Get Caught...Being a Great Dad!

There's something incredibly heart warming about photos of one's husband caught in the act of being a wonderful father to his child (or children.) The perfect mother's day gift might be as simple as capturing these moments and framing them to melt your sweetie's heart.

Frame just one photo like this endearing bath time moment...

Or capture multiple snapshots of one event and make it into a collage:

Giving Mamma Some Green Love

The true beauty of this Mother’s Day gift idea is that you may already have most of these pieces to assemble a potted garden for your wife or mother (or for yourself)! Who wouldn’t enjoy fresh herbs and vegetables nestled into their backyard landscaping or onto their patio? Grab an old bench or a long table or a metal plant stand; something old and rustic looking adds great character.

Pop Peeps on to Straws for the Kiddos

Make the kids table Peep-tastic this year! Add these Easter treats onto the straw ends and place them in cups for the kids.
When the Peeps are separated, the white marshmallow sides are missing the yellow sugar coating. Dab this white marshmallow area on to the other peeps or the bottom of the container they came in to achieve a more uniform yellow exterior.

Grown-Up Easter Baskets with Charming Functionality!

These baskets are made with two different pieces from the same Crate & Barrel White Kai Serving Collection. The handles are constructed of floral wire found at any craft store for the purpose of easy removal using wire cutters. Once the handles are removed these holiday gifts become functional pieces for everyday use!

Easter Eggs Decorated By Hand

Why not skip the dye this year? These Easter eggs draw on a floral theme (literally). Creating them is as easy as grabbing some markers and using spring flowers for your inspiration!

Easter Trees with Bird Seed Eggs: A Twist on the Classic Multi-Colored Egg Tree

Where did the tradition of hanging plastic Easter eggs from trees begin? By most accounts, in America, the tradition started to be widespread in the 1950’s and it’s speculated to be due to the popular children’s book “The Egg Tree” by Katherine Milhous, published in 1950. This book describes the Pennsylvania Dutch roots of the egg tree from the perspective of a young girl who is visiting her grandmother (source: eHow.com.)

Making an Easter tree can be a fun activity that engages children and adults to work together resulting in festive décor at a time when spring is working to overcome the drab ol' winter.

St. Patrick's Day Fun: A Limerick Word Game + A Photo Book of Remembrance

My paternal grandfather, Joseph Patrick Dukarich, was born in 1921 on St.Patrick’s Day. So logically our family associates this holiday with him. Grandpa Duke (as he was known) was a loving, patient, and friendly guy.  Grandpa was also FUN!  During the late 1950’s and throughout the 1960's he frequently entertained his four children by playing word games, riddles, and scavenger hunts. This resumed again in the 1980's when his grandchildren (my siblings and I) were old enough to enjoy them.

As St Patrick’s Day drew close this year, I enlisted the help of my family in an attempt to be fun like Grandpa Duke!  Drawing from an Irish theme, six limericks were written, with each missing a word. The missing words provide a clue to a two part (word) answer.  Three clues are for one word and the remaining three clues are for the second word which completes the two part answer.  
The limericks were hand written on different pieces of green patterned paper following with the Irish theme.