{FREEBIE} Father's Day Printables are TIE-riffic!

I've got a FREEBIE to share with all of you today! With Father's Day right around the corner, it's about time to get some surprises ready for the men that we all adore. And with this little Tie-riffic free set of printables, I hope you all will be inspired to create a fun Father's Day display for your own husband or father.

The set includes a cute tie-shaped "Happy Father's Day" banner, some great tie-shaped centerpiece signs, and cupcake topper sized ties, too. And best of all.... I made a page for DADs, for GRANDDADs and another page for STEPDADs just to cover all scenarios. I hope you all love them!

The centerpieces are super easy to make. I just attached each of them to a wooden skewer (found in the grocery store) and stuck the skewers in a piece of styrofoam inside of this little bucket. Then I topped it off with some brown shreds, added a twine bow and voila! Quick and simple centerpiece!

Make some super quick cupcake toppers or sandwich toppers by hot gluing the ties to a toothpick and sticking it in your food. And yes, my friends, that's BACON if you were wondering.... Maple Bacon Cupcakes to be exact. We're ARE talking men here. If you're gonna make a cupcake for a man, you better include some bacon! I'll post the recipe and tutorial soon.

And you can't eat bacon cupcakes without a swig of something, right? Coke, beer, root beer.... whatever your guy prefers, just wrap the bottles in the decorative paper, wrap the box in the decorative paper, and add a twine bow with one of my Father's Day tags. These tags are such a versatile size and could also be used to top wrapped gifts.

Isn't that bacon hilarious!

So if you've got a TIE-riffic dad, step dad or even granddad, be sure to download your FREEBIE set of Father's Day printables. The only thing I ask is that you become a FAN on Facebook of Shindig Parties TO GO by clicking the LIKE BUTTON HERE. And I would also Love for you to start following my blog by looking on my left sidebar for Followers.

Ready for that Download? Grab your

FATHER'S DAY PRINTABLES HERE

I hope these brings lots of smiles to lots of men this Father's Day - enjoy everyone!!

Linking up to: Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Keeping it Simple, Craftomaniac, Tater Tots and Jello,Skip to my Lou, Under the Table and Dreaming, Blue Cricket Design, Someday Crafts,Fireflies and Jelly Beans, House of Hepworths, Somewhat Simple, Tidy Mom,Romantic Home,Shabby Nest, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Finding Fabulous, The Girl Creative,Tater Tots and Jello, Be Different Act Normal, Funky Junk Interiors,Today's Creative Blog, Tip Junkie, The Idea Room, C.R.A.F.T., Today's Creative Blog, Between Naps on the Porch,Thrifty Decor Chick, Making the World Cuter, Tea Rose Home, The Shabby Chic Cottage,The Trendy Treehouse, The DIY Showoff, Whipperberry,Gluesticks,Beyond the Picket Fence, Mad in Crafts, Sugar Bee Crafts, All Things Related, Savvy Southern Style, The Thrifty Home, Passionately Artistic, Nifty Thrifty, 733 Blog

Great Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

There is one thing for sure about starting your own business..... it creates a kind of warp speed in your life where things are passing by so quickly that it's almost too hard to believe. Case in point.... it's already the end of the school year! Didn't I just buy new backpacks and lunch boxes a couple of months ago? Right?

Nope, not right. It's here, SUMMER! Especially in Alabama! And the end of the year for my three kids always means a mad dash to find something wonderful to give to their teachers to show them how much we appreciate all that they do. Really... teachers have just about the most important jobs on earth..... training and teaching and molding our kids. So a sweet gift of appreciation is always appropriate this time of year. And I don't know about your kids, but mine are so excited to bring something special into the classroom for their teacher.

I thought I'd share a few cute ideas I've seen around the web.... some are super easy and some might require a bit more time, but all are do-able and adorable.



3 Four and Under makes amazing apple cookies using a cookie cutter that she found at Joann's Craft store. I love this twist on the apple for your teacher.



This one is pretty cute, too. Mini Oreo apples from The Crafting Chicks as seen on Skip To My Lou, one of my favorite websites.



Brooke from The Crafting Chicks uses mini Oreos, Airheads candy for the leaves, pretzels sticks, and red candy coating to make these adorable little treats, perfect for teacher gifts.


How Does She makes very useful gifts for teachers, personalized hand sanitizers. Teachers are always asking for this stuff by the bucketfuls!




Our Best Bites makes those super easy turtles using Rolos candies, pretzels and some nuts. These are one my personal favorite treats. So yummy!


And another version for your M&M loving teachers.

This is such a great idea for a gift display from the whole class. Family Fun shows us how to make a paper flower arrangement using the flowers as gift card holders. Love this!

Gift in a jar are always a hit. This one is a Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Quickbread from Sunset.

These fabric bookmarks are beautiful and functional and not too hard to make either. Just follow the tutorial from Little Birdies Secrets as seen on Skip To My Lou - not too hard at all.

I hope you are inspired to create something wonderful for your own kids' teachers.

They deserve the best.... who else can handle 25 kids all day long and

actually teach them something to! Kudos to teachers!

Teacher’s Appreciation Week: Corkboard Flowerpot

Teacher’s Appreciation Week starts on May 2nd and I wanted to create something that would be both practical and fun for your kiddos to give as a gift to their favorite educator. I love the idea of these corkboard flowerpots because teachers can use them for a variety of things. For example, perhaps the teacher is a plant killer like myself. No worries, this box would also make for a great organizer for all those classroom craft supplies that teachers tend to collect. The best part is they can pin reminders, pictures, or other favorite notes to the corkboard box and have their very own bulletin center right there on their desk!

You’ll need:

• Small plant or flower arrangement
• Roll of self-adhesive cork paper
• Small wooden box
• Flat head push pin
• 2 pieces of colored or patterned paper scraps
• Scissors
• Glue gun
• Pencil

1. Measure how much cork paper you’ll need by placing the wooden box on the edge of the paper and then wrap all 4 sides until the paper meets. Mark the measurements with a pencil and trim any excess paper.

2. Remove the backing from the self-adhesive cork paper and apply to the box. You’ll want to wrap the paper tightly around the box, however, pull gently since cork paper is easy to tear.

3. Place your flower arrangement or plant inside the box.

Now we’re going to make the cute floral push pin!
4.  Trim and round off the corners of the paper you would like to use for the bloom.
5.  Your scrap paper should resemble a circle but don’t worry about making it perfect.
6.  Starting on the edge of the paper take your scissors and start cutting a spiral design working your way into the center of the paper.

7. Take the spiral cut paper and place it pattern down. You’ll want to slightly fold the edges of the paper back. Once again, no need to be perfect.
8. Turn the paper over, take one end of the scrap paper and start rolling. You want to keep it pretty tight as your are rolling and once you reach the end you’ll see that little flap that was sitting in the center of your paper. Use your glue gun and dab some glue on that flap and adhere to the bottom of your rolled flower.
9.  Cut out 2 leaf shaped designs from your 2nd sheet of paper and glue to the back of your flower. Now stick that baby to your flat head push pin with a little bit more glue and you have yourself an adorable push pin!
All that’s left to do is handwrite or print off a little note and pin it to the flowerpot! I hope you enjoyed my first tutorial!



**Since this posted I have had a few people inquire about the wooden box and where I found it at.  I picked the box up at Jo-Ann Fabrics.  Hope that helps!
Here are the parties I'm linking to this week:
http://www.tipjunkie.com/
http://todayscreativeblog.net/
http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/
http://ladybug-blessings.com/
http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/
http://www.somewhatsimple.com/
http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/
http://www.thefrugalgirls.com/
http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/
http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/
http://thirtyhandmadedays.com/
http://nv-craftenvy.blogspot.com/
http://simplydesigning.blogspot.com/
http://www.bystephanielynn.com/
http://www.aglimpseinsideblog.com/

Valentines's Heart Pops

Everyone loves Valentines Day, I mean, really, how could you not? A full day set aside to celebrate LOVE! Hearts and flowers, chocolate and other goodies, and super sweet notes to those we care about..... what a terrific reminder to focus on the positive things in life.

I'm almost overwhelmed by all of the great Valentines ideas circulating on the internet. I hope to share lots of them with you all over the coming weeks.... recipes and crafts and parties, too. I happened across this adorable idea for a Valentine's treat from Pleasant Home, Valentine's Heart Pops made from candy canes and white chocolate candy melts. This is brilliant! Easy and quick and a great favor for neighbors and friends.

Adorable for a classroom treat, too!

With the directions from Pleasant Home, they are simple to make with a few ingredients..... small candy canes, white chocolate candy melts and some Valentines sprinkles.

And while you're visiting Jodi over at Pleasant Home,

take a look at these yummy jello pop corn balls.

And these super easy favors using tic-tacs and a little scrapbook paper.

Thanks, Jodi, for all of your inspiring ideas!

Kids' Valentines Favor Idea

I'm always looking for a fun project to do with my kids.... they LIVE for art projects, and it's one of those things that brings all 3 of them together, despite their 6 year age spread. Yesterday, I came across an adorable project from Positively Splendid that we are going to use for Valentine's treats for friends. It's a sweet Valentine to hand out to classmates and friends, but here's the kicker...... you make your own paper and include some wildflower seeds. Then the kids get to "plant" their paper this spring to create their very own little flower garden.

ADORABLE!

Amy, the creator of this crafty idea, says, "I absolutely adore a craft project that utilizes things that would otherwise be discarded. See the speckled paper hearts at the center of each of these blooms? My kiddos and I took an afternoon to make that paper together using paper scraps and other ingredients we had on hand, and we had tons of fun in the process. The kids were fascinated by the fact that it is possible to take something used and make it new again, which makes this a truly stellar lesson in recycling. Once the paper was completely finished, we used it the next day to craft the flower Valentines you see here. Why flowers? you might ask. That, friends, is the very best part of this project: Our homemade paper contains a magic ingredient, and the heart centers made out of it can be planted in the spring so that wildflowers can grow as a result of our hard work! "

Please go visit Amy at Positively Splendid and check out her very detailed step-by-step tutorial and get your own jump-start on those Valentines favors today.

I can't wait to make some homemade paper and create these with my own kids. Happy Friday!

EASY Homemade Hot Chocolate Gifts

Homemade Peppermint Hot Chocolate

I've got a quick and easy gift idea for classrooms, teachers, friends and more today. Homemade hot chocolate with some mini marshmallows and peppermint -- yum!

A quick list of ingredients and supplies:

25.6 oz Nonfat instant dry milk
16 can of Nesquick
16 oz Coffee creamer (Whoops! Forgot this one in the photo so make sure you add it)
1 pound of powdered sugar
1 bag of mini marshmallows
candy canes
small plastic bags
curling ribbon
christmas tag

Now for the directions:

Put the first 4 ingredients in a very large bowl and stir and then stir some more. Now take all of your candy canes (without the wrappers!) and put them in a ziploc and crush them up. Make sure to leave a few chunks so that they look pretty for presentation. Now take your small plastic bag and add about 5 tablespoons of hot chocolate mix. Next add a few marshmallows and then some crushed candy cane.

Use your curling ribbon to tie the bag off and add your gift tag... the one I've shown is from the Shindig Parties TO GO Let it Snow Collection.

That's all folks - it's super easy! (I found the original recipe here -- don't you just love the internet?)

I'm making 90 of these today for my kids' classes and it's going pretty quick -- what a fun and EASY idea.

And by the way my new friend, Kirsti, is hosting a giveaway of the Let it Snow Collection of printables on her Blog -- the giveaway will run until December 20th so hurry on over there and sign up! It's a great collection -- you can see more photos from it here.

Hope you have a wonderful day today!