Hockey Party Loot Bags

The theme of my oldest son's 9th birthday was "hockey", and because I really dislike junky loot bags, I came up with a unique loot bag idea for his party.  We gave out personalized hockey card books.

I love that they are easy, inexpensive, fun, and USEFUL!

I bought a bunch of duotangs and filled them with plastic hockey card holder sheets.  Then, I made little personalized stickers for the front of each book.

I also made homemade hockey cards with wallet size photos of my son playing hockey.  I added his name and number (with Picmonkey.com), and I stuck each photo in a self-laminating sheet from the dollar store.

Cute, right?  Each guest of the party left with a gold medal and their very own hockey card book.

I love how these hockey party loot bags turned out.  Do you have a hockey fan in your house that would enjoy sharing these hockey card books with his/her friends?  I'll be sharing more DIY details from my son's hockey party soon!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

5 DIY Playroom Projects

This time of year makes me want to get organized, and playrooms can be tough rooms to keep under control.  So, today I am sharing 5 DIY Playroom Projects that I absolutely love!  I have done these projects myself, and they are all easy, inexpensive, and totally cute.

1) Artwork display - Children's artwork deserves to be celebrated, and this DIY artwork display in my boys' playroom is adorable.  I decorated some clipboards (using the tutorial you can find here), and crafted some letters (using yarn and the technique you can find here).  I love it, don't you?

2) Stuffed animal bean bag chair - This project creates two things... storage and comfy seating.  Buy a bean bag chair cover, and fill it with stuffed animals.  That's it!  Don't you love how easy and practical this project is?

3) DIY artwork - I think a playroom should be decorated with artwork that means something to the children that play in it.  So, in my boys' playroom, I created some unique hockey card artwork (that you can read about here), my boys painted their own hockey jersey canvas art, and I framed pictures of the boys at Jedi Training Camp (from our trip to Disney).  Fun, right?

4) Toy bins - Every playroom needs a toy storage solution.  In our playroom, I created an entire wall of toy bins for my boys.  Each bin is labelled with a picture of its' contents.  (You can read all about our toy bin labels here.)

5) Book nook - Reading is an important part of childhood, so it is important for every playroom to have a display of books that are easily accessible.  I used IKEA spice racks to create this little book nook for my boys (which you can read about in detail here).  I also took a photo of a page in one of our favorite books, added a quote from the book with Picmonkey.com, and framed the picture.  I think the DIY artwork adds a little extra fun to the space, don't you?

All of these DIY playroom projects are easy, inexpensive, and guaranteed to help you transform your current playroom into a fabulous space in your home.  Do you have a favorite DIY playroom project?  I'd love to hear all about it.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

A Cleaner House in 3 Easy Steps

Keeping a house "clean and tidy" when you have 3 busy boys is no easy feat.  I rarely have a full day to do a major clean (and I don't love cleaning), so I find it easier to do a little bit every day.  I have also resolved to get more organized in 2015.  Want to join me? Here's the plan...

Before I had kids, my house was almost always sparkling. However, the arrival of my three busy boys has changed things a lot.  I no longer have time to be a Domestic Diva.  It simply isn't a priority for me.  I am aware that my boys are only going to be young for a short time, and I don't plan on wasting it by fretting over a pile of unfolded laundry sitting on the living room floor.  (Read more about, "why my house is messy and I don't mind" here.)

That being said, I can't stand a house that is a disaster either.  I am more of a Serene Superstar.  I don't need everything spotless all the time.  A dish in the sink won't drive me crazy. I clean on my old schedule, and I prioritize.

A clean kitchen is always a priority for me.  It's the room that gets the most use in my home, and I can't let the kitchen mess get out of control.  Before I sit on the couch at the end of the day, all my dishes go in the dishwasher, all the counters are wiped clean, and the floor is swept.

My new Frigidaire dishwasher is key for me.  I don't need to prewash my dishes, and when I am in a hurry, I can use the 30-minute Quick Wash feature.  (A busy mom needs all the timesaving features she can get!)

What is your cleaning personality?  Do you have any fantastic cleaning/organizing tips you can share with me?

♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Disclosure: I am part of the Frigidaire Canada Ambassador program with Mom Central Canada, and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

Hockey Wall Art {free printables}

My boys love to play hockey, and my husband and I spend countless hours at the rink... so I thought it would be fun to make some cute DIY hockey artwork for us to hang in our offices.  I plan on printing one of these pictures for each of us and putting them in simple black or white frames. {Scroll down for printing instructions.}

For a Dad with one child

For a Dad with more than one child

For a Mom with one child

For a Mom with more than one child

To print your own printable 8X10 copy of this DIY artwork: pick the version you want to print and right-click on the photo.  Then, save the photo to your computer, and print it like a regular 8X10 picture.  I always send my printables to my local office supply store where I can print great color copies for $.39.

Do you know a hockey mom or hockey dad that might like to hang one of these pictures in their office or home?  I think they would be great for mother's day or father's day too!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (Please download and print any of these pictures for your personal use; however, I still retain copyright.  If you share one of my photos, please include the link to this post.  Do not share multiple photos, and under no circumstances should you resell my work.  Thank you!)

2014 Year in Review {free printable}

*** Find an updated 2021 version here.***

Every year, my boys fill out a simple year in review questionnaire.  It is a great way to look back at the past year, and set some goals for the year ahead.  Here is the questionnaire I designed this year.

To print this questionnaire for your kids: right-click on the picture above, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8X10 photo.

I love our traditions of filling out an annual year in review questionnaire, don't you?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Last Minute {handmade} Stocking Stuffer Ideas

I just love handmade gifts, don't you?  And these handmade stocking stuffer ideas are easy, inexpensive, and lots of fun.

1)  Tree shaped crayons - Recycle old crayons (using a dollar store silicone mold) into these adorable festive crayons.  You can find all the details here.

2)  Polar Express bells - Add a little Christmas magic by giving your little one a bell from Santa's sleigh.  You can find the details and free printable tags here.

3)  Santa coupons - I have two versions of free printable Santa coupons on my blog.  You can find bedtime pass coupons here and extra story coupons here.

4) Skittles Ornaments - Clear ornaments are perfect for filling with treats. My boys loved these Skittles ornaments, and the tags are super-cute. You can download the tags for free here.

5) Snowman Gum - If you can work a Sharpie, you can make these adorable snowmen stocking stuffers. Find the full "how to" here.

Which of these handmade stocking stuffers is your favorite?  This year, I am really excited about the Santa coupons.

Merry Christmas!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Stocking Stuffer Idea {free printable}

Last week I shared a fun stocking stuffer idea -- free printable coupons that allow the recipient to stay up an additional 15 minutes at bedtime.  The coupons were such a hit that I decided to make another version -- a coupon for an extra story at bedtime.

To print the coupons, right-click on the picture above, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8X10 photo.

Fun, right?  I know my boys would love to find these in their stockings... and I'd love the extra cuddle time on the couch. ;-)

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)