Sweet Saturday Link Party

Sooooo...did you know that tomorrow is the first day of December? One question; Where did November go? I'm pretty sure it flew by when I wasn't looking. I would like to say that I crafted a really cool advent calender for the kids to open as the days pass, but I didn't. So I bought each of them a vintage looking paper one, that counts right?
I did whip up a Santas' beard kid craft earlier in the week that you can print out and make with your littles. If you missed it the link is over HERE.

Welcome to Sweet Saturday, where you can link your creative projects, meet friends and find inspiration. 

Here are the details:

* Please link up your crafty, yummy or DIY post, not your blog address. 

* Every Monday I highlight a few projects from the previous week, so check to see if you were featured! 

Thank you so much for stopping by and linking up, I hope you have an awesome weekend! Don't forget to stop by on Monday for the features! 

april

xoxo

Santa Beard Kids Craft and Printable

Would you believe me if I told you I thought of this craft in a dream? It really came to me as I was waking up one morning last week, although to be honest in my dream they were holiday cards, but I liked this Santa beard better as framed art.
I thought since Christmas is so kid oriented I would involve the boys in my December free printable! I thought it would be a great idea to print out the words "Ho Ho Ho" and let the kids glue objects in the shape of Santas' beard. Pretty cute huh? It worked out great for Dylan, he was able to fill each inch of the beard with cotton balls, and as a former teacher I also know this project is great for developing fine motor skills for tiny hands.

Although Dylan made his beard art with cotton balls I had a TON of ideas for other supplies you could use if you have a crafty bunch o'kids in your home.
You could use:
> Feathers
> Mini marshmallows
> Crumbled white tissue paper
> Ribbon
> Felt
> Buttons
> Washi tape
> Stickers

Really anything that's white is fair game.

Just print out this "Ho Ho Ho" image, paint (with glue) a beard and let your kids fill in the glue shape. Super simple and perfect for almost any age!

(Download and save)

Happy crafting!

april

xoxo

Sweet Saturday >> Features

Happy Monday! Are your kids back to school after a long vacation like mine are? Did you have to DRAG your kids out of bed like I did this morning? Oh man, it was rough. I can only hope tomorrow will be better.
I'm hoping to start a few crafts in the morning and I can't wait to post them!

Thanks to those who linked up to Sweet Saturday last week! Here are a few features!

These carrot cake cookies look yummy. They may be perfect for my holiday treat bags.
By: Shaken Together

How about twine wrapped glass bottles, yes please!
By: Catastrophe

A sweet advent calender all wrapped with care.
By: Sarraccino 

This lamp makeover makes me want to grab my spray paint in the garage. I wonder what I could transform?

By: Shabby Gals

 I TOTALLY remember making these when I was younger! I'm thinking my mom still has it in a box somewhere. I may have to use this idea for my boys over the winter break. Swoon!
By: Art Club Blog 

If you haven't linked up yet you can HERE. 

All features and most viewed links can be found on my Pinterest board "Sweet Saturday Features" HERE.

april

xoxo

Photo Drop

Happy Sunday! Here's some Instagram love for you. I've spent the last week eating, sleeping and hiking in the desert trying to work off all the food I ate. I also shopped the local desert thrift stores, which were having there own Black Friday 50% off sales. Who knew? If you are on Instagram come say "hi", my username is gingerbreadblog. 

My Thanksgiving day outfit, with my favorite necklace from Made by Munchie's Mama.

Any vacation requires spray paint, preferably yellow.

We took time for boyish adventures.

These are my thrify finds from the desert. These colorful lovelies have made their way into my house. Swoon.

Dylan loves to decorate just like his momma, he is constantly slipping things from my stash to decorate his room.

These boys made my vacation wonderful.

Now back to the grind and all things Christmas.

What projects and recipes do you have planned?

april

xoxo

Sweet Saturday Link Party

Welcome to another Sweet Saturday, a place to link your past weeks' projects and find some new inspiration. I hope you had a prosperous or relaxing black Friday, which ever route you chose to take!

Here are the details:

1. Please link up your crafty, yummy or DIY post, not your blog address. 

2. If you could include the button from the sidebar or link back to The Gingerbread Blog, that would be great.

3. Every Monday I highlight a few projects from the previous week, so check to see if you were featured! 

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

Here are a few projects you may have missed: 

> Painted Dollar Store Sunnies

> Free Fall Treat Labels

I also posted a 25% off coupon code for my Etsy shop you can see HERE.

Have an awesome weekend!

april

xoxo

Polvorones (Mexican Sugar Cookie) Recipe

A few months ago I found a vintage 1972 paperback cookbook at a garage sale. In it was a Polvorones cookie recipe, which I had never heard of, and I thought I would try it out. My husband is Hispanic and he loves to have a few cookies with his coffee in the morning, I thought he may love this recipe. It only requires a few ingredients, most, if not all you probably already have in your kitchen!

You will need:
> 2 cups flour
> 3\4 cup sugar
> 1 1\2 teaspoons cinnamon
> 1 cup softened butter

Sift together flour, cinnamon and sugar. Cream butter in mixer gradually add flour mixture. Pinch off small piece of dough, shape the dough into 24 cookie and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes. After baking sift cinnamon and sugar over cookies.

If you form your dough patties on the smaller side they will bake into wafer like cookies, but if you form the patties larger they will be soft in the center. You can make them to your preference.

Enjoy these with your morning coffee or for dessert with milk.
april
xoxo

Family Photo Ideas >> Bethany Pryor Photography & Minted Holiday Cards

Did you get your family photos taken for the holidays yet? Our family was fortunate enough to be taken by the sweet Bethany from Bethany Pryor Photography. If you live in Southern California I highly recommend booking a session soon, she's awesome.  Bethany was super creative and even got my oldest to smile in the photos, which is really uncool when you're 11. Duh. 

This photo is my favorite, I love the bay in the background. I'm thinking wrapped canvas?

Ummmm who told these boys they could grow up? My handsome princes look so BIG! Sigh.

After our session with Bethany I had to order out holiday cards. Have you checked out Minted.com? They have beautiful designs that will blow your mind! I was able to easily load our photo, type a caption and order our prints. 
Here is the design I ordered, which was a really difficult choice.

Swoon right?
Minted is always offering discount codes and sales. You can check out their current offers HERE.

So get out there and capture some memories! 
april
xoxo

5 Handmade Ornament Ideas

Have you busted out your Christmas tree yet? I keep seeing my friends on Instagram donning their tree with twinkle lights and sweet ornaments. The idea of eating my Thanksgiving dinner by my Christmas tree is starting to grow on me. Perhaps the hubs will let me drag my tree out early, Im sure the kids would love the idea.

This year I really want to add a few new handmade ornaments to my tree and give away a few as gifts. Here are 5 tutorials that are perfect for your tree!

 I love the texture these ornaments would add to your tree. They are also super cute and happy!
By: Charlotte's Fancy

Oh wait...you don't know how to crochet? You can use girls tights or colorful socks! These ornaments are adorable and would make a great kids project during their time off school, you know, when I loose my mind. I just love these, the end.
By: Say Yes to Hoboken

You know I LOVE anything vintage, and these vintage inspired bingo card ornaments look easy and great. Can you imagine stringing them along a banner? Swoon.

By: Little Birdie Secrets

So basically you can put anything in a clear ornament (plastic or glass) and it's adorable. The little red bird on a brand kills me...

By: Country Living

A teeny tiny shadow box ornament...I just died. I love the polka dot background and mini snow covered tree! You could easily use a mentos box or jewelry box to make this ornament.

By: Mod Podge Rocks

Last year I posted THIS fabric deer plush ornament.

Have you decorated for Christmas yet or do you wait until after Thanksgiving? I'm generally a rule follower when it comes to seasonal traditions, but this year Im way too excited to wait. 

april

xoxo

P.S. >> Stop by HERE to enter to win a custom family rules sign.

Sweet Saturday Link Party >> Features

Happy Monday! I hope you had an amazing weekend and are getting your recipes ready for Thanksgiving! I will be cooking my annual jalepeno corn casserole and a few new recipes I will be sure to share here next week.
Here are a few links from last week that I pinned on my Pinterest board:

These turtle bark squares from Chocolate Chocolate and More look amazing!

Who would have thought you could make cute wreath ornaments from socks...
Great job The Little Giggler!

 I love a craft that also has a teaching element! This Thankful garland From Southern Scraps is great conversation starter that helps teach children the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Holy Cute!!! What a creative way to present your Thanksgiving treats! A giant cornucopia by Jazzy Gourmet.

AND...
The most viewed link was:

You MUST click over to Mel's blog The Larson Lingo! She linked this amazing free treat printable and she has lots more for you to print. She also has a an Etsy shop that is too cute!

If you haven't linked up yet you can HERE. 

All features and most viewed links can be found on my Pinterest board "Sweet Saturday Features" HERE.

I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving full of love, laughter and great food.
april
xoxo

PS >> Come over HERE and enter to win a free custom family rules printable!

Custom Family Rules Giveaway From Signs By Andrea

Do you have your family rules posted in your home? Today's giveaway is brought to you by Signs by Andrea, and she has an awesome website where you can not only order your family rules on canvas or printed on paper and mailed to you,  but you can also purchase a download version of your family rules to print out at home! 

All three of these options are super affordable and adorable. You could easily use your printed or download family rules for a holiday craft. I went on Andrea's website and generated my own family rules sign. 

So cute right? Andrea's website is really easy to use and full of inspiration.

Guess what? Andrea has agreed to give one Gingerbread reader a free download version of her rules sign! HOLLA! 

P.S. >> Right now she is also having a buy one get one free sale on her wood signs! 

Go visit her website and check out all of her awesome sales going on AND her family rules download version! They are perfect for your next DIY project!

This giveaway is open to all US residents and will run through November 23rd. 

april

xoxo

   

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Sweet Saturday Link Party

Happy almost weekend! I hope you have had a super productive week full of craft time all to yourself! A girl can dream right? 
My little one has an ear infection so I've been doing the I'm stuck in the house slowly loosing my mind bit. Good times! I will be baking in my new oven this weekend, and that makes me a very happy April! Perhaps one of your links will inspire my recipe! Swoon.

Here are the details:

1. Please link up your crafty, yummy or DIY post, not your blog address. 

2. If you could include the button from the sidebar or link back to The Gingerbread Blog, that would be great.

3. Every Monday I highlight a few projects from the previous week, so check to see if you were featured! 

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

Here are a few projects you may have missed: 

> Painted Dollar Store Sunnies

> Free Fall Treat Labels

I also posted a 25% off coupon code for my Etsy shop you can see HERE.

Have an awesome weekend!

april

xoxo

A Swoon Worthy SHOPgingerbread Discount Code

Did you know that I have an Etsy shop filled to the brim with vintage lovelies?
I have just restocked the shop just in time for your holiday shopping.

I'm offering a discount code for YOU!
Just head over to the shop and use the code "vintagelove" for 25% off! WHAT!?
I know.

Here's a glimpse of what's currently in the shop:

Happy shopping!
april
xoxo

Print Your Own Free Fall Treat Labels

Are you ready for another free printable? These sweet labels match the free "Give Thanks" graphic I posted last week, you can find it HERE. Feel free to print these off on card stock for tags or on 8x11 labels sheets as mason jar or treat bag labels. These would make perfect gifts for teachers, neighbors or relatives on Thanksgiving Day.   

You will need:
> Card stock or shipping label pages (I used Avery brand)
> Paper cutter or scissors
> 2 inch hole punch
> Any other embellishments like bakers twine or foliage to decorate your bags or jars

1. Print out your labels. When you download the label and print choose "print 16 to a page" and "print a full page" in the print settings. You basically want to print a full sheet, which will be 16 total. Your page will look like the photo above.

Fall Label for Treats

2. Cut your labels into strips and use your hole punch to cut perfect circles.

3. Fill your bags or jars with treats and personalize with your labels! It's that easy, you could even buy store bought treats and repackage them creatively! It's the thought that counts.

Happy treat giving!

april

xoxo

Paint Your Own Dollar Store Sunglasses

I don't usually write about my health on the bloggy, but this craft was inspired by an item that I MUST have on a daily basis: SUNNIES. I have fibromyalsia and Sjogrens, which are both autoimmune diseases. Long story short, my body attacks my moisture producing glands and I have super dry eyes and mouth. I have to use eye drops all the time and need sunglasses whenever I'm outside. I go through sunnies really fast because I either loose them or break them accidentally. A while ago I tried a few pairs of glasses from the Dollar Tree and I was really surprised to find that I liked them. Their sunnies are generally black or tortoise shell patterned and fairly trendy in their shape. Sweet!
I thought it would be fun to upgrade these sunnies with some bling and a pop of color.

You will need:
> Sunnies
> Nail polish
> Glitter Mod Podge
> Painters tape
> A fan (for quick drying)

The really awesome thing about this craft is that I actually had everything except the sunglasses already! I only spent around 5 bucks total, swoon.

1. First thing you want to do is tape off your sunnies with any design you want to paint.

2. Paint your sunnies and let them dry. You may need a few coats if you are using a light color like my yellow.

 

3. Let your sunnies dry and peel off the painters' tape. If you have imperfect lines you can touch them up and let dry. I set my glasses in front of a small desk fan to make them dry faster, because I also have no patience. Ha!

 

Put your new sunnies on and enjoy the day!

april
xoxo