Christmas Teacher Gift Basket

I have to post conversations with my kid because sometimes I wonder if everyone has these sort of talks with their children. Please tell me this is normal.

Her: Mom, would you eat a fried ant for $10?

Me: No.

Her: Would you eat a fried ant for $100?

Me: Ummmm depends on the day. 

Her: I would do it for five. 

Me: Nice.

Anyways. My parents have a Satsuma tree and we all hate to see them go to waste. It makes more than all of us can possibly eat.

So I thought it would be nice to make a gift a basket with some of the satsumas and some pecans for the faculty at my daughter's school. My daughter eats one for lunch everyday. They are not too sour and really yummy. Plus, they are really easy to peel. 

The plastic glittery snowflake that I already had was perfect to use as a backdrop for the tag. I used a chipboard ornament and paper from the Sleigh Ride Collection by Crate Paper with some other chipboard. I found the plastic crate in the dollar bins at Target. I hope the faculty like this gift basket!

More teacher gift ideas coming soon!

Linked up at www.littleredwindow.com and www.thehankfulhouse.com. 

Send a Box of Sunshine

I hate ever having a reason to send this particular type of care package, but sometimes life happens.

I can't think of many things worse than a child being sick enough to require a hospital stay. When a kid you know isn't well, why not brighten their day by sending a box of sunshine? Just fill a box or basket with all sorts of yellow goodies and a card. I found yellow noise putty, moustache lip pops, jacks, a sack of gold mine gum, and yellow candies at Hobby Lobby. Dollar Tree had yellow snacks as well as cards and a sudoku book for mom and dad and other adults. The box was wrapped in yellow paper and mailed to the hospital.

At first, I tried sending something from the hospital gift shop, but there just didn't seem to be anything that this kid would really enjoy. With this care package, there was bound to be something in there he would like with enough to share with siblings and other relatives staying in the hospital with him.

Make someone's day by sending them a box of sunshine!

Baby Girls Rock!

New baby's nursery inspired the theme for this baby shower. Or lack of a theme. We just incorporated coral  (which looks red on my screen for some reason) and grey into all of the decorations.

Monogram cakes are popular these days and I love them. This layer cake made by Danita had a wooden "G" on top that was simply painted grey.

Aunt Mandy made this cute framed wooden monogram with a chevron fabric background which now hangs above the crib.

The gift table was decorated with a custom banner, of course, and my birdcage with a mini chalkboard inside. We layered a paper polka dot table cloth with a lace runner on the table for a vintage look.

We used the birdcage to hold all of the cards.

Even baby girl gift baskets were coral and gray. 

I come from a long line of crafty people and it seems like EVERYONE helped prepare for this baby shower. My Aunt Sandy made this banner with her Cricut machine. I love the 3D look and the way it looks like lace doilies.

Aunt Sandy also made the baby shoe "goodie bags." We put tiny bags of Haribo gummy bears inside because that is expecting mom's favorite candy. 

The extras are available to purchase in my etsy store. Just click the link in the sidebar.

I made these simple centerpieces using paper table cloths because I couldn't find napkins that I liked to make tissue pom-poms. I stuck them in antique blue Ball jars stuffed with crinkle paper so that you couldn't see the wires and picks. In the top of the arrangement, I stuck a chevron monogram which was cut on the Sizzix machine. Baker's twine was tied around the top and pink pearls were draped around them.

Olivia made a very girlie diaper cake complete with frames and a tiara.

Even the food was color-coordinated. Icing and sprinkle covered marshmallows were too cute to eat. But we did. Cousins Dodi and Kori made these.

Cousin Lea made the coral cookies with hugs on top. I'm still not sure how she got them that color.

I painted this little picket fence box that I already had from a pinwheel party and used it for the fruit skewers. Little washi tape flags were stuck on top of each one.

Aunt Sandy made cones with doilies for popcorn in the "old" bucket.

Guests were asked to write advice for the new mom on these little dress cards made by Dodi and Kori.

These clothespins decorated by Dodi and Kori were used to play a game where guests lost their clothespin when they said "baby." Whoever had the most clothespins by catching people say the word, won a prize. 

I didn't win.

My mom, Andi, made the prize bags using scrapbook paper, old dictionary paper, doilies, baker's twine, and paper flowers. With a "G", of course.

Even the gifts were coral and gray. My mom used some of the leftover tablecloth to stuff into the gift basket. 

What kind of games do you play at baby showers?

Gift Bucket

Why is it so fun to get or give a gift basket?  Or in this case gift bucket?

I made this for a friend in the hospital after delivering her baby girl.  Someone told me about a recipe for chicken soup using 6 canned goods.  I tried it and liked it.  So, I thought maybe it would make a good gift.  Especially if it is wrapped in a super cute green bucket from the dollar bins at Target.  (It was actually $2.50, but still a great deal.)  You'll never guess what I made the monogram with.  Shelf liner!!  Shhhhh! don't tell my secrets!  It was on clearance at Michael's so I bought several different patterns because I just knew it would work like vinyl cut with my Slice machine or Cricut.  

I added a bag of Fritos and a cute recipe card to the basket.  You could even add shredded cheese to the gift basket if you are delivering to the recipient's home. Everything for a complete meal without having to try too hard.  Everything goes in one pot. No need to remember to thaw something or dirty lots of dishes if you seriously don't feel like cooking OR going out.  Or having pizza delivered.  Am I the only girl in America that doesn't care for pizza much?

6 Can Taco Soup:
Rotel
Whole Kernel Corn
Black Beans
Chicken Broth
Can of Chicken
Cream of Chicken soup
+ Taco Seasoning packet

Mix all ingredients in a pot and simmer.
(Most of the time, I actually cook chicken in the pot first and then add all ingredients except canned chicken. In a pinch, it works with canned chicken.)