You've Been JINGLED!

The holidays are upon us and so is the season of giving! This absolutely adorable and fun game will keep you and your neighbors guessng this holiday season!

 

This is a version of "Ding Dong Ditched" and it's so much fun!

 

It's called "YOU'VE BEEN JINGLED!"

This is a great way to spread holiday cheer thoughout your neighborhood and receive some Holiday goodies too!

 

 

 

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:

 

You'll need to start the game in your neighborhood by printing off 2 "You've Been Jingled" Rule sheets from:

http://www.beenjingled.com/

It looks like this!

 

The printable will tell you all the rules about the game, and for the 2 gifts you give out, you'll also need 2 printables to give with the gifts....this will keep the game moving!

THEN:

You'll need to put together a cute bag of goodies for the person you're going to "JINGLE."

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

 HOLIDAY  CRACKER GIFT

Made using a toilet paper roll filled with candy, novelty stickers, Starbucks mini gift card, small candy canes, peppermint sticks or whatever you'd like to fill it with! Wrap with holiday paper and tie with ribbons!

 

 

 

 MINI STOCKINGS

 

Fill mini-stockings (these are from the Dollar Tree) with candy, peppermints, homemade cookies,

candy canes, novelty toys for a house you know has kids, stickers, etc! Roll up your JINGLE instructions and place inside! Hang on your neighbors door and get the game started!

 

Once you have your 2 goodies put together deliver them to 2 of your neighbors and leave on the front door.

 

After they receive their goodies hopefully they will continue the game by giving to 2 more neighbors...and so on...soon Everyone should have a "You've Been Jingled" sign by their door!

 

SPREAD SOME HOLIDAY CHEER!

 

Salt Dough Ornament's

Tis the Season Moms & Dads!

Time to start Christmas shopping, but oh so many people to shop for...

Instead of breaking your bank, here is a super cute gift to give the grandparents, relatives, and even close friends.

It's handmade, personal, & can be used for years and years to come!

Salt Dough Ornaments!

 Here are a few different crafts that you can create with your children.

Each project will use the same ingredients.
Then you can choose the different colors and embellishments to use.

Ingredients:
(makes 15 ornaments)
 
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Mix flour and salt well. Gradually add water, stirring with a large spoon. Finish mixing with hands.
Knead until soft and pliable.
Roll out on floured surface about 1/8 inch thick
Make a hand print and cut out shape around print leaving a border for Santa ornament, or use a circle cup, can, or other circle item to cut large circle around print.
Poke a hole in top for hanging
Cut out name if desired
Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) until hard, about 1 hour.
Decorate with paint and varnish to preserve.

If you have some extra dough left over, get out the cookie cutters and start cutting. Let the kids, paint and embellish!  Decorate, embellish, personalize however you'd like! These are items to cherish for a life time, and won't empty out your pockets!

I  definitely plan on making a few with my boys for Christmas this year!
If you decide to make your own, please share with us!



Etsy Spotlight Shop #18: e & o clothing co.

Looking for some cute baby or toddler clothing?

You have to check out e & o clothing co.

Adorable clothing designs, that your child will definitely love to wear!

From cute animals and pretty little cupcakes, to dinosaurs, cowboys and pirates!

 

 

Can't find exactly what your looking for!

 Not to worry, order your own personalized outfit!

Great for special birthdays and occasions!

 

 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/eoclothingco

 

I spoke with Talia, the crafty creator of these adorable onezies and toddler tees! Here is what Talia had to say!

 What do you love about making baby and toddler clothing?

Taila

 Designing, I want my designs to be different than what everyone else is coming out with. I do include some everyday simple designs in my line for those that are interested but am drawn to coming up with something new and unique.

How many shirts and onesies do you make a day?


Taila:
 Right now I work full time and am a mom to a very busy toddler so I only get a few shirts out a day, in my prime there were approx 500-1000 a month through wholesale but I never had time for sleep! 

What makes your shop different for others that sell baby and toddler clothing?


Taila:
 The unique designs and the quality. I am a stickler for quality onesies, why bother drawing a beautiful design if it's going to end up on a saggy see through onesie? I want these pieces to last the test of time rather than being something that can only be used once.

How did you get your start on etsy.com? 

Taila:
It actually took me a few months to get the guts to post anything on Etsy. I saw so many amazing designers and didn't think I had what it took. One fateful night in October I took the plunge and haven't look make since. I still am so thrilled with every new order, somebody likes my work!

Stop by and check out Talia's Shop, e & o clothing co.

Favorite some items, and get some Christmas shopping done!

Super cute and unique clothing items!

Your little one will sure be rocking in their new outfits!

Deck the Shop with Holiday Goodies

The girls of JDPaperie and MoseyRoseDesigns have decked the halls in our shops and have some great Holiday items to choose from! Come by and take a look!

 

 

HOLIDAY GOODIES FROM JDPAPERIE

www.etsy.com/shop/jdpaperie

HOLIDAY GOODIES FROM MOSEYROSEDESIGNS

www.etsy.com/shop/moseyrosedesigns

Feel Good Holiday Movies..TOP 5

Even if it isn't technically time to start watching Christmas/Holiday Movies...I have to say I have been glued to the Hallmark Channel already!

 

In honor of all things holidayish, here are my

TOP 5 HOLIDAY MOVIES!

#5:

 

THE SNOW BRIDE

Cute, Chick-flick, Corny

BUT ADORABLE!!

 

 

 

#4

 

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS



Featuring 90's heartthrob

Jonathan Taylor Thomas!

Adorable. feel good movie, kid friendly!

#3

 

SANTA CLAUS THE MOVIE

One of my all time fav's growing up,

featuring Dudley Moore!

Kid Friendly!



#2

THE SANTA CLAUSE

Tim Allen at his best in my opinion...

And who doesn't love Bernard the elf?!

Kids adore this movie!

 

 

 



My ALL TIME FAV is.....(drumroll please)

 

 

#1

ELF

Funny, Charming, Joyful and Will Ferrell!

 

"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer,

is singing loud for all to hear!"

 







Etsy Spotlight Shop #17: Lee's Bees

I came across this shop while searching for one of my childhood favorites: Honey Sticks! We lived in a neighborhood in which one of the houses was occupied with a beekeeper. We called him, The Beeman. Every Halloween growing up we looked forward to going to The Beeman's house for Trick-or-Treat as he always gave us delicious Honey Sticks! YUM!

 

Our next spotlight is on a female beekeeper named Leeann and her etsy shop called Lee's Bees! Her shop is filled with products made organically from her very own beehives! You can't get any more local than that! Her products include lip balm, lotion bars, honey soap, table honey and my favorite: Honey Sticks! Drop by her shop and grab some great gifts and stocking stuffers!

 

www.etsy.com/shop/leesbeesNJ

 

We talked with Leeann and here's what she had to say:

What do you love about honey?

LEEANN:
Honey is nature's perfect food. It contains every element necessary to sustain human life. That's a good reason to love it, but wait, there's more! Honey has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. It contains probiotics, enzymes, amino acids. It never spoils. It is easily digestible. It is good for your skin. What's not to love about a substance like that? And it is, of course, delicious.

How much honey do your hives produce in a week?

LEEANN:
One colony's production of honey will vary depending upon the time of year and the weather. Right now, there is no honey being made in the hives. The bees are inside all clumped together, keeping their queen warm and waiting for spring. They are eating their honey stores very slowly to stay alive. It's a different story in the spring, though. When the trees are in full bloom - especially the black locust trees - when the sun is shining and the days are long, a colony of bees can bring in as much as 30 lbs. of nectar in one week! Over the course of a year, one beehive will produce between 25-60 lbs. of honey, with the average here in New Jersey being around 40. I've had hives produce 100 lbs. of honey in a good year, but that's the exception and not the rule. It all depends upon the weather.

 
What makes your shop different from other shops on etsy selling honey/honey products?

LEEANN:
The thing that sets me apart from many other shops on Etsy is that I'm a real beekeeper. I don't just have a couple of hives, I have farm full of them. I'm working hard to make beekeeping and farming a full-time occupation. And I do it all organically. There are no chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, any-cides used in my hives or on my property! I treat my hives with plants, essential oils and other natural products. Additionally, many of the shops making beauty products are really resellers who add a little fragrance to a premade base and call it their own. I worked hard to make the formulas I use to create really outstanding products from simple and natural ingredients. I'm so good at it, in fact, that I wrote the book - literally - on how to make things from beeswax and honey. Boston, MA-based Adams Media published my book, "Honey Crafting," this past spring!

How did you get your start on etsy.com?

LEEANN:
Sometimes life never takes a straight path. A Google search in 2008 brought me to an Etsy shop page for the first time. I saw opportunity, and began selling my handmade jewelry in a now-closed shop named Silverloft. Once I started beekeeping, though, jewelry making took a back seat when I learned how to collect beeswax and make lip balm. I love lip balm. It is everyone's friend. That discovery started me on my journey. Since I knew what a great, well-supported selling tool Etsy was, and had already gone through the learning curve, I opened the LeesBeesNJ shop and now I have all kinds of beauty products for sale, along with my raw wildflower honey and infused honeys. Lee's Bees products have been shipped to every state in the union except Idaho, and to 22 countries. I am looking forward to making new products and spreading the honey-bee love even further across the globe!

And maybe even to Idaho.

Be sure to stop by Leeann's shop and pick up some honey sticks, lip balm and honey soap for stocking stuffers! She does honey wedding favors/party favors too! YUM-O!

FREE HOLIDAY PRINTABLE

Print and frame to display!

 

Made especially for Southern Girls Get Crafty by Veronica Foley Design @ www.etsy.com/shop/veronicafoleydesign!

Drinks and Treats

One of the best parts of fall and winter are the warm and cozy drinks and the yummy treats! Here is a yummy recipe for some "adult" hot chocolate and a great idea to do with the kids!

 

 

Adult Hot Chocolate

Here's what you need:

1 Part DeKuyper® Peppermint Schnapps
Hot Chocolate
Hershey's Chocolate Bar
Cheese Grater       

Here's what you do:

1. Fill mug with hot chocolate and add ingredients.
2. Garnish with whipped cream and grated chocolate shavings!                                                                  

            

Here is a great idea to do with the kids! These would be awesome teacher gifts with a Mug from the Dollar Store and some hot chocolate mix packets!

 

What you need:

Plastic or Metal Spoons

Melting Chocolate (dark, milk, white...your choice)

Marshmallows, Chocolate Chips, Peppermint Sprinkles, Jimmies, etc for decoration

 

Here's what you do:

 

1. Melt your chocolate in a double boiler on the stove.

2. Dip spoons in chocolate and place on wax paper.

3. Immediately sprinkle your choice of decorations on top (so they will stick to the warm chocolate)

4. Let cool, wrap in cellophane and tie with a festive ribbon

 

Optional: If you want to get ultra creative....melt colored melting chocolates and drizzle designs on top of your spoons!

 

 

Melted Snowman Cookies

I fell in love with these cookies when I saw them! So Creative and easy to make!

Just follow the simple steps below!

 

 

 

You Will Need:

 

• 1 package Sugar Cookie Mix
• 10 large marshmallows
• White Cookie Icing
• Decorating Icing Tubes (Black for Eyes, Mouth, & Arms. Orange for Nose. Any other colors you'd like for decorating)

 



 

Directions:

 

• Mix cookie mix according to directions, or prepare your favorite cut out sugar cookie recipe, then just grab a golf ball sized chunk and squish it down until it’s about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Do not worry about the shape or how lumpy it is, the more misshapen the better! Bake according to recipe directions.

• Once the cookies are cool, load them up with the cookie icing and spread it around with the back of a spoon, let some dribble over the edge for a “puddle” look.

• Spray a microwave safe plate with cooking spray, and place marshmallows on the plate. Set the microwave for 30 seconds, but watch the marshmallows as they cook. Stop the microwave as soon as the marshmallows start to get puffy, do not let them double in size.

• Spray your fingers with cooking spray or grease them up with shortening, and carefully pull the marshmallows off, by the base, and set them on top of the frosted cookies.

• Then just decorate as you’d like with the frosting!
•  Serve & Enjoy!

 

Please share your melted snowmen with us!

We would love to see your great crafty snowman ideas!



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Limited amount of 20 t-shirts....better hurry!

 

We'd love the support and gosh who doesn't

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Click the link below to order!

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Great Christmas Items from Amazing Etsy Shops!

 

 

White Christmas Wreath: https://www.etsy.com/listing/164607274/christmas-wreath-white-christmas-wreath?ref=shop_home_active

More Christmas & Gift Items: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MoseyRoseDesigns?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Reindeer poop fragrance: https://www.etsy.com/listing/160909548/reindeer-poop-fragrance-oil-1-ounce-100?ref=shop_home_active&fb_source=message

More Christmas Items & Gifts: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CloudNineFragrances?ref=l2-shopheader-name

 

 

Christmas Red and Green Headband: https://www.etsy.com/listing/167983565/red-rose-baby-headband-Christmas

More Christmas Items & Gifts: https://www.etsy.com/shop/AbigailsAttic112?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Christmas Napkins: www.etsy.com/listing/166953889/smartkin-set5-holiday-napkins?ref=shop_ho...

More Christmas items & Gifts: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Smartkin?ref=pr_shop_more

Christmas Cocoa: https://www.etsy.com/listing/100712826/cocoa-seasonal-hot-cream-cone-hot-cocoa?ref=shop_home_active

More Christmas Itams & Gifts: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Wearehomecrafting?ref=pr_shop_more

 

 

Santa Mustache Tags:: https://www.etsy.com/listing/158485457/homemade-for-the-holidays-red-and-white?ref=related-1

 More Christmas Items & Gifts: www.jdpaperie.etsy.com

Buckets of Fun, Clean up style

Even though I'm a mom of 3 kids...I still can't stand things being all over the floor! Mostly because I will be the one that steps on the rogue Lego or slips on the Barbie dress. This solution is easy, cheap and so far...it's been a hit!

The solution is as simple as some colorful buckets from the Dollar Tree! I will probably eventually upgrade to something a bit nicer like lined baskets, but for now it works. So for a grand total of $3 +tax we know have implemented the "buckets."

Each of my kids were assigned a bucket color. When they take off their shoes they go in their bucket. If I'm walking around and find something on the floor that belongs to them, it goes in their bucket. That way my floor is always picked up! If guests happen to come over unexpectedly...all of their "junk" is nice and neat inside the buckets!

At night, as we're going upstairs to bed, each child is responsible for taking their bucket to their room, putting away their toys, shoes and whatever else was collected in the bucket. They set their empty bucket outside the door. After teeth brushing, a story and putting them to bed...I'll grab the buckets and set them up downstairs for the next day!

The kids love these particular buckets because they have handles! You can decorate your buckets for your kids or let them do it! Add fun stickers, names etc. My kiddos seem to be happy with their colorful ones!

Give it a try and let us know what you think! Come on, you know you wanna have buckets of fun too!

Looking for some easy, but delicious desserts for the holiday season?

Check out these great recipes!

 

NO BAKE - Cream Cheese, Coconut, Snowball's Recipe
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened.
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained.
1 cup chopped pecans
3 cups flaked coconut....

 

 DIRECTIONS:
 In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and pineapple until combined then fold in the pecans. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Take out of refrigerator and roll into 1-inch balls; then roll the balls in the coconut. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Yield: about 2 dozen

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

 Yields 36 cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) Butter, softened
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup White Sugar...

1 small pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 pkg ( 12 oz) Milk Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat the butter, both sugars, pudding mix, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat until creamy and fluffy. Then slowly mix in flour and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips.
Drop by tablespoonfuls, onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for ONLY 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool about 10 minutes before eating.

 

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Bites

(makes 24 cookie bites)

Ingredients

1 package Pillsbury® Ready to Bake!™ sugar cookies

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup canned pumpkin

2/3 cup sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tub whipped cream topping

DIRECTIONS:

1.    Heat oven to 350°F. Remove 12 dough rounds from cookie dough package; save remaining dough for a later use. Place 1 dough round in each of 12 mini cheesecake cups with removable bottoms.

2.    Bake 14-16 minutes. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

3.    Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar and ground cinnamon with electric mixer on medium to high speed 3 to 4 minutes until smooth. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in whipped cream topping

4.    Spoon or pour cream cheese mixture over each cooled cookie until cup is full; smooth top until flat. Freeze at least 3 hours to set.

5.    Once cheesecakes are firm, remove pan from freezer. Gently release cheesecakes from cups. Remove cup bottoms from cheesecakes; place on cooling rack. Decorate with whipped cream and drizzle caramel sauce over tops of cheesecakes and serve.

6.    Repeat the process for final 12 mini bites.

 

Etsy Spotlight Shop #16: Veronica Foley Design

Elegance is this shop's middle name! Our next spotlight is focusing on digital art and papercrafts and is a wonderfully beautiful shop named Veronica Foley Design.

From invitations to thank you cards to personalized stationary her shop is pure elegance! The colors and the fonts she uses really make her items special and unique.

We're so happy to feature her as a Spotlight Shop! As a special treat she has created a really awesome printable just for our readers!

 

www.etsy.com/shop/veronicafoleydesign
 

 



I spoke with Veronica the mastermind and creator behind Veronica Foley Designs and here's what she had to say!


What do you love about creating cards, invites, etc?
VERONICA:
I really love the feeling of working "in the flow" when I'm doing creative projects. There are lots of times when I can't tell whether I'm working or playing.

How many do you design in a day?
VERONICA:

 I do my best design work when there’s a feeling of the designs just itching my brain and wanting to come out. Sometimes inspiration strikes and I’ll be working on 10-20 designs in a day or two, and other times I’m busy with client orders and ferrying the kids to and fro, and nothing new happens in a week or two.

What makes your shop different from other etsy shops that do digital designs?
VERONICA:

 

 I know we live in a digital world now, and there’s so much about it that’s wonderful. But as a balance for all that wonderful stream of digital information, comes a real craving for designs with the feel of having been touched by human hands. To me, there’s a huge difference between design that feels like it was made ON a computer and design that feels like it was made BY a computer. Whether the touched-by-human-hands idea translates to modern, casual calligraphy styles, vintage typography or old-world (especially French!) clip art, I strive to create products that help my clients connect with their friends and family with genuine, real-live warmth.

 

How did you get your start on etsy.com?
VERONICA:
When I first started my shop, I just put a few designs up without putting much research into it. Over time, though, I started noticing that there are some really successful ¬sellers in my category, and started looking into what it might take to become one. Right around the time I decided I wanted to put some real effort into getting serious about marketing my shop, I discovered a course on Skillshare called Etsy: Smart and Simple by successful Etsy Seller, Existential Ella. [It’s still available at www.skillshare.com/classes/business/Etsy-Smart-and-Simple/2052004108/ ] The class really helped me boil down the most important aspects of SEO and marketing, and gave me the motivation to really get the ball rolling.

 

Veronica created a FREE Printable just for Southern Girls Get Crafty! How cool is that?

You can find the printable below!

Just right click, print and frame for an instant decoration!

Be sure to stop by Veronica Foley Designs on Etsy and show her some love! Shop a bit while you're there and enjoy the FREE Printable!

If you're loving the printable check out these awesome new listings for cards and tags to match!
CARDS: www.etsy.com/listing/168497850/set-of-4-christmas-cards-twelve-days-of?r...
TAGS: www.etsy.com/listing/168499342/twelve-tags-of-christmas-diy-printable?re... .