Affordable Ways To Celebrate Easter With Pets: $5 D.I.Y Teepee, $3 Dog Toys, + More!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #99YourEaster #DoingThe99 #CollectiveBias

Momma Told Me: Why spend more when you can spend less?

If you've been reading Momma Told Me for a while then you know all about Momma's frugal side. How all of my clothing growing up was from the second hand store, every Summer I'd practice mathematics calculating coupon and sale prices, and that the large majority of our gifts were often handmade. The older I grew, the more I'd contemplate this need to save when our family had no seeming need to be quite so frugal. After all we lived in a nice home with new electronics, and our kitchen had the fanciest gadgets and gizmos. That's not to say my father didn't work hard, and very long hours, to support our family- but we surely were not living meal to meal.

The holidays were where I always seemed to feel this frugality the most. If I wanted to have a My Little Pony birthday party it would instead have to be a 'My Friend Pony' party because Momma wasn't about to pay triple the price for the same cartoon horses, just with different names. One holiday season, as I clung to one of the hottest toys of the season, full on melt-down mid-store, I at last let out a scream of frustration, "Why can't we buy the 'good stuff'? It's not like we're poor!" Naturally, being the sort of parent she was, Momma shut the tantrum down promptly, pulling the item from my hand and slapping my wrist as she answered rather calmly, "Because, daughter, you can buy the same exact thing, with a different name, for half the price. Why spend more, when you can spend less?"

Naturally that was the beginning of my own monetary awakening. I remember suddenly becoming fascinated by the concept of 'after market,' 'off brand' and even 'overstock' merchandise. Instead of gift cards for major retailers I'd ask instead for cash whenever my birthday came around so I could buy exactly what I wanted, at the best price.

Of course, today, being money smart doesn't mean you have to make compromises. In fact, smart shoppers can save plenty over retail pricing on name brands and products they use every day when they make smart retailer choices. That's exactly why I'm a 99er. Not only are there several 99 Cents Only Stores in my hometown, but their wide range of inventory covers everything from fresh produce to bedding and pet supplies. Even better, their stock is always changing as new items hit the shelves, so I know I'm in for some amazingly fun shopping whenever I visit!

With this being our first year in our house (rather than a condo), I'm extremely excited about the prospect of decorating for, and celebrating, each of the year's holidays. Easter is no exception, and I know I can stretch my budget on everything from delicious treats to adorable decor, and even gifts when I shop my local 99 Cents Only Store. With an entire aisle dedicated to Easter, I practically feel like a kid in a candy store loading up my cart! While I won't be planning any parties for the Spring holiday this year, I've decided to celebrate everything rainbow egg and bunnies with my furry family- the pets. As always, the holidays also bring plenty of yummy treats for the humans, many of which you'll also find at the 99. Be sure to check out The Goody Pet's article "Top 27 Foods That Are Dangerous To Dogs" before planning your next big holiday event!

I remember when I first brought Truffles, our cat, home as a kitten it was just over a week before Easter. At the time I was renting a room out to a woman with a young child and there were little plastic eggs strewn all over the house from the little one's play time. Truffles, being the kitten she was, instantly took to swatting them here and there- and even hiding them under pretty much everything in the house. Ever since I've made a point to go shopping for 'the cat's' Easter eggs each year during this holiday. To say that I was overwhelmed by the selection at my local 99 would be an understatement. There were well over 30 styles of Easter eggs to shop from; emoji faces, sheep, carrot shaped, and even jumbo eggs!

I went way overboard, for someone shopping for their pets, and spent a whopping $30. I'm a bit embarrassed, really, because I bought way more than we needed- but I just had to have a variety of Easter eggs and baskets to choose from when building my Easter baskets for the pets. It's not the end of the world, really, because the leftovers will go into little treats and surprises for the kids at the daycare- 99 Cents Only Stores are a life-saver when it comes to celebrating the holidays with 10 children!

While I love snagging my Cadbury Eggs and Reeses Eggs from the 99, sometimes the real fun in holiday shopping at the 99 is D.I.Y inspiration. I found plenty of Spring prints and themed items on my shopping trip I found I could easily transform into special handmade pet toys to help fill my unique Easter baskets.

In the pet aisle I found a 3 pack of tennis balls for $.99, and in the baby supply department I found a 2-pack of swaddle cloths for $1.99. With these, and a pair of scissors, I was able to make a Springtime version of one of Nora's favorite handmade toys. We like to call this a 'rope octopus,' but you can call it whatever you want. Assemble it by doing the following:

1. Lay your swaddle cloth out, print side down, and place a tennis ball in the middle.

2. Cut diagonally from each corner into the center (towards the ball), leaving about 1" uncut fabric to the tennis ball.

3. Take 2 diagonal corners and tie them across the top of the tennis ball. Repeat with the remaining corners.

4. You should have 4 sectioned corners of fabric. Starting with 1 corner cut the fabric into 6 even width strips. Your lengths will not be the same, this is fine, you can trim when you are done braiding. Be careful with your cuts not to overlap and cut any fabric off.

5. Take 3 of the fabric strips and braid until you've reached the end of the shortest strip, tie a knot and trim any excess, leaving at least 1" of fabric from your securing knot.

6. Repeat with the remaining 3 strips.

Repeat steps 4-6 until all corners are braided with 2 braids each for a total of 8 braids. Don't worry if your braids are different thicknesses or lengths- your dog will enjoy playing with each end uniquely!

If you have a larger breed dog then you may wish to make thicker braids by doubling up each length of fabric, or by using a fleece fabric braid to add thickness. Nora is a small breed dog, but she absolutely loves 'tearing' into these 'octopus' style braided toys and plays for hours with them on their own. Best of all, you can recycle the tennis ball inside if the fabric ever becomes torn or too dirty!

For those looking for an even simpler DIY dog toy- look no further than the classic 'Tennis Ball Sock.' We found some adorable pairs of Easter socks perfect for our Easter basket. Because socks come in pairs of 2, and the tennis balls came in packs of 3, we made 2 toys for just $2, with a tennis ball to spare! It's as easy as placing a tennis ball in your favorite festive sock and tying it off with a knot. Viola! You'll find similar Easter toys at the local pet store for up to 5X as much!

I cannot get over how adorable my 1 minute tennis ball sock toy chickadee looks next to Nora's Easter basket. And how about those 'poo emoji' themed Easter eggs? Aren't those perfect for any posh pup? In addition to her handmade toys we also added some dog toys we found in the 99's pet aisle, a few rawhide style treats, and a new blanket (just $2 hanging on the wall with the baby gear).

Naturally we didn't forget about Truffles, the cat- it just so happens my local 99 had their spring gardening supplies set up on the other half of the Easter aisle. In a stroke of genius I spotted some tomato plant cages for $.99 I could easily transform into some amazing cat DIY staples! In fact, there happened to be multiple sizes of tomato plant cages and the small size prided 3 poles that were the perfect length for a cat wand! After cutting (regular scissors work fine) off the lightweight plastic clips holding the round cage guides in place I discovered that the plastic caps on either end of the support poles actually popped on and off with a little effort.

Using some ribbon I'd found in the Easter aisle and a cat toy from the pet aisle I actually tied the ribbon to the toy and fed 2" of the opposite end of the ribbon into the hollow pole. With a quick 'pop' I snapped the cap back in place and had an instant cat wand! Naturally one could duct tape or glue the cap on if they were concerned about cat's chewing or playing rough, and handmade 'lure' toys could be made out of multiple ribbons, pom poms, or more!

I won't lie- Since each tomato cage makes 3 cat wands I plan on playing with a bunch of different 'lures'. We'll have a whole umbrella stand full of handmade cat wands soon enough. Truffles might be a 'senior' cat at 7, but she's still just as fascinated with ribbons and wands as ever! I originally put my completed wand in her Easter basket and had to hide it in the broom closet after finding it in the middle of the living room floor for the 3rd time. Some kids just can't wait for the holiday to unpack their goodies!

To complete my Easter display I knew I wanted to make a kitty teepee at long last. I'd seen hundreds on Pinterest and, for a while, before finding the tomato cages I'd pondered using the poles from some yard rakes to accomplish this. At 3 rakes for $.1.99 a piece I'd be hard pressed to find my materials much cheaper elsewhere, but the large tomato cage was just $.99. Even better the tomato cage naturally formed a teepee like structure when I manipulated it's posts- perfect for someone structurally challenged, like me.

If you've ever wanted to make your pet a teepee but found the concept of a free standing structure intimidating, this is your teepee. Head to your local 99 Cents Only Store and purchase a large tomato plant cage, fleece blanket, polypropylene rope (or any type of heavy duty string/rope), and some ribbon and make this teepee for just $5 in 5 minutes.

It's as easy as cutting the lowest supporting rung off (the plastic clips will snip easily with basic scissors), manipulating the top ring at an angle into the middle ring, and evening your posts to the same height at the top. Once you've got your tomato cage in a general shape go ahead and take your rope/cord/string and tie it around the 3 posts at the top. Use your excess string/rope/cord to weave in and out, and around the top posts multiple times until the structure holds on it's own. You should be able to adjust the length of the posts with a little force as needed.

Next drape your blanket over the structure and cut 2 horizontal slits approximately 1" from the edge, and 6" down from the top of your teepee. Run your ribbon of choice through it and tie in a bow to secure the teepee's fabric. Repeat about 6" down from the first bow. Place a pet bed inside, or leave as is for young children to use with dolls and such.

Scroll to the bottom of this post to grab the PINterest strip!

While any of these D.I.Y ideas can be used to make special gifts for your pets during any time of the year I especially love that I can afford holiday themed toys without the prices of seasonal merchandise. I made all of these awesome Spring and Easter themed pet toys for the cost of one small sized pink squirrel with an Easter egg squeaker at my local pet store. I've listed all the supplies I used to prepare for a magical Easter with my pets above, and every single thing I used was purchased at my local 99 Cents Only Stores. I even nabbed new bedding for the dog with a $5.99 comforter score!

Don't wait to head into your local 99 Cents Only Store to shop for Easter- the seasonal aisle is full now, and be sure to visit again before the holiday as new products are always being added. I know I'll be heading in a few times to keep collecting items for Easter baskets for the daycare kids, and my bowling league. Sure, it may seem a bit over the top to be 'that person' who always has something small to give everyone in celebration of a holiday, but I rather enjoy being able to afford that, thanks to the 99. Don't have any fur children like me? Just think how adorable an Easter basket would be tucked into one of those DIY teepees for a young girl or boy on Easter morning! Still need more inspiration to 99? Check out this fun video and follow the brand on Instagram!

What Daughter Says: Why spend more when you can spend less, indeed! My local 99 Cents Only Stores have my favorite brands, and new discoveries, at prices that make it fun to shop again!

Treating With #NutrishPets + D.I.Y Leash Station Tutorial

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TreatingWithNutrish #CollectiveBias #NutrishPets

 As many of you know we recently moved from a condo into a house. Because we new have about 4x the space we had at our prior home one might be inclined to think all of my organization problems have been solved. Wrong. In fact, I feel the more space I have, the more overwhelmed I am with finding places where everything belongs. Sure, having 2 extra bedrooms means I could quite literally just open a door and throw someone inside and nobody would be any wiser. And, as genius as that seemed while I contemplated it, I'd still have to invest time digging through the 'junk pit' for those things when I needed them.

Because we don't have human kids our pets are the number one source of clutter in our lives. They are our fur children, so to speak, and they are spoiled rotten adored. I wish I could say the dog had a designated space and the cat had her own designated space- but anyone who knows cats will tell you not to bother setting boundaries, and having a tiny dog (as it turns out) takes up way more room than anyone could imagine. So I decided to tackle one of Nora's largest areas of active clutter- her traveling dog treats, leashes, and poo bags.

Now, I know what you're thinking- Jenna, your dog weighs 7lbs, don't you just carry her everywhere. What do you need leashes for? And while Nora does get her fair share of carrying, she is actually a very high energy adult dog. If she doesn't get out for walks regularly I find that she stirs a lot more while napping and during my own free time. Since the 3 staples, leash, poo bags, and treats, are carried out with the dog multiple times a day they are often the first things you'll find laying across the living couch, on the kitchen nook, or even in the laundry room.

In hopes of cutting back on this clutter, and simplifying our daily routines, I set out on a mission to organize our 'walk' materials. First thing was first- I was going to need a variety of mobile treats I could easily store and 'grab-n'go.' Lucky for me, while shopping Chewy.com on a recent stop at the park I discovered a brand new range of Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® dog treats for Nora. With fun names, inspired by real human food recipes, like Pawsta, Savory Roasters, Meatloaf Morself, and Deli Cuts, these colorful fun shaped treats are intended to engage curious canine minds. They're also available in resealable 3oz treat pouches that are perfect for taking on the go with your pup!

I won't lie, Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Pawsta, meat-filled treats, was my personal favorite simply for the fun rigatoni shell replica chewy outer layer. They're also corn and wheat free,have no artificial flavors or meat by-products, and feature U.S. farm raised beef or chicken as the number 1 ingredient. While these treats look like they're about bit sized for the ordinary dog, breeds vary and dogs such as Nora should exercise portioning and always be watched while enjoying.

I'll be honest it was the Pawsta and Deli Cuts Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® treat verities that inspired my Chewy.com order, but we simply had to order and try all 5 of the new varieties. Did you know that a portion of the proceeds from Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® sales goes directly to Rachael's personal pet project (pun intended) Rachael's Rescue®? Though 2016 Rachael's Rescue® has raised and donated over $14 million towards organizations that do good for animals. As if you needed another reason to go ahead and treat your canine family members!

So, with some new, inspired, treats on hand I set out to complete 'project organize the dog's junk' with a handy D.I.Y. Leash Station I could hopefully mount by our front door for easy access. Here's what you'll need:

A Board of Soft Wood (Cut to your Choosing)

Paw Print Template (Print here)

100-200 Framing Nails (1 1/2" Works Great)

Handle (In Style of Choice)

2 Hooks (In Style of Choice)

Small Hammer

Measuring Tape

Phillips Screwdriver

2 Clothespins

2 L Mounting Brackets, Matching Screws

Thick Braided Wire Cording (1')

Acrylic Paint (Optional for Clothespins)

The type of wood you'll want to use for this project will vary on what you have on hand- Keep in mind if you are not using a piece of cut, stained, lumber you will want a wood that is soft so as to not split while hammering. I found my base wood at a local craft store. It was 7.5" x 10.5" in rough dimensions.

You do not have to use 'L' brackets as I have chosen to do here, but you will likely want to evenly distribute the weight of the completed leash rack with 2 hanging points. Measure and center this hardware, and screw it directly into your wood base before you begin to hammer nails into it.

***Ideally you would want to attach all of your hardware to your board prior to hammering your paw print design in, to minimize vibrations and movement once completed- I chose to install the remainder of my hardware after to allow my hands better maneuverability while hammering.

Print Our Paw Print Template Here

Using the Paw Print Template as a guide trace a rough outline of your paw print in pencil onto your wood. Use your printer's copy/scan ability to size the paw print as needed for the shape of your surface. The current template is best for an 7.5" x 10.5" surface.

Using a small hammer drive the first few nails of the outer template into your wood. Hammer them in about 1/5" of the way so the head is securely within the wood, but the majority of the nail still protrudes for depth. Work your way from one side of the board to the other, from the outside of each part of the template inward. I used about 130 nails for my paw print, and chose to leave some of the paw pad open to simulate shading. The process took me about 2, patient, hours.

Once I had my nails all in place I measured our the positioning of my handle, and secured my hooks on either side. My intention for the handle is that we can easily clip longer traditional leashes to it in a pinch, where as we can quickly hang items off of the hooks when needed.

It was around this time Truffles must've decided Nora and I had been gone too long as she decided to pop her head in the window and inspect what we'd been up to. Thankfully some birds at the feeder caught her eye before she had time to notice her canine sister was munching on a stolen snack, compliments of  Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Roasters.

We were almost done in any case- just one finishing touch-

2 wide head screws attached to the underside of our board, left out just enough to wrap our braided wire. While you could use a thick cord, or a variety of other materials for this, I rather liked the rustic, unfinished, feel of the wire and found it sturdy enough to meet our needs. My intend was that I could use clothespins to clip some treat bags, or a harness to this section as needed.

Of course several hours of patiently supervising my latest craft project didn't wear Nora out- if anything it made her even more anxious to get up and get moving. But not before we practiced a few quick obedience commands in exchange for some delicious rewards!

Okay, so she might NOT have been so obedient as she snuck a Deli Cuts from the pouch when she thought I wasn't looking! They just happen to look like little slices of the human counterpart, pepperoni, so I'm sure she thought she was scoring big time!

I did have to mount my new project on the wall before we could put it to real use, and it seems the rustling of all of her 'away' gear was enough to tell Nora a walk was in her near future. Does your dog do flips and spin in circles when they know they are about to go 'out' too? At least all of her gear is by the door so I don't have to worry about any 'false alarms' when a discarded leash gets in the way, anymore.

Our little leash station comfortably holds a retractable leash, poo bag dispenser, traditional leash, bag of treats, and more. How do you think it turned out? I rather like walking through my front door and seeing a sign of my furry friends at eye level! Want to let your pup experience the new Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® treats for themselves? Grab this exclusive coupon for $1.50 off treats now, while supplies last and pick up a package at your local grocer! (You can print it twice!) Now, tell me, what's the biggest source of clutter in your home for your furry (or human) kids?