So it’s Monday again. Time for a recap of a few fabulous ideas from around the web. All of these sites were featured on my Facebook fan page in the last several weeks so, if you haven’t had a chance, you should check them out. If you liked them as much as I did, take a minute and let the content authors know. Bloggers love comments; so share the love when you stop by their sites.

Remember, if you’d like instant access to the links I love and a few other tips and tricks, you can sign up to be a follower on Facebook by clicking the Facebook icon at the top of the page or by following this link and then clicking the Like button. Here are the links from last week…

The Purl Bee

With five kids in our house, we’ve seen a lot of loose teeth over the years. These simple tooth fairy bags would be a handy tool to have around.

Homemade By Jill

In our world, play dough is a disposable toy. That’s why I love finding a good home-made recipe. My kids and I used this one last week and it worked beautifully.

FilthWizardry

Do you have a little Star Wars fan at your house too? Check out this simple light saber tutorial.

The Crafting Chicks

Sugardoodle directed me to this clever idea for keeping track of your kids summer reading stash. I love the name cards that double as library card holders – so very smart.

Up Up Creative

Know any stylishly-simple brides-to-be? If so, you should send them over to this site for some gorgeous wedding invitation options. I absolutely adore her wedding stationery collection.

It’s Monday again.  Time for a recap of a few fabulous ideas from around the web.  All of these sites were featured on my Facebook fan page last week so, if you haven’t had a chance yet, you should definitely check them out.  If you liked them as much as I did you should take a minute and let the content authors know!  Bloggers love comments – so share the love when you stop by their sites.

Remember, if you’d like instant access to the links I love and a few other tips and tricks, you can sign up to be a follower on Facebook by clicking the Facebook icon at the top of the page or by following this link.  Here are the links from last week…

Somewhat Simple

Take bubble blowing to a whole new level with this cheap and easy idea. 5 minutes of prep + supplies you have lying around the house = hours of outdoor fun.

I’m A Lazy Mom

Motherhood is rough. Sometimes you need to cut a few corners to survive. If you’ve had a tough day like me you’ll love reading the ‘lazy’ mothering confessions and tips on this site.

MADE

Our finished basement/kid-hangout-spot has a tv and wii but no real furniture. These cozy rollie pollie chairs would be the perfect addition. If I didn’t have an infant in my arms all day I’d buy the $6 pattern and whip up one for each of my kids.

They sell boxed Bunco games at Target and WalMart, but they’re catered to a very girls-night-out crowd (the dice are hot pink, for pity sake) and look pretty cheaply made.  I was sure I could come up with something better so I ran to the dollar store and grabbed a few packs of dice, colorful pens (for scorekeeping), and some cheap prizes.  I whipped up the scorecards on my computer while my husband set up some folding tables in the basement.  In less than 20 minutes (and for about $12) our Bunco game was set up and ready to go – just in time for the guests to arrive.

Overall, the game was a big success.  Since the game requires players to switch partners every round, there were tons of opportunities to mix; so every player got a chance to pair up with (and trash talk) every other player.   Additionally, there’s really no strategy to Bunco (it’s an easy-to-learn, pure luck game) so my 6 year-old daughter had just as much chance of winning as her Grandpa did.  In fact, it was my 8 year-old son Jack who beat us all and was promptly crowned the ‘King of New Years’.  The effect was exactly what I was hoping for – a few hours of laughter and fun for adults and kids alike.

After the party, I started thinking about how many other ways I could use Bunco.  For example, there are several new couples in our ward that I’m anxious to invite over and I think this game would be a great way to laugh and get acquainted.  It would also be a fabulous mutual game – perfect for combined young men/young women activities because the partners get to switch all the time.  And of course, it makes a fantastic girls night game.  The group I was part of in Ohio had monthly Bunco nights – each month at a different house.  It was a monthly get-away that we all looked forward to!

Some people think that Bunco is limiting because it’s traditionally only played with 12 people.  However, we’ve played it with as few as 8 and as many as 24.  You just need to adjust the number of game tables and teams per table to your specific number of players.  You can even play with odd numbers if you play with a “ghost” (read the comments area for more details) or skip the ‘team’ idea completely and have everyone roll for their own points.  Trust me, there are ways to make it work for any type of party.  All you need is a group of energetic players and a Bunco Kit of your own and you’ll be good to go.

The good news is that now you don’t have to settle on that obnoxiously pink kit that’s available in the stores.  I spent the last few days re-designing the Bunco Kit I hurriedly made on New Years and it’s now available in my Etsy shop.  It’s colorful, coordinated, and perfect for any of the Bunco parties I described above.  Best of all, it’s available in two forms –  the ready-to-go pre-cut set (handmade by me) or a printable set (to be handmade by you).  Whichever option you choose, you’ll have everything you need to get your party rolling in no time (sorry, I just couldn’t resist that pun).

I hope you guys love it as much as we did!  Good luck.  Let me know if you have any questions or if you come up with any other clever ways to use this great game.  I’m always looking for new party ideas.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

Not one to give up easily, I decided to create my own game.  I took inspiration from the cards I liked and then racked my brain to come up with more questions.  In the end I had 100 clean, laughter-inducing, conversation-provoking questions that were perfect for my girls’ weekend.

On the night of the party I passed around the questions and had each friend draw three – one to answer themselves, one to ask to anyone in the group, and one to put back.  We started the game around 8 pm and we were still playing it at 3:30 am.  The ladies loved it!  We laughed about prom dress descriptions, commiserated about house-cleaning woes, and shared stories about our lives that would never have come up in regular conversation.  It was exactly what I was hoping for.

A few months later, I created several more sets to use at a Relief Society (a LDS womens’ group) dinner.  I placed a set at each table and had the women play while they ate.  The effect was fantastic.  Women of all ages and backgrounds were able to laugh and relax together.

After the dinner, several of the women asked me where they could buy their own copy of the game.  That’s when I decided to make it official and add ChatterBox (titled after the nickname of my oldest daughter – who has been a fountain of questions from the time she could speak) to the MeckMom Etsy store.

As of today, you can purchase both the boxed set (handmade by me) or a printable set (to be handmade by you) in my Etsy shop.  The sets come with my original 100 questions but if you’d like to customize your set by adding a few questions of your own, just let me know and I’ll add them in for you.

I know I’m a bit biased, but I really do love this game.  If you’ve got a mom, sister, or good friend on your Christmas list this year, I highly recommend giving this game a try.  It would make a perfect gift!  Or better yet, buy one for yourself and share the fun at your next baby shower, girls night, or women’s meeting.  I’ve even used them at visiting teaching appointments and presidency meetings.  You just can’t go wrong when you get women talking.

I’m planning to create more sets in the future –  a group date set for teens is in the works and a family reunion set will be coming soon.  I may even create a supplement pack (25 more questions) for the Women’s Edition since it’s been so popular.  I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

Remember, if you want to win your own boxed set of ChatterBox you still have a few days to enter the “Best of MeckMom – Chatterbox Giveaway”.  Just comment on your favorite MeckMom idea on last week’s Talk To Me Tuesday post to enter.  The deadline is Tuesday night (Nov 10th) at midnight CST.  Thanks everyone, for your support.  I hope you enjoy ChatterBox as much as I have.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

Wig Out
For some reason, my kids – especially my girls - always beg for this game.  They think the hairstyles are hilarious and they love finding matches of their favorites.   All of the players play simultaneously in this game so the pace is pretty quick.  That being said, it’s mostly a game of chance and doesn’t require any reading so it’s just as easily won by my 5 year-old as it is by my 8 year-old.

Monster Maker
My 6 year-old son has always had a thing for monsters so when I saw this game at Target I just had to try it.  Essentially the goal is to use the ‘Parts’ cards to build your own monster and thwart the progress of your opponents.  It involves a tiny bit of strategy but is still easy enough for all my kids to enjoy.

Toss Your Cookies
What kid could resist this sugar-coated card game?  Similar to Wig Out, the goal is to collect 5 of your favorite cookies and a glass of milk.  However in this game you roll dice to find out what actions you’ll take on each turn (pass, swap, or steal).  My kids loved this one.  Yes, I had to use past tense in that sentance because my girls used the cute cookie cards to decorate the table of a very soggy tea party last year and I had to throw it out – I’m sure you can relate. ;)

Quick Tip for Young Card Players
Holding and playing with multiple cards can be tricky for little fingers.  If your little ones are struggling, try this clever trick recommended by Family Fun a few issues ago.  Just grab a few plastic potato chip clips from your kitchen drawer and pass them out.  They’re easy to hold, easy to open and close, and super cheap.  It’s hard to beat that.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

I thought I’d kick things off with a few of my favorite family games.  There are tons of great games out there, but my favorites are the games that are easy to set up, easy to adapt for different age levels, and completely devoid of tiny, get-sucked-up-in-my-vacuum-type pieces.  Here are two that fit that the bill:

Bucket Blast
Of all the kid games in my house (and I have a lot) this one is probably my favorite.  Unlike a traditional game, Bucket Blast is more like a game kit.  It comes with belted buckets, bean bags, blind folds, cones, as well as a handy book of game ideas.  It’s kind of like having tons of games in one – I love it.  I’ve used mine for family home evening, classroom parties, sharing time – you name it.  It can be used inside for bean bag races or outside for water balloon relays.  Best of all, it’s comes with a big, blue drawstring sack to easily contain all the pieces.  The $35 price is a bit higher than I would pay for most games, but if you consider how much use you’ll get out of it it’s well worth it.  You can usually find it at Target or click this link to find it at Amazon.com.

Hyper Dash
I just added this game to our collection a few months ago and my kids have loved it.  It’s not quite as adaptable as Bucket Blast, but it’s packed with fast-paced fun for any age.  Essentially the game is played by spreading out the colored targets (around the room, around the yard, or around the park - there is no limit on distance) and following the directions of the hand-held, talking tagger.  The tagger calls out a number or color and the kids have to go find it, tag it, and then listen for the next direction.  The kids go one at a time and the tagger keeps track of each player’s time and declares a winner.  They can also play it in teams or solo (similar to the game Simon we played when I was a kid).  I love this one because it gets my kids up and moving! In fact, they’re generally panting and a bit sweaty by the end of the game.  It’s easy for the kids to set up and has only 6 pieces so it’s easy to put away too – a huge plus in my book.  I picked mine up at Toys ‘R Us for $20.  They also had a double-dash version (two sets of targets and two taggers) for $30.  Here’s the link on Amazon.comif you’re interested.

If you’ve found a fun family game that your kids can’t resist, I hope you’ll share it with the rest of us in the comments area – I’m always looking to expand my family fun collection.  By the way, I’ve got several fabulous family card games that I’ll be posting those later this week so don’t forget to check back.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

I wasn’t up for destroying the living room, so we used a corner of a bedroom instead. First, we rearranged the furniture to create a nook. We used bookcases, but kitchen chairs or dressers would work too. Next, I grabbed a spare twin sheet from under my son’s mattress (thanks for the comment on that, by the way).

The big problem with your average blanket fort is all the slippage. To keep the blankets in place, I grabbed a few adhesive hooks from the junk drawer. I used 3M Command Adhesive because they’re easy to remove and reposition. I placed the hooks on the wall above the nook and on the bookcases. Then, I used simple binder clips to grab the sheet and hook it to the walls and furniture.

Over the last four days the fort has been well-used.  It’s been a circus tent, a makeover salon, and a transformer hideout. The hooks are still holding strong and I haven’t heard about the wonders of ‘Air Wick Freshmatic Minis’ in days. That’s a win-win for me. Just thought I’d pass it on.

Set Up:
Divide your group into two teams of any size (recommended minimum is 4 per team).   Gather 5-10 blankets, sheets, or sleeping bags.  You’ll need one neutral person to act as a referee and be the blanket coverer.Objective:
To acquire the most points in a pre-determined number of rounds.  Points are acquired by tricking the other team into thinking there are more or less team members under the blankets.  How to Play:
Instruct the first team to go to a separate room.  The remaining team has three minutes to create a structure with any number of team members.  For example, two people stand in the center and form an arch with their arms.  Other team members hide around their legs.  The referee then covers the entire structure with blankets.  Any remaining team members not under the blankets hide in or near the room.  The referee then calls the other team in.  They are not allowed to touch the blankets.  They have two minutes to make an official guess.  Once they’ve agreed on a number, the referee announces it and the team comes out from under the blankets.Scoring:
If the team guessed the correct number of people.  They earn 3 points.  For every number they’re off (either high or low), the opposing team gains a point.  The team with the highest point total at the end of the game wins.