Search Results for: blog let them make cake and eat it too

How to Save Money at Oriental Trading

Oriental Trading is my go-to for supplies when I am planning a big birthday party, as I am doing this year. They have a ton of stuff, from decorations to crafts to goodie bag items. It is easy to find items to fit practically any theme. The spending could quickly get out of hand, unless you know the Oriental Trading money-saving secrets. My youngest, who usually gets short-changed in most things, by fortune of his birth (hand-me-downs and a much slimmer photo album) is finally getting his do with an elaborate (for us) knight-themed birthday party. He is inviting all … Continue reading →

Fun and Easy Ways to Go Green

Earth Day 2013 is less than a week away.  How are you planning to celebrate? Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a lot of green to go green.  All you need is a little time and some motivation to recycle what you already own.  By repurposing materials you would otherwise toss in the trash, you are not only saving money and showing your kids simple ways to save the planet, but you’re also giving them an outlet to showcase their creative energy. Placemats:  Rather than spend cash on everyday placemats, consider making your own with poster board, old magazines and … Continue reading →

Fun On a Budget

Crafting may seem like an expensive hobby, especially if you have a house full of kids who want in on the action.  Fortunately, frugal families don’t have to put the kibosh on creating handmade masterpieces.  Rather, with a little ingenuity you can make priceless crafts on a tight budget. Clothespin Pinwheel Materials: Double-sided patterned paper Ruler Pencil Scissors Glue Thumbtack Wooden clothespin with spring Directions: Cut a five-inch square from a sheet of patterned paper. Draw an “X” on the paper from corner to corner. Cut three inches along each line. Fold every other point toward the center of the … Continue reading →

Favorite Recipes

Sometimes it is hard to keep track of all of the great recipes that are our there. Today, I thought I would make it a little easier by linking up some of the favorite Families.com recipes that we have posted over the years. It is a good selection of different kinds of food, from soup to desert, although I have to say that I am partial to the desert. Enjoy! *** The Serious Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate Cake Have you ever seen the gigantic chocolate cake that Costco sells? It is a 5 layer chocolate cake, with chocolatey whipped frosting and … Continue reading →

Don’t Eliminate the Entertainment Budget

Often, when times are economically tight, as they are now for most of us, the entertainment or fun budget is the first thing to go. Just because there is less money available, doesn’t mean that there has to be less fun. Do Put Something in the Budget for Entertainment Designate some amount for family fun, even if it is only limited to $20 a month or even less. Budgeting for entertainment sends the message that family fun is important, even when it isn’t expensive. If you create a zero-based family fun budget you may wind up indulging anyway, and blowing … Continue reading →

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

Who could resist Hostess Cupcakes with their curly swirls of bitable icing over rich chocolate frosting that covers the deep chocolate cake that hides the gooey creamy filling? Don’t you want to just take a bite out of them right now? Sigh. Let’s take away both the guilt (well, a little of the guilt) and the expensive prices on eBay and make some homemade Hostess Cupcakes. You’ll eliminate the preservatives and be known as the best baker on the block. I have to tell you that this post required a lot of hard research. I had to make sure that … Continue reading →

New Year’s Eve Parties With Parental Controls

New Year’s Eve celebrations don’t have to include alcohol, loud music, revealing outfits and colorful language to be fun and exciting. If you are a parent, tomorrow night’s festivities will likely be G-rated, especially if you are partying with a young crew.  To ensure your last shindig of the year features good, clean fun, consider the following kid-friendly activities: New Year’s Word Scramble:  This game can be tailored for kids of varying ages.  All you need to do is come up with a list of words associated with New Year’s.  Possible choices include:  December, January, resolution, fireworks, balloons, noisemakers, confetti.  … Continue reading →

My Daughter’s Birthday Part II

As I prepared for my daughter’s first birthday party, I wanted her to be able to celebrate with my favorite kind of cake: Chocolate!  She could make the judgment if she liked it as much as I do.  I impose all sorts of things on my daughter, like the ballet theme in her bedroom.  I was also going to impose a “pretty in pink” theme for her birthday party.  I would use a fresh raspberry puree to make a beautiful Italian meringue buttercream frosting for her birthday cupcakes.  However the frosting making and cupcake and special mini birthday cake frosting … Continue reading →

A Couple Of Good Reads For Aspiring Home Based Cooks And Bakers

Today I came across a great pair of books that would be good reference guides for anyone who is thinking about starting a home – based bakery or other food related home – based business. Mimi Fix is the talented author behind both books, and she delivers the goods that help you develop your talent and ideas into a real home – based business that can make you money. Mimi’s first book, “Start And Run A Home – Based Food Business”, is great for anyone who wants to explore whether a home – based food business is right for them, … Continue reading →

Is There Such a Thing as Too Nice?

Is there such a thing as being too nice? When we’re in a relationship with someone, particularly when we’re married, we learn the answer to that question: yes. It’s not necessarily that too much niceness is bad, but that what one person might interpret as nice isn’t so great for the other. A friend and I were talking about that today in relation to our husbands. She shared that one time, her husband managed to bring home a big chocolate cake on the first day she was starting a new diet, something he knew about. Another time he kept filling … Continue reading →