Dress Up School Gear and Favorite Books with DIY Bag Tags, Bag Charms & Bookmarks

Thank you to Oriental Trading Company for providing some of the beads and craft supplies for our back-to-school craft project.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Our children returned to school today!  My daughter, in particular, was super-excited for her first day of 5th grade.  She had her first day outfit all picked out, along with new shoes, a new lunch bag, and a new backpack.  She certainly loves to express herself with what she wears, so I didn't have to ask her twice when I invited her to create some bag tags, bag charms, and bookmarks with the assortment of colorful supplies from Oriental Trading.


For inspiration, here are some of the supplies we used . . . 

Glitter Picture Frame Keychains

Mini Clip Keychains

Animal Print Puff Heart Beads

Gold & Silver Acrylic Beads

XO Rhinestone Charms

Rhinestone Heart Charms

Clear Aurora Borealis Cut Crystal Round Beads

Silvertone Simple Bookmarks

White Flat Stretchy Cording

Pocket Tote Bags

Glitter Fabric Paint Pens

Patterned Paper

Mod Podge

Sponge Brush

Scissors

TIP #1:  To make the bag tags more decorative, we decoupaged a piece of printed origami paper face-down, added another layer of Mod Podge, layed down the bag tag graphic face-up, and finished with another layer of Mod Podge.  That way, the back of the bag tag looks just as nice as the front.

TO PRINT:  Check that your printer is on and ready to go. Click the image below to enlarge.  Then right-click and select print.  Use your browser's back button to return to this page.

 TIP #2: You can save the blank template sheet to your computer to add text and graphics digitally or have your child decorate them with permanent marker by hand.  We did both to see which my daughter would prefer.  She liked the ones she drew by hand better.

TIP #3:  The bag charms can hang alone on a backpack, tote bag, or handbag, or be paired with a bag tag.  We tried it both ways and couldn't decide which we liked best.

TIP #4: Alternating large and small beads will make your bag tags and bookmarks look more interesting.  My 13 year old son made this bookmark for a special young lady in his life.

My daughter's favorite craft was the bag tags.  She just loves personalized items and being able to draw her own bag tag designs made her super-happy.  She proudly showed them off today on her backpack and lunch bag.

Personally, I liked the bookmark craft the best.  They are easy to make and the possibilities are endless.  I also think they would make wonderful teachers' gifts, party favors, and handmade holiday gifts.


Like these DIY ideas? PIN this post for later . . . 

What would your child draw on his or her personalized bag tag?

Share your ideas with us in a comment here.

Craft with Glitter Fabric Paint Pens on Denim for DIY Back-to-School Fashion Fun

Thank you to Oriental Trading Company for providing some of the supplies used for this DIY back-to-school fashion craft.  All opinions expressed are my own.

In some parts of the country, the first day of school has already arrived, but where we live, we still have a few weeks of summer vacation left.  This is usually around the time our children start to get bored.  Well, a fun craft is always a great boredom-buster.  Check out our latest craft idea and see how easy it is to get creative!

My 10 year old daughter is very much into bling.  She loves graphic tees, emojis, and expressing herself with what she wears.  That's what inspired me to turn this basic denim jacket (that's been hanging on the same coat hook since last fall) into something she'll reach for first when choosing a jacket to wear to school.


Decorating Denim with Glitter Fabric Paint (and Charms) . . .

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

plain denim clothing item

glitter fabric paint pens

round cans, cups, bowls of varying sizes

rhinestone heart charms

sewing needle

clear or invisible thread

scissors

craft sticks (optional)

THINK about what you want to put on your denim item.  Then decide where each design will go.

Want to add an EMOJI?  Lay your item of clothing out smoothly on a flat surface.  Then place a can or a cup down where you would like to add the emoji.  Use the glitter fabric paint pen in the desired color and carefully add dots around the can or cup to create a perfect circle.

What kind of EMOJI?  You can find all sorts of examples of emojis online.  My daughter requested a cat and a girl with sunglasses.

TIP #1: Keep in mind that the glitter paint looks much lighter when first applied.  The glue that looks white now will dry clear, leaving only the color of the glitter behind.

Want to add a PEACE SIGN?  Again, use a stencil to create your circle based on the size you want your peace sign to be.  We used a large bowl to create the design on the back of my daughter's denim jacket.

Use more than one color!  To make your designs pop, use more than one color.  You can create your design with double lines, like we did with our peace sign pictured below.

TIP #2:  It's okay to create your design freehand.  My daughter thinks it adds an artsy look to her jacket.

Express yourself!  My daughter loves art, so I added a pencil doodling a heart on one of the jacket sleeves.  My daughter also loves Taekwondo.  That's where the "Peace - Love- TKD" came from.

Say it with WORDS!  In addition to the words on the back of the jacket, I also added my daughter's name down one sleeve.  I also added the word "art" on one shoulder above the pencil.  Again, I used two colors for all the text.  Simply choose your main color to dot out your words.  Then go back and use a contrasting color to add dots in between the existing dots.

TIP #3:  I found that the silver glitter fabric paint did a great job offsetting almost any color, so I used it as my secondary color throughout many of the designs.

What happens if you GOOF?  If you make a mistake with these glitter fabric paint pens, you can carefully lift the paint off with a tiny piece of paper towel.  There may be a hint of glitter left behind, but it usually isn't noticeable.  If it is, then you can always paint over it.

Add paint effects!  Since my daughter is very artsy, I thought I'd add an abstract paint effect to the back of her jacket.  This was super-easy!  I just put 3 or 4 dots of paint on the end of a craft stick (as shown below).  Then I would tap the paint around on the fabric.  Next, I used the craft stick to spread and smear the paint around.  I repeated these steps using red, silver, and blue glitter fabric paint until I was satisfied with the way it looked.

Add some BLING!  If you'd like to add a touch of hardware to your denim item, you can sew a few charms on by hand.  I chose to add 3 heart charms to the points of each chest pocket on my daughter's denim jacket.  I let her pick the colors of the charms.

Check it out!  My daughter can't wait to wear her new and improved jacket to school this fall!

What designs do you think would look awesome on denim?

Let us know in a comment here.

Like this craft idea? Pin It for later . . .

5 Easy Back-to-School #StraightAStyle Hairstyles for Girls

Thank you to Goody Hair for sending us their line of back-to-school hair accessories plus a gift card to complete our daughter's back-to-school wardrobe.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Our only daughter will be starting 3rd grade this week!  Where did the time go?  She has changed so much in just a few short years.  She's always loved to feel pretty, but something I've noticed recently is her growing patience to take care of herself.  She's doing a better job washing her hair thoroughly and combs or brushes it without being reminded (most of the time).  She used to ask to have her hair cut short so she wouldn't need to sit through pulling her hair back for school or those dreaded detangling sessions.  This summer, she asked me not to cut her hair before school starts.  She's even brushing her own hair out before letting me know that she's ready to have her hair done. Goody Ouchless brushes make that easy!

If you're like us, sometimes you're in a super-rush in the mornings.  There's not always time to do anything special with our daughter's hair, so I always have a few go-to hairstyles that have proven to be cute, but practical, and more importantly quick to complete.  You can see them below along with one or two others we had experimented with during the summer.

5 Easy Back-to-School Hairstyles for Long Hair . . . 

1.  Headwrap with Skinny Braids - This pretty hairstyle looks great on long, straight hair.  We started off with a crocheted Goody headwrap.  I pulled flower Goody Glam mini elastics through the holes in the crocheted headwrap for some added fun (totally optional).  Then I pulled the hair out of the headwrap at her temples, created one skinny braid on each side, and secured them with Good Girls Ouchless mini elastics.  The last step is to wrap the two braids around towards the back and secure them together with a flower Goody Glam mini elastic.

2.  Long Braid Side Pony - For this easy hairstyle, start by parting the hair on the opposite side from where you plan to tie the ponytail.  Starting as close to the part as possible, create a medium size braid all the way down to at least 3 or 4 inches from the end of the hair and secure it with an Ouchless mini elastic.  Then gather all the hair, including the braid, in a low ponytail on the side opposite of the part and secure with a colorful Goody Girls Ouchless ribbon elastic.

3.  Crown of Mini Bows - If your daughter is tired of simply pulling the top and sides of her hair back with an elastic or hair clip, this is a fun way to change up that look.  All you need to do is to tie 4 to 6 mini bunches of hair back at the top of the head with Goody Girls mini elastics with bows.  These elastics are super-cute with a crystal at the center of each bow!  Be sure to space the bunches of hair evenly around the top of the head above the forehead.  Then pull the top of the hair back, as usual, using a Goody ribbon elastic.

4.  Front to Side Twist - This is one of my favorite hairstyles for my daughter.  It's pretty and can be done in 20 seconds or less.  Start with parting the hair on the side.  Then take a small piece of hair, starting at the part, and twist it twice away from the forehead.  Next, add another small piece of hair and give the hair a couple more twists.  Continue to do this until you reach the temple.  Then twist the hair several times and secure it with a Goody Straight A Style contour snap clip on the side.

5.  Half French Side Braid - I think this hairstyle is my daughter's favorite.  No more plain ponytails on P.E. days!  For this one, you'll need to start with a side part.  Begin braiding hair at the part and add pieces of hair from along the forehead as you braid (just like a French braid, but only adding hair from one side).  Continue this until you've incorporated the hair above the ear.  Then switch to a standard braid and secure with an elastic.  We used the Goody ponytailer elastics with beads for a little extra sparkle, but any color Goody Girls Ouchless elastics that match her outfit would work.

Like these easy back-to-school hairstyles? Pin This for later . . . 

Which easy hairstyle is your favorite?  If you have a favorite easy back-to-school hairstyle, please share it with us below!  Also find more easy hairstyle how-to's by visiting Goody Hair on YouTube.

You can find Goody Straight A Style hair accessories at Meijers and Walgreens for approximately $3.99 to $4.99.  Be sure to pick up these and other Goody Hair accessories to complete your daughter's back-to-school wardrobe!

Share your thoughts about these easy hairstyles for girls with us on Facebook!

Lists of Common & Not-So-Common Items to Label for Back-to-School This Year

Thank you to Kidecals for providing sample personalized dishwasher-safe and washing machine-safe labels for our back-to-school checklists.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Our children began school today!  I spent the last two weeks trying to be as prepared as possible for this day.  With three children, that means we have 3 classroom supplies lists, 3 classroom wishlists, and basically 3 times as much of everything to buy and label.  No matter how prepared I think I am, I always forget something!  For example, I almost sent my youngest son to school today without his eyeglasses, which he would need to see the white board.  Luckily, my husband remembered right as he was walking out the door.  Phew!

For me, the last step in preparing for back-to-school is labeling everything.  I've spent all this money buying school supplies, new clothes, new shoes, and more, so it would be silly for me not to take this extra step to ensure that the items are not lost or stolen.  I used to have different kinds of labels for different items.  Some labels would be dishwasher-safe for things like water bottles and such.  Other labels would be washing machine-safe for labeling shoes, hoodies, and the like.  This year, I used customized school labels from Kidecals.com.  What I love about these labels is that each label is both dishwasher-safe and washing machine and dryer-safe.  No more having separate labels for different types of items!

My children were able to choose the label designs they liked best from a vast selection and customized the text and sometimes the color to reflect their individual personalities.  My oldest son's labels say his name and ". . . student by day, ninja by night!" underneath it instead of the phone number shown on the website.  I thought that was pretty darn cool that he could say what he wanted on his labels!

I opted for an Everyday Set of labels for each child.  For $21, this set includes 36 labels (12 two inch and 24 one inch).  That's enough labels to last each child at least two years, which is a great value.  Also, everything ships free on Kidecals.com!

While it was fresh in my mind, I compiled two lists to share . . . one of all the basic things you should label for your child for back-to-school and one of all the things you may never have thought to label.

Common items that should be labeled for back-to-school . . . 

• Backpacks and lunch bags
• Notebooks, binders, folders
• Pencil boxes or pouches
• Boxes of crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue sticks, pencil sharpeners, etc . . . 
• Coats, hoodies, snow pants
• Shoes and snow boots
• Gloves, hats, and caps
• Water bottles
• Brown bag lunches
• Medications or medical supplies
• Nap or rest time items (pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, etc . . . )

Less common items that should be labeled for school . . . 

• Tech devices (MP3 players, mobile phones, tablets, handheld gaming systems, etc . . . )
• Calculators
• Thumb drives
• Eyeglass or contact lens cases
• Musical instruments (case, accessories, etc . . . )
• Travel packs of wet wipes or tissues
• Reusable cold packs
• Show and tell items
• Costumes for Halloween festivities
• Boxes of flashcards
• Index card cases
• Mechanical pencils
• Balls, Frisbees, or other toys brought for outdoor recess
• Board games and other toys brought for indoor recess
• Pullovers or other clothing used for layering
• Individual lunch or snack containers (both lids and bottoms)
• Wallets, coin purses, and handbags
• Hairbrushes, cosmetics, and other beauty items
• Sunscreen

What items would you add to these two lists?

Find On-Trend Back-to-School Fashions, Sizes for Tweens, a Way to Help Local Kids & More at OshKosh! #OshKoshFirstDay

This post was written as part of a sponsored campaign for The Motherhood and their client OshKosh B'gosh, featuring back-to-school fashions for boys and girls.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Like with all my other shopping, I start my back-to-school shopping early.  I usually have 90% of the school supplies purchased from the lists sent home on the last day of school by mid-summer.  I also pick up clothing in the next size up throughout the year if I find something that's stylish for a great price.  I take a quick inventory 3 to 4 weeks before school resumes to see what's missing from my 3 children's fall wardrobes.  Then I make it my mission to fill in those gaps before school begins.

Now that my children are 7, 7, and 10, shopping isn't as easy as it used to be.  My children seemed to have developed stronger opinions about what styles and colors they want to wear.  Luckily for me, OshKosh.com had more than enough on-trend and age-appropriate children's fashions to please me, my two 2nd graders, and my 5th grader.  In fact, when I asked each of them to pick out one outfit each, they tried to convince me that they couldn't narrow it down, so I would just have to purchase 3 or 4 outfits . . . each.  Their efforts were commendable, but I stood my ground . . .

Layered OshKosh Original Graphic Tees + OshKosh Classic Denim:

Our 10 year old son lives in graphic tees and jeans.  Like with many boys, comfort is almost more important than style for him.  With the selection of clothes for tweens at OshKosh in sizes up to a 12, our son can have both.  Here he is in the Glow-in-the-Dark Space Tee layered on top of an OshKosh Originals Graphic Tee paired with the Mellow Medium Wash OshKosh Straight Jeans.  OshKosh is name synonymous with quality, especially in denim.  This is important to me, especially when it comes to clothing for my oldest son.  Nearly everything I purchase for him will get passed down to his younger brother, so it needs to last.

When it comes to clothing, our 7 year old daughter wants it all.  She demands style, comfort, functionality, and . . . sparkle!  Her clothes need to be cute, girly, but also playground-friendly.

Bold Graphic Tee + "Awesome" Neon Hoodie + OshKosh Jeggings:

Our daughter wanted glitter and she found it!  She fell in love immediately with this bold floral text-free OshKosh Originals sugar glitter graphic tee.  When she saw the Girl Power Hoodie with the glittery text in neon coral that coordinated with the graphic tee so well, she just had to have that too.  We both very much liked the inspirational, yet fun messages on these OshKosh yoga-inspired hoodies. Our daughter loves the look of denim, but prefers the comfort of leggings.  It was no surprise to me when she opted for the Shoreline Blue OshKosh Jeggings.  Finally, she always likes to finish off her outfits with a coordinating hair accessory or some type of jewelry (or both).  She ended up putting one of the bows from the 3-Pack Sparkle Bow Pony Holders in her hair and used the other two for bracelets!  Smart, huh?

Our 7 year old son is extremely easy going when it comes to his clothes.  As long as it's comfortable and fits, he's good with it.  That being said, when he is asked to choose his own clothes, he definitely has his own style.  In fact, his picks for his outfit from OshKosh were right in line with the top back-to-school trends for boys this season . . .

The first item our son chose was a pair of Camo 5-Pocket Pull-On Cargo Pants.  How did he know camouflage is a major trend this season?  His whole outfit revolved around these must-have pants.  Something else we're seeing a lot of is dino-themed graphic tees.  Well, our little man happened to pick the OshKosh Originals Dinosaur Hunter Graphic Tee to go with his camo bottoms.  His next pick truly surprised me.  I predicted that our little boy would have opted for a hoodie to go with his outfit, but he chose the Fleece Letter Jacket.  Our son loves this soft comfy jacket so much that he puts it on first thing when he gets up in the morning, even if it's 75 degrees outside!

Will your children be trendsetters this year at school?  Well, there are more ways than one to lead by example.  Your children could participate in the B'gosh Jeanius Campaign to help give local children a 'Leg Up!' this back-to-school season . . .

How can your family get involved?  Simply make a donation in the form of a pair of OshKosh blue jeans or a cash donation of $1, $3, $5, or $10 at your local OshKosh store.  Denim donations will be given to children in need in yours or a nearby community via K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers.  Cash donations will go to local schools in need who are signed up with DonorsChoose.org.  When your child tells his or her friends how they gave back to their community, maybe they'll inspire someone else to do the same!  Encourage your child to be a trendsetter this year!

Will you be heading to OshKosh to do some back-to-school shopping?  Be sure to print this OshKosh coupon to save 25% off your purchase of $40 or more through 9/13/14.  Shopping online?  You can save with OshKosh promo code SAVEON40 at OshKosh.com.

TO PRINT:  Make sure your printer is on and ready to to go.  Click on the image to enlarge.  Then right-click on the enlarged image and select print.  Use your browsers back arrow to return to this page.

Checkout the cool #OshKoshFirstDay back-to-school ideas below . . . 

Follow Karen Coutu's board Back-to-School with Oshkosh & More! on Pinterest.

SOL Republic Relays In-ear Headphones for Students, Athletes, or Anyone Constantly On-the-Move

Thank you to SOL Republic for providing sample Relays in-ear headphones for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our giveaway prize. All opinions expressed are our own.

I received a pair of SOL Republic Relays to test and review. If you have read any of my previous reviews, you will know that I am a SOL Republic fanboy and I rave about their products. Most of the time, I can hardly even find a single flaw (partially why I am such a nut for them!). This time, however, in between my raving, I will point out the biggest flaw I have found in a SOL Republic product, then tell you why you should buy them anyways.

I was sent the Relays in Horizon Blue and as always, they look amazing. Unlike other earbuds I have ever used (ever seen?), the Relays have a soft-ish plastic ring around the Sound Engines to keep the buds securely in your ear. In fact, that is the primary difference between the Relays and other SOL Republic earbuds. The Relays are designed to stay put, no matter how you are using them. They will stay in your ear as you run, bike, or work out at the gym. Although I did not try them doing any of those activities, it is clear that the Relays stay securely in my ear. They fit very snugly even if you tug on them. The Relays would be a great choice for the adult or student athletes in your home as they stay in and are quite durable.

Like most SOL Republic products, the Relays come with a 3 button control on the cord allowing you to adjust your volume and answer calls if using them with your phone, although a single-button version is also available. Another SOL Republic signature feature, the cord has a thick rubber coating that resists tangles. The Relays come in 5 vibrant colors to match your style. Also included in the box is a small ripstop case and a variety of different sized ear pieces to perfect the fit.

But how do they sound? Amazing. Like all the other SOL Republic products I have reviewed, they sound terrific. The sound does not compare to my Master Tracks, but for an earbud I was pleasantly surprised. That is getting increasingly hard to do, as I have been blown away with every SOL Republic device I have tried and my expectations are high. I will say, if the Relays are not properly seated in your ear, the sound may be tinny. And this is the segway to my problem with the Relays….

I have very sensitive, slightly narrow ears and earbuds tend to be uncomfortable for me, even the best ones will start to hurt after prolonged usage and the Relays were no different. The very feature that keeps the Relays snug in my ear is what was triggering my sensitive reaction and leading to discomfort. But I am a unique example, nobody else in my family suffers from my ear sensitivity. I also need to mention that after some time fine tuning the placement, my discomfort is improving. I feel my ears will adjust eventually as I use them. After reading other reviews, this issue seems unique to me so this may not be a factor for most.

Aside from my unique issue, the SOL Republic Relays are every bit as nice as I thought they would be, and frankly expect from SOL Republic. Each time I review a SOL Republic product I am more impressed, but my expectations are also increased. The Relays met my increased expectations and I fully recommend them. They look fantastic, sound amazing, and they have the quality I have come to expect. And for $79.99, they are very competitively priced for a high end in-ear headset. With back to school upon us, the Relays would make an excellent gift for the students (or the teachers) in our lives.

To learn more about the Relays and other SOL Republic products, visit www.solrepublic.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck in the drawing!

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.