Inspiring Project Ideas {link party features}

Good morning! Is your week off to a good start? I've got some creative inspiration for you, and today I'll be sharing some Features from the weekend link party. If you're new to the blog, I take a couple of days each week to let other bloggers showcase their project ideas here, and I take a day to feature a few of my faves. We have crafts, home decor, DIY, recipes, party ideas, organizing, tips and tricks, seasonal projects, and more!

Here are some projects that caught my eye this week:

~Coastal Style Summer Living Room Tour via Life and Home at 2102

~Here Comes the Sun (Free Printable) via Hawthorne and Main

~Mint Coffee Frosty Recipe via Living the Gourmet

Weekend Bloggy Reading :: Link Up!

Hellooooooo, weekend! Welcome to my Weekend Bloggy Reading link party. Fridays are fun because this is the day of the week where other bloggers stop by to link up their best post of the week here at Serenity Now, and readers get to browse tons of fun project ideas. If you're new here, don't forget to "Follow" or subscribe so you don't miss future parties and projects!

*Please be sure to read my guidelines before you add a link--I've had to bypass so many great projects lately because they didn't include a link back to my blog in the post!

This party is a great place to showcase your very best post of the week (home decor, crafts, party ideas, recipes, DIY, tips and tricks, etc.) and to see what else is out there.

Did you miss any of this week's posts? Features went up on Monday, and I also shared a cute DIY Gift Basket Idea for Girls (plus more theme ideas for boys and girls!).

**Also, the Best of the Blogosphere will be up at Centsational Girl some time today! Kate and I have rounded up some fab DIY to share with you. Head over to see the BOTB after you link up here!**

Time to link up your best post of the week!

Gift Basket Birthday Present {plus Theme Ideas for Boys and Girls}

Having two little girls of my own has reminded me of how much I enjoyed receiving little gift baskets and boxes as a child. I mean, who doesn't love getting like six presents in one? My girls had a party to attend for two sisters a few weekends ago, and I wanted to show you all how fun it can be to put together a Gift Basket for Little Girls.

As I showed you a few years back with our Teacher Survival Kit, creating a gift basket doesn't have to break the bank, and it doesn't have to be a scary thing that has you driving all over town to various shops and stores, hauling small whiny children in and out of your minivan. 

Since the party was for two sisters who are just two years apart, I wanted to get them gifts that would be similar enough to keep them from fighting (or maybe it's just my kids who do that). When I spotted two cute plastic bins in our craft stash, I knew I had a great starting point!

With the exception of the Crayola crayon-shaped lip balm (Target!), all of the other gifts came from our local Five Below store.

Confession: I've only ever been in this store once before, and it was several years ago when I was looking for something to wear for my 80s themed birthday party. They had so many fun little things...this is a great spot to shop for Christmas stocking stuffers!

There are tons of themes you could try for a gift basket (I'll add some to the end of this post), but the mom mentioned her girls were hoping to get some play make-up. Well, that's all I needed to hear! I had a blast looking for pretty, make-up/spa stuff for the birthday girls. 

Here are the items we included:

-Gift Basket (something the honoree can reuse)

-Stretchy headband

-Eyeshadow (for dress-up play)

-Nail polish

-Foam toe dividers

-Hair elastics

-Lip Balms
-Tissues

-Loofah

-Mirror

Yes, we color coded everything because it's just more fun that way (and easier for the recipients to keep track of things). The other basket, as you can see, is pink.

Other items to add:

-Bubble bath

-Comb

-Brush

-Pumice stone

-Issue of American Girl magazine or National Geographic for Kids

-Stickers

-Nail file

-Necklace or bracelet

-Fuzzy socks

-Eye sleep mask

This is the kind of gift the kids could really be involved with shopping for! And don't think that gift baskets are just for girls....

Here are a few more theme ideas for girls and boys:

-Cars
-Puzzles
-Legos
(sets, books, activity books, etc)
-Books
(bookmark, gift card to Barnes and Noble, personalized library bag)
-Arts and Crafts
(paper pads, construction paper, glitter, crayons, markers, colored pencils, play-doh, stickers, scissors, punches)
-Spy
(Add a disguise: fake mustache, glasses, etc. Magnifying glass, pretend phone, pretend camera, voice memo recorder, invisible ink, notebook, etc)
-Summer fun
(Use a beach pail as the basket and add bubbles, sidewalk chalk, water guns, etc.)
-Winter fun
(mittens, scarf, hat, hot cocoa, kid sized mugs, snowman kit, indoor game)
-Little Chef
(apron, cookie mixes, tiny spatula, sprinkles, cookie cutters, kids' cookbook)
-Dance
(ask mom or dad for leotard size--Target carries cute ones, head bands, leg warmers, dance bag to carry stuff in, music or iTunes download card if they have an iPod)
-Movie buff
(a couple of DVDs from the $5 section at Target, popcorn, popcorn bins, lemonade mix, cute cups for drinks, pretty napkins, comfy blanket to snuggle with)
-Sleepover
(eye mask, nail polish, small game or craft, slippers, movie, inexpensive "roll-up" blanket)

Hope that helps!


What's your favorite thing to include in a gift basket?

If you enjoyed this post or found it helpful, I hope you'll click your "Pin It" button to add this post to Pinterest, or a +1 for Google+. And I always appreciate kind comments.

Inspiring Project Ideas {link party features}

Good morning! Is your week off to a good start? I've got some creative inspiration for you, and today I'll be sharing some Features from the weekend link party. If you're new to the blog, I take a couple of days each week to let other bloggers showcase their project ideas here, and I take a day to feature a few of my faves. We have crafts, home decor, DIY, recipes, party ideas, organizing, tips and tricks, seasonal projects, and more!

Here are some projects that caught my eye this week:

~White Coffee Table Styling via Blue Clear Sky

~Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream via Living the Gourmet

~DIY Chalkboard Monogram Tutorial via Little Brags

Weekend Bloggy Reading :: Link Up!

Happy weekend! Welcome to my Weekend Bloggy Reading link party. Fridays are fun because this is the day of the week where other bloggers stop by to link up their best post of the week here at Serenity Now, and readers get to browse tons of fun project ideas. If you're new here, don't forget to "Follow" or subscribe so you don't miss future parties and projects!

*Please be sure to read my guidelines before you add a link--I've had to bypass so many great projects lately because they didn't include a link back to my blog in the post!

This party is a great place to showcase your very best post of the week (home decor, crafts, party ideas, recipes, DIY, tips and tricks, etc.) and to see what else is out there.

Time to link up your best post of the week!

Inspiring Project Ideas {link party features}

Good morning! Is your week off to a good start? I've got some creative inspiration for you, and today I'll be sharing some Features from the weekend link party. If you're new to the blog, I take a couple of days each week to let other bloggers showcase their project ideas here, and I take a day to feature a few of my faves. We have crafts, home decor, DIY, recipes, party ideas, organizing, tips and tricks, seasonal projects, and more!

Here are some projects that caught my eye this week:

~Sheet Music Desk Makeover via Revolutionaries

~Naturally Sweet Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie via Do Try This at Home

~Family Name Porch Sign via 2 Busy Brunettes

Weekend Bloggy Reading :: Link Up!

Hi there! Welcome to my Weekend Bloggy Reading link party. Fridays are fun because this is the day of the week where other bloggers stop by to link up their best post of the week here at Serenity Now, and readers get to browse tons of fun project ideas. If you're new here, don't forget to "Follow" or subscribe so you don't miss future parties and projects!

*Please be sure to read my guidelines before you add a link--I've had to bypass so many great projects lately because they didn't include a link back to my blog in the post!

This party is a great place to showcase your very best post of the week (home decor, crafts, party ideas, recipes, DIY, tips and tricks, etc.) and to see what else is out there.

Did you miss any of this week's posts? Features went up on Monday!

**Also, the Best of the Blogosphere will be up at Centsational Girl some time today! Kate and I have rounded up some fab DIY to share with you. Head over to see the BOTB after you link up here!**

Time to link up your best post of the week!

Inspiring Project Ideas {link party features}

Good morning! Is your week off to a good start? I've got some creative inspiration for you, and today I'll be sharing some Features from the weekend link party, as well as the party  from the week before. If you're new to the blog, I take a couple of days each week to let other bloggers showcase their project ideas here, and I take a day to feature a few of my faves. We have crafts, home decor, DIY, recipes, party ideas, organizing, tips and tricks, seasonal projects, and more!

Here are some projects that caught my eye this week:

~Summer Lake Cottage Style House Tour

~Pasta Salad with Arugula, Tomato, and Basil via Ms Toody Goo Shoes

~Hanging Fabric Ruler Organizer via The Silly Pearl

Weekend Bloggy Reading :: Link Up!

Happy 4th of July! In between the backyard cookouts and fireworks, I thought I'd squeeze this post in. Welcome to my Weekend Bloggy Reading link party. Fridays are fun because this is the day of the week where other bloggers stop by to link up their best post of the week here at Serenity Now, and readers get to browse tons of fun project ideas. If you're new here, don't forget to "Follow" or subscribe so you don't miss future parties and projects!

*Please be sure to read my guidelines before you add a link--I've had to bypass so many great projects lately because they didn't include a link back to my blog in the post!

This party is a great place to showcase your very best post of the week (home decor, crafts, party ideas, recipes, DIY, tips and tricks, etc.) and to see what else is out there.

Time to link up your best post of the week!