However, have you ever seen emoji flower pots? Yes, you heard correctly, flower pots with your favorite emoji faces on them. These emoji flower pots are the perfect summer craft to tackle with your family. Nothing says “summer” like bright and happy emoji flowerpots! Make your outdoor or indoor space happy and bright.
The best part about this craft is that it’s actually easy to make and requires a short list of materials. And, don’t worry, no hand-painting skills are required. Ready to give it a try yourself? Here are the materials needed, along with craft instructions and a quick video to help visually.
Materials Needed:
Plain ceramic flower pots
Yellow spray paint
Scissors
Colored paper
Mod Podge
Paint brushes
Clear spray sealer *Only need if your pots are going to be outside*
Potting soil
Plants or herbs
Craft Instructions:
Spray paint flower pots “emoji yellow”.
Tip: Don’t rush! Allow time for thin even coats with drying time in-between.
Allow to dry completely overnight.
Cut or punch out desired emoji expressions out of colored paper.
Tip: Paper is better than card stock because it is easier to attach to a curved surface.
Attach paper expressions with Mod Podge.
Allow to dry.
Spray with clear sealer. *If your pots are going to be outside*
Add flowers or herbs.
Feel free to choose whatever emoji your heart desires! Simply follow the same steps above. Fill your pots with flowers or herbs and enjoy.
Also, prepare for endless compliments on how cute these flower pots are!
Poke cake is such an easy dessert that it’s impossible to resist whipping one up for a special occasion—or any occasion, really. When you know your cake is guaranteed to be moist and filled with any toppings you fancy, it’s hard to pass up!
This recipe for blueberry cheesecake poke cake covers all the bases, and combines that tried and true cheesecake flavor with crumbly cake and fresh blueberries! This batter will turn a delightful lavender shade while you’re mixing, it’s (almost) too pretty to eat up.
Ingredients:
For the cake
1 box white or vanilla cake mix (plus ingredients on the box)
For blueberry cheesecake filling
1 (14oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup fresh blueberries (freeze them overnight so you can crush them in a food processor)
1 cup whipping cream
8 oz. cream cheese softened
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For topping
2 cups whipped topping
2 cups fresh blueberries
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F, spray 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Prepare the cake mix according to the ingredients on the box and bake 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake for 10 minutes, then using a wooden spoon poke holes all over the cake but be careful not to poke all the way to the bottom. Set aside to cool completely.
Place frozen blueberries in a food processor and pulse until they crushed completely. If you can’t crush the blueberries completely add some of the sweetened condensed milk and pulse until it become smooth, then transfer to a bowl , add the rest of sweetened condensed milk and softened cream cheese and whisk until there are no large lumps.
Add whipping cream and whisk until combined evenly.
Stir in lemon juice and pour over the cake immediately (lemon juice will thicken it quickly). Spread it back and forth so it fills the holes. Set in the fridge for couple of hours or overnight to set.
Spread whipped topping, slice and serve. Top each slice with fresh blueberries before serving.
Store in the fridge.
Written by Tijani Jackson and originally published on Shared.
Kids love the look of sushi, but who needs fish when you can make this treat with just five sweet ingredients! Kids will have fun helping create their very own sushi rolls, filled with gummy worms and other candy favorites.
These sushi rolls are a tasty treat, and a super clever idea. The best part about candy sushi is that it’s easy to make, especially if you use prepackaged cereal bars. And the chocolate sauce made to resemble soy sauce really ties the whole snack together.
Candy sushi is a low-effort treat that will have a big impact on little ones and adults. Ready to get started? Check out the ingredients list, and instructions for both the sashimi and sushi below. We’ve also included a quick video to help you out.
Ingredients Needed
Cereal bars (homemade or prepackaged)
Fruit roll ups
Gummy fish
Gummy worms
Chocolate sauce
Assembly Instructions
How to prepare the sashimi:
Prepare cereal bars or unwrap prepackaged ones
Cut cereal squares to 1×2 inch pieces.
Cut fruit roll up into 1/2 strips.
Assemble sushi pieces by stacking a gummy fish on top of the cereal bar piece and wrapping a strip of roll up around to secure.
How to prepare the sushi roll:
Roll out a small section of cereal bar to ½ inch thickness.
Fill center area with a small amount of gummy worms and roll.
Wrap the entire roll with an uncut fruit roll up.
Cut into ¾ inch pieces.
Arrange candy sushi on a platter.
Fill a small ramekin with chocolate sauce and dust with sprinkles.
Oreos are a staple in many people’s homes—and who can blame anyone? They’re delicious, crunchy and sweet cookies that just go so perfectly with a cold glass of milk. For many it’s a nostalgic experience, too. This Oreo Doughnut recipe brings together two beloved desserts to form one amazing confection.
These doughnuts have a cakey, chocolatey texture that will melt in your mouth—there’s even Oreos baked right into the batter! Your taste buds will love the hint of cookie crumble that tops the creamy vanilla glaze that resembles the middle of an Oreo. Give these doughnuts a try, and you might just love them more than the classic cookie!
Ingredients:
For the doughnuts
¾ cup flour
⅓ cup cocoa powder
⅓ cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 egg
⅓ cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vinegar, white or cider
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 Oreos, crushed finely
Donut pan
For the frosting
1 ounce cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons milk
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Oreos, crushed finely, for sprinkling
Directions:
For the doughnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard sized doughnut pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk egg, milk, vegetable oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry, whisking to combine.
Gently fold in the crushed Oreos.
Transfer mixture into a pastry bag or large ziplock with a hole cut into the corner.
Pipe batter into donut molds, filling ⅔ of the way up the molds.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the donut comes out clean.
Allow to cool 10 minutes before frosting
For the frosting
While the donuts are cooling, make the frosting.
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, whisking until smooth.
The consistency should be thick but still thin enough to form ribbons when you scoop it from the bowl and back down.
Dip each donut into the frosting and top with more crushed Oreos. Enjoy!
Written by Tijani Jackson and originally published on Shared.
Grilled cheese is one of those classic recipes that’s just tried and true, and always makes a great snack. Taking it a step further, your cast-iron (or baking dish) can do most of the work for you with these Grilled Cheese Pull-Apart Rolls.
The fun with these rolls is eating them… pull them apart to reveal the gooey, cheesy center. You can even top them with garlic butter and they’d be perfect alongside a pasta dish at dinnertime. Bet you can’t just eat one!
Ingredients:
2 cans Pillsbury biscuit dough
¾ of a box Velveeta cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted
6 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
1 tablespoon fresh or dried parsley
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Open up the can of biscuit dough and separate.
Cut the cheese into cubes.
Flatten out each biscuit, add a cube or two of cheese to the center, then pinch the sides creating a tightly sealed ball.
Once the balls are made, place them in a lightly greased 9 inch cast-iron or baking pan.
In a small bowl, mix melted butter, crushed garlic, and parsley.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with the garlic butter you mixed.
Bake in the oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until rolls are starting to turn golden brown.
Cover rolls with tin foil at this point, then continue cooking another 12-15 minutes until they are fully cooked through.
Serve immediately.
Written by Tijani Jackson and originally published on Shared.
Sharpie Mugs are a fun and easy way spruce up your morning coffee without having to spend a ton on an expensive mug. All you need to make them are white mugs (dollar store mugs work great), oil-based Sharpie paint pens, craft stickers and nail polish remover (to wipe off any mistakes). They’re a really great craft option to make on a rainy weekend with your kids.
These mugs are so beautiful that you’ll be tempted to keep them all for yourself! If you’re feeling generous, fill them with homemade cookies, hot chocolate mix or packaged coffee beans for the perfect hostess, teacher, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gifts. It’s important to remember that once the design is set in the oven that these mugs are hand-wash only.
Materials Needed:
White mugs
Oil-based Sharpie Paint Pen
Craft Stickers
Nail Polish Remover
Directions:
Place a sticker on your mug. You can place the sticker wherever you like.
Using a Sharpie oil-based paint pen in a color of your choice, begin making dots around the edge of your sticker.
Heavily concentrate your dots around the edge of the sticker. As you work your way outward, make your dots less concentrated.
You can use 1 color or multiple colors (we used black and gold).
Allow time for the paint to dry.
Once the paint is dry, peel your sticker off. If you notice any mistakes after you remove your sticker, just wipe them off with a q-tip that has a bit of nail polish remover on it.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Once your oven is heated, set your mugs inside and let them “bake” for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, turn off the oven and let the mugs and oven cool down.
Enjoy your new personalized mugs!
Written by Ashley Ruess and originally published on Shared.
We all have our own preference when it comes to colors, but according to recent research, the paint colors we choose can directly impact the value of our homes.
Zillow analyzed 50,000 homes across the country to find that color decisions within a home can affect the final sale price of the home by over $1,000, give or take. The study discovered that while we all may not agree on our color choices, there are four paint colors in particular that should be avoided in order to get the maximum sale price for our homes.
Here are the colors that will decrease the value of your home, and that you should try to avoid at all costs.
1. Slate gray
Gray is a popular and well-liked paint color choice, but you have to be careful when choosing the shade. Choosing the wrong shade of gray may either increase or decrease the final sale price of your home by more than $1,000.
Homeowners who chose to use slate gray on their dining room walls, for example, got $1,100 below the expected sale price for their home. In contrast, living room walls that were painted dove or light gray helped increased a home’s value by $1,100.
2. Off-white
This might be the most surprising of the four offending colors. The study found that the use of off-white in some spaces—especially kitchens—can make a them feel flat or dead.
Homes with off-white or eggshell kitchens were found to go for $82 below market value.
3. Terracotta
This bold paint choice could put a dent of -$793 on the value of your home. Zillow found that homes with terracotta-colored living rooms sold for less than the expected value.
4. Dark brown
This color has been referred to as dirty, tar and even death (which sounds a little harsh if you ask me). When used in a bathroom or bedroom, dark brown lowered the final sale price by up to $469.
According to TIME, this color is disliked to the extent that the Australian Government almost used it as the color on cigarette packaging to make smoking less appealing.
When looking to increase the value of our homes with a new paint coat, Zillow suggests steering clear of these four paint choices.
Instead, we might consider painting our kitchens in a creamy shade of yellow for an approximate $1,300 increase in final sale price. Homes with bedrooms painted light green or khaki saw a similar boost, and homes with dove or light gray living rooms sold for about $1,100 above the expected value.
In the same analysis as stated above, Zillow experts analyzed photos from nearly 50,000 homes sold around the country and came up with some interesting results about which paint colors get you the most bang for your buck.
Here are the paint colors that can increase the value of your home.
1. Purple
This one may throw you for a loop, but buyers apparently dig certain shades of purple in the dining room. Zillow found that mauve, eggplant or lavendar increased the sale price of homes by $1,122.
Equally as strange was the color Zillow said turned buyer’s off in the dining room: Slate or dark gray. those colors decreased home prices by $1,112.
2. Tan
Paint your bathroom an oatmeal or beige color and you’ll see the sale price of your house go up $283, according to Zillow.
For perhaps obvious reasons, you’ll want to steer clear of dark brown in the restroom or you could lose out on $469 come sale time.
3. Yellow
A creamy or wheat-colored yellow in your kitchen can increase the sale price of your home by $1,360, the Zillow analysis found.
Though it’s tempting to want a crisp, clean white kitchen, you’ll want to steer clear of off-white or eggshell, as those two colors can decrease your sale price by $82.
4. Green
In the bedroom, focus on light green or khaki colors to see an increase of $1,332 on your sale price. And once again, steer clear of dark brown—it may cost you $236.
5. Light Grey
Grey is apparently another question in the living room. If you paint your living room a dove or light gray color, you could increase your sale price by $1,104.
Steer clear of terracotta, an orange-ish color that will decrease your sale price by $793.
If you’re planning to do a little updating this spring or summer, you want to make smart choices about how you spend your money.
Forget going out for egg rolls and make your own at home! These Pork and Vegetable Crispy Baked Egg Rolls are so tasty and make the perfect appetizer for a party. Since they’re baked instead of fried they have a delicious crispy outside with way less of the grease.
When making this recipe you’re going to want to make sure that you have a big enough pan to hold all the sliced veggies and ground pork. We used the Ballarini Firenze Wok and it did a great job of frying up all the veggies and meat, without feeling like it was overfilled. Also, the non-stick surface make the cooking and cleanup a breeze. If you love egg rolls as much as I do, then this recipe is a definite must-try!
Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 cup green cabbage, sliced
1 carrot, shredded
5 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 slice of bacon, chopped
1/2 lb ground pork
12 egg roll wrappers
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Additional sesame oil for brushing once egg roll is wrapped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Heat the olive oil and sesame oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat.
Add the sliced cabbage, shredded carrot and chopped green onions to the pan. Cook and stir for about 1 minute.
Next add the garlic, ginger, bacon and ground pork. Break the meat up into pieces and stir until the pork is completely cooked through and no longer pink. Set mixture aside and let cool.
Once the mixture has cooled, scoop 1/4 cup into an egg roll wrapper.
Fold two opposite corners towards the middle and roll it up (like a burrito).
Once rolled, place the egg rolls on the parchment lined baking sheet and brush with sesame oil.
Bake for 12-14 minutes. They should be golden brown when done. Serve warm and enjoy!
Written by Ashley Ruess and originally published on Shared.
Today’s the day! In case you haven’t heard, Amazon Prime Day is in full swing and the best deals are going fast. While many people may use Prime Day to purchase extravagant products that are otherwise out of their budget, Prime Day also has great deals on everyday products that you will actually use.
We’ve sifted through all the Amazon deals to find you the most practical Prime Day deals that you won’t regret purchasing. Check out the list below.
Disclaimer: The E.W. Scripps Company gets commissions for purchases through links in this story.
1. Instant Pot Programmable Pressure Cooker, 8 Quart
If you’ve been searching for a pressure cooker, now is your chance to buy!
Once you purchase velvet hangers, you won’t settle for anything less. Velvet hangers are the best option for keeping clothes hung up and prevent clothes from sliding off.
Believe it or not, summer is quickly coming to an end, and a new school year is just around the corner. While back to school is an exciting time, it can also be a busy, time-consuming and expensive time.
Thankfully, the Passionate Penny Pincher has created a helpful guide for where to get the best deals on school supplies. The cheat sheet compares school supplies prices at Walmart, Target, Staples and Office Depot. The handy sheet gives you a quick glance at where to find the lowest prices on everything you are looking for.
Overall? Walmart tends to have consistently lower prices than the rest. However, that’s not always the case! Check out part of the chart below and head to PPP to download your own printable version.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the cheat sheet, compiled to help make school supply shopping an affordable breeze.
1. Walmart Wins
Walmart seems to be living up to its reputation as the low price leader.
Let’s take a pack of 10 Crayola washable markers for instance. Walmart’s price was $2.77, while Target’s price was $3.99. At Staples you’d pay $3 and at Office Depot, you’d pay $5.
2. Don’t Forget Store Brands
Target, Staples and Office Depot have in-house store-brand items that are significantly cheaper than brand-name items.
It’s important to note that the cheat sheet focused mostly on well-known school supply brands, such as Crayola and Elmer’s, which skewed the results just a bit. Search for the in-house store-brand items when shopping at these stores.
3. What About Amazon?
Don’t worry, Amazon, we didn’t forget about you! The cheat sheet also doesn’t cover Amazon, but our sister site Don’t Waste Your Money did a search and found you should buy these 10 back-to-school items from Amazon in order to get the best price.
Plus, time is money, so if you don’t have to leave your house to buy school supplies (although your kids might protest!), Amazon can help with that too. Got Amazon Prime? Even better. That free two-day shipping is a lifesaver
4. Dollar Stores
While dollar stores like Dollar Tree and Dollar General were not included in this back-to-school cheat sheet, be sure to check out dollar stores, as you can get many school supplies at discount stores for a lower price.
Head over to PassionatePennyPincher.com to download the full cheat sheet today. Simply sign up for the the blog’s email list, then you’ll receive a link in your inbox that takes you to the cheat sheet. You can print out this sheet to take along with you on your school supply shopping trip.
Prices may vary depending on your location and weekly sales, but this chart will give you a general overview of where you can find the lowest prices.
Who couldn’t use some extra cash, right? We’ve scoured the web to find you side jobs that’ll help fatten your wallet.
To make the full $500 you will have to accomplish multiple side jobs on this page. Hypothetically, let’s say you open a second bank account and make a quick $250, start delivering groceries twice a month to add another $50, be an automotive mystery shopper every other weekend and make around $120, and then in your downtime fill out some TV surveys and make up to $95, totaling to approximately $515! And that’s just using 4 out of 18 side jobs.
Here are 18 low-effort side jobs to help bring in some extra dough this month.
1. Help Doctors Find A Cure
Do you suffer from a health issue? You may be qualified to help doctors find a cure while you earn some extra cash at the same time!
According to The Penny Hoarder, here are a few of the health issues that have paid research opportunities tied to them:
Migraines: Those who suffer from migraines can participate in local research studies and earn up to $350.
Psoriasis: Your participation in this study will only require you to take online surveys, earning $5-$100!
Arthritis: If you suffer from osteoarthritis, find out of you qualify to participate in this study, and earn up to $1,000.
Who doesn’t want a free $10 Amazon gift card? Get your free $10 Amazon gift card by signing up for MyPoints (it’s free), and use the MyPoints portal when you shop online (because online shopping is a “side job,” right?!). The portal is connected to thousands of stores such as Walmart, Amazon and Target, to name a few. Spend $10 at one of their connected stores, and you will receive 17,500 points, which you can redeem for your free $10 Amazon gift card!
3. Become An Uber Driver
Becoming an Uber driver is a quick and easy way to make some extra money! Uber allows you to be your own boss and schedule flexible hours. As an Uber driver, you keep 50-80 percent of everything you earn (Uber doesn’t release the exact percentages, and the percentage the company keeps depends on the city, length of trip, etc.). According to The Penny Hoarder, you must be at least 21 years old, have at least 3 years of driving experience, an in-state driver’s license, a clean driving record and pass a criminal background check. In addition to this, your car must be registered in-state, be covered by in-state insurance and be a four-door car model.
Ready to hit the open road and start a career with Uber? Apply here.
4. Sell Your Old Stuff
Have some old books, jewelry, furniture or collectibles lying around? Clear out some clutter and make some extra cash by selling them via the online estate sale site Everything But The House (EBTH). The folks at EBTH will handle all the details, and they boast 3-5 times the profits compared to traditional sales. Learn more here.
I know you’re probably thinking, “Why would I do that?” Some banks will pay you to open checking or savings accounts. Take a look at this list to figure out which banks pay you to open an account with them!
Many companies will pay you to download their apps, including: SavvyConnect, MobileExpressions, Smart Panel, Nielsen Mobile Panel for ages 45+ and Nielsen Mobile for iPhone users, to name a few. The best part is the money doesn’t stop at the download; you’ll be compensated for every month you keep them installed. Now that’s an app worth your time!
If you are already an active person, or maybe you need a little motivation for your workouts (guilty), download Achievement and start earning money today! Connect Achievement with other workout apps that you already use to earn money for completing healthy activities. Once you reach 10,000 points, you can choose to receive $10 in cash or an Amazon gift card.
There’s no limit to how much you can earn, so get going, get active and make some money!
If you’re already the designated grocery shopper in your household this side job will be an easy task for you. Earn up to $25 an hour to deliver groceries to those in need of your help! Download Instacart and sign up to become a grocery delivery driver (see if Instacart is in your area). To apply, you must be at least 21 years old with reliable transportation. Start making extra money today while helping others at the same time!
Consider yourself an expert smartphone photographer? Download the free app Foap and turn your smartphone photos into quick cash. Here’s how it works, upload your best photos to Foap’s marketplace and wait for someone to buy the license to your photo. Photo licenses are sold for $10, and you make $5. Each time your photo is licensed, you receive $5, so that $5 could add up pretty quickly!
Why not make some money while you are watching TV? Be a money-making couch potato! We know surveys aren’t everyone’s forte, but how about a survey that will pay you $95 to fill it out while you’re watching TV? Check out Vip Voice and Ipsos Panel, a few of the only legitimate paid survey companies.
Are you a coupon guru? Sell your extra coupons or the ones you won’t use on eBay. People will pay crazy amounts for a coupon that they just have to have (think seasonal events like Black Friday). You’ll have to pay a seller’s fee, but it could definitely be worth it.
Download the TaskRabbit app and start picking up tasks today! TaskRabbit’s current price floor is $14 an hour so you won’t have to worry about being paid below minimum wage. According to TechCrunch, jobs generally range between $15-25 per hour, and most clients end up paying $40-60 per task!
13. Test-Drive Cars
Make a quick $60 for each dealership you visit as an automotive mystery shopper. As an automotive mystery shopper, you will be responsible for posing as a potential car buyer and test-driving vehicles. Sign up for this and other mystery shopping opportunities through BestMark.
OK, this isn’t exactly a side job, but it’s too good not to include. Meet Paribus. This free tool gets you money back from your online purchases. Paribus scans your receipts and compares your purchases with their 16 retailers listed on their website (Target and Amazon are included in this list). If there is a match, Paribus will track the item’s price and issue you a refund anytime there’s a price drop. It’s that simple, and doesn’t require any effort on your end!
15. Rate Your Local Pizza Place (And Get Free Pizza)
Eat free pizza and make $5 dollars? Say no more! Papa John’s and Pizza Hut regularly participate in these mystery shopping exercises where you’re asked to do things like time their delivery service. Stop by your local pizza joint to learn more.
Make up to $60 a year by simply downloading SlideJoy and allowing ads on your smartphone. SlideJoy will become your new lock screen, and will give you the inside scoop on ads for various products and services. If you like the ad, swipe left and be sent straight to the advertiser’s website, YouTube video or app download page. If you don’t like the ad, swipe right to use your phone normally.
17. Participate In “In-Theater Checks”
Do you enjoy going to the movies but don’t love the high ticket prices? Well, Certified Field Associates wants to pay you to attend movie premieres! You are able to pick and choose the movies that sound interesting to you, and you’ll make between $10-20 per hour for attending (we suggest choosing a long movie).
Unleash your inner spy and become a secret shopper to receive gift cards for Amazon and iTunes. Download the app QuickThoughts on your smart phone, and become a private investigator for shops in your area. Get paid to slyly take pictures and give valuable feedback about your top-secret investigations!
So there you have it! Now you know the easiest and quickest ways to make some extra cash. Choose your favorites and see how many you can accomplish this month! Ready, set, go!
We have exciting news for Disney fans! You will soon be able to stream many of your favorite Disney movies.
Hulu has recently acquired all of the streaming rights to over 50 Disney classics in a multi-year deal, according to Deadline. That means Hulu subscribers will be able to indulge in timeless films like “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Mulan,” “Hercules,” “Pocahontas” and “Air Bud.” Newer hits such as “Lilo & Stitch,” “Tarzan,” “The Emperors New Groove,” “Muppet Treasure Island,” “The Princess and the Frog” are also included in the deal.
Many of these movies will now become Hulu exclusives in the world of internet streaming subscriptions. Previously, you may have seen a few of these movies on Netflix. However, that will not be the case anymore. Netflix may be getting the newly released Disney movies, but Hulu will win the classics!
Hulu’s Head of Content, Craig Erich, shared some of the motive behind this deal with Deadline:
The Disney brand is synonymous with beloved movies that the whole family can enjoy. Expanding our offering of top-rated kids and family programming has been a top priority for us, and we know viewers will love watching these films over and over again on our service.
This is not the first deal struck between Disney and Hulu. Hulu is partly owned by Disney, and you can already find numerous Disney movies and shows on the streaming giant. In fact, earlier this year, Hulu reached a deal with Disney-ABC Television Group to live stream the Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior. In addition to this, Hulu gained 20 Disney Channel Original Movies.
The addition of these classic flicks to Hulu will be something the whole family will enjoy—and it will likely make family movie night that much better. We imagine Hulu subscriptions will be on the rise after this news—especially in households with children!
It’s that time of year again! One year is coming to a close, and another is about to begin. While there is the typical tradition of staying up late and watching the ball drop, New Year’s is an opportunity to start some new, meaningful family traditions.
Here are nine ideas for family traditions that will help make the new year extra-special, and that the whole family will love!
1. Good Things Jar
Each week, write down one good thing that happened during the week on a piece of paper and place it in the jar. Open the jar on New Year’s Eve the following year and reminisce about the amazing year you had!
2. Take A Family Photo
Take a family photo and include the year by holding up cardboard numbers! It will be fun to see how your family changes from year to year, and great to look back on later in life.
3. Family Service Day
Decide as a family where you would like to volunteer on New Year’s Day. This is a great way to spend time with your family and give back to your community. Start the new year on a positive note!
4. Take Down Christmas Decorations
Out with the old and in with the new! While many people take down the Christmas tree the day after Christmas, try taking down Christmas decorations on New Year’s Day (maybe while giving those Christmas albums one last listen of the season). This will bring the family together and close out the holiday season.
5. Box Of Goals
Have everyone in the family write one goal each month. Place the goals at the start of the month into a wooden box. Each month, take out the goal from the previous month and review how family members did! A fun way to actively achieve goals as a family.
6. Leave The Past Behind
Leave the past behind and have everyone in your family privately write down a regret from the pervious year on a piece of paper. Then have a bonfire and throw the pieces of paper into the fire. Start the new year fresh!
7. Family Meal
Whether it’s a Sauerkraut dinner for good luck, or a pancake breakfast with numbered pancakes representing the year to come (try using these), sitting down for a family meal to celebrate the new year is a fantastic way to end one year and start another! (And hopefully a good way to carry this tradition throughout the year ahead.)
8. Daily Family Hug
We know busy families can feel like ships passing in the night, which is why something like a daily family hug is a great way to pause and love on each other, if only for a few seconds. Is this a little cheesy? You bet, but it’s also super-sweet and likely to lead to some laughs.
9. Topsy Turvy Day
Today’s the day to do things a little differently. Every so often, surprise your kids with ice cream for dinner or a breakfast picnic in the backyard. Maybe take it a step further and wear your clothes backwards. Whatever you do, shake it up and have fun!
Find a tradition that works best for your family and have fun establishing a meaningful new activity (or two!) in the new year.
Related: Here’s a fun, cute and easy way to make a family tree centerpiece! Perfect for for graduations, Mother’s Day, and family reunions!
Clinique and Crayola have joined forces for an epic collaboration!
The two iconic brands came together to tap into our nostalgia and create a lipstick unlike any other. For a limited time, you can get a Clinique Chubby Stick in your favorite Crayola crayon color!
The Crayola Chubby Sticks come in a range of red and pink shades, including memorable Crayola colors such as: Brick Red, Wild Strawberry, Mango Tango, Melon, Marvelous, Pink Sherbet, Fuzzy Wuzzy and Red Violet. Sounds familiar right? The sticks are packed with mango and Shea butters to keep lips smooth, nourished and vibrant.
Not only are the new Chubby Sticks inspired by the classic Crayola crayon colors, but they even look like crayons! The adorable sticks look almost too perfect to use. Luckily, we don’t think these crayons will break as easily as the ones from our childhood.
And if you aren’t already sold on the color and style of the Chubby Sticks, the collection is even packaged in a classic-looking Crayola box to complete the look!
The Crayola for Clinique Chubby Sticks for Lips are available now on Clinique’s website for a limited time, choose from a variety of colors and collections.
You can also purchase the entire collection of mini sticks to try a variety of colors, Crayola for Clinique Limited-Edition Set of 8 Minis, for $49.50. This set includes: Brick Red, Wild Strawberry, Mango Tango, Melon, Mauvelous, Pink Sherbet, Fuzzy Wuzzy and Red Violet.
Grab your favorite color, or purchase the entire collection online while you can! This is a limited-edition collection, available for a limited-time! Shop here.
If you’re looking for a recipe the whole family will love, then look no further than this recipe for Mozzarella Pepperoni Croissants!
First of all, anything pizza is always a delicious and safe bet when it comes to satisfying your pint-sized food critics. Not only are these pizza crescent rolls delicious, they are also super easy to make.
This simple recipe involves crescent rolls, mozzarella string cheese sticks, pepperoni and marinara sauce. Your kids will enjoy joining in on the fun and creating their own personalized crescent rolls! Our favorite part about this dish (and probably yours too!) is that assembly and cook time is quick and easy.
Ready to have your own pizza party? Check out the ingredients and cooking instructions below to get started on creating these kid-friendly Mozzarella Pepperoni Croissants.
Ingredients
2 packages of Pillsbury crescent rolls
8 mozzarella string cheese sticks halved to make 16 string cheese sticks.
1 package of pepperoni
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of basil
1 egg
marinara sauce (optional)
Parmesan (optional)
Now for the fun part of creating your mozzarella sticks!
Cooking Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove crescent rolls from package.
Starting with the wide end of the crescent, spread a small amount of marinara sauce (if desired).
Next, place a half mozzarella stick on the end.
Place pepperonis along the surface of the crescent roll.
Starting with the wide end, roll into the narrow end.
Place rolled pizza croissants on un-greased cookie sheet.
Combine garlic powder, oregano, and basil in small bowl.
Beat egg in a separate small bowl.
Sprinkle each roll with seasoning and brush with beaten egg.
Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve with marinara and sprinkle parmesan (optional).
This recipe calls for pepperoni, but you can get creative with your ingredients! Include your kids’ favorite and let them be a little chef!
2016 was an exciting year for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive, his debut in Disney’s “Moana” and of course, his youngest daughter, Jasmine’s, first birthday!
Johnson is a father to two daughters. His oldest daughter is 15-year-old Simone Alexander with first wife Dany Garcia, and his youngest daughter, 1-year-old Jasmine with his girlfriend Lauren Hashian. Jasmine turned 1 on Dec. 16, and you have to see Johnson singing happy birthday to her! He posted the video to his Instagram account recently, and it is the cutest thing you will see today.
He captioned the post “Teaching ’em young to start applauding the moment daddy starts singing. Smart girl. Answering my egotistical questions is clearly a work in progress;). Happy 1st Birthday baby girl. Got you for life. #Aiga #PuaMana” As you’ll see, Jasmine claps right along.
This is not Jasmine’s first appearnace on the Rock’s Instagram. She’s actually made an appearance several times on her dad’s account, each post cuter than the next!
One of her first appearances was on her 4-month birthday. Look at those eyes!
Apparently Johnson does more than just sing, he also has some dance moves! Check out the video of him dancing while dressed as a Pikachu for Halloween (Jasmine’s favorite character).
Happy birthday isn’t the only signing that Johnson has been up to lately. He had quite the performance as the demigod Maui in Disney’s “Moana”! Check him out singing “You’re Welcome,” in “Moana” below!
We think Johnson has future in singing ahead of him, and we hope he keeps posting Instagram’s of his adorable daughter Jasmine!
So many of us are mourning the untimely death of singer George Michael, who passed away on Christmas Day at the young age of 53. Our newsfeeds are full of photos and videos of the incomparable Michael. But, here’s one you may not have seen yet. Did you know Michael was the first-ever celebrity guest on “Carpool Karaoke”?
On the off chance you’re not familiar, “Carpool Karaoke” is one of the most popular segments on “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” Here’s how the famous schtick works: Corden invites the musical guests on his show to drive around Los Angeles with him. While they’re in the car (and being recorded), Corden jokes with the celebrities and sings along to some of their top hits.
Way back when, Michael was the first musical guest to appear in Corden’s car. If you haven’t seen the video of the two, watch it below! We have to warn you, though, this video will bring back all the feels and we suggest you have a box of tissues nearby.
Corden sent out a tweet about Michael’s tragic passing on Dec. 25, paying tribute to one of his idols.
I've loved George Michael for as long as I can remember. He was an absolute inspiration. Always ahead of his time.
He’s here! Vanessa and Nick Lachey have welcomed a third child into their family!
The famous couple happily welcomed baby boy Phoenix Robert into the world on Christmas Eve! The birth was announced through a photo on Vanessa’s Instagram posted on Monday. The snap shows baby Phoenix holding his mother’s fingers.
A photo posted by Vanessa Lachey (@vanessalachey) on
Vanessa captioned the photo “It’s a very Merry Christmas indeed” and referred to baby Phoenix Robert Lachey as their early “Christmas Miracle.”
The announcement that a third child was on the way was made back in September, through another post on Vanessa’s Instagram account. The caption read: “We got a new crib! Now we need a new CRIB!” The photo showed Vanessa cradling her baby bump and posing in front of the family’s new home along with Nick and their two older children, son Camden, 5, and daughter Brooklyn, 11 months. Baby Phoenix officially makes the adorable celebrity family a #LacheyPartyOf5.
A photo posted by Vanessa Lachey (@vanessalachey) on
And just when you think Vanessa’s Instagram couldn’t get any cuter, she posts this video of Nick finding out that they are having a baby boy! Camden approaches his dad with a big blue balloon to spill the beans.
A video posted by Vanessa Lachey (@vanessalachey) on
Nick Lachey has expressed in the past how much he enjoys being a dad. Lachey opened up to People after Camden’s birth.
I had a lot of expectations for what fatherhood would be because I thought about it for so long but when it happens, it blows your mind every day. This little creature that you created, that looks to you and depends on you, and just brings you so much joy, you just can’t put it into any kind of words. Your kids are the biggest blessing you could ever possibly have in life.
Congratulations, Vanessa and Nick, on your growing family!
Related: Watch these adorable twins have a grand old time with a leaf blower:
The folks at Disney always seem to have new surprises up their sleeves. Recently, the company confirmed that it will be adding three new themed attractions to the complex: “Star Wars” Land, “Toy Story” Land and an “Avatar”-themed park called Pandora: The World of Avatar. While Disney has not announced opening dates for the “Star Wars” and “Toy Story” attractions, both located in Hollywood Studios, the expected opening of Pandora has been announced.
The anticipation is finally over! Pandora will open its doors to the public in summer 2017. Pandora: The World of Avatar will be located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom in in Orlando, Florida. James Cameron, director of the 2009 movie “Avatar,” and Disney Imagineers have been working diligently to ensure that this new attraction is a fully-immersive experience for guests, and from the looks of the video below, they have done just that!
The Avatar you see at the end is an actual animatronic from the new park! The lifelike appearance is breathtaking in a video, so can you imagine seeing it in person? Read on for more fun facts about the development of The World of Avatar as well as what you can expect when the park opens this summer.
Construction for the park began in 2014. The first concept art was released in February 2015. The park includes the iconic floating mountains from the movie. The park will be filled with hundreds of exotic-looking plants, including a replication of the bioluminescent forest, which will appear differently both day and night—creating two totally different environments!
And of course, a world wouldn’t be complete without attractions, dinning and shopping. The park will feature two new attractions, “Avatar: Flight of Passage” and “The Na’vi River Journey,” as well as some fun dining and shopping spots.
The Avatar: Flight of Passage attraction will take you on the back of a mountain banshee, the giant bird-like animals that are also seen in the film. This attraction will be similar to Disney’s Epcot ride Soarin’. You’ll be plunging and diving and exploring the world of Pandora.
The Na’vi River Journey will be a boat ride through the bioluminescent forest, an attraction the whole family will love!
The Satu’li Canteen will be the main restaurant in the park. Enjoy a good meal and also take a look at Na’vi art and other cultural items. Wind Traders will be the main shopping destination in the park. Find science kits, toys and more! Pongo Pongu will be the spot to grab a festive, “Avatar”-themed drink on those hot summer days!
So, are you currently booking your trip to Disney World for this summer? We know we are!
If you consider yourself a Harry Potter expert, you’ve come to the right place.
As we all know, Harry found out he was a wizard through an acceptance letter from Hogwarts when he turned 11. If you didn’t get a letter on your 11th birthday, don’t lose hope. There are other ways to find out if you’re actually a true wizard living a muggle life.
If you think you have what it takes, put your wizardry knowledge to the test with this Harry Potter quiz.
