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DIY Projects

How to Plan a “Goal Worthy” Soccer Themed Party

April 8, 2021 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This shop has been compensated by Inmar Intelligence and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ItsThePerfectMatch #PerfectSnackMatch

I’ll never forget the chills I felt and the excitement that filled the air as I walked down the street just hours before the huge soccer match took place. I was a young teenager on a European tour and was doing a homestay with a family at the time. The country I was visiting had their country’s flags pridefully hanging from every possible place they could. Chit chat on the street was only about futbol, or soccer as we know it here in the states. That evening the family tuned in to the match on TV, and our eyeballs didn’t move off of that television for one second. 

How to Plan a "Goal Worthy" Soccer Themed Party

The place I was staying was in the countryside. There were other houses nearby, but they were still a good distance off. The moment the announcer declared our team the winner, that entire countryside came alive. I could hear families erupting with joy, excitement, and overwhelming pride for their country and the men on the field who led their team to victory. It was such a cool experience to be able to share those moments in another country, and from that moment on my love for soccer became very real. 

How to Plan a "Goal Worthy" Soccer Themed Party

I love to catch soccer matches on TV as often as I can, and my oldest daughter has begun to take a serious interest in the sport. To help cultivate her budding interest, I decided to host a little soccer soirée for my family to enjoy while we catch UEFA Champions League matches on TV. I decorated a dedicated area in our home with a few decorations and a variety of game day snacks and treats that my daughter emphatically said were #goalworthy. To kick off our snack station on a winning note, I stopped at my local Publix to grab a few must-haves to make our soccer party a success.

Make sure you take advantage of the exclusive Pepsi offer at Publix to kick off your winning game day celebration!  ​

How to Plan a "Goal Worthy" Soccer Themed Party

Currently you can find specially marked Pepsi products with UEFA Champions League packaging stocked at your local Publix, and it was the first thing to go into my shopping cart as I was picking out our snacks. Pepsi has also released a fantastic new flavor, Pepsi Mango that’s a fun addition to kick up your game day a few notches. Pepsi and mango paired together is a winning match, and my family loves to treat ourselves to it while we watch the game!

How to Plan a "Goal Worthy" Soccer Themed Party

When planning a soccer themed party, I kept the menu pretty basic, but made sure to elevate the snacks a little by using black and white colors to match traditional soccer balls. A simple boxed cake mix became the cutest little soccer themed cupcakes with icing piped on to look like grass, and a bag of pretzel rods were transformed into party pretzels using a little white melting chocolate with black sprinkles and chocolate drizzled on top!

How to Plan a "Goal Worthy" Soccer Themed Party

My children have a set of small practice goals they love to play with outside, and much to my delight they were small enough to use as a tabletop decoration. I stationed the potato chips and dip inside the goal, and I layered a strip of artificial turf underneath like a table runner to give the table a simple soccer field feel. You can typically find artificial turf in rolls for cheap at your local hardware store! For savory snacks, I sliced rounds of summer sausage, cheese and pepperoni and arranged them on a tray with a few crackers. Pro tip: If you have any older trophies from years past, dust them off and use them as serving bowls!

How to Plan a "Goal Worthy" Soccer Themed Party

While shopping at Publix I also spotted a few chocolate cream cookie sandwiches that had a green filling in the middle. I knew these would be perfect for a soccer themed party. I used some of the leftover melting chocolate from the pretzel rods and dipped the cookies in to give them a soccer-feel. 

How to Plan a "Goal Worthy" Soccer Themed Party

I also spotted square shaped pretzels, which look like miniature soccer nets to me. I drizzled a little bit of melted chocolate on them, too, and they were a total hit with all of the soccer-loving fans in our house! I lined the corner of the serving table with chilled Pepsi cans, a bucket of ice and party straws. I also cut a small section of artificial turf and used a little bit of craft paint to make a soccer field! I love the idea of doing something similar to make placemats for a soccer-themed tablescape!

How to Plan a "Goal Worthy" Soccer Themed Party

I also sprinkled the table with specially marked UEFA Champions League Pepsi cans for extra decoration. My family has always loved drinking Pepsi, and I especially love that as a proud partner of the UEFA Champions League, Pepsi aims to enable fans to get closer to the sport of soccer, the tournaments and the players. In 2021, Pepsi is also continuing to empower the Hispanic community to unapologetically enjoy futbol by bringing fans closer to the most exciting matches, teams and players. 


How to Plan a "Goal Worthy" Soccer Themed Party

If you’re a fan of soccer and tune in to UEFA Champions League matches, grab a case of specially marked Pepsi products and game day snacks from your local Publix! Making a #goalworthy snack bar or tablescape is very easy to do, and it adds a layer of excitement to the viewing party while watching the game at home! When my daughter walked in the room and saw the soccer decorations, I could see excitement light up her eyes, just like it did when I was a teenager visiting Europe. 

 

Filed Under: DIY Projects, My Favorite Things

Free Printable: I’m Berry Glad You’re My Valentine

January 27, 2021 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

These I’m Berry Glad You’re My Valentine free printable tags are a simple and sweet way to let your valentine know they’re “berry” special! 

I’ve always loved Valentine’s Day. As a child, I remember picking out my Valentine’s Day cards for my elementary class each year. It was always important to me to make sure the card I was giving to each individual person matched their personality in my eyes. Katie got Tweety Bird because she was so sweet. Becca got Bugs Bunny because she loved to crack jokes. Jimmy got Elmer Fudd because he looked like him, and Josh got Pepé Le Pew because, well, you know. I was always the kid that thought way too much about the Valentine’s treats I handed out, and to this day I really haven’t changed all that much. I still love it!

Free Printable: I'm Berry Glad You're My Valentine

And now that my oldest daughter is at an age where she passes out Valentine’s treats to her friends and classmates, I love coming up with treats that are a little less conventional than the boxed ones that you get at the store. Not that there’s anything wrong with those, I just have a tendency to be a little “extra” when it comes to things I really should not be extra about. It’s a gift and a curse!

Case in point, last year my daughter and I couldn’t make up our minds about which treats we wanted to send, so we sent each kid in her class TWO Valentines! We made these adorable Rubber Ducky Valentine’s Day Treats and a bag full of candy in these “I’m Beary Glad You’re My Friend” treat bags.

Free Printable: I'm Berry Glad You're My Valentine

This year, instead of being “beary” glad to send treats to our Valentines, we’re BERRY glad! During my recent trip to the Dollar Tree, I spotted a bag of these classic strawberry hard candies and thought they’d be perfect to hand out in treat bags. They’re not commonly given out as a Valentine candy, but that’s why I chose them. It’s something different!

I’ve linked everything you need to put these together in the Amazon widget below. You should be able to find everything at your dollar store, but you can always Amazon your supplies in a pinch or if you prefer not to get out. I’m also linking a pack of pint sized strawberry cartons in case a cellophane bag isn’t the way you want to go. I think these candies would be SO cute with a little Easter grass inside a strawberry container!

 

 Click here to download the free printable tags, or just click on the image below! 

Free Printable: I'm Berry Glad You're My Valentine

If you use this printable, I would love for you to subscribe to my blog in return! Of course, it’s certainly not required. Just appreciated! Happy Valentine’s Day!

I’ve sized these to fit the width of a standard-sized cellophane treat bag. They’ll print 4 to a page. Just load your cardstock into the printer, hit “print” and you’re good to go! 

Looking for more fun and FREE Valentine printable ideas? Here’s a few that I’ve done over the years that you may like:

Free Printable “I’m Nuts Over You” Valentines | Free Printable Rubber Ducky Valentine Printable | I’m Beary Glad You’re My Friend Valentine | Free Printable “You Make My Heart Glow” Valentines | Valentine’s Day Snack Crafts for Kids | Healthy Valentine’s Day Snacks for Kids

Filed Under: DIY Projects, For the Kids Tagged With: Berry Glad You're My Valentine, Free Valentine Printables, Strawberry Valentine Printable, Strawberry Valentine treats

DIY Holiday Cookie Exchange Boxes

December 1, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

If the year 2020 has given us anything, I believe it’s cultivated a spirit in the American people to think more creatively, shift gears quickly and turn less-than-ideal situations into ones that are positive, even though things may look a little different along the way. As we head into the holiday season, we’re all being tasked with getting creative and finding new ways to celebrate the season, spread Christmas cheer and keep our favorite holiday traditions alive with friends and family in a safe manner. 

DIY Holiday Cookie Exchange Boxes

And if ever there was a time when Christmas cheer needed to be spread across our communities, it’s certainly now. One way my family is keeping the Christmas spirit alive this season is by hosting a holiday cookie exchange to keep our friends and family close at heart, even though we may technically be more than 6 feet apart. In years past, cookie exchanges looked a little bit different as friends would gather in one common area with their homemade cookies and treats to “swap” with other families. Instead of gathering in one place this season, we are picking our top 3 favorite holiday cookies, packaging them up and delivering them to others. Each box will have a recipe card for one or more of the cookies featured in the box, plus a challenge for the recipient to create their own cookie box to share with their loved ones this holiday season. 

DIY Holiday Cookie Exchange Boxes

While many other activities may be cancelled, baking treats in your own kitchen, getting a little crafty and sharing those gifts with others is certainly not off of the table. So gather up your baking supplies, break out the ribbon and twine and turn up the Christmas carols on the radio, because I’m going to show you how I put together these simple boxes with very little effort, all while creating a chain of holiday cheer that will ignite a light of hope throughout our communities during a time when we truly need it the most.

DIY Holiday Cookie Exchange Boxes

To start off our holiday cookie exchange, I selected 3 of our favorite cookies to make this time of year. My white chocolate cranberry cookies are a certified Santa favorite in my house, so those were a top choice to pack in our cookie boxes. Our other two choices were a classic gingerbread cookie and jam-filled lintzer cookies. I packed a total of 4 of each variety into our boxes, so recipients would receive a full dozen cookies to enjoy with their families.

As much as I love baking, assembling these boxes with particular families in mind was perhaps the best part of all. I found these paper lunch boxes in the party supply aisle as my local craft/hobby store. These are not a seasonal item, so you should be able to find them year round and often in multiple colors. I also picked up some wired holiday ribbon, crinkled paper gift box filler, an inexpensive pack of flat Christmas ornaments with “Merry Christmas” written on them, and a flocked fir pick from the floral department to attach to each box. 

DIY Holiday Cookie Exchange Boxes

 

Once the cookies were baked, cooled and ready to pack, I filled each box with a handful of crinkled box filler and arranged the cookies on top. Inside the box I added a printed out recipe card for the cookies, along with a personalized card for the family and the challenge for them to continue to cookie exchange. I then closed the box, wrapped the ribbon around it and put a dab of hot glue on a small fir branch I trimmed off of the pick and placed it right in the center. I then glued the Christmas ornament on top for a completed look, and loaded up the boxes and delivered them safely to my friends and family.  

DIY Holiday Cookie Exchange Boxes

As much as we all long to be comfortably reunited with our loved ones during this season, there are many creative ways we can still be with them in spirit until we’re all able to safely be together again. Starting a cookie exchange in your own community or circle of friends is a great way to keep our favorite holiday traditions like cookie baking and gift giving alive, all while spreading love, care and holiday cheer to others who could really use a pick-me-up during these times. 2020 may not have been the best year for many of us, but we’re given an opportunity every day to bring a smile to others faces. Sharing homemade cookies are a wonderful and simple way to do that, as each bite is sure to bring a smile over and over again!

Are you ready to begin your own cookie exchange? Here’s my recipe for these scrumptious White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies to get you started!

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Soft & Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup salted butter room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp corn starch
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbs vanilla flavoring
  • 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer, combine butter, white sugar and brown sugar.
  • Add in vanilla and egg and mix until incorporated.
  • Slowly add in flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt and mix until a soft, thick dough forms.
  • Add in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips and stir until just combined.
  • Refrigerate for 1 hour or longer. (Don't skip this step!)
  • Preheat oven to 350 F and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or use a non-stick silicone baking mat
  • Once dough is thoroughly chilled, roll or scoop into 2 inch balls and place about an inch or more apart on the cookie sheet
  • Bake for 10-11 minutes. *Cookies will appear undercooked when first removed from the oven. Do not cook any longer - the cookies will continue to set while left to cool on the cookie sheet.
  • Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

 

 

Filed Under: DIY Projects Tagged With: cookie exchange boxes, DIY Holiday cookie exchange

DIY Triple Chocolate Easter Bunny Dessert

April 1, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This DIY Triple Chocolate Easter Bunny Dessert is the perfect treat to celebrate the spring season with. Just grab a spoon and bottoms up!

We’re hopping right along into the spring season, and my heart has been thumping over all of the beautiful new green foliage, gorgeous pastel colored flowers and the brisk cool morning air. Spring has always felt so refreshing to me, and seeing what has withered away regain  new life and come into bloom is such a testament of the beauty of the season.

We built our home in a very wooded area, and each morning our yard comes to life with beautiful creatures and critters coming out to play in the blanket of morning dew on our lawn. My two girls have grown particularly fond of the wild rabbits we have that wrinkle their noses as they munch on the Bahia grass. We are big fans of the Easter bunny, and my daughters giggle with delight each time they see the store shelves flooded with those cuddly stuffed bunny rabbits and giant packs of pastel colored eggs.

DIY Triple Chocolate Easter Bunny Dessert…

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Filed Under: Desserts, DIY Projects

Free Printable: I’m Beary Glad You’re My Friend Valentine

January 30, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Affiliate links are included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. Enjoy this Free Printable: I’m Beary Glad You’re My Friend Valentine to share with your friends!

We’re just a few weeks out from Valentine’s Day, and it seems like you can’t throw a rock inside a big chain supermarket right now without hitting something pink, red and covered in Conversation Hearts. You won’t catch me complaining, though, because even though Valentine’s Day is just another made up holiday fueled by consumerism, the thought of celebrating love is always appealing to me. I have a lot of people in my life that I love, and they never hesitate to make me feel the same way in return. So bring on the mushy-gushy Valentine stuff, because I’m all about it!

Free Printable: I'm Beary Glad You're My Friend Valentine…

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Filed Under: DIY Projects, For the Kids Tagged With: Beary glad you're my friend printable, Beary glad you're my valentine, Free bear valentine printable, Free printable valentine

Rubber Ducky Valentine Cards + FREE Printable

January 23, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

These Rubber Ducky Valentine Cards are a fun little way to make any Valentine recipient feel like a lucky duck!

Earlier last week my daughter received a note in her school folder reminding all parents that Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and each student will need to make a little Valentine mail box so all classmates can deliver each other special Valentine treats during their class party. I loved passing out Valentine cards and treats to my classmates in elementary school, so this was definitely a project I’m excited to help my daughter with!

Free Printable: Rubber Ducky Valentine Cards…

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Filed Under: DIY Projects Tagged With: Free printable valentine, Rubber Duck valentine, rubber duckie valentine, Rubber ducky valentine

How to Create a Winter White Harvest Tablescape

October 25, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #CocaColaHolidaySpice #CollectiveBias

As we’re winding up the final months of 2019, I can’t help but think about how we’re in the home stretch of wrapping up an entire decade. So much personal growth has happened in the last 10 years, including marrying my soulmate, starting a family and building our home. As I’m making preparations to celebrate the upcoming holidays, I’ve been feeling pretty sentimental about all of the good memories that I’ll be sharing with my family when they gather around my table for Thanksgiving this year.

How to Create a Winter White Harvest Tablescape #CocaColaHolidaySpice…

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Filed Under: DIY Projects, Farmhouse Finds, My Favorite Things Tagged With: deer antler tablescape, white fall tablescape, white table setting, white tablescapes, Winter White Harvest Tablescape

Free 1st Day of School Hang Tag Printable

August 3, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

These free 1st day of school hang tag printables are perfect for teacher, faculty, and class gifts on the first day of class!

We’re just THREE days away from school starting for our oldest daughter, and even though we’re sad to see summer come to an end, we’re thrilled that she is going to be introduced to a classroom setting and make lots of new friends! We’ve had a blast picking out new school clothes, purchasing school supplies for the very first time and now picking out  gifts for her to give to her teachers.

Free 1st Day of School Hang Tag Printable…

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Filed Under: DIY Projects Tagged With: 1st day of school tag, back to school printable, back to school tag printable, first day of school printable, free school tag printable, free teacher gift tag printable, teacher gift printable

Father’s Day Gift Basket for Fishermen

May 29, 2019 by Laura Tucker 5 Comments

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

One of my favorite perks of living in the southern portion of Alabama is that the beautiful sandy white beaches aren’t far away at all. We’ve gotten quite spoiled by the ability to make day trips down to the Gulf, and my husband’s family loves to spend any free weekend they get fishing off of the state park pier. My husband and I used to fish together frequently before we had children, but now our time spent at the beach involves much more splashing in the waves than casting a reel. Fishing is still one of my husband’s favorite pastimes, so we made sure during our vacation this past weekend that he was able to take the time to cast his reel and enjoy his time in the outdoors.Father's Day Gift Basket for Fishermen #JackLinksDad #ad…

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Filed Under: DIY Projects, My Favorite Things Tagged With: cooler gift basket, Father's Day gift basket, Fishing Father's Day gift, Fishing gift basket, Fishing gift ideas, Jack Links gift ideas, Outdoorsman gift basket, Outdoorsman gift ideas, pier fishing gift ideas

DIY Game Day Place Mat + Homegating Tips & GIVEAWAY!

January 24, 2019 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

This post has been sponsored by Farm Rich and Litehouse. All opinions expressed are 100% my own. I love sharing my favorite tips and tricks for hosting the ultimate game day party with my readers! Scroll down to learn about the Farm Rich giveaway going on now!

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We’re just days away from the ultimate game day showdown, and all the buzz centered around the Big Game has me SO excited to get my head in the game and host the ultimate game day celebration as we watch two amazing teams gear up to bring home a championship title! Game days have always been a big deal for us. We all huddle together as family and friends to watch our favorite teams play, and while the spirit of the game is what brings us together, the game day snacks are what keep us smiling for all 4 quarters!
DIY Game Day Place Mat + Homegating Tips & GIVEAWAY!…

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Filed Under: DIY Projects, My Favorite Things Tagged With: DIY football place mat, DIY game day, game day, game day hosting tips, game day snacks, homegating, homegating tips

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"Hi there! I'm Laura, and I'm a child of God, a wife, and a mother of two. My roots are planted deep in rural Alabama. Monograms, crafting and Southern cuisine - yes, these are a few of my favorite things! Join me as I grow my family in the beautiful South where the tea is sweet, the accents are sweeter, & someone's heart is always being blessed." [Read more...]

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