Showing posts with label paper
By now, most kids across the country have either gone back to school or will be very shortly. While the kids get excited about a new school year, we parents may become a bit frazzled with all the necessary back to school supply shopping we must do. The supply lists seem to get longer and more costly each year, that’s why I’m so excited to share an innovated product with you today. Read on to see how you can send your students back to school with a reusable notebook too.



Rocketbook Everlast reusable notebook #ad

Easy kids birthday party craft using upcycled packing paper

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Thursday, October 02, 2014

From time to time my husband receives supplies for his cabinet business wrapped in long sheets of white packing paper.  He knows better than to recycle this paper (or any packing paper really) before asking me if I want it for craft and D.I.Y. projects.

This thrifty do it your self-er usually says yes!  Sometimes I get brown paper, sometimes I get tissue paper, but my favorite of all is the perfectly white pieces of packing paper.  I roll them up and squirrel them away for special occasions.

Inspiration struck when we were planning my tweens birthday party. Anybody who has ever hosted a birthday party/sleepover knows these wonderful tweens can power through activities almost as quickly as they can hoover a bag of Doritos. Almost. 

So a Mom’s got to be on her A game or she will hear the dreaded “I’m bored” or “what else can we do?” words. Not good when one is celebrating a birthday. So my daughter and I jammed packed their schedule, but my ace in the hole was letting them write on the table!


easy birthday party craft for tweens #upcycled paper
Doesn’t this paper just beg to be drawn and written on? Even our cat couldn’t resist it.


 Craft Set Up:


Setting this craft up was easy-peasy.  First, we placed a festive plastic table cloth on our dining room table. Then rolled out the white packing paper and taped it down on the ends and sides. Don’t worry if your upcycled paper has a hole or two in it, just tape over it. Next, set out your writing supplies. We had a bucket full of markers and a pencil case full of colored pencils and pens. There may have been a few crayons in the mix as well.


bucket of markers for craft time


You are good to go! Once all the guests arrive, let the birthday child announce that they can write on the table and be ready with your camera for their reactions! The girls attending my daughter’s party practically knocked each other over to get to the table to start. 

Out of respect for privacy, I won’t share their happy faces here, but I will show you the end product.


happy craft table


As you can see, these girls LOVED this craft. They came back to it again and again. They wrote and laughed and talked their way through dinner and dessert here. They came back after playing flashlight tag and they sat here again doodling while eating their breakfast and waiting to be picked up. 

The best part for me was seeing their faces. Once the party guests had gone home, my daughter and I saved a portion of the paper with special birthday messages on it. 


Finding free packing paper ideas:

If you haven’t started recycling the packing supplies that come in with your products, now is a great time to start with the holidays rapidly approaching. You can also ask your family members to save longer sheets of packing paper for you.  You could even ask a local business if they receive boxes with packing paper. I’m sure they would be happy to give you some as most businesses just recycle it.  

However you come by your paper, I hope you and your kids will get a chance to write on the table soon! 


Please share in comments: Do you set up craft/activity stations at your kids birthday parties? If yes, what kinds?

Paper Trails

in , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, March 14, 2012




I am surrounded by paper of one sort or another. Each day I set out to follow the Golden Rule of organization: Touch the item only once. Make a decision and put it in its home. 

This has always been tricky for me in our his & mine small business family. Some weeks its tough enough to handle the barrage of mail, school papers, appointments, coupons, invitations, etc. that makes up our family paper trail.  

Today as I set down at my laptop (which resides in my office, which is the dining room table). I have to move piles of paper. I’m covered up with note pads, planners and pens.  So that’s why my hubby couldn’t find a pen last night! Oops.

 I am an old school note taker and have notepads strategically placed throughout the house. Except for the bathrooms and our bedroom. Some rooms are work and call free zones.

Clearly, I have broken the Golden Rule. Several times in fact.  And, I’m teaching my girls to be awesome notepad users as well.  

 I started the frustrating task of clearing my work station; and un-earth notes from the girls.  One note says “I love you Mama, what’s for dinner?  Ah, I love the little hearts and cute little furry-baby! My oldest is so artistic.   

Another note says “Can I watch TV?” This one has highly decorated yes or no boxes for me to make my choice. This one is from my youngest. Again, my heart squeezes with that special Mom love feeling.

  I try to think back to what I was doing that made them write to me rather than talk with me.  I swallow my Mom Guilt and decide to save these notes to put in their memento books.

Which are,  of course, labeled and filed in their forever home with only one touch.

Not.

How do you handle your paper trail?

What is your paper style? Are you a stacker, a filer, a tosser?

Please share your thoughts.  







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