$1 Dr. Seuss Folder Decor

It's probably because I don't teach any more (although as depressing as it was to see school supplies in the stores in July, getting all set up for a new year as always one of my favorite things to do as a teacher!), but I can't help but get a bit giddy when I see all the notebooks, folders, crayons, pencils, backpacks, etc... hitting the shelves.

I had a doctor's appointment for my pregnancy a few weeks ago, and my husband watched my boys.  And I can't go to Orem by myself without swinging by Target.  Target, all by myself- a happy place!

Anyway, I ran across these darling Dr. Seuss folders for $1 each.  I don't know if it's my boy's school, or just the fact that they're young, but they never really need folders.  I always want to buy them because they have such cute ones, but I've bought them in the past, and they've just sat in their backpacks all year.

So, I decided to buy the Dr. Seuss folders anyway, and use them as decor instead.  This red striped one had the quote on the front, and then Thing 1 and 2 on the back.  I just trimmed off the side of the folder for the front image, and then had to cut the side and bottom off the back image because of the bar code and what not.  But I actually love the two different sizes!

Then here's the other folder I bought.  I did the same thing with it, cut it down, and instantly had two great pieces of decor for my boys' room.  

Folders are really quite durable, especially if they're just hanging on a wall.  They're made of thick paper, and always have a nice finish to them.  Great for great looking art!

You can't beat a Dr. Seuss quote!  I love how positive and upbeat they always are.  

So, next time you're in the folder isle of your local store, see what you can find to use not only for back to school, but also for decor.  I think you'll be surprised at what you can find for just dollars.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

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Favorite Homemade Chocolate Frosting

Who doesn't love frosting?  I have a house full of boys, and they are ALL about the frosting when it comes to any dessert. And truth be told, so am I!

And while frosting does make pretty much anything better, not all frostings are created equally.  For most of our early years of marriage, I would just buy a can of store-bought frosting to top off my baked goods.  And in a pinch, I'll still use that.  But once you've been introduced to the delicious world of homemade frosting, there's really no going back.  It doesn't really matter what it is, homemade is always better!  And it can actually be really easy.  This chocolate frosting recipe only has 5 simple ingredients, and just requires a bit of mixing.

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

3 C. powdered sugar

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder

1-2 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

I like to mix the butter, cocoa, and half the powdered sugar at first, then add the vanilla, milk (you may need to add a bit more milk if the frosting is too stiff), and finally the rest of the powdered sugar.  That way you don't have a giant poof of powdered sugar exploding in the air when you mix.  I have done the mixing by hand, but an electric mixer is much, much easier!! 

I can't tell you how much I LOVE this frosting.  Think of it as soft, creamy fudge.  I will sometimes make a batch of this frosting without any dessert.  A spoonful of it out of the fridge is the perfect chocolate fix!  Don't get me wrong, it makes any plain old dessert absolutely amazing, but it's the perfect chocolaty treat in and of itself! 

We love this on chocolate cakes, brownies, graham crackers, and these amazing marshmallow brownie cookies (where I found the frosting recipe).  The frosting recipe on the link is different from the one I have above (they must have changed it after I printed my copy), so you can try either, but I'm going to stick with this one!  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

Thank Heaven For Little Boys {Printable}

I announced a few months ago that we'll be welcoming boy number four to our family in October.  I've had great intentions of posting a lot of baby posts, but this summer has been a bit more hectic than I'd planned.  In a way that's good because the time has flown by (down to 3 months!), but in other ways I feel like I want time to slow down, so I'm ready for this little guy.  Well, in all honesty, with three other boys born in October, I probably don't need to buy a single thing besides diapers, but I do want to have a few new things around for when he comes home!

Click to Print

I only know little boys at my house, and I do thank Heaven each and every day for them.  They add a dimension to my life that would otherwise go undiscovered, and I love them for that!  And sure they can be rough and tough and a bit unruly, but their tender side seems extra tender at times, and it's just about the sweetest thing on Earth!  This is a picture of my twins with brother number three the day we brought him home from the hospital (they couldn't come to see him in the hospital because of the terrible flu season we were having that year).  I will never forget this day!  They could NOT get enough of him!  His nose, his toes, his eyelashes, his ears, every last part of him.  I cannot wait to bring baby boy number four home, and watch the magic all over again!

Thank Heaven for little boys!

This printable is quite simple, maybe even plain, but as I've said before, I've come to love clean, simple, and fresh more and more these days.  Less is more!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

Using Your Own Fonts in PicMonkey

I feel like I've had to reintroduce myself a few times this summer.  But, once again I'm back, and hopefully for good this time.  Our family has had an unexpectedly busy summer.  I feel like we haven't been in a normal routine since the second week of summer vacation (way back in the beginning of June).  I think all has settled now, and we'll be able to be a bit more scheduled these next few weeks before we have to say good bye to summer vacation.

Today's post is so thrilling to me!  Two of my favorite online/digital worlds have collided.  Fonts and PicMonkey.  I have a slight font addiction (check out my font Pinterest board here) and ever since I entered the blogging world, PicMonkey has been my go-to free online photo editing stop. 

 Well, a few months back I received an email from PicMonkey with a few of their updates that were in the works.  Adding your own fonts was one of them.  I was excited when I read it, but once it actually went live and I was able to try it, I was in heaven!  PicMonkey always offered great fonts, but now I have access to my larger-than-life font library (dingbats included)!  The possibilities are completely endless!!

When you begin editing in PicMonkey you'll see a tool bar on the right hand side of screen.  Click on the 'Tt' icon for text.

Next, you'll see this box appear.  It will have an 'Ours' and 'Yours' box close to the top.   Click on the 'Yours' box, and presto!  There are all of your fonts right before your eyes.  It's really that simple!  Any font you have in your word processing program will show up in PicMonkey.  I honestly can't tell you have exciting this is to me!  I've been creating like crazy with it.

This is just one example of something I created using my own font Cursif, and a bicycle dingbat (which were both free!).  So quick and easy to create, yet perfectly beautiful!  

If you have a free minute or two today, stop by PicMonkey and give it a try.  If you're anything like me, you'll get lost in it all, and not want to stop!  Thank you, yet again PicMonkey!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.

Favorite Books & Summer Vacation Giveaway

Happy Monday!  And a HAPPY Monday it is!  If you remember, last week I participated in a get to know you blog hop with all of us contributors at Or So She Says.  And that was all leading up to today- giveaway time!!  A stack of amazing books, and a fantastic summer vacation!

How many times, in your stressful life, have you dreamed about laying out on the beach with a great book? 'Or so she says...' to the rescue! So, to further expand on our favorites, all of the OSSS contributors got together to give away their favorite books, perfect for summer reading! The coolest part is, one person will win EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. That's right, the whole bundle! That's 15 books, yo. Oh, but it gets better. Get Away Today, the greatest travel agency ever and 'Or so she says...' contributor, offered another winner a 3-night hotel stay in Anaheim or San Diego (winner’s choice) with their choice of two adult theme park tickets... PLUS, they get the 15 book bundle too!

Lets go over those prizes again:

Grand Prize Winner: 15 'Contributors' Favorite Books' Bundle PLUS a 3-night hotel stay in Anaheim or San Diego (winner’s choice) with their choice of two adult theme park tickets! Vacation courtesy of Get Away Today.

Runner Up: 15 'Contributors' Favorite Books' Bundle (details of books below).

  

Ready to enter? So, all we ask is for you to follow 'Or so she says...' and the contributors on Pinterest. We are all pin-maniacs and know you'll love the great ideas we send your way. After you enter, be sure to scroll down and check out all the books included in the giveaway. It's so fun to see what each contributor picked as her favorite book!
a Rafflecopter giveaway Want to know which books are included in the bundle?? What are the contributors' favorites??  Check 'em out!

1. Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley ~ "This book was not what I expected...it surpassed what I was hoping for. Mystery, romance and intrigue. Great characters and an interesting plot. It was a great read and perfect for summer reading!" Jana of Double the Deliciousness

2. Plate to Pixel by Helene Dujardin - "This book is a favorite because it teaches how to not only how photograph food, but how to do it beautifully!" Gina of Kleinworth and Co.

3. These is My Words by Nancy Turner "While I'm a country/ farm girl at heart, I can't even begin to imagine what the early settlers went through!  I love how they worked the land, built their own homes, and made everything from scratch!  And I'm always up for a good love story! Jack and Sarah's won't disappoint!" Brooke of Blissful Roots

4. The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino - "Aw, I love this book! It's a super unique book, in that it's a parable, teaching you how to be a better person, but also an activity book. Each chapter, you read over and over, until you master the character trait. It's a great story with lots of great thoughts. I think I highlighted half the book!" Mariel of 'Or so she says…'

 

5. Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray "Eat Cake will make it's way into your list of favorite books, it's a quick and enjoyable read. I love this book for more reasons than the fact that the main character shares my name! It'll have you laughing and crying- all at the same time! If you're like me and have a unexplainable urge to bake... you'll totally connect with Eat Cake!" Ruthie of Cooking with Ruthie

6. Wonder by RJ Palacio - "My 9-year-old daughter recommended Wonder to me and I enjoyed it just as much as she did. This is a compelling novel that is fun and easy enough for summer, but also intelligent and thought-provoking. Share it with your family when you are finished!" Allison of Tips for Family Trips 

7. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin - "I love this book because it is getting me to think deeper about what I do to bring happiness upon myself. I am a happy person, but am loving the new outlook and am loving making new goals to make myself really live a happy life." Kiki of Kiki and Company

8. Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar - "It's easy to think that once a certain thing happens, I'll be happy. Well, this book provides little life secrets to be happier each and every day. It is applicable for every life stage. It has changed my way of thinking about happiness." Melissa of So Festive!

9. Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson - "Sometimes a mom just needs a good, quick, easy summer read to distract her from doing more laundry or to keep her busy during swim lessons. If you love a good Jane Austen romance, you will love this book! Set in Jane Austen's English countryside of 1820, this romance will keep you quickly turning the pages as you watch Kate's struggle to learn to follow her heart!" Veronica of Lolly Lu Designs

10. Leadership and Self- Deception - "Do you want to know the secret to having a happy and successful family and marriage? Want to know how to have successful relationships with anyone you come in contact with? Leadership and Self-deception holds the key to mending, strengthening and flourishing in all of your relationships. This book is a life changer- Promise!" Heather of Family Volley

11. Surprise Inside Cakes by Amanda Rettke - "It's a beautiful book of cakes and it's full of cake decorating tips for the everyday bake. Amazing cakes for every special occasion, all with a little surprise on the inside." Zainab of Blahnik Baker

12. The Child Whisperer by Carol Tuttle - "It taught me how to parent my very determined toddler (at the time) based on her personality type." Amy of The Connection We Share

13. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaleo Hosseini - "I read this as part of a book club and it has stuck with me ever since. It is a beautifully written, emotionally gripping story of two Afghan women's suffering, strength, and resilience. What I love most about it is the way it celebrates the strength of the human spirit - a beautiful thing!" Cathy of Lemon Tree Dwelling

14. I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella - "A light, charming book by the author of the popular Shopaholic series. This clever romantic comedy makes for a fun and easy summer read, by the pool or on the beach!" Samantha of Five Heart Home

15. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale - "I loved this simple story that has some fun little twists. My favorite part is that my daughter loved this book as much as I did. I love being able to enjoy the same books as my daughter. This is one that was enjoyable for us both!" Holly of Bits of Everything

So, to recap.  Follow each of the Or So She Says contributors on Pinterest (click here to follow me), check out the 15 fantastic books that are up for grabs, and then enter the giveaway through Rafflecopter (see link above).  Easy as that!  The giveaway will go through Saturday.  Good luck!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Fine print: Must be U.S. resident and 18 years or older to enter. Vacation package must be booked at least 60 days in advance and is subject to availability and some blackout dates. This post contains affiliate links.

Brooke

Library Card Lanyard

I don't know about your family, but we LOVE our local library!  It's a great place to spend some time on a hot summer day.  My boys have become very thorough when it comes to picking out their books, so we can easily be there for an hour or more!

I have no complaints about our library trips (I really love them!), but I have become slightly frustrated with the whole "everyone keeping track of his own library card" issue.  My twins are old enough to have their own cards, and my four-year-old uses mine.  They are very particular about being in charge of their OWN cards, which I love!  I love how much they value their cards, and how it's teaching them to be responsible for their own things.  Well, they are little boys, and they are young, so needless to say, we've lost a few cards over our library-visiting years.  We also have a bit of a struggle when we get to the self check-out (a huge hit with my boys!).  They have to dig and dig to the bottom of their book-filled library bags to find the tiny little library card that can easily get lost in the pages of books.  I needed a library card solution!  

Then one day I stumbled upon my solution as I was walking down the office supply isle at Walmart.  I saw the clear plastic badge holders that are often attached to lanyards.  They were the perfect size, inexpensive, and we could stick the library cards inside them , hang them around my boys' necks, and have an easy-to-find, safe place for their cards. Happy day!

Like I said I found the clear badge holders in the office supply isle of Walmart, and they had lanyards (what I really wanted) but they were all out.  For the pictures, I ended up using one of my boy's Skylander dog tag chains.  It actually worked really well, and we do have three of them already, so we might stick with them. 

And, of course I had to make a cute label for the front of the card holder.  I made the label in PicMonkey, cut it out, then attached it to some scrapbook paper.  I then adhered it to the outside of the plastic badge holder.  I think I'll also put a layer of Mod Podge over the whole thing, so it's a bit more durable.  Then the library card can just be tucked inside the pocket, and you're good to go!  

I can't wait to put these to use next time we make a library run.  Last time we ended up at the library with only one of the three cards.  We had 48 books to check out, and only one child card, which meant 12 books could be checked out.  So, we left a big pile at the front desk, ran home to find the other two cards on the hallway floor, then returned to the library to check out the remaining books.  Hopefully our library card lanyards will help us avoid such adventures!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you found a little something worth your time.

Linking up to these parties & Savvy Southern Style.