Boost Your Home's Value on a Budget: 5 DIY Projects That Make a Difference

When enhancing your home's appeal and value, the power of DIY projects is undeniable. Whether you aim to maximize your property's marketability or improve your living space, engaging in budget-friendly improvements can make a substantial difference in aligning with what homebuyers look for.

Boost Your Home's Value on a Budget: 5 DIY Projects That Make a Difference
This article explores five cost-effective DIY endeavors that offer a smart way to upgrade your home on a budget, directly addressing the desires of potential buyers.

Top Projects For Industrious Stay-At-Home Parents

In an era when as many parents work at home as in remote offices, millions of moms and dads spend most of their time with their young children. The situation is prevalent during summer when school is not in session. Parents have the luxury of designing their schedules and tackling all sorts of projects that would be impossible if they held traditional office-based jobs. What do home-based mothers and fathers do when they have the time?


The Best Garden DIY Projects to Try This Year

Are you ready to enhance your garden with some DIY projects? From creating a compost bin to building raised garden beds, there are many ways to improve your outdoor space. Here are some of the best garden DIY projects to try this year.
 

The Best Garden DIY Projects to Try this Year

Important Things To Keep In Mind Before Building A Garage

Building a garage is an exciting project that can add value to your home and provide you with much-needed storage space. But before you get started, there are some important things to consider. From the size of the structure to its purpose, many factors will determine whether or not your garage meets your needs and fits within your budget.

separate grey garage with camper in driveway


In this blog post, we’ll discuss what these considerations are so that you can make sure you have all the information needed for a successful building process. We’ll explain why it’s essential to plan and think about everything from zoning laws and permits to materials used in construction. By taking into account all these details, you can be sure that when it's finished, your new garage will meet both functional and aesthetic requirements while staying within budget!

How To Clean Your Outside Air Conditioner Unit

Homeowners know that keeping their air conditioning unit in top shape is essential for a comfortable home.

Unfortunately, many don’t realize the importance of cleaning the outside unit as well. The outdoor condenser requires regular maintenance to keep it running efficiently and effectively. In today’s post, we’ll explore how to clean an outside air conditioner unit and why it's important to do so regularly.



Homeowners will learn the necessary tools and supplies needed for the job, as well as helpful tips on how to make sure everything goes smoothly when taking on this task.

With these simple guidelines, you can ensure that your AC system stays in optimal condition all year round! Continue reading if you’d like to learn how to clean your outside air conditioner unit like a pro.

Click here to learn more about the HVAC services available in Arlington, VA.

Why Do You Need to Keep Your Outside Air Conditioner Clean?

5 Tips for Creating Your Own Homemade Cards

Nothing shows you care more than homemade cards. We take a look at some key tips for creating beautiful cards of your own.

Despite our rapidly growing digital world, Americans still collectively buy over six billion greeting cards each year. The extra touch of adding a personal message for a gift's occasion isn't going away.




With the countless options to choose from at every drugstore and retail shop, it can sometimes be challenging to find a card with the right expression. Most of us begin cherishing the thoughtfulness of greeting cards as we get older.

While we scramble to find something to wrap, many times a card can stand alone as the perfect gift when made with our own hands and imagination. Keep reading for five key tips in creating homemade cards of your own and how to sign a birthday card.

DIY Tie Dye Beach Towels

Everyone makes tie dye shirts for vacations and while I love a good matching family photo, last year we decided to make some tie dye beach towels with some old cheap towels. They have been such a huge hit! It was not only a fun warm weather activity, but it is something that we get asked about wherever we go. And with the weather warming back up and everyone ready to start float down a river, I thought I would share this fun family friendly activity.


DIY Tie Dye Beach Towels


How to Make Tie Dye Beach Towels

How to Make Homemade Bath Bombs

Looking for a great and simple gift idea that is also fun to make? I loved making these bath bombs (aka bath fizzies) for friends and family. These is a great gift idea for those looking for some self-care. And I love that you can make so many different colors, shapes with different molds, and fragrances using essential oils that can match different needs.


How to Make Homemade Bath Bombs


Introducing "Ada and the Galaxies" Plus Make Your Own Galaxy Slime

This post is sponsored by Candlewick Press. All opinions are my own.

Sometimes we want something so bad, that we forget to soak in and enjoy the wonders of life happening around us. Written by New York Times best-selling author Alan Lightman, in collaboration with Olga Pastuchiv, "Ada and the Galaxies" explores how interconnected the natural world is.




Ada is like so many children. Her focus is so much on seeing the stars, that she almost misses the wonders around her. That single-minded determination and disappointment when it doesn’t come to fruition is something all parents and children will identify with. There are even adults who are like this as well.

"I Like You a Bunchie, so Here's a Scrunchie" - Trendy DIY Valentine Idea Free Printable

This Scrunchie Valentine Free Printable was created for every VSCO girl. And while I love creating these easy FREE printables for you to enjoy, I do include affiliate links where I make a small commission each time you make a purchase, but you still pay the same low price.


Scrunchie Trendy Valentine Idea


With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I was trying to think about what my daughter and I have created together for her to hand out to her class mates. From everything to a homemade Unicorn Valentine Box to easy, no fuss printables. This year I wanted to create something trendy that I knew she would enjoy handing out. Plus I am always trying to think of new non-candy Valentine ideas that kids or even teenagers will actually enjoy.

When I was trying to think about what to make with my daughter for our annual Valentine school handouts, I tried to think about the things she likes. As she thinks being a VSCO girl is the new hip thing (she is only in third grade after all), she loves her Hydroflask, saving the sea turtles one metal straw at a time, and of course scunchies. So I thought, why not create a cute printable for my readers that would make the perfect, non-candy school hand out.

First of all, what is a VSCO girl?

“You Are My Squishy” - Unique Non Candy Kids Valentine Idea

Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Looking for a non candy kids valentine idea? I have been trying to be a little creative each year with my kid's school valentines. This is a craft idea that you or your child can do because it is an easy printable! Squishies are all the rage in our house so I thought, why not create something that my children's whole class would enjoy! Plus I have made it into an easy, cute printable that you can enjoy with your loved ones too.

This was originally posted on 1/20/2019.

you are my squishy non candy kids valentine idea


I remember handing out valentines in school. You spent the day making a box to keep them in. There are so many creative boxes now. When I was in school it was just a shoebox and I think the most creative that I ever saw was someone made a mailbox. That's what I love about Pinterest because you can find so much inspiration. Last year, my daughter and I made her a unicorn valentine box.

How to Make Glow In The Dark Slime without Borax

My daughter is obsessed with slime videos and has been asking to make it for such a long time. I finally searched How to Make Slime and realized it was SO easy! Especially since Elmer's makes Glow in the Dark glue!


So since we had so much and it is still all the craze, I decided to share an easy Glow in the Dark Slime Recipe without Borax! Make sure to let me know in the comments if your kiddos like slime as much as mine do! And if you have any tips or tricks of making your own slime since we are still very new to the process.

How to Tie Dye a St. Patrick's Day Shirt

If you are looking for a green shirt (or hat, socks, etc.) to wear for St. Patrick's Day and you are coming up short (and no one wants to get pinched), then you can make a relatively inexpensive one with most things that you probably already have on hand with this fun Tie Dye shirt tutorial! Tie Dye is becoming popular again, just like so many trends from past generations, and this is a fun activity for the kids to get involved in too! St. Patrick's Day is a great day to teach and celebrate Irish culture.




My daughter was so excited when I told her we were going to tie dye shirts that she would NOT let me forget! She kept asking "when is St. Patrick's Day?". And when I let her know that St. Patrick's Day is March 17th, she made it very clear that she was counting down the days. She is a hoot! So here is what we did for our tie dye shirts. We went with a spiral because I think it looks the coolest, but there are easier designs as well as some more complicated ones if you do a little search, like maybe "Tie Dye Shamrock". This Tie Dye Tutorial uses vinegar and food coloring which can be a safer alternative if you want to include your kiddos in on this activity. These ingredients are usually found around the house in a pinch, but remember that your colors may not be as vibrant as using fabric dyes.

DIY Gifts for the New Mom in Your Life

Whether it’s the birth of her child, her birthday, her first Mother’s Day or “just because,” the new mom in your life deserves a gift that will make her feel special and appreciated. New moms are often somewhat forgotten about in all of the excitement surrounding the precious new life they brought into the world, but by making her a heartfelt gift, you can ensure that she will know just how much she means to you.




There are a lot of great things about becoming a parent, but life as a new mom can be hard. It’s often quite lonely, too, once the initial excitement of bringing home a brand-new baby has worn off. If you are looking for gift ideas for a special occasion or you would just like to do something special to brighten the new mom in your life’s day, here are a few DIY gifts that she is sure to love.

20 Best 100 Days of School Shirt Ideas on Pinterest

My son is in kindergarten this year and the 100th day of school is coming up. He was assigned a project to complete a shirt with 100 items on it. When my daughter was in kindergarten, they asked all the littles to dress as a 100-year-old. It was too cute. I like the idea of the shirt a little better from an educational aspect because it got my son to count in groups of ten. This helped him with his counting and with his small motor skills. Since I had a search party on Pinterest trying to find ideas of what to do for our "100 Day of School" Shirt, I thought I would share some of my favorites here and you can also check out our creation too!


100 days of school shirt ideas for kindergarten, preschool, & more

This post contains affiliate links.


These ideas are super easy and very affordable. I bought my shirt for a little over $2 at Michael's Craft Store. I will try and link any related items that are cheap from Amazon. I remember taking 100 pennies and pasting them to a piece of cardboard sitting in my grandmother's kitchen with my cousins. We lived with my grandmother for a little while when my mom went back to school after my parent's divorced when i was five. I remember it feeling like it was taking SO LONG to count to 100. That's why I suggest the 10 by 10 method. I also only included easy and inexpensive DIY ideas because the idea was to be a project that a preschooler or Kindergartener can handle, but you could use Patches4Less as well. If you are looking for something that is great for groups, can be outsourced and is affordable and customizable check out these custom chenille patches by UltraPatches. If it wasn't a project, then there are tons of handmade shirts made with Cricuts online too.

If you also want to complete these fun creative shirt ideas, then try bulk custom T-shirts, not only can you customize the material needed for the event for easy modification, but you can also print the school's logo and let the students design their own designs on the shirts, and you can also wear the designed creative shirts on your body, and the kids will surely feel proud of them. It can inspire creativity and interest in do-it-yourself design.

Creating the Perfect Hostess Gift - How to Gift Wrap a Wine Bottle

This easy DIY hostess gift idea was created using complimentary wine I received from Winc. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

During the holiday season it can be hard to come up with gift ideas. I personally like getting the Winc Wine Subscription as a gift even if it is just one month because you get four personalized wines sent to your door. And then, during the holidays, you always have wine on hand for events or as the easiest hostess gift.




To personalize your super easy and perfect hostess gift, all you have to do is add a scarf and tie it up ribbon, then voila! You have a gorgeous and easy gift idea! I will say that wine is one of those gifts that you want to know a little about the person, that's why Winc is a great gift idea because they can personalize their own wines. 

Here is what you need to create this easy hostess gift:

Easy Homemade Ornaments Perfect for Kid Parties

These Rae Dunn or Frozen 2 inspired homemade ornament craft for kids were created with products received from Oriental Trading. Although complimentary products were received, all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

If you have been following me since 2014, then you know that I have enjoyed collaborating with Oriental Trading off and on even though I have been a huge fan of theirs for years. I love the variety of products they provide whether it is birthday decorations, educational toys, costumes for the entire family, or crafting supplies. They even have home décor that you can check out as well.


DIY Rae Dunn or Frozen 2 inspired ornaments



My daughter celebrated her 9th birthday today and we held a slumber party over the weekend. While thinking of activities to include, I decided on having the children make homemade ornaments. I didn't want anything too involved or messy, so we settled on these Rae Dunn or Frozen 2 inspired ornaments. The writing reminds me of Rae Dunn collection pieces while the inside reminds me of Frozen 2. I loved the idea of making ornaments for a winter slumber party because it was a great activity plus they got a little party favor to take home.

DIY Winter Princess Holiday Wreath

I use to love different crafts projects and I still do, but I am one of those people that has to be in the mood and it isn't an everyday occurrence. Once I start a project, I like to finish it so finding the time is key for me. That's why I tend to lean towards easy projects, like this DIY Winter Princess Holiday Wreath. It is perfect for winter, Christmas, or a winter birthday theme. And it was VERY easy to make. I was sent a ton of items from Oriental Trading to provide this craft. All opinions are my own.


DIY Winter Princess Holiday Wreath



What my favorite part about this craft is that you can use different color tulle and make what ever kind of wreath you wanted! Red, White, and Blue for Independence Day. Red and Green for Christmas. Black and Orange for Halloween! It's seriously so versatile. I love easy, peasy home décor ideas and wreaths are a perfect way to keep your home festive.

Unicorn Easter Basket Ideas

My daughter is obsessed with unicorns and so are my nieces. So I wanted to incorporate that into a cute Easter basket idea. They also love JoJo Siwa and since she loves all things unicorn, I thought the two could go hand in hand if you are looking for some basket filler ideas! So if you're child is like mine and a little unicorn obsessed, then you'll love this Unicorn Easter Basket Tutorial and stuffer ideas.



I originally saw the idea of creating an Easter Basket Tutu from my friend Jamie who blogs at The Denver Housewife. She has done so many cute ones including a Shopkins Easter Basket. And I am all about reusing items found around the house to create new projects. I think it is more economical to do it that way, but you could very easily buy many of the items featured in Target's Dollar Spot or on Amazon like she did. I will try and link to some similar items. My mother-in-law gave me the tulle I used and I had the unicorn topper from some old party supplies. That's why I decided to recreate this look for a Unicorn theme.

How to Make Your Own Snow Globe - Disney's "Nutcracker & the Four Realms" NOW on DVD

In honor of the DVD release of Disney's "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms", I'm going to share how to Make Your Own Snow Globe so you too can bring the Land of Snowflakes to life!