Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living, Author at Frugal Coupon Living

Rockin’ Geology Rock Party Ideas

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April 11, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Birthday, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media Leave a Comment

Gem mining party? Rock climbing birthday? Whatever the event, take a look at these Rockin’ Geology Rock Party ideas full of dazzling minerals, geodes, and agates. Take a look at creative rock birthday cakes, gem mine activities, rock party decor and more.

Geology Rock Party

Ready for a Rockin’ good time? If you have a geologist who loves rocks, minerals and many times of gems? Take a look at these Geology Rock Themed Party Ideas. From candy agate recipes, to candy rock cupcakes, DIY geodes, piñatas, geology birthday party supplies and more.

Looking for an easy cupcake recipe, make chocolate box mix cake and add edible candy rocks to create these Rock Cupcakes. | Kara’s Party Ideas

Speaking of sweet treats, look at this Gem Mine Birthday Cake, perfect for a Rock Party. I love how they used Pepperidge Farm Pirouette Cookies to create a mineral mine entrance. Requires *some* talent. | Femme au Foyer

Every rocking party needs the perfect invite. Look at these Rock Party Invitations. Have it personalized with your child’s name and event details and download to print. We love using Shutterfly to upload and order.

You could also hand out these fun geology party favors too. These Rock Climbing Party favors do it all… Snap, Krackle, Pop and Light Up! | Jacolyn Murphy (Buy Flash Light Carabiners Here)

If you need pretty amazing rock party decor, look at this Gem Mine Party Decor. Could you recreate this? | Source

Discover types of rocks and their qualities. Pick up to 22 lbs of Tumbled Polished Natural Gem Stones. You can also get this set of 12 Velvet Gemstone Bags so the party guests can bring them home as rock party favors.

As a party activity for the kids, make these super quick DIY Egg Carton Geodes using Epsom Salt. Just ensure you have enough time fo them to dry and go home. | Family and Craft Online

As another rock party activity, pick up geodes. With the guidance of an adult, the kids could break them with a hammer and have a fun rock souvenir. | Kara’s Party Ideas

This is fun. For an easy-peasy recipe, create these no bake Rock Cookies. | CBC News

Where did you buy these gemstone cupcakes? I made them. Look like the worlds’ greatest baker with this Candy Agate Cupcake Toppers. | The Honey Blonde

A fun party drink for kids would be mocktails on the rocks – love the pun. Grab Rock Candy Sticks. Skip the glass. You could, of course, make your own rock candy too. | Catch My Party

Pick up a kids plastic pool for a Pool Rock Dig. Fill with some of the rocks you purchased online. You could grab beach sand sifters to add to the dig. | This Pilgrim Life

Another direction is to do rock painting. Pick up Rock Painting Paint Brushes and look at our My Town Rocks Rock Painting Ideas.

It’s always fun when gem mine party decor can turn into party favors. This set of yellow construction hats can be used to go mining for gems. | Kara’s Party Ideas

Well if go anywhere for a professional piñata, you have to go to the The Pinata Mamma. Pick up this Green Agate Geode Pinata. Almost too pretty to break.

This is so brilliant and so awesome. They would make amazing rock party favors. Make your own Agate Rock Lollipops From Crushed Candy. Wrap in a cellophane bag, tie with a boy and thank someone for coming to your party with a “you rock” gift tag. | Instructables

Many of these Roar-tastic Dinosaur Party Ideas can overlap into a Geode Party. Take a look at these ideas for your party-saurus. Pin to Pinterest.

Have another year to be thankful for? Take a look at these Kid’s Birthday Party Ideas for boys and girls.

You can keep parties small or even celebrate small celebrations every six months. Take a look at these…

Cheers to another year!

WHAT’S TRENDING? Get ready for Teacher Appreciation Week with these ideas and downloads!.

Also access our Free Frugal Coupon Living Printables to help you find joy through embracing the chaos of motherhood more easily!

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Dish Gallery Wall Ideas & Plate Wall Decor

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April 4, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Home Improvement, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media Leave a Comment

Dish it out! Get inspired by these dish gallery wall ideas. Aesthetic wall décor that displays antiques, every day dishes, china, metal, clay and more. Plate Wall Décor for every room of the house!

Dish It Out! Plate Wall Decor

Can you do it? Are you ready to take some of those beautiful dishes out of hiding in the cupboard? Dish it out and get inspired as gallery wall plates are the new aesthetic wall décor. Kitchen shelves and decorative plates for wall display might create your new favorite corner of the house. This wall art using decorative plates. Take your picture gallery wall to the next level!

What can I use to hang plates on the wall?

First, let’s talk about how to hang plates on the wall. For a farmhouse home decor, you might start with Kitchen floating shelves décor. Display colored glassware, white plates, mason jars and more.

If looking for a Grandmillenial display, go for an easy plate solution using – E6000 adhesive and D Ring Hangers to display your blue & white chinoiserie dishes. Just glue your D ring on the back and hang on the wall after it dries. (Example from Rockin Redesigns.)

You also can pick up a adhesive plate hangers or, if glue is not your thing, spring wall plate hangers come in all sorts of various sizes.

How can I decorate a large wall cheaply?

So guess what? Here is the good news. Plate Wall Decor is actually, in most cases, cheaper than a gallery wall with photos. Of course, you can buy expensive plates, but plates are in abundance. You can use the hand me down plates you have or head out to Goodwill or a thrift store.

Another resource, I personally love, is Facebook Marketplace to pick up many things for our home including dishes like antique blue and white porcelain plates. The most common collection are Willow Ware by Royal China which are perfect for hanging. Or for every day eating, find almost an exact replica on Amazon or Walmart – it’s actually how I am collecting mine as every day dishes so they are lead-free.

Collect and invest in eye-catching dinnerware, from fun colored glassware to copper cookware and even handmade clay plates. Hang and display decorative plates. Let’s get started with Dish Gallery Wall Ideas & Plate Wall Decor.

How do you fix decorative plates on the wall?

A great place to start is with Fred Gonoski Garden & Home who shares different ideas for grouping plates including different rotations for diamond and square patterns.

Mix new with vintage, plain with patterned and big with little in this blue & white chinoiserie ceramic plate wall decor pattern. On Sutton Place gives us just the thing Grandmillenials dream of.

Kris does an amazing job of teaching you how to create a decorative plate wall in the dining room. Step by step and helpful plate gallery wall tips. | Driven by Decor

If you love dark and moody interiors, take a look at this gorgeous dark wall clay plates display. | Source

Just have at it. None of your plates need to have a pattern other than white. These the display of these decorative wall plates for Living Room do the talking like The Nester.

Using the same idea of white plates, create plate wall decor diy with ribbons. Just add your home’s accent color like these green ribbons. | Source Unknown

On a darker wall, pattern plates are beautiful especially if they can tell about part of a time or place. Hand painted plates wall décor can tell of adventures in India, travel to Mexico, or a great grandmother’s treasure. | Source Unknown

A crescent moon is also a unique shape for a dish gallery wall. Mmmcrafts already had these clay plates making this wall decor diy job really easy.

Transform a boring white wall by creating unique wall decor like this Shabby Chic Plate Art Wall. | Source

This beautiful Diamond Plate Gallery wall mixes blues and greens, big and small. | Source

I personally have collected my grandmother’s green depression glass. If you have Colored glassware, it’s easy to make a gallery wall with glass plates too. Green glass or jadeite dishes can be mounted. I love how these green dishes are framing out the mirror on this wall in a room designed by Tobi Fairley.

Copper cookware can also cerate decorative wall plates for the kitchen. The House that Lars Built shows how it frees up drawer and cabinet space and covers your kitchen décor simultaneously.

As I continue to collect antiques, I love displaying them to tell a story. This Blue White Dish Gallery Wall is perfect for the dining space inside a kitchen. | Becki Griffin

Small walls in foyers gain big impact from a grouped collection of items, such as vintage china. This display, with balanced space between the many items, feels airy and light, in keeping with the style of the table beneath it and the light-color room beyond. |
Midwest Living

You guys know thisGrasscloth Wallpaper gallery wall speaks to me! Get styling with plates and a touch of greenery. Perfect for a dining room or eating space. It would also look amazing with wooden beam kitchen floating shelves decor. | Veranda House

Artistic? Boho style? Try this Colorful Gallery Wall mixing together baskets, tropical plants, painted furniture and metal plate wall decor.| Aunt Peaches

Got Milk Glass? An antique vanity or buffet can hold treasures including milk glass pieces in front of a milk glass dish gallery wall. | Country Living

Take plate gallery walls to odd spaces like rounded walls and the angels of two rooms. This kitchen decor wall blends a French door and breakfast eating area. View Along the Way

Stairs design can be a challenge especially when you have an awkward triangle on a curved wall. Display your favorite china with this dish gallery wall idea. | Source

Wall plates decor ideas incorporating plates, embroidery hoops and ceiling medallions come from Rosyscription (Madigan Made). Shannon does an amazing job of using painters tape to outline her work for direction as she works.

If you love decorative plates for display, get inspired by Grandmillenial Style & Home Decor. Pin to Pinterest.

Speaking of DIY Wall décor, these Gallery Wall Ideas are perfect for your pictures and photos. Pin to Pinterest.

The Best Bird Feeders & Wild Bird Seeds

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March 30, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Amazon, DIY, Hacks, Home Improvement, Online Shopping Leave a Comment

I am a self proclaimed bird lady. Our home is a bird sanctuary. Funny story, there was a month after my mother in law visited. She enjoyed the birds, so much, during her visit, that she went only and ordered us a variety of food. Us meaning me and all my flocked feathered friends. She did not tell me but suddenly all these bags of bird seed were showing up at my door. I had no idea the reason for this but joked the birds must be sending them. Truth was, it was form the original bird lady herself.

We live in the sticks (only a few miles outside of the district of Columbia). Just like my mother in law, our family has loved watching the birds off our deck. Being in Virginia, there are a variety of birds we see. I think our home must be on the bird migration line, because they always seem to find our home as a layover…. and sometimes they stay awhile. I think it is because of our variety of feeders and bird food.

Since I have tried all the seeds and all the bird feeders, take a look at what I have found to be the Best Bird Feeders and the Best Wild Bird Seeds.

The Best Bird Feeders

Bird feeders can vary on the type of bird you are looking to attract. Because of this reason, it’s important to have a variety of seeds as well as bird feeders. Being in the woods, our seeds attract squirrels, mice and (most annoying) raccoons, that is why I swear by the Brome Bird Care Squirrel Buster Bird Feeders.

Squirrel Buster Plus Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder – I swear by this bird feeder. It is well worth the price.

Squirrel Buster Suet Squirrel-Proof Suet Bird Feeder – Suet is very hearty for the birds. The wood-peckers especially appreciate this feeder.

Double-Suet Bird Feeder – I also love this cheap suet feeder. If you are getting it with squirrels around, invest in the best hot pepper suet.

Large Humming Bird Feeder – Red is best because it attracts the hummingbirds. I picked the larger 22 oz because I was frequently filling my feeder, especially in summer.

Oriole Bird Feeder – Oriole birds are absolutely gorgeous. Attract them with a brightly colored feeder, oranges and Bird Jelly.

Squirrel Buster Warranty

I especially love Brome Bird Care Squire Buster Bird Feeders because of their warranty policy. This company is run by a family and has an amazing policy of replacing any parts. Pay no shipping for your replacement parts, just call and have it sent out to you. That alone, makes an incredibly longevity of the bird feeder.

When you get your purchase, register your squirrel buster. This puts you in their system. Don’t worry, you won’t be spammed. You can reach Brome Bird Care customer service at 1-800-856- 5685 for any part issues.

The Best Wild Bird Seeds

If you are wondering how do you get birds in your backyard, the answer is a variety of feeders and a variety of seeds. You can buy a Wild Bird Seed Variety, but also buy individual bags to mix your own bird seed recipe. The best wild bird seeds include a mixture of This wild bird seed mix includes black oil sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, nyjer seeds, peanuts, and millet seeds.

I used the variety bird seed bag mix as well as these best loved bird seeds to fill our Squirrel Buster Plus.

Wild Bird Seed Online

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds – the most common bird seed, attracts 40 species of birds including finches, cardinals, wood peckers and more.
Safflower Seeds – attracts a large number of birds including chickadees, blue jays, downy woodpecker, and more. (Squirrels do not like this seed.)
Nyjer Seeds – attracts finches, sparrows, and doves.
Shelled Peanuts – attracts chickadees, crows, doves, cardinals, blue jays, and more.
Millet Seeds – attracts juncos, doves, towhees, sparrows, quail and more.

It is best to store your bird seeds in a dry place that is secure from outside elements including heat and moisture like rain and snow. We store our bird seed in a Rust-Proof Steel Locking Lid Trash Can. I used to keep this on the deck, but the raccoons either found a way to get into it or if I was able to keep it locked, I felt it was just teasing them. Now I keep it inside our home by the back door (out of racoon view!)

For our humming bird feeder, we make our own food.

How to make hummingbird food

To make your own hummingbird food, mix water and white sugar. The recipe is mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water. Use very hot water to get the sugar to dissolve quickly.

Do not add red dye.

Bird berry jelly

To feed a bird jelly, we use an Oriole Bird Feeder. Put the Oriole bird feeder in the open so they can see it when flying high about the tree line. We purchase Songbird Essentials Bird Berry Jelly. You can store the jelly in your fridge.

We love this Amish-made Oriole Bird Feeder house. It is strong.

If feeding Oriole birds, it is important to keep your orange and jelly fresh. They will attract bees and other flying insects.

How to stop squirrels from eating bird seed

Squirrels robbing the bird seeds is a common problem. Just read Those Darn Squirrels! for affirmation. If the squirrel jungle gym, author Adam Rubin, created for squirrels is not a solution for you, you try some of these squirrel buster solutions.

Cole’s Flaming Squirrel Seed Sauce

Wild Delight Sizzle N’ Heat Bird Food

C&S Hot Pepper Delight No Melt Suet Dough Cake

Brome Bird Care Squirrel Buster Bird Feeders

In all honesty, I have tried all of these squirrel-proof bird seed solutions, and the two I found to work are 1.) Squirrel Buster Products 2.) Hot Pepper Suet. The seed sauce and the expensive sizzle and heat bird seed were not successful or too costly for our squirrel friends.

One genius squirrel hack I have not tried is adding a metal slinky to the bird feeder pole, but readers on our Facebook Page have found it resourceful. Plus they can get the fallen seed on the ground. (Source)

Wondering how to hang a slinky on bird feeder? Use a zip tie to the top of the bird feeder pole and tighten it to the first ring of the slinky. Let the rest fall down.

Coming soon, learn about free vintage bird prints downloads.

Mouthwatering Skewer Recipes

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March 28, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Recipe, Social Media Leave a Comment

Get ready to hit the grill with these Grilled Skewer Recipes. Mouthwatering, Healthy Kabob Recipes including chicken, beef, pork, shrimp and veggies.

Skewer Recipes

Warm weather will be here soon, and when it arrives, we’ll be ready to fire up the grill! If you’re tired of the same ol’ hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks, these skewer recipes for the grill will give you lots of flavor inspiration. Whether you’re into beef, chicken, pork, or shrimp, you’re going to find a scrumptious meal the whole family will love.

Skewers, kebabs, kabobs, or meat on a stick—whatever you call them, they’re just plain tasty. The secret to delicious meat on the grill is a marinade, and you’ll find some delicious options here, ranging from ranch to citrus to honey-based marinades.

How do you grill in an oven?

Want to take grilled recipes to the oven? Use the broiler! While a grill cooks from underneath, a broiler cooks from above. You can get beautiful browning without ever firing up a grill. The broiler and grill are a very similar cooking process, but you do need to monitor your meat closely when using an oven broiler to prevent scorching. You can read more about grilling in your oven on WikiHow.

What do you do with skewers before grilling?

Remember, if you’re using wooden skewers, soak them for at least 30 minutes before grilling to keep them from catching fire and burning.

You can use these metal skewers without a problem, just wear an oven mitt when rotating them as the edges can get hot. Another alternative is to use a grilling basket or grilling cage.

Veggie Skewers

These Grilled Vegetable Kabobs are the perfect side to accompany any of your spring and summer meals on the grill. You’re shown how to make them three different ways with three different marinades. You’ll never get bored with your veggies with all these options! | My Pure Plants

Chicken Skewer Recipes

One of our favorite recipes are these Chicken Pineapple Kabobs. So moist and a perfect combination of juicy pineapple and zesty peppers. | Frugal Coupon Living

These Grilled Honey Garlic Chicken Skewers are sweet, tangy, and will become a summertime favorite. They’re made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which are richer in flavor than chicken breasts, but you can sub breast meat if that’s what you have on hand. Marinate them at last two hours before grilling, but overnight is best. | Urban Bliss Life

Satay is a popular dish in Southeast Asia, and you can enjoy it right from your grill! This recipe is for Spicy Peanut Chicken Satay, but you can also choose beef, lamb, pork, or even fish as your meat. The spicy peanut sauce is what makes the dish. Pair it with a cucumber salad to cool off your tastebuds between bites. | Foodal

You’ll love the spicy, sweet flavor combo on these Lime Honey Sriracha Chicken Kebabs. Cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms all pair well with the chicken and this marinade, but choose your favorites. Serve them over rice or with a big green salad on the side. | Powered by Mom

Cook these Greek Chicken Souvlaki up in just 15 minutes. Talk about a quick weeknight meal! Enjoy the flavors of the Mediterranean with a simple marinade made with just five ingredients. Serve over rice, with a salad, or in a pita topped with tzatziki. | Flavor the Moments

Chicken thighs are marinated in a cider and mustard sauce and served with a delicious honey mustard dipping sauce in this recipe for Cider Honey Chicken Skewers. They make a delicious entree or appetizer for a backyard get-together. | Amy Casey Cooks

Meat eaters, rejoice! These Bacon Ranch Chicken Kabobs are stuffed with tender pieces of chicken and crispy bacon, all drenched in a ranch marinade. Everyone will love them, so they’re perfect for serving your family on a busy weeknight or for having friends over for a backyard barbecue. | Gimme Some Grilling

The yogurt-based marinade keeps the chicken for these Grilled Tandoori Chicken Kebabs tender and super flavorful. Pair the chicken with onions and bell peppers for a simple, flavorful entrée that’s a real crowd-pleaser. | Maple and Mango

The fresh herbs, lemon, and olive oil are the perfect flavor combination for these Triple Herb Chicken and Zucchini Skewers. The herbs—parsley, basil, and oregano—make ordinary chicken breasts taste extraordinary. The veggies and meat are skewered separately here to avoid over-cooking the chicken, but you can put them together if you’d like. | Zestful Kitchen

Beef Skewer Recipes

When it comes to beef, a hot dog might not be at the top of your list. However, if you want to pleasing the kids, whip up a couple of these hot dog beef kabobs – they will love it. | Frugal Coupon Living.

For an easy and delicious meal, try these Grilled Steak Kabobs with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce. Sirloin steak is skewered and grilled with poblano peppers, pineapple, and red onions. Feel free to add or swap out veggies according to your own preferences. Bell peppers and mushrooms go great with steak, too. | Brooklyn Active Mama

A good marinade is the secret to perfect kebabs. Marinating the meat adds to the flavor and tenderizes the meat—something you definitely don’t want to skip when you’re grilling beef. The marinade for these Citrus Marinated Beef Kebabs is made with orange juice, lime juice, and plenty of savory spices. | Foodal

Have you ever skewered ground beef? It may sound strange, but you won’t think so after trying these Ground Beef Kebabs. It’s kind of like eating meatloaf or a burger on a stick, which is just a lot of fun. Serve with potato salad, pasta salad, a green salad, rice, etc. They’re delicious with so many sides. | Delicious on a Dime

These healthy, hearty Grilled Steak Kabobs with Cilantro Chimichurri are the perfect patio meal for the summer. Juicy, tender bits of beef are smothered in a delicious cilantro chimichurri and skewered along with zucchini and red onions. | Lemons and Zest

You’d never know that these Asian Steak Kebabs with Asparagus and Mushrooms are Whole30 and keto-friendly. The tasty marinade is made with coconut aminos, lime, and a few other simple ingredients. The meat is ribeye steaks, but you could sub a more affordable option like sirloin or flat iron steak if you prefer. | Cook at Home Mom

Shrimp Skewer Recipes

You’ll love the big pop of sweet, smoky flavor in these Jerk Pineapple Shrimp Skewers. They’re marinated in a homemade Jamaican jerk marinade and cook up in under 10 minutes. | Flavor the Moments

These Pineapple Shrimp Skewers will feed a crowd and are perfect for your Fish Friday meals during Lent or any other time during the year. | Confetti and Bliss

These Greek-Style Grilled Shrimp are coated in garlic and feta cheese and can be on the table in under 30 minutes. Shrimp cooks on the grill very quickly! Serve with couscous, lettuce greens, and top with feta cheese, tomatoes, fresh lemon juice, and parsley. | Platter Talk

This recipe for Coconut Rum Grilled Shrimp screams summer. What could be more fitting than a coconut-rum marinade? And you’ll heat a bit of the marinade to make a delicious glaze to coat the shrimp after they’re done cooking, too. Yum! | Home Cooking Memories

Pork Skewer Recipes

If you’re looking for a great tailgating recipe, look no further. These Grilled Pork Loin Kabobs are soaked in a sweet and spicy marinade and cook up in about 6 minutes on the grill. Save some of the marinade to use as a dipping sauce, and serve with lime wedges. They’ll be a hit! | Confetti and Bliss

Have you ever had Pinchos? These Puerto Rican Grilled Pork Kebabs are so flavorful and are traditionally served with a piece of bread on top. You really must let these marinate at least 12 hours, but 24 hours is better for both flavor and tenderness. | Sense and Edibility

Not ready to fire up the grill just yet? Pin this list of skewer recipes for the grill to make later!

Take these other recipes to your grill too. Enjoy these Camping Recipes in your backyard or in the great outdoors. Pin to Pinterest.

Gold Spray Paint Improvement – Upcycled Serving Tray

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March 23, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Home Improvement, Instagram, Online Shopping, Pinterest, Social Media Leave a Comment

Do you have five dollars? Do you have five minutes? Make a list of all the products in your home you don’t use because they are the wrong color! Take a look at my upcycled serving tray and gold spray paint improvement.

Since we moved, there are a lot of things that have come out of hiding. For about six years, after our move from Florida to Virginia, many of my glassware and china sat in boxes. Since we have found, what hopefully is, our forever home, I have begun the process of unpacking some of our breakable home décor. One of the pieces that came out of hiding was this glass and iron serving tray.

While this serving tray is beautiful, it was a gift and I never bought it with the intention have having the “perfect place.” Since often keys or drinks are place on this foyer console table, I decided to place it below our faux floral arrangement. It would protect the table but also give added detail to our cherry blossoms and chinoiserie vase.

It did it’s job. We were able to quickly lay items down but the black iron against the blue console table wasn’t working.

I began to research gold spray paint colors.

Best Gold Spray Paint

I used this chart to find the best gold spray paint color for our home.

Anika does a really good job of showing you close pictures of spray painted terracotta pots so you can compare the different hues of gold spray paint. From her gold spray paint review, I settled with the best gold spray paint color for the tray – Rust-Oleum Spray Paint in Metallic Gold for a rich, super glossy metallic finish.

Upcycled Serving Tray

On a Saturday morning, like I always do, I got up with the mission to finish this home décor project. My husband asked me, while I was walking down the stairs, if we could hold off on home projects until we ate breakfast. I bit my lip because I was really excited about this easy serving tray DIY project. I knew it would take me five minutes and the spray paint had been sitting on my kitchen counter for a few weeks.

This upcycled serving tray project was really easy. In my case there was a glass layer that had to be removed. I took out the glass and clear rubber bumpers (between the glass and metal.)

I recycled a cardboard box to become the barrier between the deck and my gold spray painting work. I sprayed one side of the tray and let it sit for about 3 hours in the sun.

I flipped the tray and did the back and also let it sit for a number of hours. Only one gold spray paint coat was necessary, but looking at the piece I wish I had done a second.

This is the finished Upcycled Serving Tray that I almost sent to Goodwill a number of times. Doesn’t it look so much better and best of all it was a low-cost home improvement projects, only $5!

Want to know more about my faux cherry blossoms? I ordered a few to decide the Best Cherry Blossoms Branches out there!

Spray Painting Tip: If you have a larger spray painting job, I recommend picking up this Spray Paint Comfort Grip. My job took under 5 minutes so I did not find it necessary to use on this project. I do have one for other projects I have done in the past.

Don’t forget our Older Home Hacks and Low-Cost DIY Renovations. I am slowly making my way down the list! Pin to Pinterest.

Also enjoy these Home Staging Hacks – for moving or sticking around! Pin to Pinterest.

Family Traditions To Start Now!

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March 21, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Instagram, Parenting, Pinterest, Seasonal, Social Media Leave a Comment

Family traditions are important for creating family memories and solidifying family bonds and relationships. Take a look at this list of unique and traditional Family Traditions to Start Now!

Family Traditions

I was not raised in a big family. Obviously, with five kids, I have a big family now. As my family has grown, the amount we can do with extended family has decreased (if that makes sense.) In a more direct explanation, it is hard to fly seven people. When are are able to travel, not everyone wants to house a large group of people for holiday. While big and small holidays have become more and more about our immediate family, it has caused me to create our own NEW family traditions.

Have you ever sat and read the Family Tradition Hank Williams Jr. lyrics? Don’t. PSA they are not family friendly. If you are looking for family tradition examples, I promise you they will be far from the family traditions Hank sings about in his well-known Family Traditions country song. I will however, commit to one lyric…

“I’m just carrying on an ole family tradition…”

What is a family tradition mean?

Family traditions are a set of activities you repeat within a family. They can be traditional family activities, cultural traditions or they can be unconventional and modern family activities. Family traditions make each family unique as they are experiences that not every family will have. When you combine family traditions, you create your own unique family blueprint.

Why are family traditions important?

Family traditions are important for creating family memories. Family memories are important for creating family bonds. When conducting research, I learned most family traditions are not very big. Rather it is the family activity that is done together that is important. It is in those family bonding moments, memories are formed.

Family traditions enrich your life together and contribute to your child’s well-being and security. They create long lasting family memories.

How do you make family memories?

If you think about the photographs of one’s life, how many can you pull to the forefront of your mind? Memories are created when something out of the ordinary happens. The same “ole” day to day activities, will not create a new synaptic gap (photograph) in your mind. They are routine and can easily be done with little thought. When new activities come in to play, new things are experienced and new things are seen. They are indexed as a nerve connection (new file) in our mind. These are the dots that are added to our road map of life.

Think of this example as a real road map. You drive down the road form city to city. The places you recall are the places you stop. A restaurant, a hotel, a theme park, a landmark and more. When you are on the road, everything appears the same and does not create a new dot on your road map. However, when you park the car, get out and visit an attraction, a dot is added on your journey.

Before you check out these family bonding ideas, I am sure you will also love…

Christmas Traditions for the Family

Christmas Eve Traditions

Family Reunion Ideas

Family Birthday Celebrations & Ideas

Family Birthday Traditions

Family Memorial Ideas for those who have passed

Examples of Family Traditions

I am sure you are asking yourself, What are some good family traditions? If you are looking to start your own family traditions and add memories to one’s childhood, take a look at these family traditions ideas. Let’s create some examples of family traditions to add dots on our road map of life.

Birthday Interview

We have a number of ways to celebrate Birthdays with Your Immediate Family. One easy tradition is this printable Birthday Interview. Ask your child the same questions every year and put them together in a time capsule (this does not have to be a box buried in the ground, keep it in a plastic bin in the closet!) | Frugal Coupon Living

Family Game Night

Turn one weekend night a month into a regular reoccurring Family Game Night. This is actually a funny family tradition for us, so many of our belly laughs and the laughs that make you cry come from a weekend game night. | Frugal Coupon Living

Family Bucket Lists

Start seasonal Family Bucket Lists. You can do a new bucket list every holiday or do fewer with one in winter, spring, summer, and fall or one the entire year. Keep this bucket list on the fridge and check off the activities as you go. | Frugal Coupon Living

Pray Together

An important family tradition is praying. It can be as simple as praying before bed. This has been an activity we have done every night for as long as we can remember. Try the ACTS Prayer Method (pray with 1.) adoration, confession, thanksgiving and close with supplication or requests.) Children thrive on routine and find security in deepening relationships. This gives them a glimpse into how you are feeling when you share your concerns and praise to the Lord. My husband and I have also created the tradition of listening to the Bible in a Year Podcast. This tradition has created deeper discussion among us has has been an excellent way to start the day.

Eat Dinner Together

Eating together is important for maintaining relationships. You can even have special dinner nights like Taco Tuesday, Meatless Monday or Sheet Pan Supper Wednesday. In order to stick to this dinner family tradition, start with just one night that is set apart. Perhaps give each member of the family a role in creating the complete recipe. One person can set the table, another create the prep, another serve the plates, etc.

Volunteer Together

Paying it forward is as much a gift for someone else as it is for you. Find a service project you can commit to for a season or once a month. There are many reasons to volunteer and instill the act of volunteering in our kids. Volunteering offers the chance to give something back to the community or make a difference to the people around us. It provides an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge. Plus, intrinsically, it gives to you just as much as it gives back to someone else!

Travel

Traveling is an example of doing something out of the norm. Take a cruise, go on a road trips, or even have a staycation week. Either way, make sure it is very different from your norm. If you are home, use a staycation to plan for future travel.

Dinner Questions for Conversation

Speaking of supper, download this set of nightly Dinner Conversation Starters. Dinner is the perfect occasion to communicate and often the opportunity is lost because of the distractions of the minutes. If dinner questions are not need, get to know your children and their day by every member sharing three good things about their day and one bad. This also provides an opportunity to focus on the “positive” yet still recognize the challenges a day can hold.

To get your dinner questions downloads, Subscribe and look for a link and password in your inbox. The password allows you to access and download all of our free printables. By downloading you are accepting the terms that this is for personal, non-commercial use. Please contact Frugal Coupon Living with any questions.

Cultural Family Traditions

Have you take a 23andme test? Did the results surprise you. Whether you are learning about a new culture or want to celebrate one you’ve already known, help your children celebrate their heritage by incorporating cultural family traditions. Visit a restaurant from your country, attend a cultural festival or cook a special meal on a certain day each year.

Annual Christmas Card

One family tradition you can keep (and you won’t regret this when the kids are out of the home) is taking an annual photo. It can be with a photographer or something information. Turn these yearly photos into annual Christmas Cards. One way to display your yearly Christmas cards is on a binder ring. Just add a hole punch to the corner. You can keep a binder ring for your family and a binder ring for the cards you get each year just like we see from Minted.

When writing your Christmas envelopes, make sure you take a look at these hand lettering tutorials and idea!

Pay It Forward Traditions

We have spoken many times about our family birthday idea. Take a look at this random act of kindness as a fun way to pay it forward on on your birthday at the Dollar Store or in the Dollar Spot at Target!

Valentine Family Tradition

This is one family tradition we do year after year and keep up for a long time. Add a sweet heart to your child’s do from February 1 to February 14th. The message is why they are a wonderful member of the family, a positive trait you see in them, etc. I even have my children each make a heart for each other once or twice during this period of time. It’s a great way to encourage your child.

Funny Family Traditions

They say laughter is the best medicine. Instead of following some of these traditional traditions for the family, try something unique only to your family. If you can incorporate humor, do it! For example, have a dress up night where you all eat hot dogs and Doritos on your best china. Play family board games including charades and Gestures (one of our favorites that always leads to belly laughs.) Take a look at these Weird Family Traditions from The Atlantic for some inspiration.

What are some of your favorite Family Traditions? I would love to hear from you so we can add to our list and share with others traditions for the family they might want to begin.

Also take a look at these Family Reunion Ideas for more extended family traditions for your bigger family. Pin to Pinterest.

For the holiday season, also look at these Christmas Traditions to start now! Pin to Pinterest.

Why Take Online Classes? Three Months of CreativeBug for $1

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March 17, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Free, Online Shopping Leave a Comment

Running out of things to do at home? Are hobby classes and extra curricular activities in your area still on hold or even on Zoom? Why pay top dollar when you can pay less with some of the top artists in the world by taking online classes!

Why Take Online Art Classes

There are amazing reasons to take online art classes but two things stand out. 1.) They are cheaper 2.) They have amazing instructors (having a teacher within your area doesn’t matter.)

Pay a monthly fee for unlimited classes
Save money on the class, invest in the supplies – woohoo!
Retake the class over and over (no need to raise your hand to have something repeated, just rewind!)
Take the classes on YOUR time (split classes up or take many at once.)
Try classes, if you don’t like them no money lost!
Create art taking classes at home – stay socially distanced in your PJs

While eating all the ice cream you want, in the germ-free comfort of your PJs…. you can do all of this with Creativebug!

Is Creativebug free?

Creativebug is not free but they do have an amazing offer close to free. Cheaper than a cup off coffee, get three months of a Creativebug membership for $1. Isn’t that a crazy offer? You might not even notice that $1 coming out of your bank account.

Creativebug vs Craftsy and other Online Art Glasses

There are many online art classes, sometimes you can even find free classes however you won’t get the same access you get with Creativebug… get unlimited access to 1000+ online art and craft video classes!

Creativebug Subscriber Benefits

Unlimited access to thousands of online art & craft video classes
New classes released every day from recognized creative experts
Downloadable patterns, templates and recipes
Access to Creativebug community galleries and forums

One notable difference about this and competitive online art classes (Craftsy, Skillshare, etc.) is you are working with top established art and craft teachers/artists. Not anyone can upload classes so you know you’ll always get quality classes with Creativebug.

You can view other’s profiles, as well, and see what they are doing and if you like them, follow them on social media.

***

Now for some of the frequently asked Creativebug questions.

How much does Creativebug cost?

Check out this amazing creative bug offer. In addition to getting a three month Creative Bug Membership for $1, new subscribers also get this amazing all access deal.

Drum roll…How much is Creativebug monthly? After a three month trail for $1, continue your Creative Bug all access membership at ~~$9.95~~ $4.95/month for the lifetime of your subscription. Plus you can cancel anytime! Isn’t that amazing?

How do I cancel my subscription to Creativebug?

If you decide not to keep your Creativebug membership after 3 months, it’s easy to cancel your subscription. You can find this under your account provide icon, then go to edit profile, then go to cancel under your billing info. Easy-peasy!

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Join Creative Bug Today! $1 for Three Months

Easiest Way to Update Discolored Recessed Lighting – Low Cost!

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March 16, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Hacks, Home Improvement, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media Leave a Comment

The easiest and cheapest way to update discolored recessed lighting. Take your dust traps and spider apartments from looking dusty, yellowed and dingy, to appearing brand new for under $10. Learn how to clean recessed lights and how to update recessed lighting with one home improvement supply!

Update Discolored Recessed Lighting

Want to know something funny? I stare at our dining room recessed lights so much, that I invested in this easy, low-cost hack twice. It was on my to do list so long, I bought my solution and then bought it again months later! Either way, I took my recessed lights from looking discolored and dated for under $7! I can’t wait to show you how.

Raise your hand if you agree recessed lights catch the most cobwebs and dust. I swear every time I turn on the light, it is like adding a spot light to the ugly mess of dust and spider houses. At least it limits the mount of decorating I must do for Halloween, right?

How do you clean recessed lights?

Good news! Depending on the height of your ceiling, weekly or monthly cleaning of recessed lights is not a challenge. Make sure your lights are off and cool to the touch. Placing a damp cloth or touching a hot light bulb can lead to the light bulb exploding.

For lighting cleaning of recessed lights, use a Swiffer Duster Super Extender Handle. It will expend up to 6 feet and the small yellow fibers will grab onto dust and cob webs. If you have cathedral ceilings, consider getting a telescoping pole for lights that will come with a light bulb changing kit as well as a tool for dusting.

For deep cleaning of recess lights, remove the light bulb and simply wipe the bulbs. Next, use a damp cloth on the inside of the canisters and dry thoroughly before putting your light bulb back in the can. You can keep up with a rotating home cleaning task using a cleaning checklist.

Unfortunately, no matter how much you clean, you never will be able to remove yellowed recessed lighting. The dingy shade of yellow is from oxidation and chemical reactions. To improve the discolored metal, you need to buy new or paint recessed lights.

How do you update recessed lighting?

There are a number of ways to update recessed lighting. If you have the budget, you can replace recessed lights to Newer LED Can Lights. This project will take a little bit of learning or you can hire an electrician.

If you are home staging, you do not want to invest in expensive LED lights. Another option is to take your existing can lights and update discolored recessed Lighting for under $10.

Home Staging Checklist

Can recessed lights be painted?

Is your recessed lighting trip turning yellow? The cheapest and easiest way to updated discolored recessed lighting is to spray paint it. This is a low-cost home improvement project that only takes five minutes. If you are home staging, it can increase the value of your home removing signs of age or dated yellow can lights.

We have older recessed lighting. There is always the issue of heat so I picked up Rust-Oleum High Heat Enamel Spray in White for $6.98. The high heat spray paint protected surfaces subject to heat up to 1000°F. I knew my recessed lights were not getting that hot, so I felt sure this was the right product for us.

Because of the height, I had my husband remove the lights bulbs and then the recess cans from the ceiling.

First I cleaned the canned lights with an all surface spray and a dusting cloth. I let them sit a bit to dry. After they dried, I numbered my light cans in order so I knew where t place them after I was done. While, I think the canned lights could fit in in of the holes in the celling, I find it best to keep them in their original spots.

I took an upcycled box and spread it out on my deck. Once try, I placed the metal cans on the cardboard and I lightly coated each recessed lighting can with the high heat paint. The white spray paint dried to the touch in 20 minutes.

Because our recess lights can tilt at different angles I sharply tilted the light and gave them a second coat. After everything was dry to the touch, I sharply tilted the lights in the opposite direction and gave the lights a final touch of white paint.

After three coats, we let them sit for up to 4 hours for good measure. The white paint for recessed lights had a pretty quick dry time, but I wanted to be sure they were dry before i started touching them to put them back in the ceiling.

I kept track of my numbered lights and placed them all back in the spot they came from.

Don’t they look amazing?! Well worth my $7 investment and they look like brand new lights!

Low-Cost Home Staging

Don’t forget these Older Home Hacks and Low-Cost DIY Renovations. I am slowly making my way down the list checking off so many projects on the weekend! Pin to Pinterest.

Also enjoy these Home Staging Hacks – for moving or sticking around! Incase the value of your home with just a few dollars, just like we did with these recess lighting home staging project! Pin to Pinterest.