love them with all my heart! I am an avid reader, especially of fantasy epics.  I will sacrifice sleep and cleaning my house to finish “just one more chapter”.  I’m thrilled to see a love of reading pass on to my kids. I also enjoy baking and am known for my cookies.  From time to time you’ll see my creations pop up here on the blog! I created this blog as a much-needed creative outlet when my kids were home with me and I had no adult time.  I love to create beautiful things to make my house a home and bring a little cuteness to our lives!

If you’d like to contact me, you can leave a comment or send me an email.  My email address is

[email protected]

If you’ve been a reader for awhile, you know that one of my favorite things to use in crafting is vinyl.   I have a Silhouette Cameo, and I put it to good use making all sorts of vinyl art for my home.

This Christmas season, why not display a plate with a custom vinyl saying on it?  There are many out there, I know.  However, I designed an image just for you. Before I show it to you, I want to tell you about my inspiration.  I LOVE Christmas.  As much fun as shopping for and wrapping great presents is, I always try to keep myself and my family grounded, and remember why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.  I saw an ornament with the sentiment “Keep Christ in Christmas”, and I knew it would be a wonderful thing to display in my home this Christmas. So, if you want to keep a touch of the holy in with the ho-ho-ho, here’s a little something just for you.

If you have a Silhouette, you can download this file here and open it in your Studio software.  You can work with it directly in your new document, or you can click on File, then “Save to Library” so you can keep it as a shape in your library instead of just a document.

I sized my shape to fit my plate, then cut it out with my Cameo. Weed the extra vinyl as necessary, apply transfer tape (I use clear contact paper to save money!), and apply the vinyl to your plate. Remove the transfer tape, and you’ve got a gorgeous plate to display in your home or give as a gift. If you have any problems downloading the file, let me know and I’ll help you out.

We’re linking this up to some parties this week- come check them out with us!

Have a wonderful week!

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In my church, I teach Sunday School to the adults in our congregation.  It’s called Gospel Doctrine class and it just might be the most intimidating responsibility I’ve ever had.  I’m no scriptorian, but I do have a love of the scriptures and the gospel that help me teach this class. One of my biggest challenges is keeping my lessons interesting and “memorable” (meaning, I want them to HEAR what is being taught, if that makes sense).  Because I’m a musician, I often bring music into my lessons to help teach a point.  I find that sometimes music conveys the Spirit like nothing else can.

Recently, I used the children’s song “Faith” to teach about–what else– faith (Alma 32)

Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting each new day. Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my prayers each time I pray. Faith is like a little seed– if planted, it will grow Faith is a swelling within my heart; when I do right I know. I made a handout using a line from this song.  I like to put little reminders directly into my scriptures, so that when I am studying them on my own, the lesson will come back into my mind.
(I need to say a quick thank you to LDS Files for the seed image.  You can find it here.)

I’m sharing the handout if you’d like to use it.  It would be great for Primary, Youth, or even adults!  It will print four to a page, and you can DOWNLOAD IT here.   (the gray lines are just cut guides)

While I was putting this together, I thought I’d share a few thoughts about how I study and mark my scriptures.  I know that not everyone that reads my blog is interested in this, but it is something that is important to me.  I’ve looked online for inspiration before, so if this helps someone else, I’ll gladly share it! Scripture study is a very personal thing.  Everyone has their own way, their own system, etc.  I have read my scriptures many times, and in pretty much every way imaginable. My scriptures are dog eared, full of writing and color, and are stuffed with lesson handouts, as I mentioned above. I have quotations that I got from talks or lessons. I have lists  (Corianton’s 5 problems, The 9 “Wo’s”- wo unto the….) My favorite thing to do is to go through and mark my scriptures by topic.  I found these great colored pencils a few years ago, and I use them all the time!  Now being back-to-school time, you can find these at the store for cheap!    They are Crayola’s Twistable Colored Pencils.  No sharpening- what’s not to love? I read my scriptures cover to cover, looking for scriptures that talked about a specific set of topics that I had identified before I started.

Red–Qualities of God and Jesus Christ

Orange– The Holy Ghost
Pink– Charity/Service
Yellow= Faith and Hope
Tan– Repentance
Light Green–Salvation/Eternal Life
Dark Green–Prophecies Not Yet Fulfilled
Light Blue– Prayer
Dark Blue– Creation/Fall of Man
Purple– Prophecies Fulfilled or Being Fulfilled
Dark Brown–Baptism
Black– Miscellaneous I know there are lots of other topics I could have chosen, or ways I could have split them up, but this is what worked for me (and fit the colors I had!) When I find a verse that talks about one of these topics, I draw a dark line outlining the verse, then shade it in lightly (you can see what I mean in the above pictures.  I just like the way it looks.)  If a verse talks about more than one of these topics, I color half one color, and then the other half the other color.  I also make notes in the margins and draw arrows to footnotes, or underline words and phrases that stand out in a verse. I got this set of scriptures about ten years ago, and it is a treasure to me.  I love to reread them and remind myself of things I have discovered along the way.  I also often find a verse I missed that fits into one of my topics.  It’s amazing how you can always find something new in the scriptures.

By the way, if you’d like to read what I read, you can order a free, no-strings-attached Book of Mormon here.  I also read and mark my Bible the same way.

I’m linking this up to some of these link parties this week– I hope you’ll join in too!

Valerie

Okay folks, this is by far the easiest Making My Own recipe I’ve posted. This is something I’m sure a ton of us use and hate spending so much money for! We sure do pay for convenience, don’t we?

Introducing, Making My Own instant oatmeal packets! I got the recipe over at Countrified Hicks, and it is so simple and easy to alter to your liking. She even makes her packets at double size since it usually takes two of the store-bought packets to fill up her kids.

Can you just imagine how great these would be for road trips, camping, and just every day living? I made 4 of these packets and didn’t even make a dent in any of the ingredients you would need to make these, which means these are super cost efficient as well. I hope you get good use out of these!

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