D.I.Y Wicked Broom Candy Poppers + Graveyard Dessert With ibotta Deal

Like so many, I love the holidays.

However, while many love Halloween for it's plethora of creatively gory, and excessively gratuitous sweets I love it more for it's sentimental value. Every year, growing up, the first day of Fall marked the first day of crafting season in my home. It was the marker for all of the harvest festivals and craft shows to come; the day when Momma would begin announcing her creative decoration schematics, and gift-worthy crafts. The day I'd finally learn why on Earth we'd been hoarding walnut shells for 5 months, and what all of those old socks we'd been collecting would be used for.

These days I don't quite have kids of my own yet, (just one giant freakishly adorable baby, apparently), but I still strive to continue my family tradition of bringing the holiday spirit to friends and family through handmade treats and gifts.

Since I've begun watching my sugar intake over the past few years I've come to rely more on the crafting aspect of seasonal gifting, than the homemade sweets. Don't get me wrong, I love whipping up a low sugar Vegan cheesecake as much as the next gal, but not everyone is as enthusiastic, or brave, enough to chow down on a dairy-free dessert with cheese in the name. Thankfully Walmart has me covered, even in the middle of September, with an entire aisle full of fiendish sun-size treats.

Not that we need an excuse to visit Walmart, we seem to be in there multiple times a week this time of the yea- but it turns our many of my friends and family's favorite Halloween treats are also featured under the Walmart category on ibotta. In fact, the brand new (and elusive in my neck of the woods) Nestle Butterfinger Skull Cups share a page with an equally fiendish rebate deal for Butterfinger fun size. That's right, for a limited time you can score some cold hard, very much alive, cash-back on your Halloween candy stock ups at Walmart when you use the ibotta app. We are stalking that seasonal aisle for those Butterfinger Skull Cups like we're zombies hunting for brains ya'll!

Since I had several bags of delicious Butterfinger fun-size treats on hand after our recent Walmart ibotta shopping trip I knew I had to fund a cute way to present them. I'd seen plenty of people on Pinterest already sharing little cauldrons full of candy, and tissue paper pumpkins. Cute. But I wanted to craft something especially wicked, witchy wicked that is- so I gathered these supplies:

Empty Toilet Paper Tubes (Or Paper Towel Rolls, Cut In Thirds)

Large Bag or Bundle of Raffia (Crafting Straw)

Twine Rope And/Or Thin Ribbon

10-12" Sticks (Twigs From The Garden Will Do)

Yellow Tissue Paper

Hot Glue Gun

Scissors

Fun-Size Candy

I started by placing my toilet paper/paper towel rolls in the center of 2 layered sheets of tissue paper. I next dropped 3-4 fun size Butterfinger candies down the center of the tube. Smaller candies will 'pop' more and can be used in addition to your fun-size filler. I chose one of my most gnarly twigs and placed it down the center of the tube, in between the candy, so it just touched the bottom. I then gathered the tissue paper at the top of the tube and twisted it closed. Cut off any excess tissue paper, leaving about a 1.5" 'stem'.

At this point my project was beginning to resemble it's end product. It's important to make any adjustments here, as this is the 'core' of your popper and will not be able to be adjusted once you continue with the decorating process.

Because I have a bunch of spare ribbon laying around at any given time I next tied the top of the tube off, about 1/2" from the very top of the tube. This ribbon only mildly acts to secure the tissue paper, and really serves as a guide to attach the raffia strands.

Carefully I placed a 1" line of hot glue on the ribbon and laid 12" long segments of raffia across in a single layer. I repeated this process until I had gone around the circumference of the tube once. A second layer was appropriate in some places so I repeated this step again.

I then took my twine rope and tied two lengths around the tube, over my hot glue lines, where the ribbon was underneath. This helped hide some of my sloppy work and add that final decorative touch to my broom. Only minor trimming was needed on the top of the broom- I cut at an angle, downward to help shape the bristles at the very top and allow for my stick 'handle' to become more visible.

This simple craft is not only an adorable decoration throughout the Halloween and Fall season, but serves as a functional candy popper for entertaining and gifting. Simply poke the twig handle down through the bottom of the broom and your candy will come pouring out. For now, though, I keep one on my mantel with the other decorations- it's almost passable as an expensive home decor handmade item!

Of course it wouldn't be Halloween without some fiendish ways to enjoy our favorite treats, so I also whipped up a tried and true classic with some of the leftover Butterfinger fun size treats. This layered pudding cup is more than the classic cookie dirt- I used crushed Butterfingers to make a little 'fresh dirt mound' where the grave was 'dug,' and used some cookie icing to write 'RIP' on another Butterfinger fun-size. Add a few sprigs of mint for some overgrown weeds, and a candy pumpkin with a spider ring and you've got one adorable and creepy dessert.

We've still got plenty of time to imagine more fiendish ways to celebrate Halloween this year, but those ibotta deals at Walmart won't be around forever, so be sure to head into Walmart and stock up on all of your creepy favorites now. And please, do let us know if you spot the Butterfinger Skull Cups on a shelf near you! Now, tell me, how do you like to dress up candy to pass out for Halloween parties or trick-or-treaters?

How To Save Money On Pretty Much Anything Online

Some of us are late to the game.

Sure you know what Groupon is. You might even use it on a weekly basis.

You click through those emails with the awesome local deals, or head on over when there's a new service or restaurant you want to try, hoping to score a discount. You see Groupon started as a place where people could purchase extreme deals by paying a fraction of the retail value in exchange for a voucher or code redeemable with the originating brand/retailer. It was a great way for new brands, restaurants, and entertainment to get their name out there and draw new customers in while offering amazing deals on quality goods and services.

But Groupon has come a long way since the days before it was a common household name- and yet I am still surprised at the number of people I meet that don't know all of the amazing OTHER ways one can save with Groupon.

Of course if you're a Groupon pro then you already know about Groupon Goods and Getaways. But, just in case you don't-

Groupon Goods is a marketplace where you can browse thousands of items, across hundreds of categories, for amazing slashed prices on name brand, and even designer, gifts and household buys. Whenever I have a birthday or event coming up which requires a unique, or specialized, gift I browse the Groupon Goods page. There's always something one of a kind or limited edition to get my hands on at an amazing price. Of course there are also less fancy goods, such as mainstream team merchandise, plush favorites for the kids, and name brand kitchenware too- it just depends on what you're in the mood to shop for. Purchase your Groupon goods right on the Groupon site and have them sent direct to your door for total savings convenience from the comfort of your couch.

Groupon Getaways is the place you go to discover vacations you never knew you needed to take- or to score an amazing price on every aspect of vacation from hotels and spa treatments to actual real life adventures and multi-day getaway itineraries. Whether you're looking for somewhere fun to escape for a last minute weekend adventure, or trying to score an amazing deal on a one-of-a-kind room for your upcoming anniversary you need to check out the slashed prices and amazing bundles on Groupon Getaways.

But what if you're not looking to save on a vacation, and you really only want to buy that one specific something sold exclusively at your favorite online retailer?

Groupon is hooking you up with their new Groupon Coupons tab!

You'll spot the Groupon Coupons tab on the main page of your Groupon landing screen- simply click on over to view the hottest exclusive deals, as well as some of the Internet's most popular savings on websites you use and surf everyday. From promo codes to sales and even in-store offers you can navigate up to hundreds of great coupons and deals for your favorite retailers, no voucher required.

That's right you can save on pretty much anything online with the FREE Groupon Coupons section, and their constantly updated list of ongoing sales, discount codes, special offers and more. It's kind of like having a robot read all of those annoying emails your favorite retailers send you, and organize them for easy viewing, categorized, in one nice neat space!

For example, I make, on average, 4+ Amazon.com transactions in a week. Yes, I know.

Groupon Coupons currently has over 53 promo codes and 110 sales filed under Amazon- from special Pantry coupon code savings to exclusive deals on the ever so useful Amazon Prime membership. All I need to do is click on the offer that appeals to me, read the 'fine print' of the discount/promo and click on over to shop and take advantage of the savings directly on the retailer's website. It's absolutely FREE and it's something you should be using!

Now, tell me, did you already know about Groupon Coupons? Have you used Groupon Coupons before? What retailers might you hope to find savings for with this new Groupon feature?

This post was written on behalf of Groupon. All opinions and shopping experiences are my own.

Cold Weather Gear and Free Shipping with Sierra Trading Post + $250 Giveaway

This is a Fashionista Event and a promotional item was provided to me. Hosts for this event are Still Blonde after all these Years and ModlyChic.

Momma Told Me: You better bundle up!

I make a terrible Cali-girl.

Growing up, and still living in Southern California, we don't really experience seasons like many of my friends and family do, living elsewhere in the country. As a result I don't quite crave the sunshine and luaus of most traditional tropical vacations- in fact, I couldn't be happier to get away from a beach when it comes time to travel. And, as someone who prefers to collect experiences, rather than sights- I often plan excursions that take my wardrobe way out of it's comfort zone. I visit family on the East Coast in the Winter and cruise to Alaska during the Summer. As a result my vacation wardrobe is a bit different than your average person, and always requires some creative shopping. Since these are extreme/cold weather clothes I won't be wearing day-to-day any other time during the year I want something rugged and durable, but also affordable. Whenever I can shop and enjoy free shipping and great deals on name brand outdoor wear I always get excited.

One of the places I visited, when planning my very first trip to Alaska, was Sierra Trading Post- they're a one-stop-shop for explorers of all kinds. Whether your train to scale tall mountain summits, or casually explore through professionally guided expeditions (like me), or simply live in a cold winter climate like New York, Chicago, or Boston, they have an extensive selection of cold weather apparel and everyday active living gear. You'll find designer women's jackets and coats, tennis jackets, and bright down jackets in their Women's Clothing category.

I'll admit, I didn't know much about Sierra Trading Post until I bought my first 'real' 'serious' weather jacket from them a few years back. It was no small investment, as it was the key piece to my Alaska wardrobe and I needed something versatile to a lot for a wide range of temperatures. In the end I actually bought 2, and returned the one I felt wouldn't allow for the range of movement I wanted. With 30 years of experience, their customer service was on point- I've rarely had such an easy time reaching a real human to help me with my questions and return. And, because most orders ship the same day- I  always return to shop for last minute items when I find my suitcase lacking.

What makes shopping at Sierra Trading Post so affordable? Sierra Trading Post offers name brand apparel such as The North Face, Marmot, Columbia, and Marker at closeout pricing thanks to overstock, small blemishes, irregularities, and closeouts. And right now you can score FREE SHIPPING on orders of $75 and more, through November 30th, 2016, when you use the exclusive discount code ALWARMTH6 at checkout. (*Valid within the 48 contiguous U.S. states only (excludes AK, HI, offshore U.S. territories and possessions, international, and APO/FPO addresses). Orders shipped via UPS Ground. Not valid on oversized items or orders or items with special shipping charges. Gift card purchase does not apply to minimum purchase.) Of course I don't just shop when I'm planning my next cruise- I'll be taking advantage of this great deal to pick up my grandfather a new jacket for the Winter. (Aren't I a great granddaughter?)

Sierra Trading Post has so much more than jackets and coats, or even apparel- you'll find men's wear, young boys and girl's clothing, gear, and even necessities for your pet. It's really easy to shop with the visual interface and customer reviews help you make those tough choices when it comes to styles and sizing. While we won't be planning any more iceberg helicopter landings, or sled dog camp visits until next year, I'm already wish-listing a few suitcase musts. What's on your Winter clothing list that you could find at Sierra Trading Post when you take advantage of FREE SHIPPING on $75+ with the special code ALWARMTH6?

What Daughter Says: Now's the perfect time to bundle for the Winter, or your next cold weather adventure.

Now for the exciting part- One reader will have a chance to win a $250 Sierra Trading Post gift card! (US ONLY, 18 years and older, Giveaway runs from 11-13 to 11-27, 2016 11:59 PM EST.)

Why You Should Extend Your Cruise With An On Land Stay At A Hyatt Hotel- $500 Giveaway

This is a Fashionista Event and a promotional item was provided to me. Hosts for this event are Still Blonde after all these Years and ModlyChic. #InAHyattWorld

Momma Told Me: Have the trip is getting there!

As you know by now I took my first cruise this past September. I had pretty much anywhere in the world to go (within budget reason, of course,) and I chose Alaska. After 20 something years of blistering Summers and sunny, dry, Winters, one begins to loathe the thought of a tropical destination as a vacation. Most people chose to travel to Alaska as an afterthought, sometime in their 50's or 60's, for me it's been one of only two destinations (the other being Ireland/Scotland/Germany) I've wanted to travel too since childhood.

Of course, like most people traveling to a destination with the intent of vacation, I was primarily focused on what would happen once I finally got there, rather than the time leading up to and after the immediate vacation time. When someone plans to take a cruise, they almost always have to travel to get the the port from which they will sail out of. But most people fly into the port city, and our of the return city without a second thought for either destination. After all, it's where the boat's going, and all of those day excursions you're really paying for, right?

This is the part where I urge you to consider extending your vacation, when cruising, on either (or even both) ends. While I could make the 'decompression' argument for tacking a few days in the return port city onto your trip, I'm most interested in emphasizing the opportunity to explore more than where your cruise-liner is taking you, but where the trip will lead as a whole. Our cruise to Alaska, for example, left Seattle, WA and arrived in Vancouver, B.C. Sure, we went to Alaska while we were aboard the cruise, but we really had the potential to explore and vacate in 3 unique destinations. And who knows when you might have the chance to return to either locations again!

On this particular trip we decided to stay a few extra days in Vancouver B.C. (I did pay a nice fee for my passport, after all!) It was important to me that our 'decompression' period be just as comfortable, accommodating, and stress free as our time aboard the ship. Whenever I travel and stay on land for pleasure I always seek out the nearest Hyatt hotel. Ever since our Philadelphia trip in 2012, where a one week reservation with our host hotel was over-booked on arrival and we were forced to shop open hotels at 2 am, I've been committed to everything the Hyatt chain stands for.

Without getting too much into the story (it's here in the blog archives, I promise,) we took a cab to 3 different hotels, and were all turned away due to overbooking. When we arrived at the Hyatt House Philadelphia/Plymouth Meeting the location was undergoing some renovations but the staff took our story to heart and made sure we not only had 2 luxurious long-term travel accommodations, but they gave us a reservation rate in hopes to help turn our vacation around from it's rocky start. The rooms were complete with a dining and sitting area, fully functional kitchen, and even a complimentary 5 mile shuttle service!

Naturally, when looking at reservations for the Vancouver, B.C. portion of our recent vacation, Hyatt Regency Vancouver was at the top of our list. The four diamond Hyatt Regency Vancouver location is as cosmopolitan and stylish as the surrounding city, with stunning views from every room (including some with great views of the historic Stanley Park, where we shot our infamous peacock photos!) The Hyatt Regency location is also equipped with Hyatt Grand Beds™, an over sized jetted hot tub, outdoor heated pool, babysitting referrals, and green practice initiatives.

None of these photos, contained within this post, or these memories could be without the decision to extend our cruise in the return port city. From traveling on the Sea To Sky Gondola and walking the Squamish B.C. suspension bridge to up close encounters with peacocks and the giant watering can which doubles as a local water park during B.C. Summers, our stay was truly well worth the extra days! In fact, Jay and I have already booked an Alaska cruise for next Summer, and we'll be porting to and from Seattle, so we'll have the perfect chance to explore that beautiful town while staying at the Hyatt House Seattle Downtown. I think we just might kick our vacation off there and fly in several days early!

Are you planning a vacation of any sort between now and the end of the year? You can take advantage of some awesome limited time savings when you book directly through Hyatt.com by November 30, 2015, for stays by January 18, 2015. In fact, Enjoy 20% off stays of 2 nights or more and 25% off stays of 3 nights or more at the following Hyatt Hotel locations! Use The Code: WSALEA! You may also book the “Snow on Sale” package at Hyatt.com and Earn a Free Night Stay at participating mountain resorts in Colorado, Utah, and Nevada! (Offer available through April 7 , 2016 Terms and Conditions apply. See landing page for details.) I am incredibly jealous of these amazing deals and the exclusive coupon savings, but sad we cannot take advantage of them for our Seattle trip next year. Of course we WILL be booking online directly with Hyatt.com where we can enjoy a Best Rate Guarantee for bookings made at Hyatt.com, free Wifi at all Hyatt Hotels, fantastic locations, family friendly programs and rooms, and more! When you travel, do you like to spend time in host cities exploring?

What Daughter Says:  Extend vacations with a stay in host and port cities featuring Hyatt hotels and resorts.

Now for some exciting news, we have a very special giveaway for you! One very lucky entrant will win a $500 Hyatt Digital Gift Card to stay at the Hyatt location of their choice!

Discover A New Way To Save On Mobile Service With Ting

This is a Fashionista Event and a promotional item was provided to me. Hosts for this event are Still Blonde after all these Years and ModlyChic

Momma Told Me: There's nothing fun about being an adult and having to pay bills.

We've had our current cellphone service provider for a few years now and, while we don't have a contract, there are many factors that make us feel like we are still 'tied down,' and in a committed relationship with our service provider. Let's face it, the idea of switching cellphone service is scary because it's so hard to envision the bottom line- that mystery amount that will hit your inbox every month. Many major providers make their plans sound affordable, simple, and straight forward but you and I know there are always taxes, hidden fees, and 'add-ons,' that somehow sneak in. Then, after a period of time we become complacent- it doesn't seem 'that bad' in comparison to a previous provider, so we stick it out. And how about the hassle of switching phones or porting numbers? No thank you!

What if I told you that there was a revolutionary new mobile service that bases it's pricing on your usage, and that the more you and your family use each month, the bigger the realized savings could be? I'm talking about Ting, a provider that bases it's rates on the quantity of services you use (number of text messages, number of minutes, amount of data,) not the amount they'll allow you to use. That's right, your bill will change monthly and flex as you use the service- but it's almost guaranteed to be lower than what you are paying now. Don't believe me? Type your most recent bills usage and costs into their Savings Calculator and get an estimate on how much you could save- I found that I could save up to $80 a year on my smartphone plan, alone (and more when bundled with family.)

While Ting may support a transfer of your current service plan for providers such as T-mobile, Sprint, and Verizon, they're currently looking specifically for ATT consumers to give them a try. In fact, if you or a friend have an AT&T plan currently, head on over and check the compatibility of your device with Ting service providers and receive a $5 Starbucks gift card, just for your time! (Limit one $5 Starbucks gift card per email address and per active AT&T device checked. Offer valid October 20-22, 2015) Head on over to Ting NOW to take part in this great offer for current AT&subscribers, and to learn more about making the switch.

Ting is mobile service simplified- there are no fancy plans, no complicated calculations and rates and no hidden fees. Pay only for what you use, period. If you use less this month, pay less, if you use more, talk, text, and surf with the confidence of knowing you won't see a shocking overage charge or ridiculous rate hike on the next bill. It's a mobile service that really makes sense for today's modern families, where flexibility, budgeting, and freedom are so essential. We're definitely looking into coverage and service for our current provider and talking about making the switch when Ting comes to our area. Learn more, check availability, and get a savings quote at Ting today- and don't forget to take advantage of that FREE Starbucks gift card offer if you're an AT&T subscriber!

What Daughter Says: Bills may never be fun, but they don't have to be complicated.