Restore Order: December 2015

$3 DIY Christmas Gift Mug

DIY Gift mug

Still trying to figure out what to give your child's teacher, a co-worker or neighbor for Christmas? These inexpensive gift mugs are perfect! My son started preschool this year, and I wanted him to be able to give his teacher and other staff members nice gifts that don't look cheap. This is what I came up with!

DIY Gift Mugs

What you'll need

1. Mugs

2. Cellophane

3. Hot cocoa, coffee, cappuccino or tea

4. Assorted chocolate candy

5. Curling ribbon

Add caption

Curling ribbon

I purchased these mugs from the Dollar Tree. Initially I was going to get solid red mugs, but when I walked into the store these cute Christmas mugs were staring me in the face and they were just too cute to pass up. The cellophane also came from the Dollar Tree.

You can buy individual hot cocoa mix from almost any grocery store, and the candy came from Target. I recommend getting nice chocolate like Godiva, Ghirardelli, or Lindor Truffles. You can add a lot of candy, or just a little bit. Completely up to you!

Once everything is in the mug, wrap the cellophane around it then tie it with curling ribbon.

And voilà!!!! A beautiful gift mug that takes under five minutes to make.

Gift mug

Final product - gift mugs

Make sure you pack them well so they don't break before getting to your destination.

Packed gift mugs

Check out my tutorial for these mugs on YouTube here! Subscribe to my channel for more tips!!!

Blue's Clues Birthday Party

My oldest son Ethan discovered Blue's Clues one day while watching Nick jr. He absolutely loves Blue's Clues! Since it doesn't air during the day, we set our DVR to record the episodes at 3AM. Sure it's a show from the 90's and my youngest two siblings (who are now in their twenties) loved it when they were kids, but it's still an awesome learning show!

So for his 4th birthday, I had to do a Blue's Clues theme! I had to be a little creative since you can't find a whole lot of Blue's Clues themed party decorations. We played pin the clue on blue, and we even looked for Blue's Clues with our Handy Dandy notebooks!

Check out how I pulled off this fun theme!

Blue's Clues Party

Blue's Clues Paw Print Cake

This cake came from a local grocery store. I requested a 1/4 sheet cake with light blue icing and royal blue paw prints all around the cake. No top border and alternating blue dots for the bottom border. I couldn't be happier with the outcome. I also ordered cupcakes with two different blue colors.

Blue's Clues paw print cake

Birthday Banner

I made this banner through Vistaprint. I found a picture through a google search and uploaded it, I added the message through the editing on Vistaprint.

Blue's Clues birthday banner

Party Decorations

Blue's Clue's centerpiece and

The centerpiece came from Amazon, you can buy it here for under $10. The blowouts also came from Amazon, buy them here. The garland came from target and was $3.99 check it out here.

Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper party favors

I have a very talented niece that can make anything! She's always my go-to person for anything arts and crafts. My sister found these tiny salt and pepper shakers at Dollar Tree and thought it would be a great idea for her to paint them and this is how it turned out! They look just like the Blue's Clues characters and you can add jellybeans or any candy of your choice.

Mr. Salt & Mrs. Pepper party favors

Mr. Salt & Mrs. Pepper

Favor Bags

These bags and paw print stickers came from Amazon. The card was printed out and edited by me on my computer. The kids loved these favor bags!

DIY Handy Dandy Notebooks

I scoured the internet to find handy dandy notebooks that weren't $15 a piece. Everything I found was too expensive so I decided to try my take at making them. I found a picture of the "thinking chair" here, and printed it out on white card stock. I found these notepads at the Dollar Tree in their school supplies section, they worked out well because the have red wire at the top just like the real handy dandy notebook. I cut out green construction paper and glued the pictures of the thinking chair onto the notebook, then glued that onto the notebooks and voilà - Handy Dandy Notebooks!!!