Category "Kids"

Money Chain | Same as Cash

Queen Darlene - August 19, 2015 - Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas, Graduation, Kids, Money

Almost everyone likes to receive money as a gift. It comes in the right color and size every time. How to give money in a unique way is the challenge.

I’ve used the Money Chain idea several times and it never fails to be entertaining. One, the visual is cool – it’s a chain. Two, it’s fun to count each link. Three, it’s an interactive gift.

Everyone who receives it can’t wait to take the chain apart and stack all the money in one hand.

I like to use dollar bills to make a very long chain. Within the chain, you can insert $5, $10 or any denomination. The amount you give is up to you.

I’ve used 50 one dollar bills chained together for a 50th wedding anniversary gift and wrote in the card “still chained together!” Continue Reading

Hallmark itty bittys® | Friends for Little Ones

Queen Darlene - August 13, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Christmas, Kids

Little ones attending day care, Mother’s Day Out or preschool are usually not excited about going unless… they can bring some friends.

Money Tootsie Rolls Suprise!

Queen Darlene - August 12, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Food & Drinks, Graduation, Kids, Money

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Gifts containing a hidden surprise are some of my favorite gifts. If the person loves candy, Tootsie Rolls are a creative way to surprise someone with money.

It’s incredibly easy to roll up cash to look like Tootsie Rolls.

First, unwrap a Tootsie Roll and eat it. You won’t be needing it. Save the wrapper though!

Fold a dollar bill into thirds, then fold into half, in half again, in half again, and in half again for a total of five folds.

Wrap the folded bill with the Tootsie Roll wrapper you saved. Twist the ends to make it look like there is a real Tootsie Roll candy inside. No glue. No tape. It’s that easy peasy!

Repeat as many times as necessary to create more Money Tootsie Rolls.

Caricatures Make Fun Birthday Party Favors

Princess Diana - August 11, 2015 - Birthday, Kids, Party Favors

When planning my son’s second birthday party, I knew there would be more adults than kids at the event. Kids don’t really have BFFs at that age.

So I needed something to make the party fun for both adults AND kids.

I first met Hector Lopez at the Oklahoma City Thunder Fan Appreciation Night when he drew a caricature of my son and me in less than five minutes. He’s that good!

caricature-birthday-party-favor2-thoughtful-gift-idea

Caricature drawings make for great entertainment and one-of-a-kind birthday party favors!

Queen Darlene saw the drawing hanging up behind my desk at the office and thought it would be a great idea to hire Hector for our agency’s employee picnic.

She’s got great instincts that one!

Our co-workers loved getting their caricatures done! Afterwards, walking through our building you could see caricatures everywhere since people proudly hung up their drawings inside their office or cubicle.

Perfect, I thought! I’ll hire Hector the caricature artist to provide the entertainment and party favors at my son’s birthday party. Continue Reading

Easy Peasy Money Tree Topiary

Princess Diana - August 10, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Congratulations, Graduation, Kids, Money

I like DIY crafts only if the’re easy peasy. So if you’re like me, you’ll love this easy and creative way to give cash as a gift – the money tree topiary!

It’s beautiful, decorative and memorable. Also, unlike a lot of other money gifts, the money tree topiary doesn’t require you to fold or roll any bills. If you can pinch and pin, you can create this DIY money gift in no time!

ITEMS YOU WILL NEED:

dowel rod (I cut the one I bought down to 14 inches)
small pot
foam ball (I used a 5 inch ball)
foam that fits snugly inside pot (I used floral foam)
greening pins also called floral pins (They are U-shaped)
burlap ribbon for the base (You can also use moss, decorative stones or decorative rocks)
colored ribbon for the dowel rod

Back-to-School 3D Food Pencil Cases

Queen Darlene - August 6, 2015 - $20 or Less, Birthday, Christmas, Kids, Party Favors

I remember as kids the excitement of getting new Back-to-School clothes and school supplies.

Mom enjoyed taking us shopping. Looking back I think she was like every parent, happy and ready for school to start!

Some of you may remember buying shoes at Payless where you could purchase two pairs for $5. That was their big campaign slogan a long long time ago.

Purchasing three-ring binders, notebook paper, spiral notebooks, #2 pencils, Bic pens and folders with pictures of a popular TV show were the main school supply staples of the baby boom era during which I grew up.

I’ve gotta tell you, there’s a lot more fun things to choose from now! I found a back-to-school item that will keep things organized AND that kids will think is cool – a 3D Food Pencil Case!

You can buy pencil cases that look like pizzas, ice cream sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream cones, bagels, bananas, pita breads, and cookies to mention a few. Sorry these items are no longer available. You can still get cute food pencil cases through Amazon.com

M&Ms Money Jar

Queen Darlene - August 5, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Congratulations, Graduation, Kids, Money

Did you know M&Ms go with anyone’s diet? It’s true when money is hidden within the M&Ms!

Giving money in a creative way and as a surprise will always make the gift memorable. If it’s impressive and simple, many times the recipient will use the gift idea for someone else!

You’ve heard that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” I love hearing that someone copied one of our gift ideas. That’s Sunburst Gifts at its finest!

I’m hoping the M&Ms Money Jar becomes a gift people will use over and over again.

Items you will need for this money gift:

M&Ms
A canning jar with lid
Toilet paper roll
Cash
Wrapping paper

Money Treasure Dig | Fun Gift for Kids

Princess Diana - July 27, 2015 - $20 or Less, Kids, Money

Kids love to dig for treasure in the sand. Kids also love money.

Combine those two things and you’ve got yourself a Money Treasure Dig that is a perfect money gift for younger children!

All you need are a Plastic Beach Pail and Shovel, Play Sand, and money coins.

Pour a layer of sand in the bucket and then drop a few quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies. Pour sand on top of the coins until they’re hidden. Add more coins to the bucket and then add another layer of sand.

Create Imagination with a Kids Bed Tent

Queen Darlene - July 9, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Kids

Remember on rainy days when you were a kid making “forts” or “tents” out of blankets draped over furniture?

Fits twin or double size mattress.

My brothers and I had so much fun playing in the dark, using our flashlights, peeking out to see what our mother was doing, imagining we were lost at sea or lost in the wilderness, pretending we were cooking food on a campfire while eating snacks from the refrigerator, and sometimes coloring for hours in our very own hideout!

Children love having their own play space to let their imaginations run wild. But unlike a blanket fort, I have a gift idea that won’t mess up or rearrange your living room!

Encourage imaginative play by giving a child a Kids Bed Tent. They come in sizes that fit a twin or double mattress.

Kids Bed Tents can also be placed on the floor so you can take them anywhere in the house or even outside.

Why I Gave My Son a Baby Doll

Princess Diana - May 26, 2015 - $20 or Less, Baby Shower, Kids

I’m raising a little human. He happens to be a boy.

Playing is learning!

In our culture, many unsaid rules exist about how little humans called “boys” should act. Even more so for “girls.”

At the age of two, I bought my son a little doll, a newborn baby dressed head to toe in pink pajamas. I wanted to give him access to a wide variety of toys, not just those considered “gender appropriate.”

My son will grow up to become a father one day, and every parent needs to know how to nurture and nourish.

We give boys race cars and doctor kits all the time although only a very small percentage of them will actually grow up to become race car drivers and doctors. Compare that to how many boys will one day become fathers.

As soon as I showed my son the pink box containing the doll, he grew excited. He yelled, “Baby!”