A Tisket, A Tasket, Ideas About What to Put in a Basket

When it comes to treats for Cade and Gracyn's Easter Baskets each year,

I try to be creative!

I'm sure the kids would be satisfied with 4 lbs. of chocolate,

but truthfully they're not BIG chocolate eaters,

it's not ALL that good for their little bodies,

and I am left to deal with the 4 day post Easter chocolate high!

So instead of filling their baskets entirely with chocolate,

I came up with a few fun ideas to mix it up!

- a book

- a new Bible

- a little lotion

{Bath 'n Body Works sells their travel size for only a buck}

- shower gel

- bubble bath

- chap stick or chip chap as Gracyn says!

- sunglasses

- nail polish

- something handmade

{I got this done today}

- something for them to grow

{Lowe's sells little Sesame Street sets

which include seeds, a pot and soil for only $4}

- gardening gloves

- watering can

- flashlight

- bubbles

- a coin purse or wallet

- scented markers

- stickers

- coloring book

- spring cookie cutters and sprinkles,

for the little cook

- gum

- flip flops or crocs

I hope this gives you some new fresh ideas to choose from for

the Easter baskets you are going to fill this year!

I finished up my handmade gift for Gracyn's basket today!

A

SwEEt,

SpRiNgY

posie clippy

shhhhhh....it's a secret :)

I hope this motivates you to think outside the box this Easter!

Hoppy Handmade Sweet Friends!

Gettin' Springy With It

If you have read this blog for any length of time,

you'll know how much I love a good crafting session.

Now I can hot glue gun, snazzy up, create, and glaze all the live long day,

BUT...

In my book, crafting and sewing are in two totally different arenas.

I mean like they live on two different planets...Venus vs. Mars!

Both my Mom and MeeMaw can sew like

nobody's business, pattern or not, but somehow or another

I did not inherit that gene. BLAST IT.

Figuring out the pattern pieces, laying them correctly onto the material,

cutting on the right size line, translating the pattern LINGO

into layman's English...

UGH, it makes me fidgety just thinking about it!

~ SHOCKER ALERT PEEPS ~

I, Becky Alaniz, being of sound mind and good humor

completed my first official sewing project!!!!

Don't laugh, this is for REAL :)

Y-E-S,

I...ACTUALLY...SEWED....SOMETHING.

And oh.my.stars. did it ever turn out cute!

{yes i just said that about my own project &

please do not look at the seam stitching ever so closely}

With {much} guidance from my sweet,

wonderful, patient, all knowing seamstress friend,

Amanda
I actually made an adorable spring frock

for Gracyn.

I found a shop on ETSY that sells little dress packages

where all the pieces are pre-cut, numbered, and ready to simply just sew together.

It even included the pre-cut elastic & little bow!

The seller sends detailed instructions WITH pictures which is also helpful.

What a perfect starter project for a novice!

It cut out all the NOT FUN stuff and just left you to do the actual sewing!

And do you want to know what

the most satisfying part of this sewing project was?

When Gracie tried it on for the first time, she got this gigantic smile on her face, twirled around three times and said,

" Mommy, I pweddy!"

Easter Decorating on a Budget of ZILCH

Okay girlies,

Easter season is upon us!

Remember this guy?

Well check him out now!

~ Bada-Bing ~

Bada-Boom

My little branches are all dressed up for Easter baby!

All you need to do is take out your shredded paper and replace it with moss, remove the hearts in place of your happy little eggs, switch out your bow and

~ SHAZAM ~

Your Easter center piece is ready for oogling by the masses,

especially your kid folk, who enjoy asking...

1) Are those eggs real?

2) {in response to answered question numero uno}

Do they have candy inside?

and

3) Mommy, can we put some candy inside?

And I know someone is bound to ask, but the answer is

NO.

my sweet little candy-eyed chocolate bunny is a decoy, a fake, a fraud...

but a good impostor, no?

I purchased him about 3 years ago at a quaint little decor shop in Salado, Texas.

If I was brave enough to stick a real one up, he'd either be

a) dog bait

b) kid fodder

or

c) mom's stress snack by sundown

Hoppy Easter Decorating

Sweet Friends

Valentine Decorating, on a budget of ZILCH

Take one vase you already own,

Some ruffle paper that you have stored in your gift wrapping tub,

A few branches from that leafless tree in the back yard,

And some words that describe the people in your house,

how you feel,

and hints about what you'd like to receive for Valentines from your

kid folk,

and VOILA...

YOU HAVE A perfectly precious VALENTINE TREE centerpiece!!!

And just think,

all you'll have to do at Easter is change up the ribbon, delete the paper and add

moss instead and spread around your ribbon Easter Eggs to the branches and you'll be ready for

Spring!

Simple, Sweet & Home Spun

Target Dollar Spot Sparkler

I happened to find myself in Target, yet again, last week! I initially went in looking for a new hairdryer because the old one decided to retaliate by spitting fire when we tried using it! I wish I was kidding. I saw the FLAMES blazing in my mirror with my own 2 peepers...YIKES!

Seeing as that is a serious FIRE HAZARD I chunked him in the trash on the spot.

Back to my story, I run in let Cade pick out a basket, strap Gracyn in the front and we're off. Okay, here's where the catch comes in...am I the only person who absolutely CANNOT and I mean can NOT pass by the Dollar Spot without looking to see what treasures it holds this month? Please give me a shout out and let me know I'm not suffering from "Dollar Spot-itis!"

Back to the story take II, the 3 of us are perusing the bins when I spot this little cutie!

A miniature mailbox...for a DOLLAR!

Of course I pick one right up and toss into the basket, not knowing exactly WHAT I'm going to do with it, but figuring I'll come up with something...because it's a bargain at a dollar, right?!?? We continue on around find a new hair dryer too and end up eating lunch there because Cade insists they have the best crust less PB&J sandwiches around. This coming from a fella who seriously knows his stuff. The kid is addicted to PB&J sandwiches and he says they're the best, so they are the best! Are you beginning to see why we love Target so much?

I sat my mailbox on my kitchen counter at home to hopefully be inspired with an idea. While checking the blogs I follow this past weekend and saw a girl who decoupaged her Target mailbox. Luckily she linked back to the post she got the idea from and what do you know...I found a decorating step-by-step tutorial and a new blog to follow in the process! Amanda at Imperfectly Beautiful gives the play by play specifically for these mailboxes, I mean even down to the paper lengths to cut! Easy-Peasy.

So my simple little dollar spot mailbox now looks like this...

A perfect gift for a teacher, friend, co-worker, daycare provider, church bible class teacher, nursery worker, or yourself! Ours will be sent to preschool on Friday for Cade's teacher! We filled ours with Hershey kisses and hugs, what an inexpensive way to say "we LOVE what you do!"

*Update-I went back to Target to buy more, but the secret is OUT...they were totally gone! Hurry girls...hope you'll have more luck at your Tarjay!!!