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Tag: Crafts

  • Thanksgiving – BHGRE Season of Sharing

    Thanksgiving is all about being together, enjoying yummy food, and thinking about the things we are thankful for. This year has certainly looked different, but it has also made us stop and really think about what matters most. Below are activities, recipes, and crafts you can do with the ones you love. This season don’t forget to focus on ways you can give back, be it with financial support, energy or your time. 

    Thanksgiving Activities

    Here is a wide variety of activities to try this Thanksgiving season.   

    • The small things can feel big to others. Show how much you care by sending your loved ones a card or note with the reasons you appreciate them and why you are thankful for them.  
    • Here are tips on how to have a safe thanksgiving dinner. 
    • Discover some clever ways to add fall flair to your porch.  
    • Celebrate a virtual Friendsgiving! Schedule a time that works for all of your friends. Everyone can make their own meal, or you could change it up and pick a theme such as Italian or only desserts. Don’t forget to check out these thanksgiving cocktails so you can toast and tell all your friends what you love about them.  
    • Start a new family tradition that you will always remember. Create a wall of gratitude by having everyone in your household write down what they are thankful for on sticky notes. Collect them and post them on the wall. You can date and save them to read in the following years.  

    • Make a giant Thanksgiving card out of a poster board folded in half. Take your life-sized card and have everyone write down what they are thankful and sign and date it. Every year you can read the previous ones and add to it. You can spend time as a family designing the front of the card.  
    • Whether your hosting two people or ten, here are some hosting tips to help your holiday run smoothly. 
    • Game on! Instead of watching tv, try playing some fun games such as charades, heads up, or Pictionary. 
    • Tis the season to be thankful and a great time to start a gratitude journal. Grab a notebook and every night before you go to sleep jot down one thing you are grateful for. Keeping a gratitude journal helps you appreciate things and can even make you happier.  
    • Carve out some time to eat turkey with your loved ones. Set up a video call after you carve the bird and enjoy the meal together. 
    • Enjoy the fresh Fall air and take a walk. Start a new tradition and take a walk after dinner to make room for dessert.  

    Thanksgiving Crafts  

    Thankfully we have some pretty great crafts you can try.  

    • Click here for some unbe-leaf-able crafts using leaves. You can create some leafy center pieces for Thanksgiving dinner.  
    • Put people in their place with these beautiful pumpkin place settings.  
    • Time to get crafty! Check out these 7 clever crafts ideas to liven up your home.  
    • Add flower power to your napkins. Take a few faux flowers and wrap the stems using florists’ tape. Position the arrangement on top of the napkin and attach it by wrapping a twine or ribbon around it. Floral napkin rings are a simple way to incorporate colors on neutral dinnerware.  
    • Try out these incredible and easy thanksgiving craft ideas.  
    • You will gobble up these turkey crafts. 

    • We all love the classic turkey hand we made as kids. Turn it up a notch by making it sentimental. First, have your kid trace their hand on construction paper and cut it out. Then have them write 3 things they are thankful for on it. Glue it to the back of a pinecone or small pumpkin to serve as the turkey tail. Glue googly eyes and a small yellow triangle on the front of the pinecone or pumpkin to complete your little turkey friend. You can also use feathers or leaves as a tail. 

    Thanksgiving Recipes

    Whether you’re cooking for two or ten, these recipes will have everyone smiling and satisfied. If you can try cooking extra food and giving it to those less fortunate or an elderly neighbor.  

    • Don’t let the turkey hog the spotlight. Here are some delicious recipes and ideas for sides and appetizers. 
    • For an easy yet adorable appetizer make your very own turkey face veggie tray.  
    • There’s nothing sweeter than a sweet potato casserole. 
    • Get cooking, because these are some of the best Thanksgiving recipes we’ve ever tasted.  
    • Check out these incredible desserts perfect for Thanksgiving, including a no bake pumpkin cheesecake that will knock your fuzzy socks off. 

    • Tis pumpkin season and nothings beats a classic pumpkin pie. 
    • If you want to spruce up your pie crust, try adding a few simple, yet cute designs. Try cutting out different sized leaves and placing them around the edge. You could also roll out the pie crust and cut out any design you want. Cut out little flowers, diamonds, or chevron shapes before laying it on top.  
    • Warm up with this pumpkin spice latte recipe.  
    • These turkey desserts will have you and your family shaking their tailfeathers. Dip a pretzel rod in melted chocolate that covers about half of the pretzel. You can use chocolate icing if you prefer. Before it cools, attach a ring of candy corn around the top of the rod that will look like feathers. Using fondant or white icing, pipe on small white circles for the eyes and add a small black dot in the center. For the beak, pipe on an orange or yellow triangle.

    Ways to Give Back

    Don’t just give thanks, give back, with these great ideas.  

    • Many people won’t be able to afford a luxurious Thanksgiving dinner so donate food and canned goods to those in need. You can also bake some yummy things for those less fortunate.    
    • Be neighborly and lend a hand to those in need. Check on your neighbors and see if there is anything you can help them with.  
    • Discover how to have a sustainable thanksgiving dinner.  
    • Support local restaurants by ordering your Thanksgiving meal. Many restaurants and local businesses have Thanksgiving meal deals or great options for sides and desserts. You can support them and not spend hours in the kitchen. Win-win!  

    Click here to view all the Season of Sharing articles.

       

  • Liven Up Your Labor Day

    Here are some fun and unique ways you can celebrate Labor Day and enjoy what is left of the summer sun. 

    Let Your Creativity Flow  

    Whether you’re celebrating with family, a small group of friends, or staying home, it’s always fun to decorate. Here are some ideas for decorations or crafts to let your festive flag fly this Labor Day. 

    • Make decorative vases using old bottles. Paint the outside of bottles or mason jars red and blue and glue white stars onto the outside. Use the mason jars as centerpieces and put flowers or utensils in them.
    • Pamper your pillows. If you have any plain white pillows, it’s time to give them a facelift. Cut a star shape out of cardboard, use it as a stencil and hold it against the pillow. Spray with red or blue fabric paint to create pillows that will leave you starry-eyed.
    • Since traditionally, you shouldn’t wear white after Labor Day take your old white t-shirts and have a tie-dye party. Click for tips on how to tie dye.

    Tasty Times Lie Ahead 

    Looking for some Labor Day treats? Here are some delicious red, white, and blueberry pies as well as some scrumptious snack and appetizer options.  

    • Look no further for a berry delicious and refreshing blueberry ice cream pie.
    • If you’re in the baking mood try making a three-layered funfetti cake with a Labor Day twist. Add red food coloring into one layer, blue into another, and leave the third layer as is. Once the layers have cooled stack them together using your favorite icing in between and when you cut into the cake you will have a red, white, and blue surprise. If you want to go the extra mile add red, white, and blue sprinkles on top! 
    • Holy guacamole, these avocado tropical guacamole bites are delicious.  
    • If you’re planning a virtual video party, try making these yummy and simple appetizers. 
    • Feeling festive? Try this red, white, and blue berry tart with lemon cookie crust. 

    All Sorts of Activities  

    • Let the games begin! Here are 10 crazy fun yard games your family will love. 
    • Before the cool fall air arrives take advantage of warm weather with these fun outdoor games. 
    • If it’s raining or you are practicing social distancing, don’t worry we have you covered. Check out the endless fun by BHGRE Summer at Home. You can virtually travel the world, take a cooking class, or watch live cams from zoos and aquariums all over the country.  
    • Spend Labor Day doing zero labor and plan an at-home relaxation day. Sleep in, order breakfast, and have a mimosa. Then pamper yourself with a facemask, bath, and curl up on the couch with a good book. 

  • Ways to Celebrate Father’s Day

    Get Crafty 

    Here are some great DIY gifts the kiddos can make to put a smile on their father’s face this Father’s Day.   

    • Create fun coupons by cutting rectangles out of paper and writing different things your dad might want in the future. Examples: 2 hours of tv remote time or help in the yard. 
    • Make a keychain using shrink paper or Shrinky Dinks. Color and design anything you want then bake it in the oven to shrink it down to a sturdy piece. Don’t forget to punch a hole in your design before you shrink it. When cool, add a key ring.  
    • It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Super Dad! Discover how to make a cape for your superhero using an old t-shirt. Paint on the back using fabric paint or use a glue gun to attach fun trinkets. 
    • Take a framed photo and write “You Rock Dad!” in the bottom center of the frame. Then glue pretty rocks or stones around the sides. 
    • Use air dry clay to make a dish for keys and change. When Dad comes home, he’ll have his very own container to keep these important things in. You can use the bottom of a small planter or pot to shape the clay. Paint the dish or even make little fun clay creatures to glue on the side. 

    Spend Time Together 

    Whether it’s virtually or in person, enjoy some time with the special Dad in your life.  

    • Host a movie night in the backyard and watch your dad’s favorite movie. Don’t forget to bring his favorite snacks. Discover how to create a cinema in your backyard and read our top-notch movie suggestions here.  
    • Can’t be together? Watch a movie together with “Netflix Party.” 
    • Share a meal over Zoom or Google Hangouts. It’s important to share some laughs and enjoy each other’s company. 
    • No matter what your father likes, make sure you reserve some time for Dear Ol’ Dad. Whether it’s fishing, painting, board games, golfing, or gardening, set aside some time to do what he enjoys. 
    • For a great list of virtual activities click here. 

    Gifts for Dad 

    • Make dad a playlist. Gather all of his favorite songs and compile an awesome playlist that mean something to both of you. Here are some feel-good songs he might enjoy. 
    • Order his favorite dessert or food and have it delivered to him. Nothing says “I love you” like a plate full of someone’s favorite meal. 
    • Check out this list of sentimental dad gifts, or this list of dad gifts under $50.  

    Backyard Games  

    Enjoy some time with Dad in the backyard with these games.  

    • Create your own backyard bowling alley. Paint ten 2-liter soda bottles and line them up. Then grab a tennis ball and hope for a strike. If you don’t have plastic bottles you can substitute them for toilet paper rolls. 
    • There are several fun games you can easily order online include cornhole, giant Jenga, or ladder toss.  
    • Create your own version of ring toss. Grab 2-3 different sized buckets and drill or nail them into a fence or wooden post. Then all you need is ping pong balls, pool rings, or anything else you can try to toss into the bucket. The more difficult the bucket the more points you get. 
    • Bean bag ladder toss. Set up a ladder outside and take several steps back. Take your bean bags and try to throw them between the rungs. Each opening can be worth a different amount of points.

    Let There be Dad Jokes 

    Write a bunch of your favorite dad jokes on sticky-notes and post them all over your home. Nothing says I love you like a ton of cheesy jokes. 

    • If you want to go fishing, just let minnow. Fishing you a Happy Father’s Day! 
    • How does a penguin build a house? Igloos it together. 
    • I want to tell you a joke about paper but it’s tearable.  
    • Never buy anything with velcro, it’s a total rip-off. 
    • What happens to an illegally parked frog? It gets toad. 

    Happy Father’s Day! 

     

     

     

     

     

  • Top Easter Treats and Crafts

    April is finally here! Time for Spring and our favorite holiday bunny to remind us that Winter is not forever!

    Peanut Butter Eggs by the Minimalist Baker


    What’s better than chocolate and peanut butter? Roll them into an egg shape and you have a perfect Easter treat! This fantastic recipe from the Minimalist Baker will have you and your family satisfying your sweet addictions in no time.

    Coconut Milk Hot Cross Buns by Betty Liu


    These delicious buns will bring you back to the good old days when your whole family gathered around the fireplace on Easter eve, listening to grandpa play his favorite classic tune “Hot Cross Buns” on his trusty recorder… No? Maybe that was just me but either way Betty Liu’s beautifully depicted recipe for Coconut Milk Hot Cross Buns will have everyone in the house wondering where that irresistible fragrance is coming from this Easter.

    Shaving Cream Marbled Paper Easter Eggs by Typically Simple


    Looking for something fun to do with the kids this Easter? Look no further as Typically Simple has inspired us to use that old shaving cream dad’s got hidden under the sink and make some super simple, fun and messy ‘eggy’ decorations!

    Totoro Cream Puffs by Anna The Red


    Cute and delicious! These Totoro Cream Puffs are perfect for you and the kids to bake and decorate on a lovely Easter weekend. Anna really nailed it with this fun and creative cream-filled pastry!  Easy to make and a great idea for the whole family to enjoy!

    Crème Egg Anti-Gravity Easter Brownie Nest by Giraffes Can Bake


    Didn’t know Giraffes Can Bake? Well, you do now! They’ve come up with a recipe that will blow your Easter socks off this year! This beautiful chocolate sculpture will be the star of the dessert table so put your socks back on and try out this gravity-defying Easter recipe!

    DIY Easter Paper Basket Craft by Easy Peasy and Fun


    There’s no better basket than the one you make yourself, especially when your goal is to put little chocolate eggs you’ve found hidden all over the house in it! From Easy Peasy and Fun, comes this wonderfully creative paper basket that’s sure to keep the kids occupied all Easter!