It may not sound that great, but lemme tell ya this Cabbage Casserole is BOMB. Cabbage layered with ground beef and cheddar cheese and baked until cheese is melted is DEFINITELY something to write home about! OH, and did I mention it’s Keto too? A tasty, easy to make, Win Win!

First things first, I am NOT a food blogger. No ma’am I am not, so please forgive my “recipe” and my photos, but this is one of the most asked questions that I get…..

“Can I have your Cabbage Casserole recipe I can’t remember where I saved it”. So, here it is!

This was literally made up by me when I first started eating Keto because it was the only ingredients I had in my fridge. I concocted it one night when I was starving and I was immediately hooked!

Now, don’t let the looks of it scare you. I promise you it tastes WAY better then it looks.

You can totally add sautéed onion to your ground beef and it would be delish, but I am usually too lazy to cut it up and saute it so I skip that part.

Also, you can most definitely serve it with white rice for a more hearty meal, but I think it’s fabulous without it so I skip the unnecessary carbs. The choice is yours and only yours.

I am SUPER fancy and add lots of fancy spices..NOT! Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder do the trick. But lemme tell ya, I LOAADDDD it on. LOTS and lots of all of these on the cabbage AND the ground beef. YUM.

And I swear my Cabbage Casserole has tasted SOOO much better since I got my new Carote pots and pans last Christmas! It just gets such a better char on the cabbage. The best part is they are NON-TOXIC too! Highly recommend these. and they are affordable too.

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a cent more!)

Ingredients for Cabbage Casserole

• 1 medium size head of green cabbage
• 1.5 lb ground beef
• Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• Spices: Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder
• Optional: Onion and White rice (I don’t serve with rice because I am Keto)
• ESSENTIAL: Franks Hot Sauce
• Carote Pots and Pans

How to Make Cabbage Casserole

1. Chop up an entire head of cabbage.

2. Saute the entire head of chopped cabbage in a big sauce pot with olive oil (I don’t measure but if I had to guess I’d say 3-4 tablespoons) and LOTS of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a little onion powder. I like to do it on high so that it gets almost burnt but not burnt just blackened/charred in some spots.

It should look something like this once it’s all sautéed (it looks even more burnt and charred in person, for some reason the camera is taking the chardness away)

3. Cook 1 lb ground beef in a separate pan, also with lots of the same seasoning (I’m Italian I LOAD the seasoning on!). Once it’s cooked through drain liquid.

This picture is from the one and only time I sautéed a half of an onion first. if you do choose to add onion just cook it for about 5-8 min before adding the ground beef. It’s delish, I am just too lazy to do it that way every time and its SO good without it, it doesn’t need it.

4. In a casserole dish layer the cabbage on bottom, ground beef on top, and cover with shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese.

5. Bake on 400 for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.

(Literally forgot to get a pic before I dug in LOL)

Serve with FRANK’S HOT SAUCE! The best part!

Who’s gonna try this! If you want, you can also serve it with white rice if you want to add carbs! I’ve done cauliflower rice but honestly it’s so good without it you don’t need it!

This was the one and only time I had it with rice, but I happened to have a picture so here we go (I will get better pics next time I make it and clearly I am not a food blogger, hence the paper plates).

This is my FAVE keto meal you should see the size of the plate I have when I make this….. And then I don’t eat again until about 12 pm the next day and I eat it again for breakfast #ilikewhatilike

Are you going to make this cabbage casserole? Or thrifted ANYTHING for that matter? If you do, I’d love to see it! Pop on over to our free Craftspiration Facebook group, and join in on the fun by posting a pic of your Tiered Trays, DIY’s and crafts. I just love to see all your creative and crafty creations.

If you’ve got a million projects on your crafting ‘to-do’ list like I do, than you need my FREE Craft Project Planner so you can plan to make *all the things*! When you sign up for the craft planner, I’ll also send you lot’s of fun, easy, and budget friendly ideas for you to fill it up with!

Free printable Craft Project Planner

Get organized, get inspired, and get crafting, with our free Craft Project Planner!

Download my free planner!

Until Next Time…

Stay Crafty San Diego!

Love this Cabbage Casserole Recipe? Make sure to PIN it for later!

The post Cabbage Casserole appeared first on Manda Panda Projects.

You may be someone with additional free time on your hands and are wondering how to best spend your days. Or maybe you are just looking for a Hobby, or a way to reduce stress. Either way, if you’re interested in making things and doing DIY projects then crafting might be for you. It’s a fun and engaging way to make use of your time and the projects you complete will give you a sense of pride knowing you did the work yourself!

If you’re hesitant to get started then you’ve come to the right place to see why it might be a good idea to get down and dirty and get busy crafting. Here are a bunch of reasons that you should start living your best crafty life!

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a cent more!)

Learn A New Skill

Crafting is a chance to challenge yourself and learn a new skill. It will keep your brain sharp and also give you a sense or purpose to fill your days. For example, maybe you’re someone who wants to check out Sketch A Stitch and start a new embroidery project. This is a great place to start and you will certainly be challenging yourself to learn something new. I craft alllllll the time, but there are so many things I STILL don’t know how to do, like embroidery! Start small and take baby steps in trying to advance your skills and tackle harder projects as time goes on. You may surprise yourself at how quickly you begin to pick up these types of skills. 

Can Decorate Your Home

Another reason why you may want to start crafting more is so that you can make items to put around your house. This is my FAVE reason! There are many projects you can take on depending on the season and time of year. Once you are finished with your projects you can use them to decorate your home, and most often you can do it on a budget. Since fall is upon us you may want to learn how to make this Happy Fall Twine Pumpkin Sign, that I made last year.

You Can Do it with Your Kids

You might be someone who is looking for things to do with your kids, especially as the weather turns colder. Crafting is one of the best ways to make memories with your kiddos and grand kiddos, so get out the arts and crafts and have fun making items together with your children. They will enjoy spending quality time with you and it makes for wonderful Holiday traditions. Every Christmas me and the boys make a DIY Advent Calendar together, and it’s something we look forward to every year!

Keeps Yourself Challenged

Crafting isn’t always easy to do, especially if you are a beginner. Therefore, one reason to start crafting more is that it will keep you challenged. The more you do it the better your skills will get over time. This is important if you are someone who works a lot but doesn’t know how to spend your free time (trust me I lived that Workaholic life back in the day too). Crafting is a great way to get you thinking and designing and the better you get, the more you can challenge yourself along the way.

Stimulates Your Brain

Crafting is also important because it will stimulate your brain and get you thinking in new ways. It’s good to get yourself thinking in different ways and doing a variety of types of activities. It’s an opportunity to mix up your usual routine and try something brand new. You may also find that it helps with memory loss because getting involved with crafting is similar to doing brain teasers. 

Can Be Relaxing & Good for Your Mental Health

Your mental health is an important part of your overall wellness. If you want to ensure you get a boost in your mood then start crafting more at home. It’s also an opportunity to reduce and manage your stress. It can be a very relaxing and mindful activity to do by yourself or with others. You’ll also have a sense of pride when you actually finish a project. I always say, “Crafting is like Therapy, except cheaper!”.

Good Way to Spend Your Free Time

You may have a lot of extra time on your hands and aren’t sure what to do with yourself. In this case, you can start crafting more often at home. It’s a great way to spend your free time and to challenge yourself to new and more difficult projects as time goes on. This way you can be productive when you have some extra time on your hands instead of just sitting around doing nothing.

Can Use Your Creativity

Crafting can also force you to apply your creativity. It doesn’t matter what project you are doing, you can always make it your own. Being creative will give you a sense of purpose, and you will notice you’ll get more comfortable with each project that you do. You can always add your own creative flair to any project you are working on which is a way to express your self and your mood. You may even begin to make up your own projects that you can do based on your knowledge and personal inspiration. 

Chance to Disconnect from Technology

These days many people are spending a lot of time on their devices (I know I’m guilty!). Crafting is an opportunity to truly disconnect from technology and do something different with your time. Instead of scrolling through social media, you can be working on putting together a project that you can display in your home. You can instead be actively engaged in something meaningful, and give your eyes and brain a break from the screens. Even if you aren’t crafting, we really need to do this more often!

Can Meet New People

Crafting can also be an opportunity to socialize and meet new friends. There may even be local crafting organizations or groups you can join in your area. If not, there is a ton of groups online. Heck, you can even think about starting your own crafting group and being the host! You’ll feel more connected to your community this way and it’ll be fun to learn something new with people who enjoy crafting as much as you do.

Because It’s Fun

Lets face it, crafting can be a lot of fun! It’s a chance to put a smile on your face and try something you’ve never done before. You’ll experience a sense of accomplishment once you see your project through from start to finish. You’ll feel a sense of pride when you are creating new items to place around your home that you can enjoy looking at day in and day out. You may even like crafting so much and get so good at it that you can start making gifts for other people using your skills. It’s always nice to be able to hand someone you love a handmade gift that you put a lot of work into. If you want to get reallllllly crazy, you can start your own crafting business, like me!

Just do it!

If you have some extra time on your hands then you may be looking for ways to fill your schedule. Crafting is one opportunity to do something fun and enjoyable when you have the chance. These are just some of the reasons why it is a good idea to start crafting more. There are likely others you will notice and pick up once you get started crafting at home. Most importantly, enjoy being able to place your completed projects around your home to help you decorate. Why not give it a shot and see for yourself why crafting may be the perfect way to spend your time going forward? 

Pop on over to our free Craftspiration Facebook group, and join in on the fun by posting a pic of your completed DIY’s and crafts. I just love to see all your creative and crafty creations!

If you’ve got a million projects on your crafting ‘to-do’ list like I do, than you need my FREE Craft Project Planner so you can plan to make *all the things*! When you sign up for the craft planner, I’ll also send you lot’s of fun, easy, and budget friendly ideas for you to fill it up with!

Free printable Craft Project Planner

Get organized, get inspired, and get crafting, with our free Craft Project Planner!

Download my free planner!

Until Next Time…

Stay Crafty San Diego!

The post Reasons To Start Crafting More appeared first on Manda Panda Projects.

If you’re ready for a Summer craft that is Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy, than you’re in the right place because that’s exactly what you get with this Dollar Tree ‘Home Sweet Home’ makeover. This adorable little DIY is bright and cheery, fits perfectly on a large Tiered Tray, and all around screams Summer!

This Crackle Paint ‘Home Sweet Home’ Lemon was day 4 of our 5 day Lunchtime Live Lemon challenge. Were in the home stretch, just 1 more project to go. Each was done live over on Facebook in my 30 minute lunch break, and was easy, fun and CUTE! Did I mention they’re all Lemon? AND they could all be used to decorate your tiered tray this summer. One of you guys described it best…It’s a Lemon-Athon!

Make sure to visit my Facebook page to catch all 5 replays and check out all the written posts too!

Lemon-Athon DIY Projects

• Dollar Tree Lemon Napkin Shelf Sitter
• Black and White Striped Lemon Tiered Tray Decor
• DIY Lemon Layered Frame
• Mini Pallet Burlap Lemon for Tiered Tray

Which one of these adorbs Summer Lemon crafts is your fave!? You haven’t even seen the 5th and final one, so just wait because they seem to get better each day! Lemons are all the rage right now, so this week of Lemon crafts has been such a blast to make. What theme challenge should I do next!?

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a cent more!)

Supplies Needed to make a Crackle Paint ‘Home Sweet Home’ Lemon

• Dollar Tree ‘Home Sweet Home” shelf sitter (Mine had a bird image on the top)
• White paint
• Elmers white glue
• Mod Podge
• Round Lemon Napkins – (Amazon only sells the entire Tableware set, you’ll have to head to Dollar Tree for the single package of just napkins)
• Sanding Sponge

How to Make a Dollar Tree ‘Home Sweet Home’ Lemon Shelf Sitter

I made this Dollar Tree ‘Home Sweet Home’ Decor on video, so you can WATCH the step by step tutorial HERE or right below.

Watch the video Tutorial.

I don’t have step by step photos for this entire project since it as made Live during Lemon-Athon, but I promise it’s so easy that you don’t even need them! I have an in depth tutorial with video on exactly how to get that crackle paint finish technique, so be sure to check that out if you need to!

Let’s makeover this cute Dollar Tree Home Sweet Home sign! There’s really just 2 steps….Paint the top crackle paint-y, and then Mod Podge the lemon napkin on top. I swear that’s really it!

To paint the crackle (HERE is an in depth tutorial), just apply a layer of Elmer’s School to completely cover the surface. The thicker the glue the deeper the cracks, and the thinner the glue, the finer the cracks will be. (Below photos are from a separate project but the technique is the same)

While the glue is still wet, apply a coat of white paint over the top. Don’t go back and forth working the paint in, just glide the brush over the surface to cover over the glue.

Now, dry with a heat gun (you can air dry but of course it will take much longer), and watch the magic happen! When you’re done, it should look something like the pic below. You could totally stop here if yo wanted, it’s super cute just like this, but of course I had to take it one step further and add the lemon flair!

Once the top is all crackle painted, Mod Podge that Lemon napkin right on top. You can smooth out the wrinkles with something like a Brayer, or you can just tap lightly and smooth out with your fingers. Just be sure to be careful because the napkins do tear easily when wet. And if it does, who cares it will add to the character and look distressed!

Sand the excess napkin off with a sanding sponge and then you are done. I told you that was Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!

You could take this same idea and make it watermelon or lime too! Dollar Tree has the same round napkins in all 3 fruits! How cute would a Watermelon one be!? Are you going to make to remake this Dollar Tree ‘Home Sweet Home’ sign? If you do, I’d love to see it.

Pop on over to our free Craftspiration Facebook group, and join in on the fun by posting a pic of your completed DIY’s and crafts. I just love to see all your creative and crafty creations!

Make sure to check out the other 4 uh-maz-ing crafts from the Lemon-athon!

• Dollar Tree Lemon Napkin Shelf Sitter
• Black and White Striped Lemon Tiered Tray Decor
• DIY Lemon Layered Frame
• Mini Pallet Burlap Lemon for Tiered Tray

If you’ve got a million projects on your crafting ‘to-do’ list like I do, than you need my FREE Craft Project Planner so you can plan to make *all the things*! When you sign up for the craft planner, I’ll also send you lot’s of fun, easy, and budget friendly ideas for you to fill it up with!

Free printable Craft Project Planner

Get organized, get inspired, and get crafting, with our free Craft Project Planner!

Download my free planner!

Until Next Time…

Stay Crafty San Diego!

Love this Dollar Tree ‘Home Sweet Home’ shelf sitter Lemon Makeover? Make sure to PIN it to your DIY Decor board!

The post Dollar Tree ‘Home Sweet Home’ Lemon appeared first on Manda Panda Projects.

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Make this Easter Egg-stra special with this free printable Easter Basket Scavenger Hunt. The kids will just LOVE following the clues left by the Easter Bunny all around the house to find their baskets!

I know this is not the Easter anyone had imagined, but it is still Easter.

 Life doesn’t always go the way we had planned, and you know what they say about life?

You thought I was going to say lemons!

I wanted to share a few things we are doing to make this Easter egg-stra special. My Twinsies (Justice and Maddox) and I usually follow a pretty strict regimen of tradition when it comes to Holidays, but this year I am stepping outside of the box.

That’s why I created this super fun Easter Basket Scavenger Hunt, as well as these Easter Basket Stuffer Treat Coupons, since it may be difficult to get to the store for the traditional Easter basket treats.

Free Printable Easter Basket Scavenger Hunt

Make Easter morning egg-stra fun and instead of leaving the Easter Baskets right out in the open for the kids to wake up to (I mean the Easter Bunny leaves them, of course), have them  follow the clues to lead them to a surprise! I think this one may just stick for our house and become the new tradition.

Just click the below image and have the printable file sent right to your Inbox. 

Print it off.  Cut it up. And have some fun!

You really can use these however you want, but I will outline the “rules of the game” for reference.

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a cent more!)

How an Easter Scavenger Hunt Works

This scavenger hunt is a little fancier than the typical checklist of items to hunt for and check off as you find them. This one takes mini detective casework. 

The Easter Bunny hides the baskets, and then leaves clues which lead the children from one clue to the next, and finally to the surprise- their Easter Baskets! Of course, the clues are adorable Easter themed and made up of cutesy little hoppity rhymes.

How to Set the Scavenger Hunt Up

Print out the one page set of clues, and you will need multiple copies depending on the number of kids playing.

Cut up the clues using scissors, or if your feeling extra fancy you can use a Cricut Paper Trimmer.

You then hide the clues around the house.  You can fold them and hide them, or you can place them inside plastic eggs and hide those.

I think the plastic egg route is the best way to go if you have more than one kid, so you can give each one their own color egg and they won’t mix up who’s clues are who’s. Just mix up the order of the clues and make sure to leave the last clue the same so it leads them to the basket!

Scavenger Hunt Clues

Clue #1– Happy Easter! Are you ready to hunt for your treat, the first clue is where you brush your teeth.  Somewhere near your bathroom sink.

Clue #2- There’s Bunnies, and Chicks, and Lambs were told, the next clue is where your food stays cold. In the refrigerator. 

Clue #3- He hips and he hops while you sleep in your bed, the next clue is where you lay your head. Under their pillow

Clue #4- There’s an Egg-cellent surprise just for you, but first you must look where you take off your shoes. Inside of a shoe or near the front/back door.

Clue #5- He brings treats, he brings sweets, for good girls and boys. The next hint might be found with your toys. In their toy bin/area.

Clue #6- You found all the clues, now wasn’t that fun? You’ll find your surprise where bathing is done! Inside the bathtub.

I hope this fun scavenger hunt shines a light on this Easter and helps to make some memories that will last a lifetime.

Leave me a comment and let me know if your kids loved this game and how Easter will be different, and maybe even BETTER for you this year!

If you’re looking for more DIY Easter ideas and activities, make sure you check out my Easter Basket Stuffer Coupons, and some of these super cute Easter Crafts like the Pine Cone Peeps we made!

Happy Hunting!

Until Next Time…

Stay Crafty San Diego!

 

FREE Printable Easter Scavenger Hunt

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Check these out!

• Rusty Spring Bunny
  
• Decoupaged Wood Round Bunny
  
• Easter Egg Chicks
  
• Corrugated Cardboard Bunny with Fabric Bow
  
• Terra Cotta Pot Bunny
  

The post Printable Easter Basket Scavenger Hunt! appeared first on Manda Panda Projects.

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Keep the kids entertained while on School Break and get some fresh air at the same time, with this Outdoor Scavenger Hunt.  Grab your binoculars, take a walk around the neighborhood, and see how many items you can check off! 

Download the FREE Printable Scavenger Hunt

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a cent more!)

There is only so much homeschooling you can accomplish in one day. With the Twins being out of school, I’ve been forced to get creative with ways to keep them entertained – without turning their brains to mush.  I’m SURE you can relate!

I created this printable Outdoor Scavenger Hunt to keep my Twinsies entertained, but mostly to get them outside for a hot sec.

Scavenger Hunts come in all shapes and sizes, last year we mixed it up and did an Easter Basket Scavenger hunt!

Over the recent weeks, just as many of you have, I have been promoted (demoted?) to Head Teacher, Cafeteria Lady, Nurse, Coach, and my own personal favorite…Janitor. I am beginning to go Coronacrazy!

My best advice to maintain at least the minimal level of sanity is GO OUTSIDE! Our backyards and sidewalks have not been closed (yet). There’s nothing wrong with taking a stroll through the neighborhood, just keep your safe distance from any passersby. We have been doing lots of sidewalk chalk, Hoverboard riding, and keeping it OG with the Pogo Stick Santa brought last year!

Why an Outdoor Scavenger Hunt?

You can print this Outdoor Scavenger Hunt, and take a neighborhood walk with the Fam Bam while checking each item off as you find it.  Kids love to see who can find them all first, and there’s nothing wrong with a healthy level of competition between siblings (said no one ever).

Or, depending on what kind of ‘hood you live in, and how old your Kiddos are, you can do as I did and send them outside to go explore on their own. 

To make it even more fun, I had them take a picture of each item as they found it with the Kids Smart Watches that Santa got them for Christmas. (Side note: These watches have been super handy for keeping them independent and on track throughout the day since they’ve been out of school.)

I told them not to come back until they found all 20 items or they wouldn’t get the surprise (I had no idea what this was at the time).  This little outdoor scavenger hunt bought me 22 whole minutes to work in peace!

So, print it out. Check it off. Take a pic. Whatever you do with it, have fun!

 Click the picture above to download the Free PDF School Break Outdoor Scavenger Hunt and have it sent right to your inbox to print and use as many times as you’d like!

Until Next Time…

Stay Crafty (and safe) San Diego!

The post School Break Outdoor Scavenger Hunt appeared first on Manda Panda Projects.

Blog it like it’s hot

They say it takes a village to raise a child…well then it takes a damn infantry to plan that child’s first birthday!

This picture is a snapshot from my Twin 8 year old boys birthday party this past July. The YouTube Photo Booth I made by hand in one night for about .83 cents, and I threw in the Props to go along with it. The YouTube t-shirt’s that my birthday boys are wearing were made by me and modeled after “Merch” I saw online for $24.99 a pop (total cost $4?).

All in all the party was a hit. I went above what I thought capable of myself and handmade the Pinata this year. Let’s just say I will NEVER spend $50+ dollars on a party item that I can make on my own with….yup, you named it:

1.) Cardboard

2.) Scissors

3.) Tissue Paper

4.) Glue

(Don’t worry, if your wondering on earth?- I’ve already planned to share here).

The entire experience was enjoyable, stress-free, and best of all it didn’t burn a hole in my already very shallow pockets. What I did get was another year of memories to add to what I call, My Portfolio of Life.

Rewind 7 years to their 1st Birthday.

This was not at all the case. It went a little something like this:

I‘ll never forget their first birthday, I thought it was THE biggest thing ever. Justice and Maddox, who we’ve adopted into one solid nickname of “JustMadd”, were turning the big 0-1. We had people in from out of town and it just had to be perfect, and well because I’m a Virgo , everything must be perfect.

*(Pardon the picture quality, these are pics of pics. Can’t seem to find the digital although this was 7 years ago so they may not exist!)*

Dr. Seuss’s Thing 1 and Thing 2 was the theme. I had a planning notebook, Dr. Seuss quotes printed and mounted on card-stock, I booked a $200 Jump house for my Twin 1 year olds with no friends. There were maybe 2 other kids in the Fam, and a bunch of adults.

I handmade name signs out of red and blue felt to hang on their high chairs that we dragged from our condo, to the park up the street where we had the party (shout-out to Daddio for helping trace the felt letters).

I Planned out the menu and desserts, there were to be 2 smash cakes with RED frosting and white numbers 1 and 2, which was the most horrific idea ever. Their little faces were stained red for 2 days. The cupcakes also had red frosting and blue cotton candy as the “hair” that I bought online for something like $20 because I couldn’t find it locally. OH!! And it was July in San Diego, so the $20 blue cotton candy hair, melted in just minutes of arriving.

The morning of the party when Dad went to get the balloons, I was informed that there was a helium shortage and there was none. After tears, demanding, and if I remember correctly, 3 or so stops and another $20-$30 later he found a place with helium and order was restored. How could I ever throw my children their first birthday without balloons!!

I could go on, but when I look back I can see how tremendously stressful that was. Although what I just described above sounds as if their first birthday was an absolute disaster, it was so far from it. In fact it was just what I wanted to be – perfect!

No one ever knew that there was almost no balloons.

The 2 kids jumped on that darn jumpy until the guy came to tear it down.

Their chubby little red frosting dyed faces did eventually fade back to their Be the smooth pink natural tone.

The high chairs squeezed into the 5th and final trip from the park back home, and the Cotton Candy? What Cotton Candy, I didn’t know the cupcakes were supposed to have that on top?

The point I am trying to make is that THIS is not how I want you to remember the celebration of life’s most precious moments.

We are all just Moms (and Dads and Grammas) just trying to do the absolute best we can. We are busy, and we’re tired, and usually working on a budget.

I’ve have always loved planning and organizing, and if you ask anyone who knows me I may have a bit of an obsessive personality so when I get into something I engulf myself until I’m bored and the next thing comes along.

I have learned so much from that first party and I want to share it with all the Moms out there that are in tears because the cake you ordered for your daughters birthday has Magenta colored fondant flowers and you asked for Fuschia!

I have said year after year that I was going to take it easy on the next one, and do a simple Chucky Cheese or bowling. Here I am 8 years later, just wrapped up their 8th YouTube themed birthday complete with its own Hashtag, #JustMaddSeason8,YouTube Video Invitations, and handmade Photo Prop Booth to name just a few things.

Why do I do it you ask? Because I love it. And I want to help you make the most memorable occasions for your loved ones as well. With my simple party ideas and inspiration, tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way, event planning how-to’s (and how to nots), recipes, and hands on DIY crafting and planning services for people just like me who are busy and on a budget and just trying to do our best.

My nickname my dad would call me when I was little was MandaPanda. I say now I’m the Pandicorn of Party Planners. Everything I create is unique and makes for a Magical affair!

~Amanda DiNovo

The post Lessons in Party Planning: My first blog post and beginning of my journey appeared first on Manda Panda Projects.