Don't forget about Etsy

I ADORE checking out etsy.com, and seeing what people with actual skillz can come up with.  I get my best gifts for people from there - things with personal touches, like guitar pick earings, cool laptop covers, you name it.  They have everything.  EVERYTHING.  When I was pregnant with baby number 2, I was looking all over online to see about buying a Bella Band and I couldn't find one for under $25, some even more.  It's an tube of fabric, people!  As I scoped out etsy one day from maternity shirts, I ran into quite a few shops selling homeade ones from $8 and up.  Much more reasonable, and it supports reg'lar folks like you and me!  (well, not me, I have no skillz there).  I bought a nice black one for $10 and it fit well and was fabulous.  So for those little things - go check etsy out.  They may just have what you need at a fraction of the price.

The seller I bought from doesn't exist now, but here's one shop of many with great ones in varieties of designs:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/RunSystem63

Decorlicious!

My buddy Chelsea has equal love of the deal, and she just also happens to be all crafty and creative. This is a plug for her Etsy shop - CheaperByTheDozen. She made me an adorable sign for my daughter's bedroom, she just don't stop with them creations, and her prices are just right. She still just charged me a cool $5. Heh, for my own custom art?? Go check out the eye candy - you rule, Chelsea!!

Chaaalllllkboard!!!

Holy crap. Martha Stewart RULES this one people!! Who else has headed through Home Dept and noticed chalboard paint and had the desire to paint something in their house with it so you'd have a chalkboard door or wall?

Martha figured out how to do it without having to buy really expensive chalkboard paint (it is pricey) - you can do it with any color paint you want, too!!! Check it out!!

Oh, and the best price you'll get on paint is at Walmart - I talked to an employee once there, who told me that most of their brands are actually made by the big paint companies you'd find at Home Depot. IIIiiiinteresting. Dang, I need another house so I can do this...

Some kiddie links

Found a new website the other day with some great parenting idears - ParentHacks.com. Lots of delish ideas for anyone, really!

And One the lovely Scrumdillydo, the had the coooolest idea for easy and cheap tub foam!! (you know, that stuff kids can use to write on the walls of the tub during bathtime that washes off, fun but over-priced?) Colored shaving cream - and she's got oodles of ideas to use it with too! Enjoy!

School stuff. But more fun. And more cheap.

Flipping through the intraweb today I found a tasty site called Discount School Supply, with lots of edumacational things as well as craft supplies for the cheapness. And of course, yours truly went to the clearance page first and had everything priced low to high (that's how I roll, yo) and for no reason whatsoever, I want to buy lots and lots of watercolor paints and packages of feathers. Because it's on sale, and that is also how I roll. Yo.

Fun with Kool-aid!!

Oh the delicious power of Kool-aid! Let us celebrate the versatility of this bounteous beverage:

First idea comes from our favorite cheap-mom, Sabrina, who uses it to color her home-ade play-dough, which is genius in itself.

1/2 cup salt
3 tsp. cooking oil
1 packet Koolaid
1 cup flour
1 cup boiling water

Mix salt, flour, and Koolaid. Add boiling water and oil and stir until well blended and cool enough to handle. Knead with your hands until the dough has a really nice texture. You might have to add a little flour if it is still sticky at that point. Store in an air tight ziplock bag. This playdough smells great and doesn't stain. It's a keeper!

Thanks Sabrina! Can't wait to try it!

This next tip is my favorite weird beauty tip. Kool-aid to dye your hair?? Oh yeah! Heck, if it stains your carpet, it should be good at staining your hair! And it's very light and temporary, it washes out in a day or two. Note - this does not work for people with darker hair or white hair. Yep, I had a friend with white hair try it! All you'll need is:

A packet of Kool-aid (Red works the best, but blues, greens and purples will work lightly.)

A paintbrush

Plastic wrap
Hair clips

An old towel

Plastic gloves (or it'll stain your fingers too!)

First, take the packet and mix it with a small amount of water. Not much, just a few tablespoons. To put streaks in, you take a section of hair and use the paintbrush to apply the color generously. Wrap it in a piece of plastic wrap and clip it up with a hair clip. Repeat if you want, and leave in for about 20 minutes or so, then rinse in the sink or tub.

I cannot wait until my baby has enough hair for me to turn it all purple!!

Who needs an excuse to party?

You want to throw a party? You don't want to spend an arm and a leg, yes? But party supply stores - although the selection is fun - are way overpriced, and the dollar store is great for things like helium balloons, but then things like cups and decor can add up when their quantities are small, like only 6 decorative plates in a pack and such. The solution? Head to the Oriental Trading Company where they have just about everything you could ever want, and doggone it, the prices are reasonable. It makes me want to have a party right NOW! It's good for party favors, decorations, stickers, crafts, games, costumes... you know, just go check it out and you'll see what I mean.

But you know what you really need? Their free catalog. Searching on the web is fun and all, but their catalog filled with little goodies just gets my creative juices flowing. I can look at that thing for hours!

Keeping the kids off the streets

My kiddo isn't old enough to sit up, let alone discover her talent as the next Rembrandt, but it doesn't stop me from looking all over for cheap and easy things we can do once she has a few more motor skills under her belt.


My favorite site for all things kid fun is Kiddley, which is unfortunately taking a break from the daily updates. Luckily though, there's an insane amount of treasure in the archives, and the links are amazing. Right now I am so crazy about making this No-Sew Tutu that it has me salivating, what with my love of all things tutu and my lack of sewing skills.






Also, Australian Women's Weekly has a great recipe for fingerpaint that requires nothing more than water, cornstarch and food coloring. Again, as of right now my kid would only joyfully jam it into her mouth, but you gotta be looking ahead! I sure am!




And in the art-but-hopefully-less-messy genre, we also have free printable coloring pages from Familyfun.com. Oh, blessed intraweb... I love you!!!