Three Creative Examples of April Fools’ Day Fun

Kick me note taped on back

Today is April Fools’ Day. For our international readers, April Fools’ Day is celebrated every year on 1 April by playing practical jokes and spreading hoaxes. The jokes and their victims are called April fools. Google has become well-known for their annual “new” features or product announcements on April 1; however, this year’s Gmail Mic…

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5 Rainy Day Indoor Activities for Kids

Finger painting fun

It’s raining as I write this… probably helped me think on this topic a little more clearly. It seems that kids are particularly bummed by rainy days — especially rainy winter days. During the hot summer, a peaceful rainy day can be a welcome experience as kids often beg to go outside and splash about the puddles.…

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5 DIY Innovations for your Home

woman with a tablet

One way to keep your cost of living low is to DIY — do it yourself! In this article, we share five creative DIY innovations that most people can make for themselves and use in their home. Several of these money-saving alternatives can become family activities as well. Likewise, the finished product are likely to make…

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Some Closing Thoughts on 2015. Welcome 2016!

Happy birthday!

With 2015 nearly behind us, I’ve been reflecting on some major events of this year. In preparing for the new year transition, and really, all of 2016, several things have come to mind — past milestones, current thankfulness, and future opportunities. So, with these topics in mind, I offer a few thoughts relating to the…

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“More Blessed to Give…”

Woman giving a gift

With Christmas just one week away, many people are now in near-panic mode. It seems there simply is not enough time (and often money) to buy all the gifts that are “needed” to fit in with our modern American culture. So what’s a thrifty person to do in this whirlwind (headache?) of a situation? Is…

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10 Tips for Dining Out on the Cheap

For many, dining out is an occasional indulgence that is carefully balanced against the cost. For others, especially those who travel often, it is an essential and costly part of life. Thankfully, there are some creative ways for everyone to save money while dining out. What follows are ten tips for dining out on the…

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A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Lenox Personalized Ornaments

This week I spoke with a member of the online marketing team for Lenox.com and learned more about the types of Lenox products sold online. I learned that giftware, collectibles, and jewelry are very popular items on Lenox.com. Also, I learned that Lenox makes personalized ornaments and found it very interesting how they make them.…

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Instructions for Making Duct Tape Chain-Link Clutch (Purse)

Over the past few days we have received many requests from Jo-Ann shoppers asking if we had instructions for making the colorful chain-link purse or clutch referenced in a recent Jo-Ann sales flyer.  This clutch, made with Duck® brand duct tape, is mentioned in Jo-Ann’s July 11, 2010 edition under the Just Ask Jo-Ann Ideas…

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Let’s Barbecue, Barbeque, Cook Out, BBQ, Grill!

It’s summer time and many traditional past times are being enjoyed everywhere. One exciting — and tastefully rewarding — activity that takes place heavily during the warmer months is grilling. Whether you refer to it as grilling, cooking out, barbecuing, BBQ, or something else…the basic idea is this: cooking meats and vegetables over an open…

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