Winstead Wandering

Prone to Wander

Free Mother’s Day Printables (for Grandma, too!)

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These adorable and FREE Mother’s Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They’re a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they’re perfect for creating an annual tradition.

These adorable and FREE Mother's Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They're a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they're perfect for creating an annual tradition.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday!

I created these fun and free Mother’s Day printables (with a grandma version, too) as a cute way to memorialize my kids’ thoughts about me and their grandmothers. It’s true that kids really do say the darnedest things, and who appreciates that more than moms and grandmas? Probably no one, which is why these printables make such great gifts.

These adorable and FREE Mother's Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They're a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they're perfect for creating an annual tradition.

The pages are great for giving on their own, especially if you don’t usually buy Mother’s Day gifts for grandmas. They make wonderful gift-giving inspiration, too; let your child’s response to one of the blanks (“she loves to wear…”) serve as a starting point when it’s time to shop for presents.

To get this free Mother’s Day printable, as well as free access to all my printables, simply sign-up below for my free newsletter. If you’re already signed up, the link and the password you received in the original email are all you need.

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Pin these Free Mother’s Day Printables for later!

These adorable and FREE Mother's Day printables make perfect inexpensive gifts! They're a thoughtful keepsake Mom or Grandma will treasure, and they're perfect for creating an annual tradition.

Free Father’s Day Printable (for Grandpa, too!)

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This free Father’s Day Printable is the perfect substitute for a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

This free Father's Day Printable is the perfect substitute to a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

 

Printables like this first gained popularity several years ago on Pinterest. I didn’t have kids at the time, but I knew this was something I wanted to do when the time came. Now it’s here!

I’d seen plenty of free versions around the internet, but as often happens, I decided to make my own in order to get the exact look I wanted.

This free Father's Day Printable is the perfect substitute to a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

Free Father’s Day Printable (can be used for a grandfather, too)

You can get the completely free downloads below!

Dad Version

This free Father's Day Printable is the perfect substitute to a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

Grandpa Version

This free Father's Day Printable is the perfect substitute to a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

How to use the Printable

The printables themselves are self-explanatory, but what should you do with them after they’re completed? The simplest option is to give to dad in lieu of a store-bought card. Trust me, this substitute will make dad way happier than a $6 card.

You can easily turn it into a complete gift by purchasing something to go along with your child’s answers (if they’re accurate). Did she remember her dad loves root beer? Buy his favorite brand. Does he know Dad loves to wear goofy socks? Let him pick out a few pairs he thinks his dad will love. Combine the cute questionnaire with a thoughtful child-inspired gift and you’re good to go.

I also suggest preserving the interview. Dad will love reading back over each year’s interview every time Father’s Day rolls around. You could stick them all in a small binder, or you could frame page from the most recent year, storing the pages from each previous year behind it in the frame.

Even if you only manage to get your child(ren) to complete the page, their father or grandfather is sure to love the sweet personalized gift.

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Don’t forget to pin this Free Father’s Day Printable for next year!

This free Father's Day Printable is the perfect substitute to a boring store-bought card. Record and commemorate the hilarious memories for years to come.

Homemade Salt Dough Ornaments

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Homemade salt dough ornaments couldn’t be simpler to make. With only three ingredients, they’re the perfect easy craft for kids of all ages.

Homemade salt dough ornaments couldn't be simpler to make. With only three ingredients, they're the perfect easy craft for kids of all ages.

When B and I made homemade cinnamon ornaments a couple weeks ago, she was pretty disappointed she didn’t get to paint or decorate them. I knew right away she would love making and decorating these homemade salt dough ornaments and, since they’re almost as easy as the cinnamon ones, we whipped up a batch the next day.

Homemade salt dough ornaments couldn't be simpler to make. With only three ingredients, they're the perfect easy craft for kids of all ages.

I broke out a bunch of acrylic paints and we had a blast decorating Christmas trees, snowmen, and angels. Because I want these ornaments to be around for a long time, I let the paint dry and them sealed them with clear acrylic. You could use a spray; I used a jar left over from sealing the furniture in the nursery.

We put the first batch on our tree at home and, since the activity was such a hit, I made a double patch for the kids to paint and give to teachers and staff members at school. Homemade salt dough ornaments will definitely be a new Christmas tradition for the Winstead family.

 

When your homemade salt dough ornaments are dry, string them with ribbon, embroidery floss, or festive baker’s twine. They’re ready to display (or give away)!

Homemade salt dough ornaments couldn't be simpler to make. With only three ingredients, they're the perfect easy craft for kids of all ages.

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Homemade Cinnamon Ornaments

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With just two ingredients, you can make easy homemade cinnamon ornaments: a perfect DIY for decorating or gifting. What a fun craft for kids!

With just two ingredients, you can make easy homemade cinnamon ornaments: a perfect DIY for decorating or gifting. What a fun craft for kids!

Homemade cinnamon ornaments are something from my childhood, although I can’t for the life of me remember where and when I made them. I have no idea if it was at home, at school, at church. I’ve got nothing. Regardless, when I thought about what sorts of crafts I wanted to do this year with the kids, I knew these fragrant ornaments would make the list.

B and I whipped up a batch during Thanksgiving break. The dough couldn’t possibly be any easier; there are only two ingredients. It rolled out easily, and we had fun choosing shapes. These homemade cinnamon ornaments bake low and slow, leaving the whole house smelling deliciously like Christmas.

With just two ingredients, you can make easy homemade cinnamon ornaments: a perfect DIY for decorating or gifting. What a fun craft for kids!

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Gifts For the Foodie

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Gifts For the Foodie: the best gift inspiration for the person in your life who loves to cook, bake, and feed family and friends.

This post contains affiliate links. That means, when you make a purchase through one of the these links, I get, at no additional cost to you, a small commission. You can view my disclosure policy for more information.

Shopping for a foodie- someone who loves everything food-related, from cooking to eating to baking- can be tough. Often, it feels like those people already have most of what they need when it comes to kitchen tools and gadgets. Here’s a list of products the foodie in your life might not own, but would definitely love to.

I hope you find something perfect for your foodie!

Gifts For the Foodie

Gifts For the Foodie: the best gift inspiration for the person in your life who loves to cook, bake, and feed family and friends.

 

  1. Rectangular Baker, $40 | For someone who loves to cook or bake, you can’t go wrong with cute bakeware. Most of us have a kitchen full of bland white Corningware or glass Pyrex. It gets the job done, but it isn’t as fun as some of the adorable options out there now. If the piece in the photo isn’t the right style, you might consider this pie plate or these ramekins.
  2. Graze Snack Box Subscription, $12 a month or give a voucher | You can read all about my honest thoughts on Graze boxes, but the gist is this: your food-lover will get 8 individually-portioned snacks delivered each month. They’re all unique and will be a fun change from the norm.
  3. Flour Water Salt Yeast Cookbook, $20 | Bread is the Everest of the kitchen for a lot of home cooks. Whether your foodie has conquered that beast or not, there’s a recipe in this book that will be just the right skill level.
  4. Decorative Cake Stand, $32 | Is your foodie still showing off mouthwatering cakes on a regular platter? Put an end to that by gifting a beautiful cake stand. Bonus: he might just love it so much he finds the need to show it off immediately by baking a cake from scratch.
  5. Hand Blender, $34 | If your foodie is anything like a lot of the foodies I know, she probably has a running wishlist of kitchen items she’d love to own. There’s a good chance an immersion blender is on that list. This stick blender is a super convenient way to puree sauces, soups, or dips without dirtying up a big blender.
  6. Flour Sack Kitchen Towels, $4 | If you’re on a budget, you can’t go wrong with an adorable set of kitchen towels like this one. Flour sack towels are versatile and especially convenient for those who do a lot of baking. Target has an unbeatable selection.
  7. KitchenAid Mixer Attachments, $40-$100 | Your foodie very likely has a KitchenAid stand mixer– if not, I highly recommend hitting up a few other people for a group gift- but did you know simple attachments can turn the mixer into a pasta roller or a spiralizer, peeler, and corer or a food grinder? Gift an attachment that will make life in the kitchen easier and, if your budget allows, throw in a related cookbook, too.
  8.  Whisk + Scraper, $12 | Anyone who spends time in the kitchen will have a deep appreciation for this whisk that also scrapes the sides of the bowl. If you’re looking for an inexpensive gift, a life-changing whisk like this one is going to give you the most appreciation per dollar.
  9. Kitchen Apron, $26 | Target has dozens of aprons featuring everything from macarons to landscapes to inspirational quotes. There’s got to be at least one that perfectly fits your foodie’s personality.
  10. Beverage Dispenser, $33 | Part of being a foodie and loving to cook is loving to feed others, too. This glass beverage dispenser holds more than four liters and has a subtle honeycomb pattern. It’ll be your foodie’s favorite thing to show off at the next gathering. Throw in some adorable drinkware to complete the gift.

 

What’s your go-to gift for foodies?

Father’s Day Guide: Gifts For the Star Wars Lover

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He’s hard to shop for, and all the options out there can be overwhelming. Take the guess work out of gift-giving with this guide to gifts for the Star Wars lover.

This post contains affiliate links. That means that, when you make a purchase using these links, I make, at no extra cost to you, a small commission. See my disclosure policy for more information.

My husband has been a Star Wars fan for as long as I’ve known him. It’s pretty fun to watch his excitement over the new movies and, as a gift-giver, it’s awesome to see a resurgence in Star Wars-related merchandise. It’s a little overwhelming, though, too. You can buy everything Star Wars: from Easter eggs to toothpaste to chewing gum.

Sorry, you won’t find links to any of those products here. What you will find is a mix of useful and nostalgic gifts for the Star Wars lover in your life.

Gifts for the Star Wars Lover

He's hard to shop for, and all the options out there can be overwhelming. Take the guess work out of gift-giving with this guide to gifts for the Star Wars lover.

  1. Lightsaber Tongs, $30 | Is it not every Star Wars-loving dad’s dream to wield a lightsaber? Now he can, at the same time he’s manning the grill. Don’t stop there, though: outfit him with a Darth Vader apron, too.
  2. Millenium Falcon Graphic Tee, $13 | A distressed graphic tee with a subtle Star Wars reference is the perfect go-to gift for anyone who even remotely loves the franchise. Bonus: this red, white, and blue shirt means he’ll be ready for July Fourth, too. If this tee isn’t his style, Target has a whopping 31 other options to choose from.
  3. Darth Vader Tervis Tumbler, $18 | J owns no fewer than two Star Wars Tervis tumblers. We have three if you count G’s mini Storm Trooper that matches his Papa’s. Those things get used all the time, by everyone in the house. Your super fan should definitely own one, too. If Darth isn’t his thing, there are tons of other options.
  4. Trivial Pursuit DVD Star Wars, $75 | You can get Star Wars versions of pretty much all your favorite board games: Sorry, Operation, Monopoly. But if you really love your Star Wars fan, you’ll give him the chance to show off his extensive knowledge with a trivia game.
  5. Star Wars Glasses, $20 | Sure, it’s fun to see Star Wars mania perpetuated for another generation, but we all know the original movies will always be the best. These glasses are a fun throwback nod to the nostalgia of the movies we grew up watching.
  6. The Force Awakens, $17 | Duh, right? Any self-respecting fan already owns the first six movies, but maybe he hasn’t made time to buy the latest yet. If that’s the case, this gift should definitely happen.
  7. Star Wars Blueprint Tie, $24 | I’ve never worn a tie, so I can’t say for certain, but I’m thinking nothing makes wearing one bearable quite like knowing it features images from your all-time favorite movie franchise.
  8. The Force Awakens Boxers, $9 | For the first several years we were dating and married, I’d always give J a pair of boxers for holidays and special occasions. Somewhere along the line we both forgot about the tradition, but I’d say these boxers would be the perfect way to resurrect it.
  9. Star Wars Mural, $114 | Buying him Star Wars memorabilia that you then allow him to affix to your walls is pretty much the ultimate act of love. The good news is that it’s removable, but still, sorry J, you won’t be unwrapping this as a gift any time soon.
  10. Wood Wall Clock, $24 | This clock would be the perfect way for your fan to bring a little of his personality into his office or temporary work space. It’s cordless, which is convenient, and it has good reviews from people who’ve purchased it.

Cheap & Easy Ways to Make Valentine’s Day Special for Kids

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No magazine-worthy crafts here; just practical cheap & easy ways to make Valentine’s Day special for kids.

No magazine-worthy crafts here; just practical cheap & easy ways to make Valentine's Day special for kids.

We’ve all seen those elaborate Pinterest-worthy holiday crafts, right? If I’m telling the truth, I envy those moms who have the time, money, and ability to put those crafts together; I know how special holidays must be for their kids.

Maybe, like me, you’re not one of those moms. Fear not. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to pull off the things included here. I’ve compiled a list of cheap & easy ways to make Valentine’s Day special for kids.

Cheap & Easy Ways to Make Valentine’s Day Special for Kids

Dye Their Breakfast

This is one of my fondest memories from childhood. There wasn’t a lot of money in my house growing up, but that didn’t stop my mom from making holidays special for us. One of the simplest things she did that was so fun was add food coloring to our pancakes and milk for breakfast. She’d use red dye on Valentine’s Day and green dye on St. Patrick’s Day (my little brother’s birthday).

If you don’t usually make a full breakfast in the morning, this would be a great year to do that because Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday. You could easily make a weekday holiday special by coloring milk for breakfast cereal or dying oatmeal.

Obviously, you could adapt this idea to fit any meal or snack of the day, but I love the idea of starting their morning with something so fun.

Buy a Special Book

No magazine-worthy crafts here; just practical cheap & easy ways to make Valentine's Day special for kids.

Our kids, especially our five-year old, love to read. Buying a Valentine’s Day book is the perfect way to celebrate the day as a family while adding to your book collection. G is obsessed with The Berenstain Bear’s right now, so this book is on my wishlist.

A few other options that include characters from classics: Love from the Very Hungry Caterpillar, Pete the Cat: Valentine’s Day is Cool, and Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouse! (with the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie mouse).

My favorite thing about this idea is that the book can be read for years to come.

Create a Theme for Lunch

If your kids are school-age and take their own lunches, it wouldn’t take too much extra effort to create a Valentine’s Day themed lunch. You could cut everything into a heart shape, or just stick with a red and pink theme: strawberry jelly on the sandwich, Babybel cheese, cherry or grape tomatoes. Take the whole thing over the top with a themed paper napkin.

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5 Frugal Ways to Show Love on Valentine’s Day

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February 14 doesn’t have to be a day of obligatory gifts and unmet expectations. Make the day special with these 5 frugal ways to show love on Valentine’s Day.

February 14 doesn't have to be a day of obligatory gifts and unmet expectations. Make the day special with these 5 frugal ways to show love on Valentine's Day.

Valentine’s Day is a polarizing holiday. On one side, you have Team “every day should be a celebration of love.” Those people argue that February 14, is a “Hallmark holiday”, a day manufactured by greeting card companies and chocolate makers to boost sales. They say that, if you really love someone, you’ll spend all 365 days each year showing it.

On the other side, you have Team “Valentine’s Day is a day for you to lavish me with all the presents I didn’t get at Christmas”. That team asserts that… well, I’m not sure what their reasoning is.

I fall somewhere in the middle. In no way do I think V-Day should consist only of the obligatory exchange of gifts. I also don’t think it’s necessary to skip the day altogether. I think that, like Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day should serve as a reminder to treasure the things and people we should be grateful for every day.

For those of us who want to find a way to our love to the special people in our lives without breaking the bank or giving into the commercialization of the holiday, I have 5 ideas to help you out!

Hop over to Money Saving Mom for the rest of the post!



February 14 doesn't have to be a day of obligatory gifts and unmet expectations. Make the day special with these 5 frugal ways to show love on Valentine's Day.

Easy Holiday Dessert Recipes

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This year, don’t waste time trying to impress everyone by replicating your grandmother’s famous recipe; knock their socks off with something new, like one of these easy holiday dessert recipes.

This year, don't waste time trying to impress everyone by replicating your grandmother's famous recipe; knock their socks off with something new, like one of these easy holiday dessert recipes.

Do you have a signature holiday dessert? If so, by all means, stick with that this year. You wouldn’t want to disappoint the people who’ve spent 364 days looking forward to it.

But maybe you don’t have a go-to holiday dessert recipe? Maybe you’re the one who always volunteers to bring paper products to the gathering. Or maybe your idea of “homemade” is arranging store-bought cookies on a platter. Maybe you’re banned from the kitchen ever since the fire incident of ‘o9.

Whatever your reason for foregoing holiday baking, it’s time that changed. The easy holiday dessert recipes compiled here are all easy and mouthwatering. Some of them don’t even require you to use the oven. Be careful, though; you just might find a new signature holiday dish.

Easy Holiday Dessert Recipes

Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Caramel Icing

Brown sugar pound cake with caramel icing is a rich, moist cake, flecked with toffee bits and smothered in an easy, decadent caramel sauce.

This pound cake is a decadent alternative to even the most indulgent pie. The cake itself is moist, buttery, and flecked with melty toffee bits. The whole thing is smothered with the kind of rich, gooey caramel icing that you haunts your dreams in all the best ways.

Peanut Butter Cup Bars

This year, don't waste time trying to impress everyone by replicating your grandmother's famous recipe; knock their socks off with something new, like one of these easy holiday dessert recipes.

If you don’t think it was possible for a four-ingredient dessert steal the show at a holiday gathering, give these bars a try. They’re ridiculously easy to put together- no baking!- but your friends and family will go crazy.

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Easy Holiday Side Dish Recipes

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It’s totally possible to keep your stress level under control and still create a delicious meal. Here are seven easy holiday side dish recipes to help you do just that.

It's totally possible to keep your stress level under control and still create a delicious meal. Here are seven easy holiday side dish recipes to help you do just that.

There’s something about holiday meal preparation that just seems synonymous with stress. Maybe it’s cooking for relatives you only see a couple times a year, or maybe it’s the pressure to create perfect memories on a day that only comes around once a year. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t have to be that way.

You can prepare mouthwatering, memorable meals for your guests while keeping your blood pressure in check. The trick is to choose dishes that are deceptively easy and crowd-pleasingly delicious. All of the recipes gathered here fit that criteria; now searching for the perfect dish is one less thing you have to worry about this holiday season.

Easy Ranch Roasted Carrots

It's totally possible to keep your stress level under control and still create a delicious meal. Here are seven easy holiday side dish recipes to help you do just that.

These are the complete opposite of the mushy, flavorless carrots that are often served at holiday meals. They’re tender but still crunchy. The roasting adds a delightful carmelization, and the ranch seasonings are subtle, but present.

Twice-Baked Potato Casserole

It's totally possible to keep your stress level under control and still create a delicious meal. Here are seven easy holiday side dish recipes to help you do just that.

This casserole combines everyone’s favorite baked potato toppings in a hot, cheesy dish of goodness. It’s loaded with sour cream, cream cheese, bacon, garlic, cheddar cheese, and more.

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