The Fun Times Guide

Homemade Christmas Decorating On A Budget... From The Heart

Every year people max out their credit cards on Christmas gifts, decorations and food.

Then, in  January, when the bills start piling up in the mail box, they realize they have created a financial fiasco that they have no means of getting out of.

For over 17 years, I was a single parent. There wasn't much money to spend at Christmas, and so buying decorations was positively out.

However, I was determined that our house would be festively decorated for the holidays.

How did I manage?

Here are a few tips for Christmas decorating on a budget...

Continue reading: Homeade Christmas Decorating

Who Knew There Were So Many Options For Renting Movies?

It used to be that you went down the block to the video store and grabbed whatever movie you wanted to see, paid for it, took it home and watched it on your VCR. That was as recent as 10 years ago.

Today, the options for renting movies has expanded in ways that many of us, myself included, could have never imagined.

Here are some of the modern, high-tech options for renting movies that are available these days...

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Autumn Hikes: Tips To Enjoy Hiking In The Fall

Recently, my husband and I decided to head to a hiking trail near Lake Ontario.

I'll share highlights from our hike in a moment.

But first, I thought I'd share some tips for hiking in the Autumn months...

Continue reading: Autumn Hiking Tips

New England Fall Foliage Tours... By Train!

There's no place on Earth quite so lovely as New England in autumn. 

My husband and I took a trip to New England to do a little leaf peeping. We had heard that this was a marvelous area for autumn foliage and it far exceeded our expectations.

Instead of driving through winding country roads to take in the scenery (as we had done in the past), we chose to leaf peep by train.

Come along on a leaf peeping tour of New England... by train!

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Fun Thanksgiving Games & Activities For Kids

Young children love holidays.

They get wrapped up in all the excitement and enjoy helping with the decorations and other holiday preparations.

They also enjoy being on the computer, coloring, and playing games.

Here are some fun Thanksgiving games for kids to play online, as well as some other online and offline activities that little ones will enjoy...

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4 DIY Autumn Home Decor Craft Ideas Using Leaves

Autumn decor brings warmth into our homes, as well as color and texture.

Fortunately, decorating for autumn doesn't have to be difficult or expensive.

By using your imagination and a few inexpensive craft supplies, you can create beautiful autumn crafts that will add some charm to your home decor.

Here are 4 fun craft ideas using autumn leaves...

Continue reading: 4 Craft Ideas Using Fall Leaves

3 Fun Thanksgiving Crafts To Make With Kids

Thanksgiving is a time of celebration for families. It's when we all get together to give thanks for blessings received.

Kids love to be part of the holiday preparations, and kids love crafts.

Here are some fun Thanksgiving crafts that you can make with your kids...

Continue reading: 3 Thanksgiving Crafts With Kids

How To Make Clay Bud Vases

Making a bud vase is very simple, and even very young children can do this with only a little help. 

You will need:

clay

a plastic knife or popsicle stick

a toothpick

a newspaper

 

 

 

Continue reading: Make Clay Bud Vases

How To Preserve Your Collection Of Fall Leaves

Fall is one of my favorite times of year. The leaves turn such interesting colors here in Washington. I looked out my 6th floor window this afternoon and noticed that the trees across the street were a mixture of gold, and red, and even though it was raining hard, they were just stunning.

Preserving Fall leaves is one of the best ways to decorate your home during the autumn months.

You can use your preserved leaves to make wreaths, adorn your fireplace mantle, make a centerpiece for your dining room table, or use them as part of your outdoor yard decor. The choices for what to do with your preserved Fall leaves are endless, and only require a bit of imagination.

Here's how to preserve colorful leaves...

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Easy Halloween Crafts & Decorations: Make Paper Mache Pumpkins

One of my favorite things about Halloween is decorating.  There are a lot of great ways to make your own fun decorations. 

These paper-mache pumpkins are easy to make and use just a few materials. 

They are especially good for little ones who are not quite ready for pumpkin carving yet. Now they can get in on the Halloween decorating fun too!

Continue reading: Make Paper Mache Pumpkins