Making A Mother's Day Craft Project with Painters Paint Markers

My grandson and I decided to make a Mother's Day gift for his Mom (my daughter Samantha). We have done projects together before, and they are always fun. He knew he wanted to give her flowers, so it was my job to come up with a craft idea that would go along with them.

I had heard about Painters Paint Markers from Elmer's, and that they will work on almost any surface. So I went to Walmart to buy some. I found them in the craft section.

They have a good selection, with packs of the paint markers in bright colors. They even have a pack of pastel colors, which are on sale for $7.

I decided to get the individual markers, they are a great price at $1.97, and you can buy only the colors you need. It says they work on any surface, and I'm pretty excited to try them out.

I have decided that my grandson and I will decorate a vase to hold the flowers that he wants to give his Mom.

I selected the colors yellow, blue, red and green to decorate the vase.

My grandson asked me to write "Mom" on the vase because he was giving it to her on Mother's Day. The word actually gave us something to work around, and made a great focal point. He loves using the Elmer's markers, and I can see more projects for us in the future. I thought they might be a little hard for him to handle, but they weren't at all.

We worked on it together and it was a lot of fun. We drew on hearts, flowers, and big dots. The paint markers were so easy to use, and were very fast drying so there were no paint smudges.

I really do love doing crafts and I can see that the Elmer's Painters Paint Markers can make any painting project much easier. Our vase project is coming along nicely, and we are almost finished.

Here is our finished project. I just love it, and so does my grandson. He is very proud of it, and the flowers he bought with his own money. We had a great time together making this very special project, and he can't wait to give it to his Mom on Mother's Day. #ExpressYourself

*I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™.

All opinions expressed in this shop are my own and your experience may vary. #SocialFabric #Cbias #ExpressYourself

Happy Mother's Day

This is a very old picture of my mother, Ruth. She was born in 1921, and died in 1988.
I still miss her everyday. She was the kind of mother who was loving, and there for me in all ways whenever I needed her. She was the best of grandmothers to my children, and it was a huge and heartbreaking loss when she left us.

I now look at my own grandchildren and know she would have been so thrilled to see these beautiful little people that are a part of her. And she would have been a fabulous great-grandmother, too.

Happy Mother's Day Mom. I love you.

K'NEX Review

JJ loves to build and work with his hands, what better way to do that with than K'NEX! They have been around forever it feels like and they just keep adding to their products. We were sent the Mario Kart Wii Mario VS Piranha Plant Building Set to play with! The cool thing about the K'NEX Mario Sets is that you can combine them with the other sets from Mario Kart Wii Series. So your collection can grow and grow in to a giant race track!!

Lots of fun for kids, but just a reminder there are small parts, for ages 6 and up. So if you are looking for something for the younger children in your life check out the different age categories for preschoolers and below.


 You can learn more and find out when new K'NEX products are out by following them on Facebook.



* I was not paid or compensated for this post. I was provided for free the toy mentioned in this post for my review by the Company/PR company. The opinions are 100% mine and may vary from others.

DIY Compost

There is something so soothing to me about growing things. Planting, watering, harvesting, I love it! I always say my garden nurtures me more than I nurture it. Nothing taste better than food you have grown yourself. Its like home made cookies your Mom make, its made with love! This year we have planted new things like watermelons and jalapenos along with our regulars like tomatoes and basil. If you plant basil and tomatoes mixed in together oh my its good! The tomatoes take on the basil flavor a bit giving the flavor a boost.

This year we thought we wanted to try making some compost for our garden. I am always tossing eggs that expire, rinds and peels of produce and thought there must be a better thing to do with them. We decided to do a mini DIY Composting. For now its on a tiny scale just to see if it works but we plan to go bigger if we can make it work for us.

Here is what we did:

We took a box, lined it with a plastic bag added potting soil then eggs and shells

Next we added the rind from watermelon we had the night before (I am sure any fruit or veggie would work)

Then we added some grass

Then more potting soil. It was only $1 for a bag of  potting soil few weeks ago I stocked up

For a touch of beauty I added rose petals from the rose bushes that line our back yard

Layered more grass

A touch of Christmas spirit lol pine needles from our tree last year.  I chop it up and use it as bark in the yard and there was pine needles still in the bark pile.

Mint Leaves from the mint that has invaded a portion of my yard. Smells so good!

Another layer of potting soil

A bunch of decaying leaves, bugs worms and all

More dirt!

Add water to the mix, just regular hose water.

Cover with the plastic from the soil and rocks to hold it down. Leave in the sun to break down.

I hope it works! We will add more veggie peels and such to it and give it a stir here and there. I do need a real compost pile though. This is just my attempt at seeing if it works. Wish me and my decaying matter luck!

39Dollar Glasses Review and Giveaway - Mother's Day

About four years ago, I bought a new pair of glasses that cost me a little over $500. I have known for awhile now that I really do need new glasses again, but I dreaded paying out all that money.

Imagine how happy and surprised I was to find 39Dollar Glasses. This great online store is the perfect answer to the traditionally high price of eye wear.

The company is owned and operated by eye doctors, and all of their glasses are made in the USA. They are able to offer a complete line of prescription glasses, including no-line bifocal, and Transition Lenses. By being an online only store, 39Dollar Glasses doesn't have to pay the overhead that traditional retail establishments do, thereby being able to pass that huge savings onto their customers. 39 Dollar Glasses also offers a 100% guarantee and free shipping. Plus they ship FREE to all active US service men and women no matter where they are serving!

I was so happy and excited to be offered the opportunity to order and review a pair of their glasses. I went to the website and was so amazed at all the kinds and styles of frames that were offered there. It was a lot of fun looking through all of the selection and picking out my frames.

The website is completely user friendly, and filled with all the information needed to comfortably place your order. There is also a 1-800 number to call if you have any questions, which I did. The customer service person was very helpful and able to answer all of my questions. My prescription is for progressive lenses, and I needed to make sure that I was placing my order correctly.

A few days later, my glasses arrived. I have to admit I was a little nervous about buying them online. But when I put them on, I was completely happy with them. They fit great, and I was thrilled with the improvement in my vision.

I just love 39Dollar Glasses and am now a loyal customer. I am happy to tell everyone I know about the great and inexpensive glasses they make. Visit the website to see the amazing selection of frames and styles to choose from. Here I am in my new pair of Sofia Brown Glasses.

39Dollar Glasses is offering one lucky reader a pair of free glasses (up to $75). There is also a coupon code to receive 10% off of all other orders (code FFT 123).

 GIVEAWAY

Win a pair of Glasses or Sunglasses (up to $75) from 39Dollar Glasses.


To Enter This Giveaway:

Like 39Dollar Glasses on Facebook +1

(Please do NOT write on their wall about Frugal Family Tree, its against their wall rules you can tell them which pair of glasses you like but not a requirement)

(leave your FB name, First and initial if its your name so I know you liked them)

*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

 -Follow 39Dollar Glasses on Twitter +1
-Follow 39Dollar Glasses on Pinterest +1


 -Follow Frugal Family Tree on Pinterest +1
 -Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1 

-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway)

#Win a pair of Glasses (up to $75) from @39DollarGlasses at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 5/30 http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2012/05/39dollar-glasses-review-and-giveaway.html

 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts May 11th 2012 and ends on May 30th, 2012 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post.  I was provided the product pictured in the post for free for my review. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Green Apple Love

 I used to be the only one in my family that would eat green apples. My husband would not even try it! I have loved green apples since I was a kid in Southern CA. We lived on a property that had a few green apple trees and the summer we lived there was green apple paradise! We ate as many as we could everyday. I loved picking them from the tree and taking a bite. We even put some in a bucket and bobbed for apples. Its not as fun as you might think if you accidentally breath through your nose while trying to get an apple lol

That is what started my LOVE of green apples. When I was pregnant with my son I ate a green apple everyday. I read its good for preventing allergies and asthma in kids, not sure where I read it but I thought heck an apple a day right lol Plus I thought what I eat might help influence his tastes later too.

Well I am happy to report my little guy loves green apples too. He makes faces when he eats them but tells me its mmmm good. I am so happy to finally have someone to eat green apples with. My husband feels the same about shellfish. I am allergic to it so he is hoping it will be something our son likes so he will have some to share his grilled shrimp with this summer.

Kravings by Klogs Shoe Review and Giveaway - Mother's Day

Shoes are something all women love! Its the simplest way to make an outfit look put together. As a busy Mom I was stuck in the flip flop rut and I hated it. I needed a pair of shoes that I could slip on to do errands and also look great while doing it. They needed to be comfortable and not too tall. ( My son loves to still be carried and tends to be a wiggle worm so I did not want to fall over wearing too tall of shoes, yes I am klutz lol)

I looked online to fins a comfy pair of clog type of shoes and found a great company, Klogs. I was delighted to see that Klogs makes a line of shoes that are perfect for a Mom. Kravings by Klogs has super cute, stylish and comfy shoes for a busy Mom. I have been wearing the Millie in Black from the Monarch Collection and love them. They are very comfortable and sturdy. A good shoe especially a sandal needs to feel sturdy. Like you can run in them if you need to. Of course I do not recommend that but with a toddler it possible you might have to dash after them.

The Kravings Shoes have leather tops with a cushioned insole and shock absorbing outsole. The main thing I noticed about wearing the shoes after hours of running errands with my son is my feet still felt great. No soreness or fatigue. Awesome!

GIVEAWAY

Win a pair of Woman's Sandals from Kravings.com


To Enter This Giveaway:

 What style of shoes from Kravings do you like?

*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

-Like Kravings by Klogs on Facebook +2
-Follow Klogs on Pinterest +2
-Like Klogs on Facebook +2


 -Follow/Add to your circle  Frugal Family Tree on Google+ ( right hand side) +1
-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1 

-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway)

#Win a pair of Sandals from Kravings by Klogs at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 5/25 #shoes

 *Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts May 10th 2012 and ends on May 25th, 2012 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post.  I was provided the product pictured in the post for free for my review. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal Review and Donation

 Natural deodorants has been something I have been buying on and off for about 10 years now. This last year I have told myself I need to ONLY buy natural ones. I am concerned about the harmful aluminum and parabens in many brands on the shelf. After researching about breast cancer risks and deodorants I have made the personal choice to stick to natural ones.

There are many great brands on the market for Natural Deodorants. Price ranges can vary but one I have found that is affordable and at Walmart, Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal. Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal contains 100% Natural ingredients with no aluminum or parabens. It is also great for sensitive skin since its hypoallergenic and fragrance free. My husband loves this brand and its the only one he has used for about 5 years now. I go back and forth on brands but he is a loyal customer for sure!

I also reviewed the Moiststic Natural Lip Protection. I love the refreshing feel of it. The peppermint flavor was great. It reminds me of a much more expensive competitor brand but this one is much more affordable. The natural lip product contains Tea Tree Oil, Vitamin E, Beeswax, Coconut Oil, and Peppermint Oil.

The company that sells Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal is wonderful. They were so awesome to send me a big box of Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal to donate to one of my favorite local charities Roseville Home Start. Deodorant is on the Wish List on the Charities website. Its one of those items people might forget that people need donated.  It makes me beyond happy to be able to blog for good and make donations like this.

The Staff at Home Start is always welcoming to us and appreciates our donations.

To learn more about Naturally Fresh Deodorant Crystal you can be a fan Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

*I was not paid or compensated for this post. The opinions in this post are 100% mine. I was provided one deodorant and lip product for my review and donated the rest by the Company / PR Company for free.

Sole Society Shoes Review and Giveaway - Mother's Day

What Mom would not LOVE new shoes for Mother's day? Yes we love flowers, candies and cards but we LOVE shoes too! A great place to shop for shoes for Mom, well yourself just paid for by the kids right, is Sole Society. This site is a fun place to shop for shoes. You sign up and it helps you pick out shoes based on your personality. They have 6 fashion personalities to select from, but don't worry you can buy any shoes you like its just a great way to suggest shoes for you. Sole Society is a shoe club that has no membership fees and there is no obligation to buy. They just like you to join to see all the awesome shoes they carry. The shoes are all $49.95. They even have a Invite Your Friends link that you can get credits towards shoes when 3 of your friends sign up and make a purchase.

For a Mother's Day gift to me I wanted shoes. I told my husband and son I would pick stuff out and then they could get it for me. Sounds great to me! After finding the Sole Society site I told myself ok I need to ask for the same thing on my birthday this summer lol. They have so many shoes that I love. I was sent the Kendall Weave Espadrille Sandal in Coral. I love that the color is bright but not over the top. The heel is perfect to wear the shoe with any outfit. You can wear cute shorts and a nice top or a dress and great jewelry. They feel so summer like to me.

I am a bit of a klutz as I have mentioned before but I can wear these shoes with ease. I love the tall heels and have a few pairs in that style but for wearing anywhere I need a shoe that is around a 2 inch heel. These shoes are surprisingly comfortable which tells me I can be comfy and stylish! I love the wrap around cross ankle strap. It creates a fashionable look that is functional. It really makes the shoe fit well. The Kendall says True Fit to Size and it delivered on that! I shop for shoes all the time and many brands the shoes are not what the size says. Online shopping for shoes at Sole Society you do not have to worry about sizing, they will be what they should be. You can shop by heel height and color. Making it easy to find a great shoe that works for you.

Love the ankle strap!

If you love shoes as much as I do this site will be a blast for you. I love that good shoes can be a starting point for an outfit. With the colorful and stylish shoes at Sole Society you can get tons of great ideas for your wardrobe. 

 

GIVEAWAY

Win a pair of Woman's Shoes from Sole Society


To Enter This Giveaway:


Sign up for Sole Society and leave me a comment telling me what Shoe Personality you are.

(you will need to sign up to be a member to win the prize, its FREE to sign up)

*Leave a comment answering the question and be sure to leave your email address if its not public in your Google account*

Extra Entries: Can be done after leaving a comment for mandatory entry. If the extra entry says 1 extra entry leave 1 comment and 2 extra entries leave me 2 comments and so on.

-Visit Sole Society and tell me your favorite shoe +1
-Like Sole Society on Facebook +1
-Follow Sole Society on Twitter +1

 -Follow/Add to your circle  Frugal Family Tree on Google+ ( right hand side) +1
-Like our new fan page on Facebook Frugal Family Tree +1
-Follow FrugalFamTree on Twitter +1 

-Share this giveaway on Facebook ONLY, using the Share Button at the bottom on this post. +1 for each share you do. (can be done once a day)

-Copy and Paste This Tweet on Twitter and leave me the link (to find the link click on the time stamp under your tweet. Can be done once a day for the duration of the giveaway)

#Win a pair of Sole Society Shoes from @solesociety at @FrugalFamTree #Giveaway ends 5/25 #shoes http://www.frugalfamilytree.com/2012/05/sole-society-shoes-review-and-giveaway.html

*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts May 10th 2012 and ends on May 25th, 2012 at midnight PST. Winner will be emailed and has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post.  I was provided the product pictured in the post for free for my review. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize.

Top 5 Cookbooks I Love

I love cookbooks. I blame my mother for this. She used to buy them and read them cover to cover, and then put them on the shelf, never cooking one single recipe.
 
I also collect cookbooks but on occasion I actually cook something that comes from one of them. I am trying to cook one recipe a week from different books, so I have pulled some of them down from my shelf. I have made a list of my Top 5 favorite cookbooks, so here they are, in no particular order:

1. Barefoot Contessa Family Style
I adore Ina Garten, I have for years. From her pretty house, to her fabulous garden, to her devoted husband Jeffrey, she is wonderful. You have probably seen her on TV on her own cooking show. Her food is elegant but simple, and any average cook can be comfortable using her recipes.
I have all of Ina's books, but this one is my favorite. Her Parmesan Chicken recipe is heavenly.

2. The Fannie Farmer Baking Book
This book has been a beloved classic for so many years. I would love to cook everything in it! There are recipes for pies, cakes, breads, cookies and more. The peanut butter cookie recipe is the one I always use. There is also a wealth of information about cooking and baking that is extremely helpful.

3. Alice Waters, The Art of Simple Food
Alice Waters is the queen of eating organic and local foods. I love this philosophy, even though it isn't always practical or affordable. But this cookbook is for all cooks, and all types of food. It really is simple to prepare and eat these wonderful recipes. Her roasted chicken and roasted root vegetables are so yummy, and the aroma of the chicken in your kitchen is a dream.

4. Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen.
Up here in the Seattle area, Tom Douglas is a famous name in the food and restaurant business. He has five restaurants at my last count, each of them different and special in their own way. His book is filled with many items you will find in his restaurants. I have eaten crab cakes several times at one of them, and they are super delicious. If you want a taste of Seattle, buy this book and try any of Tom's amazing dishes.

5. The Joy of Cooking
A gem of a cookbook, one that many of us learned to cook from. Originally published in 1931, there is an updated version that incorporates all of the new equipment and methods available for cooks today. From stuffing to cookies to beef stew, this cookbook can be the best source for good, old fashioned food, just like your Mom made.

I hope you like my Top 5 list, and I could have easily added more cookbooks to this list.

Do you have an absolutely favorite cookbook? I would love to know what it is.

Happy Cooking!