Easter Fun Part 1 - Easter Crafts

It's almost Easter!  Here are a few fun craft ideas for you to make with your kids -

 Milk Carton Bunny Basket

Materials:

• Scissors or craft knife
• Half-gallon milk or juice carton
• Stapler
• Pastel construction paper

• Glue or double-sided tape
• Hole punch
• Pipe cleaners
• Googly eyes

Instructions:

1. With scissors or a craft knife (adults only), remove one panel of the carton (on the same side as the open spout) and save it to make the handle. Staple the open spout closed.
   
2. Cover the sides of the carton with one color of construction paper, using glue or double-sided tape to affix. Trim to fit.
   
3. Punch a hole in the center of the the spout ridge and insert pipe cleaners for whiskers. Glue on a pair of large googly eyes.
   
4. For ears, cut out large paper ear shapes from the same color you used to cover the carton. Cut pink shapes a size smaller and glue them in place in the middle of the ears. Staple the ears to the top of the bunny base so they stand up.
   
5. For a handle, trim the cut carton side, cover it with paper, and staple it to the basket.

*Source - Family Fun 

The Angel Rolled the Stone Away Craft

Bunny Ears for Kids

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Bear Hugs Baby Boutique

Limited Time Offer - Free Shipping on ALL Orders!

Bear Hugs Baby Boutique is excited to announce that we are offering free shipping on every order for a limited time - no matter how much or how little you spend!!  This is just one more way we're helping make your life a little bit easier.  So head over to our website and check out our selection of loveys, baby blankets, diaper bags, and much more!

And don't forget - this promotion is only valid for a limited time.  So make sure to get your shopping done before it ends!

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Bear Hugs Baby Boutique

Fun Ideas for Spring

Spring is officially here (even if it doesn't feel like it in some parts of the country)!  It's the perfect time to get outside with your kids and enjoy the nice weather - plus it'll let them burn off some energy!  And don't worry - even if you're stuck with cold weather, we've got some ideas that will work for you, too!

• Take a nature walk and identify all the different kinds of trees and flowers in your yard, neighborhood, or local park.
• Learn about pollination and photosynthesis.
• Make solar pictures using solar paper.
• Go on a picnic. (This can be done inside during cold weather.  Just spread a blanket on your living room floor.)
• Visit your local state park.  Take a picnic and enjoy the walking trails.  Many parks also have small museums that highlight local plants and animals, as well as the history of the area.

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Bear Hugs Baby Boutique

* Image Credit - Free Foto

Baby Shower Gift Ideas - Gender Neutral Suggestions

Are you searching for the perfect baby shower gift and don't know what to buy?  Consider a gender neutral lovey.  Babies love them, and there are lots of adorable options.  Loveys also give you a great starting point if you're looking to build a gift basket or set.  Here are a few of the gender neutral loveys that we carry - 

White Minky Swirl Bear Security Lovey Blankets and Beyond

Disney My First Friends White Taggie Security Lovey

Little Taggies I Love You 3 Bears Security Lovey

Carter's Giraffe Too Cute for Words Security Lovey

Carter's Frog Green Yellow I Love Hugs Security Lovey

Carter's SmileyHappy Friends Mommy Loves Me Bear Lovey

So head over to our website and have fun browsing! :)

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Bear Hugs Baby Boutique

Fun Ideas for St. Patrick's Day - Part 3

Don't those cookies look festive (and tasty!)?  They're perfect for St. Patrick's Day - plus they're made with a mix so they're really easy.  They'd be great as a treat for your kids or their class.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 (1 pound 1.5 ounce) pouch Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon mint extract
• 6 drops green food color
• 1 egg
• 1 cup creme de menthe baking chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions -

1. Mix cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg in bowl, until soft dough forms. Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks.
2. Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

These would be adorable served on a homemade decoupaged plate.  This is an easy project to do with your kids - the sky's the limit!

For more fun ideas, make sure to check out our other posts!

• Fun Ideas for St. Patrick's Day
• Fun Ideas for St. Patrick's Day - Part 2

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Bear Hugs Baby Boutique

Murals the Easy Way

We've mentioned using a mural to accessorize your room before - they're high impact, fairly inexpensive, and easier than most people think.  But if you don't have the time to paint one, are living in a rental, or art just isn't your thing, there is another way - wall decals.

NoJo Jungle Play Wall Decals Appliques

Wall decals are basically stickers for your walls - and they're removable.  They come in all kinds of themes, shapes, and sizes.  They're a great way to add the effect of a mural to your room without the work.  Plus, whenever you decide to redecorate or move, just peel the wall decal off and you're done!

We've just added some wall decals to our store, so head over and check them out!

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Bear Hugs Baby Boutique

Recipes - Fiesta Lime Chicken

Fiesta lime chicken is a quick meal that tastes great!  It's also very easy to double or triple when you have guests over (or teenagers).

Fiesta Lime Chicken
(this will make a full 9x13 pan)

• 2 chopped chicken breasts (Marinate them in lime juice and grill or bake - this can be done ahead and frozen to make it easier.  Don't worry about thawing the cooked chicken first - it will be fine cooking frozen.)
• 1 bag of tortilla chips (this is a great way to use up the leftovers at the end of a bag, too)
• 1 and 1/3 cups of ranch dressing
• 2/3 cup of salsa
• Shredded Mexican cheese - up to 16 ounces, depending on how much you prefer.
• 1 can of drained black beans (optional)

Directions -

1. Mix the ranch and salsa together.
2. Place a layer of tortilla chips on the bottom of your baking dish.  Drizzle a light layer of the ranch and salsa mixture over it.  Sprinkle cheese on top of that.
3. Add layers until your pan is about half full.  Add the chicken and beans (if you're using them).
4. Add additional layers of tortilla chips, ranch and salsa mix, and cheese until you reach the top.
5. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes.

Serve with salad, raw veggies, or refried beans for a simple and great tasting meal.

This would also be a great recipe to use for a Mexican themed family meal.

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Bear Hugs Baby Boutique

Decorating Ideas - Flower Garden Theme

 Carter's Just One Year Pink Brown Birds Fitted Crib Sheet

(There is also a matching diaper wipe case available)

Pop Daisy Pink and Brown Boa Baby Blanket

Kyle and Deena White Pink Flowers Baby Blanket

Decorating around themes is a lot of fun.  Themes also make decorating easier because they give you a starting point and help you make decisions.

A flower garden theme would be beautiful for a nursery or a child's room.  There are several different directions you can go within the flower garden theme - whimsical, a modern influence, or traditional.  You can combine these to a certain extent, but it's best to stick with one that's dominant so that the room feels cohesive.  Here are a few ideas -

• Start with an inspiration piece - something that has the colors and style that you want in the whole room.  As you pick more pieces, compare them to your original inspiration piece.  Do the new items fit with the style and colors?  If not, it's probably best to choose something else.  (There are some exceptions to this rule, of course.)
• Add a mural.  Murals are perfect for flower garden themes, and they're simple (really!).  All you need to do is paint one (or even all 4) of your walls blue.  Use a very pale shade of blue and a sponge to add fluffy clouds.  Then, you can either paint flowers onto the walls or add some in flower pots in front of the walls - this gives you a 3-D effect.  If you have space, you could even add a trellis with a bench underneath.  Add window boxes to complete the look.
• Use garden items whenever you can in the room.  For example, use flower pots to store things (instead of or in addition to baskets).  If you don't want the heavy terra cotta ones, use the plastic type (make sure you keep safety in mind if the pots are where little hands could reach them).  A watering can even be used to hold an arrangement of flowers.

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Bear Hugs Baby Boutique

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

In honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday, Read Across America is encouraging parents to read a book (or several) with their kids tonight.  But don't stop there - after you've finished your book(s), why not do an activity or craft with your kids too?  Here are a few fun ideas -

• Here's a collection of Seuss themed craft and activity ideas. 
• Make a cat in the hat out of a light bulb.
• Check out the official Seussville website for birthday celebration ideas.
• Have green eggs and ham for supper.
• Watch one of the movies based on Dr. Seuss' books (Horton Hears a Who, The Cat in the Hat, or How the Grinch Stole Christmas).

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Bear Hugs Baby Boutique

*Image credit