There is nothing that screams homemade Christmas like homemade gift wrapping!  I saw this quick little video on HGTV’s website and just loved this idea!  It’s a great way to make a special gift personalized and would even be a fun craft for the kiddos!

So head on over HERE and check out that and other homemade Christmas videos!

Then, top it off with a homemade gift tag from our favorite home maven, Martha Stewart!  Super simple and just the right touch!

Homemade gifts can be easy and fun and very classy!  Here are some of our Favorite ideas from Better Homes and Gardens!!

Photo Booklet

Gather inexpensive supplies — card stock, photos, photo corners, and ribbon– for this easy-to-make card and frame combo. Cut a sheet of card stock in half lengthwise, and tape ends together to make one long piece. Fold every 4 inches. Attach photos with photo corners. Punch a hole in the back for ribbon to wrap around the booklet.  Voila!  Perfectly pretty homemade gift!

CD Holder

Decorate a box for a CD by punching occasion-appropriate shapes from colored self-adhesive seals and decorative papers. Stick and glue the shapes to the box. Add a few small jewels for a bit of sparkle. Tie the box closed with a ribbon. How easy and fun is that!

Monogram Wall Art

Create a personalized, monogrammed gift with a wood letter and and crafts supplies purchased from a craft store. Paint the letter a neutral color, and embellish as you wish with fabric, buttons, ribbons and paper. Get creative and have fun!

Here’s a great idea of how to turn the corner of your little sweetie’s room into her own mini dance studio!  Just find a great old mirror to mount behind the door, put up some hooks to house the tutus, a few little decorations and *voila*!  Instant playspace!!

What other great ideas do you have going on behind your kids’ closed doors?

I just found something that is going to save me time and money on a regular basis!  It’s a lot of fun too:)!  Check out Alice.  It’s a service to help you buy all of the kitchen, bathroom, household, baby, kid and lots of other STUFF that we all have to get regularly but have to go find first, put it in the cart, purchase and then lug it home.  We are now happily ‘lug-free’!  Heck, let UPS do it, right?!?! Oh, it’s ALWAYS FREE SHIPPING at Alice too!  Even for tiny orders:)!!!  Definitley, let UPS do it since it’s easyyyy and only takes 2-3 days!

Saves me MONEY:  The best part (other than saving a ton of time on a regular basis, which I know I mentioned) is the AUTOMATIC COUPONS!!!  Yes, that’s right!  All of those manufacturer’s coupons are automatically found and applied to your order!  Yesterday I placed my first order and bought a pack of Huggies Supreme diapers that retails for $10.99 and usually costs $9.69 from Alice… for only $3.50 after coupons!  Take a peek and notice how MANY of the things I bought had coupons!!

All in all, I bought over $80 worth of things I buy ANYWAY, I got it delivered for free, and AFTER COUPONS I ONLY SPENT $56.76!!!!!!!!(…)!!!

Saves me TIME: Now instead of tromping though the store and forgetting a few things along the way… and buying some more that I don’t really need… I get to pull up my “Shelf” to see what I always buy!

You can even get automatic reminders if you want.  Alice’s organizational features are truly fantastic and I am really looking forward to never running out of anything ever again, and the cumulative savings of both time and money thanks to Alice.

Also, Alice makes shopping Green and Organic very easy!  They carry lots of great brands like Earth’s Best, Gerber Organic, Tom’s, Kashi, Seventh Generation and MORE!

Want to try Alice and save $10 off of your first order?  CLICK HERE, sign up to shop and never run out of anything again!  It’s SO simple and trust us it’s going to be one of your Favorite Things just like it is ours:).

I’ll see ya there!  Look for me online at Alice as Bellaziza in the “Neighborhood” and we can chat or tell me what you think in the comments of this post:)!  For now, back to shopping….

Crista

Have you ever been somewhere outdoors with your kids and been just mesmorized by your surroundings… only to see that they weren’t quite so thrilled?  Yeah.  About that.  What happened to beauty being enough?  Nature itself just being enough?  The ’simple things’?  Where are they you ask?  They left with he latest update to your kid’s iPod.  Sad but true, kids are jaded now more than ever and it’s showing.

This past weekend I took Isabella and Camilla out to a family friend’s home.  Miss Anna.

Miss Anna has the most beautiful property with gardens, and orchards, and it seems to go on forever and ever until you walk right up to the riverbank!  Just lovely.  There’s even a magic forest!  That’s where the fairies live, you know.  Miss Anna says that they like it if you’re quiet and that sometimes they leave little treasures lying around. Isabella?  Quiet?  Um, yeah.

So it really is such a magical place, as you can see.  The ‘fairies’ were there not long before we got there too!  Aaaah, how fortunate:)!  They left behind a delicate trail of pink silk rose petals that led us to the back of the forest.  How much fun, right?  This is where the need for me to write about this here on BFT comes in.

In spite of the glory, Isabella was bored.  All of this beauty and magic in the air… and my three year old was BORED!  I was cast more as the camera-in-hand mommy waiting for her in her big dress to burst into laughter and skip around soaking in the rose petals.  No, she was more concerned with a few pesky mosquitos and “mushy grass”.

I started getting excited and showing her what a magical thing it was… and OOH!  THERE”S ANOTHER PETAL!!!  LOOK ISABELLA!!!  It took a little coaxing, but soon enough she started to get it.  “Look Mommy!  There’s another one!” but with a suddenly scowled “You go get it” attached.   So I went to get it and then a few petals later she was in the groove, picking up petals and putting them into her bag.  She got it.  It took a little bit of teaching on my part and learning on hers… but she got it.

Am I wrong to have thought that her imagination would take flight and she would have just loved the experience?  Didn’t I love things like that as a kid?  I think I did.  Regardless, I want my girls to enjoy nature and simplicity and non-commercial things, etc.  Thank you Wonder Pets and Yo Gabba Gabba, but things like this should be considered more fun by the three year old set, in my humble opinion, with or without DJ Lance.  I’m really happy that in the end she was running around smiling with excitement, and picking up the pink petals on her own.  The first part of things got me thinking though.  I had to teach her how to enjoy something overwhelmingly… simple and beautiful.

In conclusion, there will be a lot more teaching going on in this area at Chez Bellaziza.  We are going to get really good at this:).  I welcome your comments and suggestions.  As Miss Anna commented laughingly, “Boy, she really is a city girl!”  I want Isabella to be savvy and smart, but also contented in quiet reflection and able to enjoy beauty.  In measure, ok?  I know she’s still three.

Crista

PS – Love the dress?  Me too!  Gap Outlet.  Linen.  Fully lined.  Clearance section 12.99 mark down from 29.99.  SCORE!

Fashion Tip: Buy dresses big because long hemlines make great photo ops!  This is a 7/8 on a 3 year old.  Hey, sometimes it works!  The straps were fully adjustable so we shortened them up easily and *poof!* instant mini haute couture.  Seems more Simonetta than Gap for sure!

Time is running out!  Have you found something for the Dads in your life yet?  If you think this Testoster-O’Grill is too much or didn’t like my ideas here, then maybe this will help you!

I found this cute little What Should You Give Your Dad For Father’s Day? Quiz at Kaboose which actually came up with some really great gift ideas!  So give it a try!  Your Dad will thank you!

Tasha

Image courtesy of www.GPSMagazine.com.

A very big “Thanks You’re Sweet!” to Amy at www.LivingLocurto.com for this adorable idea and free downloadable printable!  Just download, print and staple to a standard sized sandwich baggie filled with your favorite treats!  TOO cute, right:)!?!?

Check it out HERE to read her post and download this adorable little label!  Everyone will just flip over this one, super mom!

We know Martha does everything just right.  And when it comes to Mother’s Day, you can’t afford to do anything less than perfect!  We wanted to pass on our Favorite Mother’s Day ideas from Martha…you’re welcome!!

Smooth On Cast Kit – This is SO adorable, thoughtful and down right precious!!!

Herb Garden Kit – This is an easy and cute way to celebrate your green thumb Mom!  Throw it all in a lovely basket or pot and voila!  Mother’s Day gift done!

Mom’s heart homemade gifts!  These Decal Vases are so easy, you won’t believe it!!!  And neither will your Mom!

Every Mom wants a piece, no NEEDS a piece of jewelry for Mother’s Day.  This Mom’s Charm Necklace is a super cute way to make your very own masterpiece of a jewel for Mom!  And Martha has you covered on this one…she sells crafty little kits to make this treasure, sold at your local craft shop!

Thanks, Martha!!

I don’t know about you, but I have had enough of those big brightly colored tubs the town gives you for recycling!  Could they be any less chic?!  I love the ideas I found below for making a recycling space in your home with some attractive containers and a little imagination!

The Inspired Room posted this picture to the left which really did inspire me!  I love the idea of the hideaway containers.  Now if I can just find a cute little nook like that!

These stainless steel containers are from Simple Human.  To the right are the Front Load Recycle Bins that are super practical and decor friendly!  Simple Human has a few recycling options, so you should check them out!  Get creative and have fun so your recycling habits can be easier and prettier!

We found a fun and informative way to quiz yourself on what kind of ecological footprint you leave on the Earth. 

Click here to try it out yourself!

We know we sure have some work to do!

How about you?

“In our every deliberation we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.”  This is a quote from The Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy and is Seventh Generation’s motto.  While providing safe and effective cleaning products for you and your family, Seventh Generation is also being mindful of their affects on the Earth.

Seventh Generation creates household and personal care products that are healthy and safe for the air, the surfaces, the fabrics, the pets, and the people within your home.  But they aren’t like all the other cleaning companies out there!  There can be enormous differences between mainstream products and those from companies like Seventh Generation. While most people know what “natural” and “organic” mean in terms of foods, many are just beginning to understand that there are similar choices to be made with other items they purchase, such as cleaning products.

In a world of unregulated cleaning products, it’s nice to know that Seventh Generation happily lists all of their ingredients and what they do, even though there are no regulations that require them to do so.  You might also want to compare the instructions and cautions on the Seventh Generation product to one of their competitors. We think you’ll find quite a difference, and see how their products can help contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

We love the commitment that Seventh Generation has for our safety and the caring of our planet.  It’s certainly easy to call Seventh Generation a Favorite Thing!!

It is our responsibilty as parents to teach our children about the importance of appreciating the Earth.  That’s why I never mind when my kids ask to play PBS Kids’ Eeko World (Environmental Education for Kids Online)!  Eeko World features an engaging and interactive format that invites children to explore, experiment, and collaborate as they learn about conservation and the environment.  So check it out with your child…you’ll both have fun and learn something new!

We will all be boiling, dying and filling Easter eggs galore over the next week.  (Not to mention the eating of the chocolate ones!)  But do you know why?  We know these are burning questions in your minds so we are here to fill you in!

The one universal symbol of Easter celebrations throughout the world is the Easter egg. From very early times, an egg has been considered an important symbol of rebirth. The custom of giving eggs has been traced back to Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, to whom the egg was a symbol of life.

In the Christian faith, it was during Easter that the consumption of eggs resumed after the strict Lenten fast. So, eggs became a focus of Easter meals, and a prized Easter gift for children and servants.  This is probably the reason why eggs came to be associated with Easter.

The most famous decorated Easter eggs were those made by the talented goldsmith Peter Faberge.  In Russia in 1885, Tsar Alexander the Third asked Faberge to make a special Easter gift for his wife, the Empress Maria, and soon Faberge eggs were considered to be exquisite gifts to the Russian royal family as they celebrated the Easter holiday.  Today, Faberge eggs are priceless masterpieces that are considered very rare and precious.  And, of course, eggs have now been embellished, dyed, painted, and adorned for the Easter holiday for many, many years.

Thanks to Wikipedia for the info!

We were absolutely inspired by this idea from The Inspired Room and of course we love to share our inspirations with you!

You can create a lovely Memory Shelf for your child’s room using “treasures” that they have collected!  The treasures can be from one memorable day, a special trip, gathered throughout the year, or a collection they are trying to establish!

You can keep this shelf available to be changed as often as your child wishes and gives them a little part of their room that’s all about them!

Check out www.TheInspiredRoom.net for more ideas like this!

We all want our babies’ rooms to look like something off of the latest magazine cover, right??

With a little help from celebrity interior designer and cutie pie Kenneth Brown, you absolutely can!

He has great ideas for every room in your house, and some really beautiful things available to purchase to help give your home that professionally decorated look!

To see more, visit his website at KennethBrownDesign.com.

Also, take a read through his tips on how to achieve good design in your nursery without breaking the bank!  We just loved it!!!