DIY Hello Kitty Easter Baskets

Easter is one of my favorite religious holidays but it’s also a lot of fun for the kids! I remember hunting for eggs when I was young and filling my Easter basket full of real hard-boiled, painted eggs. Now it seems like the most popular eggs to find are the plastic ones filled with goodies… my how time has changed! Whether you do an egg hunt or fill up Easter baskets with candy and gifts for your kids or grandkids, all of those little things can add up.  This year I thought I’d put together some ideas for creating the perfect girl’s Easter basket featuring some of our brand new Hello Kitty items, available at a great price from Good Buys All the Time.

Start with the basket – you can find a sturdy one at your local dollar store that should do the trick, or check out our selection of adorable Hello Kitty buckets - coming soon!

Next, find your “filler” – for a Hello Kitty theme I suggest some pink Easter grass, but any color will do.

Now’s the fun part – pick your candy and treats! Hello Kitty is great because there are so many themed items for various ages. I like to do one “big” item and then add a bunch of little items to fill things up. For little girls, these pajama sets are perfect (and mom will thank you too)! I don’t go through the trouble of gift-wrapping anything; clothing can be rolled tightly so it doesn't take up much space.

If you’re doing multiple baskets, save by purchasing multi-packs of lip-gloss, body lotion or gummies! You can divide them among your baskets by style, scent or color. We also have a great Hello Kitty hair kit and the best prices on Hello Kitty gummy vitamins. With all of the candy kids get nowadays, the vitamins are a cute substitute.

For the crafty girls in your family, consider adding some pencils, notepads or art supplies. I love this school supplies set that includes all of the above! Again, if you’re making more than one basket this is a great kit to break apart. The fruit snacks can also be divided up among your baskets. And kids LOVE fruit snacks!

When you’re done stocking up on goodies, simply arrange your baskets any way you like. I love the look of this basket (courtesy of Pinterest)! For more great ideas and good buys, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pin with us on Pinterest and visit our Amazon store, Good Buys All the Time.

St. Patrick's Day Ideas and Deals from Good Buys All the Time

Growing up Irish, I have always loved the month of March and celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with family and friends. We recently got approved to sell clothing in our Amazon store and with St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner I am so excited about some of our newest items! Have some fun with your kiddos or grandchildren this year with these adorable ideas from Good Buys All the Time.

Make a Festive St. Paddy’s Day Breakfast

You don’t have to learn to make Scotch eggs or corned beef and cabbage to get in the Irish spirit. Try adding some green food coloring to your favorite pancake mix for a festive short-stack. For picky eaters, add a few drops of food coloring to milk and serve with Lucky Charms cereal (a kid favorite)!

Wear Green

St. Patrick's Day was originally a Roman Catholic holiday celebrating Ireland's patron saint and observed only in Ireland; it was not until the 1700's when Irish immigrants in the U.S. started the first St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City. It is customary to wear shamrocks and green clothing or accessories because St Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish.

Whether you’re staying home or going to work, remember to wear green and show your St. Paddy’s Day spirit! For the cutest baby looks, be sure to stop by our Amazon store and browse our selection of Carter’s brand accessories and clothing.

DIY Decorations Your Kids (or Grandkids) Will Love

Keep your kids or grandkids busy with some simple St. Patrick’s Day crafts like this DIY paper chain garland. All you need is some green construction paper, scissors and a stapler or tape. Make it a contest to see who can create the longest paper chain in 5 or 10 minutes, then enjoy decorating together!

Capture your memories with an adorable photo frame like this one or create your own props – mustaches, glasses, leprechaun hats, giant lips or corn-cob pipes.

For more great DIY ideas and tips, be sure to follow us on Pinterest! And say hello to a good buy with our Amazon store where you’ll find the best prices on every items, Carter’s kids clothing and more.

Get a Head Start on Spring Cleaning

Spring will be here before we know it and with all of the yucky weather lately, I’ve gotten quite the head start on my spring cleaning. We have two hairy dogs so I feel like I am always vacuuming, but I enjoy doing a “deep clean” each spring to get our house ready for warmer weather. Here are some of the things I’ve learned over the years that make things easier.

Get rid of “junk” one room at a time

Kitchen – De-clutter your fridge. If you’re like me your fridge is full of artwork from the kids, reminders and maybe even a leftover Christmas card. Take down anything that’s not important and throw away old takeout menus. Next check your “Tupperware” cupboard and do the same. We seem to end up with a million Glad / Ziploc brand containers that are great for leftovers and call themselves “dishwasher safe,” but need to be replaced after countless uses. If they no longer look clean or the lids have warped and they no longer seal tight – throw them out.

Bedroom – Go through your closet and get rid of old clothing, shoes and accessories. If things are in good condition you can try a consignment shop or simply donate the items to your local Goodwill Store or Salvation Army. I also like to do a thorough purge of my sock / underwear drawer. Match up the socks that lost their partners over time and get rid of any strays (keep in mind you can repurpose an old sock as a whiteboard eraser or rag!).

Basement & Garage – Go through kid’s sports equipment, dad’s work boots and other items that may have been outgrown or replaced throughout the year. If things are in good condition try consignment, if not create a “junk” pile.  Because we have dogs I also like to take inventory of toys and treats, getting rid of damaged items and ruined tennis balls.

Get in all the nooks and crannies!

If you haven’t moved your furniture recently, there’s probably a million little dust bunnies hiding behind things. As the weather gets warmer we like to open windows, prop the door open for fresh air and a little breeze will send the dust bunnies flying all over the place! Stay on top of dust bunnies by vacuuming underneath couches, beds, dressers and bookshelves. Our vacuum has an extension that slides right underneath things but if I can I’ll pull the furniture out from against the wall to make sure I’ve gotten everything.

If you’ve got kids or pets be sure to pull the cushions off your couch and vacuum up all the crumbs and pet hair.  You may be surprised at what you’ll find under there!

Remember the little things

Sometimes we forget about the things we touch most often which are probably full of germs or fingerprints.  Disinfect household doorknobs and use a Magic Eraser to get rid of finger prints around doorways and handles. Wipe down railings, microwave and fridge handles and appliances that are used by everyone in the family.  I also like to give my dog’s dishes a good cleaning every so often. Regardless of how “clean” they may lick them, dogs get colds too and it doesn’t hurt to put their dishes through the dishwasher to disinfect them.

Our house is far from spotless, but with a little extra time and attention to detail I try to keep things in order.  A little goes a long way so get a head start on your spring cleaning today and remember to shop Good Buys All the Time for the best prices on your favorite everyday items and for more great tips and DIY ideas follow us on Facebook!

Irish Soda Bread - A St. Patty's Day Tradition

St. Patty’s Day is just around the corner and in our family, that’s a reason to celebrate! Growing up Irish with the bright red hair to show it, I learned the importance of family and tradition at an early age. One of my favorite Irish traditions is baking Soda Bread – a must-have for St. Patrick’s Day! The best part of baking soda bread is that you don’t have to wait for it to rise like you would with a yeast bread. In fact, from start to finish it only takes about an hour. My family loves it and I hope yours does too!

Traditional Irish Soda Bread

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

30 mins

Serves: 1 8-inch loaf (8 servings)

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease and flour a round cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Gradually stir in the buttermilk until the dough comes together in a slightly sticky ball.
4. Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead gently a few times.
5. Form the dough into a ball and then press into the prepared pan so that the dough resembles a large disk. The dough should reach the edges of the pan, but may spring back slightly.
6. Cut an X into the dough with a sharp knife, about 1/4 of an inch deep. Cover the pan of dough with another round cake pan turned upside down.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, covered, then remove the top pan and bake uncovered for about 10 minutes more or until the crust is dark golden brown.

For more great recipes, DIY ideas and money saving tips, be sure to follow Good Buys All the Time on Facebook! 

Keeping it Simple for a Healthier New Year

Every year I set a lofty weight-loss goal or tell myself I’m going to save hundreds of dollars for my dream vacation, but somehow come March, April, May I realize I actually gained 3 lbs and I may have saved enough for a new toaster. No matter how great my intentions or how motivated I feel while making my resolutions, I never seem to stick to them.  This year I decided to keep things simple and start by setting small, realistic goals.

Be Specific
Instead of making a resolution to be “healthier,” I decided to get specific. It’s a lot easier to keep yourself accountable for something that’s specific, measurable or trackable, than it is to stick to a generalized statement.  I enjoy walking and I know it’s a great workout so I decided an attainable goal was to walk 1.5 miles at least 4 days of the week.  I took my schedule into consideration and determined 4 days a week was a reasonable goal – I would have to stay dedicated to making time for my walk, but I wasn’t asking too much from myself.  I also set a goal for distance because I have a tendency to slack when it comes to exercise.  By telling myself ahead of time I’m going to do at least 1.5 miles, I can gauge how long I’ll be at the park or the gym and I’ll also be able to track my progress. I’m hoping to better my time each month.

In addition to my walking goals for 2015, I decided to get specific with how I plan to save money this year.  It’s easy to say you’ll watch what you spend at the mall or the grocery store but it’s nearly impossible to measure a goal so vague.  I decided to get specific and target one of my guilty pleasures… Starbucks coffee. As much as I love my coffee breaks or grabbing a latte while I run some errands, those $3-$6 drinks add up. I decided to cut Starbucks and Dunkin out of my budget for the year and instead decided to buy my own gourmet coffee to make at home. Now I can save money and calories by skipping the fancy syrups and the added whipped cream.

Stay Accountable
I told my girlfriend who walks with me from time to time about my goals for the year and she was motivated to make my walking challenge her own.  Having someone to keep you accountable is important, but finding someone to workout with you and push you when you start slacking off is even better! I also told my hubby about my goal to cut out my Starbucks addiction and he agreed to hold me to it.  Now there’s no going back – if he finds Starbucks cups in our trash can or sees the charges add up on our debit card I’ll be in trouble.

Re-Evaluate Your Goals
If I can stick to my walking plan and no Starbucks for a month, I plan to re-evaluate my goals to see how I can continue challenging myself to become healthier.  I’d love to be able to go from walking to jogging and eventually my goal is to run 1.5 miles without stopping, but that will take some time. For now I know if I stick to my walking goals I am one step closer to my end goal. If I am able to go without Starbucks, I plan to add to my goal by eliminating some other guilty habits.  I’d like to cut out fast food altogether and cut back my grocery bill, but for now I’m keeping it simple.

Whatever your New Year’s resolution, if you keep things reasonable, measurable and hold yourself accountable for your goals, you’re sure to make progress. Good luck!

~R.K. for Good Buys All the Time!