How to Incorporate Hidden Storage into the Backyard

DisclosureLowe’s Home Improvement provided me with free products in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

How to Incorporate Hidden Storage into the Backyard How to Incorporate Hidden Storage into the Backyard How to Incorporate Hidden Storage in the Backyard How to Incorporate Hidden Storage in the Backyard

How to Incorporate Hidden Storage into the Backyard!

We live in the Pacific Northwest and it rains A LOT. We live in this wet climate with very limited indoor or outdoor storage, so anytime my husband and I build something new around the home we always think about how to sneak storage into the project. While planning our backyard makeover we made sure to plan for multiple spots that could hide everyday outdoor items from view. Our large wood planter does just that. It’s tall and hollow and it’s the perfect spot to hide weatherproof containers.

By adding a couple of tall resin deck boxes into our wood planter we have hidden a ton of kid’s outdoor toys and the outdoor pillows can now stay dry and clean for the winter. In addition to the deck boxes we decided to use 5 Lowe’s buckets (with lids) to store smaller items. We have BBQ tools in one bucket, small garden tools in another, spray paint (I surprisingly have a lot), storing hoses for the winter, and a sort of catchall bucket. By adding this bit of storage we have been able to clean up our small shed in the back and we can actually find things easier. It’s amazing. All of these items used to build this can easily be found at Lowe’s!

Do you want to see how we built this piece? Follow the directions below. You can adjust them to fit the size of your yard.

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Peanut Butter Banana Blueberry Oat Bars

My Peanut Butter Banana Blueberry Oat Bars are free of refined sugars and flour. This recipe is gluten free when using baking powder and oats that are not contaminated with gluten.

Peanut Butter Banana Blueberry Oat BarsPeanut Butter Banana Blueberry Oat BarsPeanut Butter Banana Blueberry Oat Bars

These bars are the perfect breakfast item or snack. My kids LOVE them and I don’t feel bad letting them eat this “treat” whenever they want because it’s sweetened with bananas and a bit of honey. I’ve been making these bars so often for the past year I don’t even need to follow the recipe. It’s so easy to make and popular in our home I thought I should share it with you guys.

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Free Printable Lunch Notes for the Kids

DisclosureThis post was made in partnership with Foster Farms Bold Bites. All opinions are my own.

Free Printable Lunch Box Notes for the KidsFree Printable Lunch Box Notes for the Kids Free Printable Lunch Box Notes for the KidsFree Printable Lunch Box Notes for the Kids

We are about 3 months into the new school year and I’m already tired of making lunches. Okay. I’m not really tired of making them, but sometimes I just want to pack a quick uncomplicated lunch in the morning. I want more time with my coffee and to hang out with the kids. Foster Farms Bold Bites are tasty and ready-to-eat cooked chicken breast bites. They are individually packaged so all I have to do is pop them into my daughter’s lunch. Partnered with some fruits and veg this is a lunch I feel good about sending to school with my kid AND I only spent about 2 minutes prepping it. It’s a win!

With her quick meal made I have time to add a note for her to find at lunch. I feel like I barely see my oldest daughter during the week with school and all her activities, so I like to add something extra to her lunches. I can wish her good luck on a spelling test or make her laugh with a silly pun. It’s my little way to let her know that I’m thinking about her.

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Kid’s Gift Idea: DIY Hand-painted Galaxy Ornaments

DisclosureThis post was made in partnership with Kleenex® Wet Wipes. All opinions my own.

Kid's Gift Idea: DIY Hand-painted Galaxy Ornaments Kid's Gift Idea: DIY Hand-painted Galaxy Ornaments Kid's Gift Idea: DIY Hand-painted Galaxy Ornaments Kid's Gift Idea: DIY Hand-painted Galaxy OrnamentsKid's Gift Idea: DIY Hand-painted Galaxy Ornaments

It’s fun to craft with kids, but it can also be messy! I swear there’s always some splash of paint or wet handprint that finds it’s way onto my clothes or furniture. These days I never start a kids project without preparing for the mess ahead of time. With a pack of Kleenex® Wet Wipes nearby I can easily clean up those messy fingers and faces before there’s a disaster. Especially when crafting with my youngest. She likes to run off laughing with paint all over her hands. These wipes are thick, soft and contain no harsh chemicals. They are perfect for everyday use on the hands and face. They’re made for doers and anyone that’s not afraid to get their hands dirty.

Today I’m sharing a Kid’s Gift Idea: DIY Hand-painted Galaxy Ornaments. My 3rd grader and her best friend helped me make these cute ornaments this past weekend. They plan on giving these as gifts this holiday. I had so much fun with them. A galaxy can be a crazy swirl of colors and I think the girls did a great job. Their ornaments are beautiful. Even my youngest helped make an ornament.

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How to Make Latte Art with Free Downloadable Stencils + Two Frothing Milk Methods

Tracking PixelDisclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of OXO Brew. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make The Paper Mama site possible.

How to Make Latte Art with Free Downloadable Stencils + Two Frothing Milk Methods How to Make Latte Art with Free Downloadable Stencils + Two Frothing Milk Methods How to Make Latte Art with Free Downloadable Stencils + Two Frothing Milk Methods

My husband and I love our pour-over coffee each morning. It’s the best way to start our day. On the weekdays we are extremely busy getting kids ready for the day, so we drink straight black coffee. When the weekend hits we like to take the time to get more creative with our caffeinated sips by adding flavors and frothy milks.

Our current favorite tools to craft the perfect coffee are the OXO Brew Adjustable Temperature Pour-Over Kettle and OXO Brew Glass Pour-Over Set. The kettle’s handle and body are optimized for effortless pouring and the precise-pour gooseneck spout provides ultimate control, which is great since you have to pour slowly a few times over 3 minutes. The pour-over coffee maker is hand-blown with a borosilicate glass dripper. It can brew directly into a mug or up to four servings into the glass pitcher. It’s a great way to make our coffee each morning. No matter how you like your brew, OXO has tools that simplify the brewing process and deliver both a better cup and a better experience.

Today I’m sharing how to make a great cup of coffee with frothed milk and a cinnamon stencil. Below you will find a couple of free files to download and use to create your own coffee latte stencils. These stencils can be cut by hand or by machine. I really suggest cutting the more complicated images with an electronic cutting machine (unless you have some crazy talent with cutting out small designs by hand).

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Sweet and Spooky Cinnamon Chips for Halloween

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of In The Raw®. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make The Paper Mama site possible.

Sweet and Spooky Cinnamon Chips for Halloween Spooky Sweet Sweet and Spooky Cinnamon Chips for Halloween Chips for Halloween

When I was little some of my favorite treats were made with cinnamon and sugar. It’s right up there with chocolate. The best treats my mom baked were these cinnamon bites made from extra pie crust during the holidays. Since I don’t make pie everyday I decided to use flour tortillas for my Sweet and Spooky Cinnamon Chips. For this treat I used Monk Fruit In The Raw® instead of sugar for the sweetener and it’s just as good. This dessert is ideal for those looking to cut added sugars and it’s also recommended to those seeking sugar substitutes.

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Categories: food, Sweets