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Dr. Seuss Cupcakes – Horton Hears a Who Craft

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August 16, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Recipe, Social Media

Celebrate America’s favorite author on March 2nd with these easy Dr. Seuss Cupcakes. This Horton Hears a Who craft has an elephant trunk holding a pink clover to represent the speck of Whoville, a microscopic community only Horton can hear. “A person’s a person, no matter how small!”

Horton Hears a Who Craft with Food

Ready to celebrate the wonderful work of Dr. Seuss? We have fun and easy Dr. Seuss Cupcakes using the novel Horton Hears a Who! This food craft is perfect for little hands and such a yummy snack.

Three things to know before beginning this Dr. Seuss Cupcake Craft.

Who is Horton Hears a Who!?

Horton Hears A Who! is a popular children’s book written and illustrated by Theodor Seuss Geisel under the name Dr. Seuss. Published in 1954, the main character is an elephant named Horton. Horton is the only one who can hear Whoville, a microscopic community on a speck of dust. Promoting the lesson of equality, Horton vows to protect the speck from this neighbors, declaring this Horton Hears a Who quote

“A person’s a person, no matter how small!“

Where is Whoville?

Recognize that name of Whoville? Whoville is a fictional microscopic town created by Dr. Seuss. Found on a pink clover or dust speck, Whoville appeared in the books Horton Hears a Who! and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Horton Hears a Who Clover

In the Horton Hears a Who! movie, Horton finds a speck on a pink clover. These tiny pink clovers hold the community of Whoville that Horton is trying to save. Similar to the clovers from Horton Hears a Who are the Lorax Truffula Trees. Truffula trees apparently give off the smell of butterfly milk. This is another place you see overlap in the Dr. Seuss books.

When is Dr. Seuss Day?

Dr. Seuss Day began in the 1990s by the National Education Association. Dr. Seuss Day is recognized annually on March 2nd to celebrate the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel – otherwise known as Dr. Seuss.

Now on to yummy cupcakes!

Dr. Seuss Cupcakes Ingredients

This Dr Seuss recipe yields 6 cupcakes, but it is very easy to multiply as needed. We bought prepared cupcakes from the grocery store, but you could also prepare cupcakes using a cake box mix.

6 Prepared Cupcakes
1 Container White Frosting
6 DUM DUMS Lollipops (pink is best; Bubblegum or Watermelon flavors)
Edible Pink Glitter (we used CK Cake Decorating Sanding Sugar)
Black Food Coloring (we used AmeriColor Food Coloring)

Save this Dr. Seuss Cupcake recipe for later. Print your recipe and add it to your recipe box or recipe binder! This is my favorite Recipe Binder – I get tired of printing the same recipe over and over. A binder keeps me organized and gives me a place to store my recipes.

Dr. Seuss Cupcakes – Horton Hears a Who Craft

Author: Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living

Print Recipe

Description

Ingredients

Scale

6 Prepared Cupcakes
1 Container White Frosting
6 DUM DUMS Lollipops (use the DUM DUM flavors that are pink)
Edible Pink Glitter (we used CK Cake Decorating Sanding Sugar)
Black Food Coloring (we used AmeriColor Food Coloring)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Place your white frosting in a small bowl and add 2-3 drops of black food coloring. Mix well. Add more coloring if you would like it a darker gray.
Put your colored frosting in a piping bag or large baggie. Snipe off the corner.
Using your prepared cupcakes, pipe frosting in a circular motion around the cupcake.
Starting at the back of the cupcake, take the frosting and make a vertical line down the center. This line represents Horton’s elephant trunk nose. Repeat step with remaining cupcakes.
Set your frosted cupcakes aside.
To make a truffula tree, take an unwrap sucker and dip it in some water. Shake excess water off and lay on a plate. Sprinkle on the edible glitter, make sure to rotate sucker as you go.
Stick it in the end of his “trunk” so it looks like Horton is holding the truffula tree. Repeat step until all your Horton Hears a Who trees are complete.
Serve and enjoy!

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Dr. Seuss Cupcakes Directions

These directions are so simple because you are using prepared cupcakes. You can buy prepared cupcakes at your local grocery store or make your own using cake mix. If you make your own, allow them to cool before beginning your Dr. Seuss Horton Cupcake Directions.

First, place your white frosting in a small bowl and add 2-3 drops of black food coloring. Mix well. Add more coloring if you would like it a darker gray.

Second, place frosting in a piping bag or large baggie. Snipe off the corner.

Using your prepared cupcakes, pipe frosting in a circular motion around the cupcake.

Now, starting at the back of the cupcake, take the frosting and make a vertical line down the center. This line represents Horton’s elephant trunk nose. Repeat step with remaining cupcakes.

Set your frosted cupcakes aside.

Next, how to make a truffula tree! Take an unwrap sucker and dip it in some water. Shake excess water off and lay on a plate. Sprinkle on the edible glitter, make sure to rotate sucker as you go.

Finally, stick it in the end of his “trunk” so it looks like Horton is holding the pink clover tree. Repeat step until all your Horton Hears a Who clover trees are complete.

Serve and enjoy!

Dr. Seuss Cupcakes Ideas

In addition to our Horton Hears a Who cupcakes, we wanted to share with you more Dr. Seuss Cupcakes Ideas. Some are ours, some are others – all are perfect for Celebrating Dr. Seuss Day on March 2nd or for a Dr. Seuss Themed Birthday Party!

Green Eggs and Ham Cupcakes from Frugal Coupon Living
One Fish, Two Fish Cupcakes from Frugal Coupon Living
Cat in the Hat Cupcakes from In the Kids’ Kitchen
Thing 1, Thing 2 Cupcakes from Meaningful Mama
Oh the Places You Will Go Cupcakes from The Inspiration Edit
Meet Me at the Zoo Cupcakes from Easy Family Recipe Ideas

Take a look at these Dr. Seuss Crafts and Activities for Preschool and Young Kids. Pin to Pinterest.

Creative Dr. Seuss Craft Ideas, Printables and Recipes. Great for Dr. Seuss Day on March 2nd or a Dr. Seuss Themed Birthday Party. Pin to Pinterest.

Serve these Dr. Seuss cupcakes with our Copycat Sonic Ocean Water! We made our a Dr Seuss theme! Pin to Pinterest.

WHAT’S TRENDING? Looking for a few engaging activities? Grab Minute to Win it Games – Traditional, Holiday, Group, and more! Use these fun activities in the office, classroom, or at your next birthday party.

Warming Winter Hacks, Tips and Tricks

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November 30, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Hacks, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media

Winter Hacks, Tips and Tricks. These Warming winter life hacks will have you embracing the colder months. Tips from a Floridian who learned to survive ice, freezing rains, and blizzards.

Winter Hacks, Tips and Tricks

I lived in Florida for well over 30 years. We had a snow flurries, twice in my entire life. When I moved from Florida to Virginia, I immediately battled one of their biggest blizzards ever (alone, without my husband) and just with the kids. Shoveling my car out of the snow took five hours. I felt like I learned a lot in that first six months, but as I became a Virginia local, I became lazy. Laziness lead to the stupidest decision I ever made – I drove with snow on top of my car! The windshield was cleaned, but I though I could keep the snow on the roof o my car. It was dumb but it was a quick run to the kids school. I pulled out of my driveway on a busy road, went a little down hill and the entire roof of snow slid down my car. The inside of my car became black as if it was night. I could not see out of my front window as it was covered by 6 inches of snow. I was at an intersection, and I was blind. I immediately looked around for something to get rid of this snow. There was nothing. Not even a pencil or a pen.

Winter Auto Hack

Since then, I put a snow brush/ice scrapper in my car. This goes around with me 365 days a year. I will never leave home without it again because I luckily lived in that moment. I will always be prepared scrapping my car in the morning and having one with me, should snow accumulate when I am out.

This is my fifth winter in Virginia. I have learned a lot of Winter Hacks and Tips that I now want to share with you. It was these life hacks that pulled me through winter after winter. Learning through my mistakes, I hope that you find them helpful too to prevent your own mistakes!

Winter Life Hacks

Below are a bunch of Life Hacks to help you get through winter. Whether born in Florida or born in the mountains of the Rockies, we can all benefit with a few tips and tricks to get us through the coldest and snowiest months of the year!

Best Snow Life hack: Use non-stick cooking spray on the snow shovel to keep it free from sticky clumps. Not once will you have to knock clods off and every scoop is easily emptied. | Source

Salt is real, you guys. I have never looked at salt the same until I moved to the north. Instead of lugging a heavy bag of deicer out to the sidewalk, here’s a great solution! Make a “sidewalk salt shaker” from a big plastic coffee container. Poke 1/4-in. holes in the lid and fill it with salt, sand, cat litter, and/or deicer and shake away

Organize hats, gloves, scarfs and other winter accessories with a Over the Door Shoe Hanging Organizer. | Blue i Style

Frozen locks and ice covered windshields. “We are not in Florida anymore,” is what i tell myself every January! This 2 Ingredient Instant De-Icer Spray is your winter solution. | Six Cleaver Sisters

When a big snow is headed your way, lift your windshield wipers. Additionally, cover them with socks. Socks will keep ice off the wipers and will help your de-icing process in the morning.

Expect mud and water to come through the house when the kids come in from the snow. Toss all the outer layer clothes immediately in the dryer (don’t worry about washing) or hang wet snow clothes on a swing out drying rack by the door. | Source

Water-proofing your feet! You might laugh, but this is a thing! Put plastic bags on your feet under your boots (over your wool socks) to keep your feet dry! | Wonder Bread on Twitter

Want to save on heating and cooling? Did you know Aluminum foil on windows in winter acts as an insulator. If that kills your curb appeal, consider using it to cover windows that are not as obvious, perhaps small attic windows or basement windows. Even consider windows that face the woods or backyard.

Warm hands are everything! You can buy a reusable hand warmer. I suggest keeping these by the door for snow days or outdoor adventures. If you get the disposable hand warmers, you can keep more hands warm than just one!

Loose power in the winter? Use your washer as a cooler! Just add ice (or snow!) If it melts, you will not have to worry about the drainage! (Then again, you can move everything out to the snow too!)

Speaking of power going out, the same solar lights that light up your yard and be used indoors for light. Charge during the day by the window and use them at night to see! | Ever Never Again

Mind blown – Kitchen Tupperware creates snow bricks! You guys, I went and bought a snow brick maker (Grrrr!) | Source

A few drops of hand sanitizer on your key can open a frozen lock!

When you wake in the morning, immediately feel your windows, especially near the edges. The windows let the most cold air in. Create these DIY Draft Stoppers to keep the warmth in and keep the bills lower. | Kitchen Counter Chronicle

Believe it or not, there was ONE time we had to park and walk home. The snow and the hill became too much. A 3 mile trip home turned into a 2 hour drive and we couldn’t not get the rest of the half mile home. We were dressed “okay” but had we not been, it would have been a tough walk (even that half mile.) During winter, have a Winter Emergency Car Kit! This Emergency Cart Kit is great, but also have wool socks, hats, gloves, a blanket, snacks and water!

Note: Wool socks cost a lot, but they are a MUST for winter. Just realize you will wear them season after season after season! worth the investment!

The worst thing with snow, ice and salt is the entry way. I always have a stack of towels by the front door so I can quickly lay them down on the floor or clean up the floor. Also make your own DIY Pebble Filled Tray for dirty shoes and boots. | Rambling Renovators

Living in a town home has reminded us that warm air rises and cool air falls – cold basements and hot 3rd levels. If you find heat trapped in your ceiling, remember to turn the direction on your fans! Summer = counterclockwise, Winter = clockwise. | Delmar Fans

Winterizing your home? Take a look at this free printable checklist to get started! | Wholefully

Snow day was a new thing to us, so we did everything creative we could! Visit these Snow Day Ideas for Kids. Pin to Pinterest.

Follow these steps for how to make an igloo out of snow! Pin to Pinterest.

When you come in, you want to be warm! Save these Comforting Warning Casserole Meals. Pin to Pinterest.

Giant Grocery Delivery – Order Groceries Online

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February 14, 2023 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Facebook, Frugal Living, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media, Store Deals

Have you tried the convenience of easily ordering groceries online? Learn how Giant Delivery works, the benefits of online grocery shopping, and how to save on groceries with an exclusive Giant coupon code today!

This post has been updated to reflect a name change – Peapod delivery is not Giant delivery!

Although grocery shopping can take a lot of time and energy, I have found a way around all of this. As many of you know, I do not grocery shop anymore. I use Giant grocery delivery service to help me keep groceries in my house. The end result is I get more time with my family, which I love. I also save money, which I also love…. obviously, Frugal Coupon Living!

I began online grocery shopping when I was on bed rest with twins in 2018. I loved it so much, I never went back. Did you know that online grocery sales will surpass 20% of the overall U.S. grocery retail market in the next five years, at least several years before pre-pandemic projections, a new Mercatus/Incisiv study predicts? It seems a lot of people are enjoying the convenience of groceries delivered straight to their front porches.

If time with your family and saving money is something you covet, then ordering groceries online might be for you too! Take a look at Giant Delivery formerly called Peapod and see how you can save on groceries today!

How Does Giant Food Delivery Work?

Are you located in the Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia regions? A grocery delivery service that may just change the way you live your life is called Giant Delivery formerly Peapod. You can grocery shop from anywhere and get it delivered when it’s right for you. It’s easy to shop, schedule your delivery, and then get your groceries delivered to your home or scheduled for store pick-up.

Follow along as we “unbox” Giant Food Delivery to see if it’s something you can benefit from.

Giant Delivery Cost & Requirements

When making an adjustment to your home, like the way you grocery shop, it is important to understand the service fees. I have great news, it is possible to get groceries delivered to your home for free depending on the day of the week you choose.

Midweek orders are your friend as there are no midweek delivery fees. There are times that cost, however so pay attention to these details.

Online orders delivered Tuesday-Thursday are fee-free.
All other days (Friday-Monday) have a grocery delivery fee of just $3.95.
A $30 purchase is all that’s required to get your groceries delivered to you.
100% contactless delivery

Grocery delivery is available each day from 6 AM – 10 PM.

Giant Pass

If you find you are ordering groceries frequently in these off hours, you can get Giant Pass. Pay monthly or yearly to get all grocery delivery feeds saved. This can look at $12.95/month or $99/year (as low as $8.25/month.)

With this online grocery delivery membership plan, I typically have groceries delivered 3xs a week. If I find my order is very small and I need to add more products to hit that minimum order requirements, I typically add coffee (or another nonperishable staple) to my cart. This Delivery Pass service is similar to Amazon Prime and costs $139 a year.

It is important to note, you do not have to be a Giant Pass member to get groceries delivered. You can pay the delivery fee mentioned above if you would like.

Giant Pickup

Of course, you are welcome to pick up groceries too. Giant pickup orders offer 100% contactless pick-up. Store associates come to your car with your groceries. Giant pick-up orders are delivered when you are parked conveniently in designated parking spots. Instead of shopping yourself, try this resource and drive to your local grocery market to grab your groceries using pickup services. There are no pickup fees.

Free grocery pickup plus no pickup order minimums.
Same-day service is available.
100% contactless pickup.

Free pickup is available at participating stores from 8 AM – 9 PM ET.

Giant Grocery Aisle

If you are going to order fresh groceries from Giant, you may want to know what types of items the grocery app carries. Giant direct actually carries a lot of in-store favorites.

Here are the items or grocery aisles that are available:

Fresh produce
Quality seafood
Quality meats
Organic choices
Natural choices
Store brands
Meal kits
Specialty products
Alcoholic beverages
Health and beauty
Pet care
Household products
Paper goods

The grocery list pretty much covers the same grocery aisles you would have in your own local store. When I need an item that is available in the store but not online, I simply make a request and I have seen that item show up in the online store.

You can filter through the options available through Giant. No matter if you’re looking for organic produce or weekly specials, you can find it all or something similar.

Are Giant Grocery prices the same as in-store?

Yes and no. I have compared and sometimes the store has better prices. Additionally, there are different sales. Sometimes online is better. However, I have found if there is a price difference, online vs in-store, it doesn’t wave the benefit I get from using the online grocery delivery service.

My suggestion to you is to create the same shopping list two weeks in a row. One week, shop online. Another week shop in the store. What was your price difference? Is that price difference worth the at-home delivery? For me, it was. I might have been spending a couple more dollars for the convenience and time with my family.

Giant Delivery Savings

Want o save money on groceries? Your first step is to sign up for Giant Grocery Delivery via my referral code. This exclusive Giant Promo Code will give you the following benefits…

$30 off a $60 Grocery Delivery

It’s almost impossible to find 50% off your grocery order these days. That is a free $30 order to top brands and needs.

Click here for your Giant Coupon Savings

Grocery Delivery App

After you are signed up for Giant, download the Giant grocery delivery app through the Google Play Store or through the Apple Store to order at any time. Then the magic will begin, order groceries from anywhere you can access your phone, wi-fi, cell service, you name it!

As you continue to shop, sign up for their flex grocery rewards and pay attention to their digital coupons savings tap. You can add your own savings and watch promo codes and grocery promotions to save all the time.

With ease and convenience, I have even ordered groceries to my house from another country. This was great when my husband and I traveled to India but we had the grandparents at home. I could send them what they needed and no one had to leave the house while taking care of 5 young kids!

Enjoy market delivery on your terms. You can have your groceries delivered the next day or even the same day, depending on the area in which you live.

Why I Love Giant Online Grocery Ordering

I personally use Giant Online Grocery Ordering because it works wonderfully with my schedule! I do not grocery shop in stores. This is why I rely on Giant to help me out. In fact, if I see I have a grocery need for the next day, I can get my groceries delivered even before my morning alarm clock goes off – hello last minute school needs!

I like to say that this grocery delivery service helps save me time and money. The time-saving benefits of online shopping are obvious. I save time because I am not in the store. I save money because I am not buying things I see on display. I only order what I need, which is awesome!

I do forget things. Let’s not forget that I can order all day long. This is less time than running to the store over and over. I just keep adding items to my cart as I think of things throughout the day and then I submit the order when I am ready. This gives me more time with my family, which is why makes me super happy! More time with my family is what truly matters in the end.

As for saving money, let me further explain how those dollars are adding up. Sometimes the items are a few cents more. I am okay with this because I am saving money. How am I saving money? I am buying less. I am buying what my family immediately needs. I am not ending up at the grocery store hungry, filling my cart with three containers of OREOs and a bag of chips.

My husband and I love the Flexible Points Available. We can use these grocery rewards on grocery savings, gas savings, special offers, and charity donations. There are lots of rewards that meet the needs of everyone. We personally use these giant points for the Shell gas Sation. It isn’t uncommon for me to get up to $2 off Each Gallon of Gas! Not only am I saving in the store, but I am also saving out of the store too!

If it isn’t a part of my meal plans, it doesn’t get added to my cart. That saves me money: it also saves me calories – no?

Giant Customer Service

“Hi Peapod!” It’s the choral expression my three boys give when greeting Giant multiple times a week at the door. The drivers are friendly and professional and are always very engaging with my boys.

Why do they express peapod? Well, we have been using this service for three years and though the name has changed, the chorus of hunger boys has not.

It’s important to know that Giant has 100% satisfaction guaranteed. If you are not happy, Giant Grocery is always great about making sure it’s right. You can call or email Giant about problems with your delivery order.

Problems that I have had with my Giant Delivers order are the wrong groceries, broken eggs, missing groceries, or smashed bread. This is not a frequent problem and each time this issue has occurred, Giant has made this issue right and refunded my money or sent back out the right groceries.

Giant Delivery Phone Number

It’s very easy to contact Giant Grocery Delivery. The Giant phone number for grocery delivery customer service is

888-469-4426

The hours of operation for groceries are 7 AM to 10 PM ET each day, however, the hours for customer service vary.

Monday – Friday: 8 AM – 7 PM ET

Saturday: 8 AM – 5 PM ET

Sunday: Closed

If there is a long waiting list on the phone, they will allow you to leave your number and call you back.

In addition to calling Giant Grocery, you can also quickly access all you need online. Using the Giant Delivery App or website page, you may email customer service at any time.

I love that Giant Company Grocery Stores are focused on customer service and making sure you are happy in the end.

Have you ever used Giant Delivery Service? What did you think about your digital grocery shopping experience? Let us know by leaving a comment ton the blog post. We would love to hear your thoughts!

Get Your Giant Grocery Promo Code & Discount

Need easy weeknight dinners with really tasty recipes he entire family will love? I am on a 5 month run of Dinnerly Meal Kits and our family is obsessed. Take a look and grab a promo code! Pin to Pinterest.

Try Instacart where you can order groceries from many locations at once! Order groceries form multiple locations with the push of a button! Pin to Pinterest.

Test an Amazon Fresh Trial too! Enjoy groceries from Whole Foods with the push of a button. Pin to Pinterest.

When I do shop for groceries, you can believe I have this mommy hook to help me! It is one of my biggest and best-used mom hacks. More in my Life Hacks Post. Pin to Pinterest.

Memorial Crafts for Loved Ones

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January 24, 2022 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, Facebook, Instagram, Parenting, Pinterest, Social Media

Loosing family and friends can be hard, especially when children are involved. We pulled together some of the best Memorial Crafts for Loved Ones. Remembrance ideas for deceased including how to save a voicemail, children’s books about death, memory keepsakes, celebration of life ideas, and deceased loved one’s clothing ideas.

Warning, grab the tissues. This post had me in tears!

Very quickly an entire generation was gone in my family. It happens like that, right? One after another. Loosing grandparents my first introduction to how to cope with death. I first learned to cope with the passing of a family member in my 20s. However, in my 30s when I lost two more grandparents, I had to learn something new. How to teach my kids to deal with death of a loved one. It is much easier when you are coping with it on your own. It is more challenging when you are coping with deceased loved ones while comforting a child.

Do you believe in death from a broken heart? I do now. Below is a snippet of a story of my grandparents passing.

My grandfather died of a broken heart. Five months to the day of my grandmother’s death, my Pop entered hospice. He made it another 48 hours before his body surrendered to life on earth. In his last months of life, he would let anything that would get him see her sooner, take over. It did. While his heart broke on earth with the death of his wife, I believe his heart is whole again entering heaven’s gates and embracing my grandmother….

Just a small anecdote of our past year. Loosing my grandmother and then loosing my grandfather a few months later. Through their passing, I have taught my older children how to grieve through memory keepsakes.

Memorial Crafts for Loved Ones

If you took are looking for suggestions for coping with loss, look at these Memorial Crafts for Loved Ones. From how to save a loved one’s voicemail, grief books for kids, to celebration of life ideas, we have a list of crafts and unique keepsakes to honor your deceased friends and family.

How to Save a Loved One’s Voicemail

First, the OCD in me wants a clean voicemail account. You too? Don’t. Save important and/or last voicemails of loved ones. My last one from my dad is so silly. He forgot to say I love you, so I am holding on to it and sending him to voicemail the next time he calls (winks!)

Memory items don’t have to be tangible. Very rarely are they able to be audible. The power of hearing a loved one’s voice can make a greater impact than keepsake photos, favorite clothing, or other mementos of a deceased loved one.

Follow these steps to save a loved one’s voicemail two ways. First, save their outgoing message (to people calling them.) Second, save the voice message they left you in your voicemail inbox.

How to Save a Loved One’s Outgoing Message

This option allows you to save your loved one’s voicemail inbox welcome message. The message they have to welcome those calling them when a voice mailbox is reached. Not the message they left you.

First Go Here
Enter your phone number and push get started.
Enter your email and push make a call button.
VMSave will call your number and record the outgoing message.
Download your loved one’s voicemail as an MP3 file.

How to Save Voicemail of Deceased Family

This option allows you to save the recording you have in your own voicemail inbox of the message your deceased loved one left you. Even if you plan on saving your voicemail for ever, do this before it accidentally gets erased.

Open your audio recording software on your PC/Mac. Be prepared to press record.
Open your phone’s voicemail inbox.
Go to your messages.
Simultaneously press start (record or play) on your computer audio recorder and your voicemail inbox message.
Immediately make sure your phone’s voice message is on speaker.
Record your loved one’s voicemail as an audio file.

You can save your audio recording on your computer in in a back up location with a service like Google Drive or Amazon Cloud to save it forever.

How do I permanently save a voicemail

There are other creative ways to permanently save a voicemail with soundwave art. A very unique memorial gift with voice recording is soundwave print with a QR code. The receiver can scan the QR code when they walk by it, hear their loved one’s voice at any time. You can purchase soundwave art with a QR code (we love this one from Adversity Gifts) or you can make your own soundwave art.

Instead of buying, want to do it on your own? Follow these steps for how to make soundwave art. Use a soundwave art app from your phone’s store. Open your audio recording software and record a short message. Take a screenshot of your recorded waveform and download the screen shot. Open the image and edit it to make your own unique artwork. I find PicMonkey helpful for creating artwork with your own images.

Best Sellers in Children’s Death & Dying Books

Talking to a child about death can be difficult. You can began the process through the discovery of books. Take a look at these Best Sellers in Children’s Death & Dying Books.

These children’s books about death are available for kids of all ages.

The Crossover Series by Kwame Alexander
The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant
I’ll Always Love You by Hans Wilhelm
God Gave Us Heaven by Lisa T. Bergren
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
I Miss You: A First Look at Death by Pat Thomas
The Goodbye Book by Todd Parr

Memory Keepsakes Craft Ideas

Turn hand written recipes into framed kitchen heirlooms. Display your family’s famous chocolate chip cookie recipe in your kitchen to remind you of the great times you’ve had making it together. | Mad in Crafts

You can also turn handwritten recipes into tea towels. So easy to do with the click of a mouse! We love this frugal-friendly handwritten tea towel recipe from DixieLoveCo.

Create a DIY Photo Pendant for under $2.50! Add the memorial photo pendant to the Christmas tree, to a necklace or even to a charm bracelet. | Saving with Sarah

This one pulls my heart strings. Take unfinished candles from your loved one and melt them down and re-pour the wax to create a new homemade candle that will remind you of that person with every burn. (Insert sobs as the story was of a husband doing this for his late wife.) | Country Living

Do you have flowers left from a funeral or memorial service? Follow this tutorial for DIY Dried Flowers in a jar. | The Capricious Club

A great way to preserve the memory of a loved one is to preserve their handwriting. This can be done in a handwriting necklace, bracelet, or key chain. We especially love this Handwriting Memory Sign from Aimee Weaver Designs. I have seen a similar DIY tutorial creating this Family Tree Chalkboard.

A shadow box memorial is one way to preserve and display precious memories and honor a loved one’s life. Find Shadow Boxes on Amazon or in craft stores. | Morena’s Corner

Deceased Loved One’s Clothing Ideas

Bre created a loved ones clothing keepsake using a clear ornament for crafts. Using her father’s favorite shirts, she cut them into strips and placed them inside a clear ornament (cue tears.) She added a hand written note. What a beautiful way to have a loved one present during the holidays. | Average Inspired

Want to make something out of a treasured button-up dress shirt? How about an heirloom pillow that you can snuggle with any time you Using your loved one’s favorite clothing, make this no-sew pillow (pillow video tutorial) or purchase a personalized memorial pillow shirt like this one from Dawns Quilting and More.

Not ready to make your own? Buy one. This Christmas in Heaven Memorial Pillow can sit on a chair during the Christmas season. You could even put it at the dinning table to commemorate those that have passed.

Upcycle loved neck ties and turn them into zip bags. This tutorial is perfect for the sewer. | Polka Dot Chair

This memory bear craft will be one you send off. Create a Keepsake Bear from Adult Clothes and My Sew What Shop.

You can also turn shirts made from loved ones clothes into celebration of life keepsake. The turn around might not be in time for the funeral but can be mailed to spouses, kids, parents, friends and extended family. Available from Memory of Events on Etsy or make yourself with a sewing machine and Poly-fil pillow filling.

Celebration of Life Memorial Ideas

Man! All these memorials pull my heart strings so much. I really love how beautiful this photo memory idea is. Take a picture of then and now with this photo challenge. Even have your kids (those who were never present) holding these memories pulling together the past in the present. You can submit your photo to the Dear Photograph Challenge or save it for your own personal family use.

Jessica has a great tutorial on how to create a frugal-friendly photo board for celebration of life memorials and funerals. | The Mom Creative

At the celebration of life or at the funeral reception try this memorial idea – have your loved ones favorite things. In this case golf and sweets (ice cream and brownies)! | Your Home Based Mom

One funeral idea for kids is to have coloring sheets. Than can not only be a therapeutic exercise but can be their own way of loving their grandfather, uncle or other deceased family member. Have coloring sheets “What Papa Dave Loved” and have coloring sheets of sail boats, golf, Jesus, dogs, etc. | Michelle Paige Blogs

Have a gathering? Don’t forget our Empty Chair Poem found in our High School Reunion Ideas Post.

Sometimes people grief through writing. Allow your child to write a letter and insert it into a balloon or write a message directly on the balloon. Amazon sells Biodegradable Remembrance Balloons | Source

Memorialize a Living Loved One with a Recording

If your older generation loved ones are still alive, do me a favor. Record a video of them. Ask questions. What was your favorite vacation as a family? What was the most challenging time in your life? What was your greatest lesson… etc.

If you need guidance, look at this Toss ‘n Talk-About Family History Ball (Family Reunion Question and Answer Ball) we shared on our Family Reunion Ideas. You won’t regret it! You will only regret NOT doing it!

Getting the family together? Visit our Virtual Family Reunion Ideas. Pin to Pinterest.

Also create traditions. Traditions make memories stronger. For the holiday season, look at our Family Christmas Traditions To Start Now! Pin to Pinterest on your Christmas and Holiday boards for later!

You can also enjoy these Family Traditions to Start to Start Now! Pin to Pinterest.

Leap Day Activities | Make Leap Year Special For Your Kids

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January 19, 2020 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Crafts, DIY, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Social Media

Leap Day Activities: Make Leap Year Special For Your Kids and preschool-aged children. Create memorable crafts, activities and ideas.

For some people, Leap Day just means another day in the office, another day of the kids in school, and nothing too out of the ordinary. But it is out of the ordinary (of a typical year, that is)! You have a whole extra day to have fun, do something you normally don’t do, and come on, who doesn’t love another reason to celebrate?!

Leap Year Ideas

For leap year, we suggest you get froggy and hop on these fun activities, make it an opposites day of sorts by having dessert first, create some fun art projects from this full list of ideas and enjoy this day, it won’t happen for another four years! Here are 5 ways to make Leap Day special for your kids.

This is a day that comes once every four years, so why not turn it into a memorable day – create fun with your kids so they look back and remember that day mom was silly and talked about frogs! It’s a special day, so make it special by doing things you don’t normally do. Having a fun day at home with mom, dad, or both of you, will leave a memorable impact on your kids.

Do something you’ve been wanting to do for a while –

It doesn’t have to be anything big, no need to plan a trip to Disney World; but think of something your family has been wanting to do but hasn’t had a chance yet. Maybe go to the zoo. See a 3D movie in the theater while everyone else is at school and work. Go on a scavenger hunt.

Go out to eat and order dessert first –

When was the last time you let your kids have dessert first? Ever? That’s the fun of Leap Day! Live a little! Grab lunch out and let the kids have a sweet treat before their meal. It’s a day that comes around only once every four years, having dessert first should be okay that often.

Make a time capsule –

A lot can change over the course of four years. With kids – think of how much they’ll grow and their personalities will continue to evolve. So use this special day as a way to memorialize your family in this moment with a Time Capsule for Kids. Fill out fun little surveys about your kids favorite color, movie, toy, what they like to do, what they hope happens before the next leap year, etc. Get the kids to draw pictures to put in the time capsule. Be sure to take a picture of everyone or better yet, make a little home movie. Put the pictures, all the papers, a thumb drive with the family movie, and anything else you can in your capsule, and seal it up until the next Leap Day!

Introduce your kids to Leap Day with a little help from Pinterest –

Actually, it’s help coming from bloggers out there that are all celebrating Leap Day as well – Pinterest is just a great way to find the stuff! By searching for leap day activities, you’ll find everything from stories and poems explaining what Leap Day / Year is, games to play, activities to do, printable coloring and activity pages, and plenty of frog themed Leap Day games!

Leap Day Activities

Take a look at these fun Leap Day Activities we found on Pinterest:

Frog Pond Cookie Cups from Baby Loving Mama
Leap Year Time Capsule from My Sister’s Suitcase
Leap Year Party from Grey Grey Designs
Plastic Egg Frogs from Crafty Morning
Frog Watermelon from Glamourita
Frog Paper Bag Puppet from Cooking with Ruthie
Leap Year Origami Frog Invites from Inka Blinka
Frog Foot Print (show age growth every 4 years) (Source no longer available)
FREE Leap Year Printables from CreativDdee Workshop
Origami Frogs from Easy Peasy and Fun
Frog Sandwiches from Sand and Table (No longer available but ideas HERE, HERE, and HERE.)
Tissue Paper Lily Pads from Kirtsy

Leap Day is special, so why not plan some out-of-the-ordinary fun with your kiddos. Skip your normal day-to-day routine, and use this extra day to make memories with your family! What are your plans for February 29th? I’d love to hear what you’re planning on doing with your family for Leap Day.

Also take a look at these Leap Day Activities for Kids. Pin to Pinterest.

It’s still the start of the year! Get yourself organized with these 20 Must Have Home Printables for the New Year. Pin to Pinterest.

Post originally posted 2/4/2016 and updated 12/27/2019.

WHAT’S TRENDING? Looking for a few engaging activities? Grab Minute to Win it Games – Traditional, Holiday, Group, and more! Use these fun activities in the office, classroom, or at your next birthday party.

My Child is Prone to Colds (My Solution)

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December 15, 2019 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Amazon, Online Shopping

I just shared this on my personal Facebook page and also wanted to share with you all…

My oldest daughter is always getting sick. Chronic runny noses. Occasionally out of school. As a former teacher and a an award winner of perfect attendance in fourth grade, I had to solve this dilemma! So I approached my expert panel of 700 close friends on Facebook and asked them what was the best solution for chronic colds. The frequent answer I got back was Elderberry.

In that Facebook thread, some of the moms I know, shared their talent for creating homemade syrups and their own gummy recipes. I was so proud of them. They deserve a piece of my fourth grade perfect attendance award! I, however, have five kids and a full time job and elderberry syrups was not on my list of things to make in the evening (usually I prefer a good boxed powder macaroni and cheese.) My solution was Amazon Prime.

I picked up these Nature’s Way Sambucus Elderberry Gummies and they are working great. She has not been sick in a month and we have gone through some serious seasons of cold days and warm days (yes, we were an area of the country that was affected by the recent polar vortex.) If you don’t like Nature’s Way brand, there are many other Elderberry Gummies and Elderberry Syrups online. We did try the Sambucol Syrup too and she was not a fan of the syrup in general.)

Right now there is a coupon you can clip if you do subscribe and save with the Nature’s Way brand or like me order right away and get in a few days. Remember prices and coupons are subject to change on Amazon. I have to say that.

She takes them in the evening around dinner time (just the time we chose.) If it is a day where she is getting less sleep from activity or homework or if she is feeling tired or exposed to a cold, we double the dose (morning and night.) Friends told me, when they are sick, they take a dose every two hours. We have not tried that. Please read what is recommended on the back of your bottle.

Let me know how it works for you.

Thanks for sitting through my terrible humor.

Also, I am not a doctor. I am not claiming anything. Just letting you know this seems to have worked for us the past four weeks.

You’re welcome.

Declutter Your Home Checklist Monthly Challenge

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February 9, 2021 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: DIY, Facebook, Hacks, Home Improvement, Instagram, Pinterest, Printable, Social Media

New Year’s resolutions or spring cleaning, whatever the reason we have a 31-Day Challenge for you! Download this PDF printable Declutter Your Home Checklist. Declutting tips and tricks to simplify your space. Less is the new more!

Declutter Your Home Checklist

Are you spring cleaning? Has the last extended family member walked out of your home from Christmas? Whatever your need, a New Year’s Resolution or the transition into the spring season, we have a 31-Day Declutter Your Home Checklist to challenge you to simply your home!

Less is the new more!

Daily Declutter Challenge

Girl, I got your back. As a mother of five, I have learned to swim in the chaos of motherhood. By swim, I mean tread water. (At least, I am not drowning, right?!) Speaking of drowning, some things I find I am drowning in is clutter. Boxes, stacked piles of mail, broken and mis-matched toys, single socks (right?!), clothes that are too small, clothes that are dirty – it’s piles and piles of “stuff!”

I accepted the KonMari Challenge with Dollar Store Solutions, but the clutter seemed to return. That is why I have to pull out a Monthly Declutter Challenge a few times a year. This spreads out my to-do list, gives me direction for cleaning up our home, and makes the task fun!

Introducing our…

31-Day Declutter Checklist

How can I declutter my house quickly? Step by step and day by day is your answer.

We have a daily guide and checklist to tell you where to start decluttering.

Day 1: Holiday Decorations and Cards

Day 2: Kitchen Cupboards

Day 3: Kitchen Drawers

Day 4: Fridge and Freezer

Day 5: Cookbooks and Recipe Cards

Day 6: Cleaning Supplies

Day 7: Paperwork and Mail

Day 8: Desks and Desk Drawers

Day 9: Junk Drawer

Day 10: Bathroom Cabinets

Day 11: Makeup and Toiletries

Day 12: Nightstand and Dressers

Day 13: Bedroom Closests

Day 14: Underwear and Sock Drawers

Day 15: Linen Closet

Day 16: Craft Supplies

Day 17: Basement and Attic

Day 18: Laundry Room

Day 19: Medicines and Vitamins

Day 20: Magazines and Books

Day 21: Garage Storage

Day 22: Vehicles

Day 23: Garden Shed

Day 24: Kids Dressers

Day 25: Kids Drawers

Day 26: Kids Toy Boxes

Day 27: Kids Books, Puzzles and Board Games

Day 28: Porch and Patio

Day 29: Pet Items

Day 30: Electronics

Day 31: Photos on Phone

Declutter Tips, Tricks & Solutions

Initially, this Declutter Your Home Checklist seems very daunting. We have some declutter tips and hacks for your challenge to keep your sanity.

Where can I sell my stuff?

Want to make a few dollars? We have a few places you can sell your stuff when declutting. Two places are my favorite. First, Facebook Marketplace is great in my area and typically I make back close to the price I paid on many name brand items. I also like to send my kids clothes to Thread Up (get $10 credit and/or request a ThredUp Clean Out Kit bag.) This allows me to earn money on clothes that no longer fit and buy new consignment clothes that do fit. Lastly, take a look at Decluttr to buy and sell technology.

What if I skip a day on the Challenge?

Things come up, I get it. If you can avoid skipping a day, please do. It can be hard to catch up having to do 4 days of cleaning on Day 31. If you do find you missed a day, move on and come back to that day at the end of the challenge.

What if the 31-Day Challenge is not enough?

Repeat the process the next month. In fact, if you are a real neat freak you can do this challenge every month, for 12 months. Just do a little bit each day!

How often do you do this Declutter Challenge?

I try to adopt the challenge twice a year. Typically January after the chaos of Christmas and then again in late spring/early summer as the end of the school year approaches. If I am doing extra well (or would it be extra bad?), I take on this challenge again at the start of the school year.

I work full time, how can I declutter my house quickly?

Honestly, this is a process. There is no way to tackle all of this in one day, but you can group days or take the challenge on a few weekend. If you are doing it day by day, some of these days require more time than others. For example, I can clean my junk drawer in a few minutes but my Kitchen Cupboards might take a few hours on Saturday. Skip more challenging days and save them for the weekend. Use the weekdays to tackle smaller tasks.

Declutter Checklist PDF Printable

Get all of our free printables including 31-Day Declutter Challenge Checklist. Subscribe and look for a link and password in our inbox. The password allows you to access and download all of our free printables.

1.) Enter your email address HERE.

2.) Confirm the email request in your inbox.

3.) Look for the link and passcode in your inbox.

Sign up for the Declutter Checklist PDF PrintableBy downloading you are accepting the terms that this is for personal, non-commercial use. Please contact Frugal Coupon Living with any questions.

I am happy to share printables. When sharing with others, please lead them to my website instead of emailing them the file(s). It takes time, effort and money to put the freebies forth and I earn when you visit. Thanks for visiting and thanks for sharing with others!

How to Print at Staples

Have your PDF, Word Document or printable saved to a folder on your computer.
Sign in or create a Staples account.
Return to the Staples Printing Service Page.
Scroll down to Self-Service printing.
Go to Start Project.
Go to Documents Printing.
Select Browse.
Select the Buy Now Button under color.
In the left column, choose add file(s).
Select upload files (to upload a file from your computer).
Add more files or select the blue upload button.
Select done.
Give your job a name in the top left column.
Choose color or B&W.
Make sure your project is single sided. (You can choose double sided if you need.)
Choose the correct orientation of your project – landscape or portrait.
I changed my media to 8.5×11 67 lb card/coverstock (I prefer a card stock feel over printer paper feel. It makes the paper very durable and sturdy.)
Save your product to Staples or select add to cart on the bottom right.
Proceed to checkout.

*Note: these Staple print service steps were added in Winter 2019 The directions may change as the website changes. They should give you a general outline of how to upload and order a print on Staples.com.

Our Pinterest community and I would love to see how this worked out for you. Share your final Checklist Challenge. Leave a comment and/or add a photo here on Pinterest!

Reduce the stuff in your home but increase your savings with the 31-Day Declutter Your Home Checklist AND 52-Week Savings Plan!

Before you get started on your Declutter Your Home Checklist, get inspired by these KonMari Dollar Tree Organizational Ideas. Does that item bring me joy? If not, toss it! Pin to Pinterest.

Also take a look at these Amazing Spring Cleaning Hacks and Tips. Pin to Pinterest.

Smart Phone Alternative For Kids | Relay Walkie Talkie

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November 28, 2019 by Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living Filed Under: Black Friday, Black Friday & Cyber Monday, Cyber Monday, Online Shopping

I am anti smart phone. Anti smart phone for my kids.

Smart Phone Alternative For Kids

I have been so stumped why some brilliant mind hasn’t come up with alternative and then I stumbled into this incredibly easy and frugal device. You guys, I hopped on this sale faster than the Easter Bunny.

Meet this Smart Phone Alternative For Kids, the Relay Walkie Talkie.

Relay Walkie Talkie

The Relay Walkie Talkie is your screenless phone, your walkie talkie and a GPS tracker. It can connect to other relay devices (we aren’t telling our kids that) and to smart phones (we will be the only ones that know that.)

Basically, I can get on my smart phone app and talk to the kids at any time. They can press a button and talk back to me.

This is your solution for staying home briefly, walking home from school, your child attending a spend the night, your child ridding their back to a friends, etc! The possibilities are endless!

Relay Screenless Phone Plan and Accessories

This part is important. The Relay Screenless Phone has nationwide 4G LTE & Wifi coverage, just like your phone. The Relay device is $9.99 per month per device for unlimited use. So calculate that. While the device is frugal friendly, you are making a $10 commitment (per month) for your child’s safety. Much more affordable than a smart phone plan. Consider it perfect for pre-phone use!

There are a few accessories to consider for you Relay device. The Relay Screenless Phone Loop Case (with Carabiner & Lanyard) and the Armband Case with Strap (great for a runner!) I personally picked up the loop case with carabiner and lanyard. Great for attaching their their backpack or their bicycle.

Relay Walkie Talkie Sale

Anyone else love a good Black Friday Sale! This device normally is $49.99, but right now you can get an affordable Black Friday price. Only $24.99, a 50% savings*.

Shop Relay Walkie Talkie Black Friday Sale
*Keep in mind, price is subject to time. Price is accurate at time of posting.

WHAT’S TRENDING? Looking for a few engaging activities? Grab Minute to Win it Games – Traditional, Holiday, Group, and more! Use these fun activities in the office, classroom, or at your next birthday party.