Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Designer Consignors Gift Card GIVEAWAY!

Hello!

Anyone who knows me knows how I LOVE a consignment sale! After all, you have been coming to see me at the Good2Grow sale for the past couple of years :-)

What do I love even more than a good old consignment sale? Giving away a $25 gift card to one of YOU!  Designer Consignors, the Cary consignment sale you've always loved is having their first sale in Chapel Hill in June, and they would love to have you.

So, go ahead and enter below to win a $25 gift card so you won't feel any guilt going a little crazy :-)
Designer Consignors Sale June 11-13 in Chapel Hill


All Seasons Sale
University Mall (Across from K&W )
Open to the Public June 11-13 10am-7pm
Find name brand name and designer labels for less along with home decor!
Consign and earn up to 70%- this is a great way to earn extra money.

SPECIAL EVENT 
Designer Consignors will be  hosting a food drive/fundraiser event for Urban Ministries.
You can shop EARLY on Wed, June 10 from 7pm-9pm by bringing $10 or $10 worth of canned goods.
Public Sale is Free admission but shoppers are encouraged to bring goods for the food drive.
A list of Urban Ministries current needs can be found here: http://carysale.com/giving-back/

For more information please visit www.CarySale.com for more information

Good luck and Happy Shopping!
-Jennifer
aka Chick #1

Monday, May 25, 2015

DIY Teacher Appreciation Baskets

It is that time of year again, teacher appreciation month and the end of the traditional school year.  It is the perfect time to shower your kid’s teacher with a few thank you gifts for everything they have done.

Some of you may remember my Movie Theme Teacher Appreciation Basket or my favorite ways to Dress Up a Starbucks Cup for a coffee loving teacher. I am thrilled to share with you my 2015 Teacher Appreciation Baskets in the theme of:

Healthy & Helpful!

All three of these baskets for the teachers at Bright Horizons were inspired by my grocery store’s weekly sales add. I, like many of you, have become hooked on ordering groceries online so I spend many Sunday evenings finalizing my shopping list.  On this particular Sunday evening I was scrolling through the sales (always my first step!) and I noticed that everything you needed for a great cookout was on sale which got me to thinking, what if I put together dinner baskets for the teachers.  Thus began my basket creation :-)


My first creation was the ‘Where’s the Beef?’ basket for our favorite male teacher at day care, Mr. De.
 
Where's the Beef? Teacher Appreciation Basket
Ingredients:
Hot Dog Buns
Hamburger Buns
Fresh Corn on the Cob
Baked Beans
Hamburger Seasoning

Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a basket, bag, or reusable foil pan covered in paper napkins for a little extra color and attach a tag which says ‘Where’s the Beef?’. Your teacher, and whomever they are cooking dinner for will be thrilled!

TIP: These also make the perfect Father’s Day Gift, Host Gift for a Cookout, or Welcome to the neighborhood gift!

My second creation was the ‘Dinner’s on us!’ basket for each of the boys’ teachers.
 
Dinner's on us! Teacher Appreciation Basket
Ingredients:
Angel Hair Pasta (or whatever you prefer)
Spaghetti Sauce
Green Beans
A Fresh Baguette
Garlic Salt

Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a basket, bag, or reusable foil loaf pan covered in paper napkins for a little extra color and attach a tag which says ‘Dinner’s on us!’. If your teachers are anything like ours they will go crazy over this basket!

TIP: This is also the perfect Welcome to the neighborhood gift, Hostess gift when you are crashing at a friend’s house, Administrative Assistant’s Day gift, or Housewarming present.

My third creation, the ‘Just Add: Your Favorite Movie!’ was not quite so healthy, but a lot of fun!
Just Add: Your Favorite Movie! Teacher Appreciation Basket

Ingredients:
Cookies
Microwave popcorn bags
Cracker Packs
Candy
Soda

Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a gift bag and attach a tag which says ‘Just Add: Your Favorite Movie!’ Your teachers will be thinking of you during their next night in!

TIP: This is also the perfect just because gift for friends or co-workers, Get Well Soon basket or Christmas stocking stuffer.

No matter what you decide to give your teachers, don’t forget about them. A sweet hand written note from your child or a piece are artwork created just for them will mean so much.  For me, the best part of creating Teacher Appreciation Baskets is definitely the delivery! My boys LOVE delivering these gifts and their teachers are always so excited – that is what I live for :-)

T-Dogg delivering a gift to Ms. Shawna
You don’t ever think you have to break the bank either, I did not spend more than $10.00 on any of these baskets!  Get your inspiration from what’s on sale :-)

Until next time,

aka Chick #1

Friday, May 22, 2015

Fun and Easy Memorial Day Cookout


With Memorial Day weekend right around the corner I spent the morning at My Carolina Today sharing some easy ways to keep all of the neighborhood kids entertained and simple tips for making setup and cleanup easier on you so that you too can enjoy your cookout.


Simple Setup Tips
·      Chalk up Your Hard Work: Skip countless rounds of 20 Questions about your beautiful buffet by writing your menu and suggested burger topping combinations on a small chalkboard. This is a quick, easy and a rustic centerpiece for your food table and a fun way to display your menu.


Quick Clean Up
·      Minimize the Mess: The best way to make your cookout cleanup easier is to avoid messes in the first place. If you're planning to throw a few dogs on the grill, don't forget your coffee filters. Yep, coffee filters! Believe it or not, your plain old coffee filters make the perfect hot dog holders and will help minimize the mess made when they are piled high with toppings.

Entertaining a Crowd
·      A Cool Crowd Pleaser: A water bucket full of water guns is the perfect way to keep everyone cool and entertained. Simply fill a bucket with water, drop in your water guns and let them fill and refill themselves. A bucket of water is also a lot less messy than using a water hose!


·      Gear for the Cool Kids: When you are planning activities for your cookout, don’t forget a fun and patriotic craft or two like DIY Patriotic Hair Clip. All you need are barrettes, ribbon and a hot glue gun. Simply tie your ribbon into a bow and glue it onto the end of your barrette. For the less crafty, pick up a few pair of patriotic sun glasses to play with. 

For all of my tips pick up your own copy of my Tips for the Clueless Chick books and following the Clueless Chick on Facebook and Twitter.

Until next time,
aka Chick #1

P.S. It was a great Behind the Scenes show:
I got to see my favorite meteorologist Alyssa Corfont!

AND I got to meet the hilarious Sheryl Underwood from The Talk!





Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Top Two Gifts for a New Mom

One of my favorite parts about being the Clueless Chick is getting to share AWESOME products with you.  You have seen everything from my top gifts for Administrative Assistant’s Day to Father’s Day Favorites and the coolest items from the ABC Expo and now I get to share my new Top Two Gifts for a New Mom!

When a new baby is born, everyone loves buying cute gifts for the little one, but what about Mommy? Let’s not forget about the lady who just did all of the work ;-) I have found two fabulously fun gifts that will make mom’s life easier and a little cuter for years to come.


My 1st new fave is A Simple Book of Firsts for $34.99 from Lucy Darling. This adorable baby book takes all of the hard work out of baby booking (yes, baby booking).  When I say this cute little book keeps things simple, I mean simple. Each of the 48 pages is already designed, all you need to do is add a cute picture, stats and a special memory. Honestly it is so simple I will probably go back and make one for each of my boys.

What's included?
2 pre-baby pages for photos, ultrasound and note to baby
3 pages for when baby arrives including a spot for footprints, a page to place birth announcement and hospital bracelet
2 your world pages for a photo of home and how much things cost when baby was born
12 pages of month documenting
10 pages that include family tree, favorite things, many firsts including holidays, first scribble, etc.
5 birthday pages
1 first day of school page
11 blank pages with embellishment

Fun Fact: This is not the first fave from Lucy Darling I have shared with you, remember my Cool New Gift Ideas from the 2014 ABC Kids Expo? That is when I first shared their adorable Retro Baby Closet Dividers with you. Let’s be honest, adorable does not even begin to describe them!

My 2nd fave is the Love You to The Moon & Back canvas for $119 (18x24) from Oopsy Daisy. This adorable canvas not only has one of my all time favorite quotes, it can also be personalized with the little one’s name.  While it may look like an adorable decoration for a nursery (which it of course is!), this is something I would love to hang on my bedroom wall since ‘Mama, I love you to the moon & back’ is something my boys say to me :-)

This canvas is available in multiple sizes and both pink and blue and comes in a simple print style starting at just $29.  Oopsy Daisy also has an adorable matching night light.

Stay tuned for my next #TopTwo! What will they be – Travel Gear, Blankets, Party Decorations, Gifts for Dad…. ;-)

Until next time,
aka Chick #1