Marie, Author at DIY Adulation

Are you guilty of eating out more often than you care to admit? Having a stocked freezer makes meals at home a breeze. Now you can tame your food budget and enjoy family dinners at home with these easy freezer meals to stock your freezer with.

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[bctt tweet=”Are you ready to have a freezer stocked full of awesome meals? These easy freezer meals are life savers or, at least, sanity savers for busy moms like you.” username=”diyadulation”]

I love freezer meals. They take all of the stress out of easy dinners because, let’s be honest, too many nights I simply don’t feel like cooking. Meals that I can throw into the Crock Pot or the oven are my best friend.

Spend a few hours prepping these easy meals then you’ll have a freezer stocked full of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Then you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time hanging out with your family.

Easy Homemade Sausage Gravy

Kiddos love biscuits and gravy. This freezer recipe is super easy. You freeze the already cooked gravy and then defrost as needed for easy hot breakfasts.

Quick and Easy Sausage Quiche

Another super easy and budget friendly breakfast idea is this delicious sausage quiche. Throw it in the oven while you and the kids get ready for the day and enjoy a delicious meal even on busy school days.

Mango Habanero Baked Chicken Nuggets

Everyone loves chicken nuggets and they’re even better when you control the ingredients. These mango habanero nuggets are a delicious, grown up meal that kids will love too. Ten minutes and you have a meal everyone will go nuts for.

Easy Homemade Meatballs

Keep your freezer stocked with these babies for tons of easy meal ideas. Pull them out and add them to spaghetti, make meatball subs, or heat with some barbecue sauce for an instant dinner.

Freezer-Friendly Easy Jambalaya

Don’t be fulled into believing all freezer meals are casseroles and soups. This delicious jambalaya is a fun ways to spice up your weeknight dinners easily. Even better, you control the level of heat so you can make it as spicy or mild as you like.

Easiest Homemade Freezer Lasagna Ever

It doesn’t get more budget-friendly than this easy freezer lasagna. Plus, it’s an easy meal to sneak some extra veggies into your kiddos diet.

Crazy Easy Homemade Freezer Bagel Pizzas

Kiddos love pizza and these bagel pizzas are a super easy freezer meal. Whip them out for lunches or quick dinners!

Freezer Chicken Pot Pie Minis

Don’t spend your money on boxed pot pies at the store. Make your own at home with this easy recipe.

Are you ready to have a freezer stocked full of awesome meals that you can whip out when you need them (you know, like nightly). Make your list and spend some time this week prepping and you’ll be good to go. These easy freezer meals are life savers or, at the very least, sanity savers for busy moms like you.

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More Ideas You’ll Love:

Delicious Warm Taco Dip Recipe
How to Make Spaghetti Sauce at Home
Crunchy and Spicy Baked Cajun Chickpea Snack
5 Freezer Friendly Breakfast Ideas – Domestically Creative

Getting lost in a book is one of the greatest joys of all time. That’s why there are so many bibliophiles out there. If you’re looking for an easy gift for a book loving mom or simply want a pretty way to keep your place, this pressed flower DIY bookmark is perfect!

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”This pressed flower DIY bookmark is seriously beautiful and easy to make. Perfect to give as a gift or keep your place in your current reads!” username=”diyadulation”]

Even though I love books, I’ve never made acquiring bookmarks a priority. Like any busy mom reader, I simply stuck whatever was handy and close by in the pages to save my spot. I think the most recent was a Wonder Woman trading card one of the kids gave me.

This month’s Bring on the Crafts Blog Hop is the perfect opportunity to finally change that up. This month the challenge is flowers and this beautiful bookmark definitely fits the bill. The bright and pretty flowers are so cheerful to look at. It is also a lot less likely to fall out of the book (which the card totally did more than once).

You can totally press your own flowers for this craft. I chose to buy mine because I was having trouble getting the vibrant colors to stay. That will be next month’s test project, figuring out how to do that. Speaking of, if you have any tips, I’d love to hear them!

Pressed Flower DIY Bookmark Materials

2 Part Epoxy Resin Mix
Small Plastic Cup
Popsicle Stick for Stirring
Protective Gloves
Pressed Flowers (I bought this set)
Bookmark Mold (Use the large version in this pair)
Dremel with Sanding Attachments (I have this kit and LOVE it)
Ribbon
Scissors

Step 1

First, put on your protective gloves. Handling epoxy resin without having them on is dangerous.

Step 2

Add 2 tbsp of each element of your epoxy resin to your small plastic cup.

Step 3

Use your popsicle stick to stir the mixture together.

Step 4

Next, pour a small amount of the resin into your mold and spread it around to cover the bottom of the mold.

Step 5

Once there is a small layer of resin in the bottom of your mold, arrange your flowers in it as you want them designed.

Note:

I cut some of my flowers in half to place them flush with the edges of the mold. This is entirely optional.

Step 6

After all of your flowers are arranged, cover them with the remaining epoxy resin. Do this slowly so that you don’t overfill your mold. Also take care to make sure every crevice is filled. You can carefully use your popsicle stick to spread it if necessary, especially around the hole at the top of the mold.

Step 7

Allow your bookmark to cure for at least 24 hours before moving on. Try not to move it if at all possible because this can shift your flowers and ruin your arrangement.

Step 8

After the resin is cured, remove your bookmark from the mold.

Step 9

Next sand any rough edges on your bookmark.

Step 10

Then sand the hole in the top of the bookmark so that it doesn’t cut your ribbon with use.

Step 11

Wipe down any areas you sanded with a damp cloth.

Step 12

Now, cut a piece of ribbon and attach it to your bookmark with a slipknot.

This pressed flower DIY bookmark is seriously beautiful and easy to make. The set of flowers that I bought is enough to make multiple bookmarks so you can make one for all of the book loving moms in your life (and one for you too). If you really want to take your gift to the next level, add one of your favorite books along with the bookmark. That’s the ultimate awesome Mother’s Day gift!

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Bring on the Crafts — A Craft & DIY Blog Hop

On the first Friday of each month, a group of DIY and crafty bloggers join forces. Together with hosts Marie from The Inspiration Vault and Habiba from Craftify My Love, they bring you the #BringontheCrafts blog hop. Each blogger creates a fun craft or DIY project to share that follows a monthly materials theme. April’s theme is Flowers! Each blogger chooses their own craft to make as long as they love it and it uses Flowers in the project.

Our April Co-hosts

Jenny at Cookies, Coffee and Crafts • Heather at Glitter on a Dime • Marie at DIY Adulation

Michele at Coastal BohemianCoastal Bohemian • Terri at Our Good LifeOur Good Life • Gail at Purple Hues & Me

Join in on the fun! If you’d like to participate next month, you can request to join our Bring on the Crafts Facebook Group. Next month’s theme is Stamps!

Not a blogger, but a creative mind none the less!? Don’t worry, Share your awesome creations in our Craft Cult Facebook Group. This is also a great place to ask craft & DIY related questions and find inspiration for your next project.

Now let’s see all of those amazing Craft and DIY Projects!

There are so many fun crafts kids can make with pipe cleaners. They can easily create masterpieces, jewelry, and more with less mess than paint or clay. Pipe cleaner flowers are one super simple craft you can make with kids this spring. It only requires a couple of supplies and cleanup is easy.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

[bctt tweet=”If you’re looking for a quick and easy craft on the fly for the kiddos, then you’ll love these easy kid-friendly pipe cleaner flowers!” username=”diyadulation”]

I always love crafting with the kiddos. It’s amazing to see their creativity and imagination at work. Sometimes we get so involved that I’m playing right along with them. Each of us working on our own separate creations then showing them off to each other when finished. These flowers are the result of one of those times.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy craft on the fly for the kiddos, then you’ll love these easy kid-friendly pipe cleaner flowers! They’re great for unexpected days off of school. Bring some pipe cleaners with you on vacation for kiddos to enjoy in the hotel room. Quick, easy, and travels well… does it get any better than that?

Pipe Cleaner Flowers Materials

Multi-Color Pack of Pipe Cleaners
Scissors

Step 1

First, pull out 2 pipe cleaners of the same color.

Step 2

Then twist the ends on the pipe cleaners together.

Step 3

Next, straighten the 2 pipe cleaners into one line and flatten the twisted joint so that it is flush with the pipe cleaner line.

Step 4

After your pipe cleaners are secured together, form a loop at one end of the joined pipe cleaners and twist once to secure.

Step 5

Continue adding loops next to each other, again, twisting to secure until you reach the end of your pipe cleaner.

Note:

Make 5 loops for a larger flower and 6 loops for a smaller flower.

Step 6

Wrap any of the remaining pipe cleaner end around the center of your flower to secure.

Step 7

Now grab a pipe cleaner in a different color and begin wrapping it around the center of your flower.

Step 8

Continue wrapping it around the center of your flower and be sure to thread it throughout the center of the flower petals as well as in between them.

Step 9

Once you reach the end of the pipe cleaner, twist it around the wrapped part to secure it.

We’ve made so many of these pipe cleaner flowers that we have our own colorful garden going on right now. Of course, I love the bright, almost fluorescent colors but 2 of the kiddos prefer the more muted (or “real” according to them) colors. Change it up completely and attach 2 different color pipe cleaners together in Step 2 for an even more colorful and fun flower. You can also stack 2 different colorful flowers together before wrapping the center for an even fuller flower. That’s how fun and versatile this craft can be!

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More Ideas You’ll Love:

Adorable and Easy Pipe Cleaner Butterfly
Free Printable Charlie Tractor Bookmarks
DIY Kids Artwork Frame Fridge Magnet
How to Make Milk Jug Bird Houses – Intelligent Domestications