It's March Already!

Crazy I know, but it is March in just a few days! 

Check out details HERE.

april

xoxo

Party Favor >> Cookie Bouquet

This past weekend was my sisters' baby shower. She asked me to make the favors to give away to the sweet ladies who came to help celebrate the coming of her sweet baby girl. Swoon I know! I thought it would be fun to make a small bouquet of chocolate covered oreos that were packaged to look like a bouquet of flowers.

You will need:

>> Oreos {I used the berry ice cream because they were pink}

>> Cupcake liners

>> Lollipop sticks

>> Meltable chocolate

>> Clear plastic party bags 

For each bouquet I used 2 cookies. It's very important to cover your cookies with chocolate first, if not the sticks will fall out of the cookie because it's to heavy. After covering your oreos with chocolate and letting them dry push one stick in each oreo, then poke a hole into the cupcake liner with the oreo stick. Then push your second stick through the same hole. Push your cupcake liner up to the cookies and your done. Place your little bouquet in a clear party bag and close it with a twisty tie.

I made 20 bouquets and put them into a large milk glass vase for the gift table. Everyone really liked them, and they were super easy to create!
Happy Tuesday friends!
Linked up HERE
april
xoxo

>>Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a mini wallet and clutch set HERE!

Sponsor Love & Giveaway >> Kelsey Bang

I am so excited to introduce one of my lovely sponsors, Kelsey Bang. Kelsey is a sweet blogger who journals her life and adventures on her blog rightly called, Kelsey Bang. 

She also has an ETSY shop where she sells her adorable bags, wallets, bow ties, notebook covers and clutches. Kelsey uses only designers fabrics to create her one of a kind treasures. Each item is made ridiculously swoon worthy, really.

Here are a few of my favorites:

 Mens orange gingham bow tie.

 Bright mini wallet

 Boys bow tie. FYI, I must get the boys matching ties for Easter, eek!

I Pad cover with a big chunky polka dot bow. LOVES.

Kelsey is giving away this small clutch and mini wallet set!

Mandatory Entry:
>> Be a follower of Gingerbread and Kelsey Bang

Extra Entries:
>> Follow Kelsey on Facebook HERE
>> Visit Kelseys' ETSY shop and tell me what your favorite item is

Three ways to win! I will choose a winner via random.org March 3rd.
Good Luck!
april
xoxo

Monday Loves Vintage Link Party

Welcome to another edition of Vintage loves Monday! It's that time again to swoon over all things old and fantastic. I may be one of the only people who have great eye sight but wish they needed glasses. I love glasses, especially chunky vintage frames. I am pretty much convinced that they are the perfect accessory.

<br /> <em><a href="http://www.thegingerbreadblog.com/"><img src="http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m538/gingerbreadgirlblog/IMG_0264-1-2-3-1-1-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></em><br />

Here are a pair of vintage glasses I picked up recently at a thrift store. LOVES.

Here are some other lovelies I found that I thought were awesome. It's a mix of reading glasses and sunglasses, cause I can never choose which ones I love more.

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Which pair do you like? I think the first pair are the perfect nerdy glasses, and I am such a nerd! OK now it's your turn to link up your vintage post. You can link up a collection from Pinterest or share a latest thrift store purchase, whatever vintage treasures you have to share!

Happy thrifting.

april

xoxo

Sweet Saturday Link Party V.28

Welcome to Sweet Saturday, 

a link party where you get to share your latest projects! Feel free to share any recipes, crafts or DIY goodness.

<br /> <em><a href="http://www.thegingerbreadblog.com/"><img src="http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m538/gingerbreadgirlblog/IMG_4393-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></em><br />

I am prepping my sisters' baby shower, covering oreos with chocolate! YUM!
I hope you have a great weekend friends!
Here are a few features from last week:

Cookie Dough Cupcakes

By: Crumbs and Chaos

Ruffled Heart T-Shirt

By: Touseled Day

Homemade Lip Balm

By: Natural Mothers Network

Strawberry Chocolate Fudge

By: What's Cooking Love

If you were featured feel free to grab a button from the button link.

Congrats!

Here are the details:

*Please link up your crafty, yummy or DIY post, not your blog address*It would be great if you could include the button from the sidebar or link back to gingerbread* Comment on other friends' post, comments are sweet!Every week I will highlight a few projects from the previous week, so you can check back next week to see if you were featured!

Thank you so much for sharing your artsy goodness, I love seeing your creative projects!

Thank you so much!

Ok, let's see what you have to share!

april

xoxo

40 DAYS

Today starts the beginning of Lent, the 40 days before Easter.

The idea of Lent is to sacrifice one thing in your life as a form of penitence.

Generally during Lent I try to give up one thing, like soda, candy or alcohol.

All very near and dear to my heart, no really, they are hard to give up.

This year I have decided to give up soda, in particular, my beloved Diet Pepsi. Although it may seem like a small thing, giving something up really makes you think about what you do have. 

I have many things to be thankful for, and during the next 40 days the kids and I will discuss what what those things are.

{after service with my ash cross}

Current Worldwide Stats:

At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.

^Source

The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income.

Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.

***********************************

These are just a few things I will be discussing with the kids. Each day the kids will think of one thing they are thankful for, then they will glue a penny on a canvas. When we are done the pennies will create a cross representing all the things we are thankful for.

Hopefully this will be a visual reminder for all of us that we are so truly blessed, RIGHT NOW.

The photo above is my own personal focus for Lent. Lately I have been struggling with jealousy, whether it be what others have, their blog or my health. I find that I have been comparing myself to others way to much. Its not pretty, and I really need to be more aware of those negative thought.

Are you observing Lent? I have enjoyed reading other peoples plans for the season. If you do please leave a link to your post in the comments section, I would love to read your plans.

Happy Ash Wednesday!

It's a blessed time!

april

xoxo

DIY >> Heater Door Turned Chalkboard Rules Wall

Due to my children's behavior lately the hubs and I felt it necessary to create a list of household rules and post them upstairs. Why upstairs? For some reason whenever I am disciplining someone I always seem to be standing in the same spot, right where the heater is, upstairs between each of the boys rooms. I'm a visual person, so being able to literally point to these rules helps me in my times of anger and mental fluster. Blame my teaching background, but lists, schedules and notes are just how my brain organizes information.

I'm not a fan of hanging paper or even cardboard posters because they always "somehow"

end up torn or ripped. Mysterious I know.

I decided to paint the door to the heater with chalkboard paint and write the rules with chalkboard markers, which are my new favorite thing. Although they are a bit pricey I think its worth buying a pack to play around with.

I painted three coats on the door and let dry overnight.

This is just a few of the rules decided on, as the need arises we will add more.

I made sure to word the rules in a way that each child {one 10 and 4} could abide by, thus making everything fair. Who knew my 4 year old would even try to keep up with his older brother? That's my Dylan, always pushing the limits. Sigh.

It's been a week and so far so good, we have been able to avoid any major tantrums or catastrophes, which is amazing for us. 

The chart helps, no matter how you present it. Clear expectations are important for kids, I so wish I had done this earlier.

Being able to use paint pens was just the icing on the chalkboard cake!

Happy Wednesday everyone, the weeks half over!

Linked up HERE

april

xoxo

Monday Loves Vintage Link Up >> Laminate Table Sets

Mondays are going to be vintage inspired here at Gingerbread. I find at certain points of the week I want to post about what vintage goodness I am into at the moment, but I have a hard time fitting it into the week. There are some posts that don't even get written because I forget about the topic or get lost in another craft or recipe. 

So starting today I will be posting a link up every Monday for you to see what I'm loving and for YOU to share your latest thrift store finds or simply to share some vintage Pinterest love.

ARE YOU IN?

<br /> <em><a href="http://www.thegingerbreadblog.com/"><img src="http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m538/gingerbreadgirlblog/IMG_0264-1-2-3-1-1-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></em><br />

I'm starting the series with my love for laminate table sets. When my parents divorced when I was in Kindergarten there were a few years when we lived with my grandma. I can remember eating cereal at her laminate dining room set every morning. She would eat a grapefruit with sugar on top, and for some reason I thought that was fantastic! 

My grandma had great taste, and her choice of dining furniture was no exception.

This white set needs to be in my kitchen. Adorbs!

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Love the bright red color and white piping around the chairs!

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This giant yellow flower is AMAZING!

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To this day these nostalgic table sets not only look great but also remind me of fond childhood memories. Swoon!

april

xoxo

Sweet Saturday Link Party V.27

Welcome to Sweet Saturday, 

a link party where you get to share your latest projects! Feel free to share any recipes, crafts or DIY goodness.

<br /> <em><a href="http://www.thegingerbreadblog.com/"><img src="http://i1130.photobucket.com/albums/m538/gingerbreadgirlblog/IMG_4393-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></em><br />

I hope everyone had a great week! I ended this crazy week on a high note by seeing Kaleb get an award at school, I couldn't be more proud! He is growing up to be such a wonderful young man.

Sniff Sniff.

I have to say that he was so embarrassed that I took these pictures with him outside. I mean, how dare I, right? 

I could care less though. Ha!

Here are a few features from last week:

DIY Button Earrings
By: Marigold Road

Heart Painted Mason Jars
By: Meaningful Mama

Burlap Purse

By: Green Bean Gardens

Pie Crust Hershy Kisses

By: 52 Mantels

If you were featured feel free to grab a button from the button link.
Congrats!

Here are the details:
*Please link up your crafty, yummy or DIY post, not your blog address
*It would be great if you could include the button from the sidebar or link back to gingerbread
* Comment on other friends' post, comments are sweet!

Every week I will highlight a few projects from the previous week, so you can check back next week to see if you were featured!

Thank you so much for sharing your artsy goodness, I love seeing your creative projects!

Thank you so much!

Ok, let's see what you have to share!

april

xoxo

Thrifty Finds >> Swoon

I have had the best luck lately shopping at my local thrift stores.  I generally don't always find so many lovelies when I go, which is during the 2 hours I get when Dylan is at preschool. I thoroughly enjoy each of those 120 minutes!

Yet for some reason I have hit the jackpot my last two visits. Shopping at thrift stores is like that, sometimes I leave with bags of great stuff and other trips I leave with nothing. That's what I do for my vintage. Swoon!

 I scored these two crocheted trivets and vintage sheet set.

I'm thinking the sheet needs to be made in to banner of some sort, what do you think?

How about an orange flower salt and pepper set?

Ok dumb question. Are the larger pour top containers for milk and creamer or sugar?

They are still empty, I am so not sure what they are for. Ha!

These are the 5 vintage aprons I bought from the flea market this past weekend. Swoon.
The pegboard is a project I'm working on in my dining room. It would be finished by now if all this rain would go away....darn mother nature!

This vintage Tupperware set was only 3 bucks! I almost fell over. I have NEVER come across a set before, they are hard to find.

There is no reason for me to be stuck without recipes, I found hundreds of 1970's Better Homes and Gardens large recipe cards. I found an awesome peanut and butter and jelly cake recipe, the kids were pretty excited.

This will come in handy when I have get togethers  and I want to serve coffee. The gold color had me, classy.

Who could say no to a green locker? I couldn't resist. 

Have you found any great vintage goodness lately? I would love to read all about it! Just leave a comment with a link to your post and I will be sure to check it out!

Happy Thursday, the week is almost over!

april

xoxo

Recipe << Chocolate Covered Rice Crispy Treat Valentines

Would you believe me if I told you I have never made rice crispy treats? It's true, well before today at least. Crazy I know! 

I decided to make these yummies for the boys' teachers and a few of our neighbors.

 The recipe {for those of you like me}

* 6 cups rice crispies

* 3 tablespoons butter

* 10 oz. bag of marshmallows

The recipe is simple enough, melt butter in large pan, and add marshmallows until melted. Then add cereal, mix and pour into buttered pan. If you want to press the crispies down flat spay a piece of foil with Pam so it doesn't stick.

I melted chocolate and drizzled it on the treats and decorated with sprinkles.

 I placed a few treats in plain white bags and clipped on red and white doilies and gold stars.

I can't wait to pass these out tomorrow and have dinner with my boys. 

Swoon.

Do you have any happy plans or activities you're looking forward to?
Linked up HERE

april

xoxo