As the school year draws to a close, it’s time to remember those that have spent countless hours educating our future generation.

Clueless about what to do? Here are a few clever  ideas with free printables to get you started…

Head on over to the Lines Across Blog to download this free printable card–a heartfelt handwritten note is always appreciated!

 We stumbled across this Thank You Teacher Sleeve on the Alpha Mom Blog. These printable sleeves are easy to make and fit around the small (kid size) cup from Starbucks. They’re the perfect way to present a gift card.

The folks over at the eighteen25 blog designed this original Subway Art that any teacher would love to hang in their classroom. Download and print your copy here, then put it in a pretty frame or fancy clipboard.

Does your teacher play golf? Fill a couple of mason jars with golf ball and tees, add these printables from The Creative Cubby and you will be good to go!–this one is fantastic for male teachers that are hard to buy for.

Melissa from the Bargain Shopper Mom came up with this cute free printable to complete a most refreshing gift for any teacher.  Fill a travel glass with a delicious drink mix packet or tea bags, and top with a bow. How easy is that?

You can turn a simple bag of candy into something really special with these free labels from The Girl Creative. Bonus~after the candy is all gone, the jar can be re-used on a desk for storing paper clips or other classroom supplies.

Bake up a batch of delicious cookies, stack them in a mason jar and include this cute note from Club Chica Circle for a memorable and tasty gift!

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Is your mail man delivering flowery shower invites or lovely lettered wedding invitations to your address?   ‘Tis the season for “I do’s” and we’ve got ya covered when it comes to giving sentimental gifts that will stand out from the blenders, pillow cases and stemware.

 
Your Girlfriend Just Got Engaged!

1.  Keep that shiny ring in a safe spot when it can‘t be on your fourth finger with this pretty pewter ring holder $17.95

2.  This little wisdom celebrates couple-hood “When love adorns a home other ornaments are secondary” and is a perfect message for their new home together.  $33.50

3.  Bring out this bling ring bottle opener to toast the happy couple!  $9.95

4.  These little magnetic lovebird salt & pepper shakers will help keep the spice alive.  $13.95

5.  Personalized a cute handmade frame with their new last name. $21.50

6.  Get the bride off to a great start with 52 fabulous tips!  $6.95

For a Fun & Festive Wedding Shower

1.  Create a magical moment to remember at the wedding shower with flying wish paper.  $10.95

2.  Might as well let the new mr. know this is usually how it goes with these humorous mugs.  $29.95

3.  Skip the standard grilling tools on their registry and wish them a rockin’ marriage instead! $21.95 each

4.  Put the couple to the test with these entertaining quiz books.  $5.95 each

5.  Laughter is an important ingredient to any marriage and this gurgle pot is good at creating giggles. $39.95

6.  Kitschy and cute are the perfect words to describe this kissing bride & groom salt & pepper shakers. $13.95

 
Personalized Keepsakes

1.  This pretty print will ensure your husband won’t forget your special day.  $21.95 for 8×10  $38.95 for 11×14

2.  The bride & groom and pick their favorite photo from the day and display it in this handmade photo frame.  $40.50

3.  When this handmade book is filled with bits of wisdom & well wishes it will become an invaluable keepsake for the couple.  $30.00

4.  A special dress deserves a special hanger.  $25.00

5.  This photograph of a collection of vintage cash register parts is a most artful way to display a special date.  $49.95

 
Gifts They Will Remember

1.  Doesn’t this simple sign sum up what love is about?  $29.95

2.  A stylish handmade frame that is waiting to showcase a moment from a stunning day.  $37.50

3.  The wise words of Audrey Hepburn, “The best thing to hold on to is each other” will never expire.  $69.50

4.  This book is filled with stories, questions, ideas and insights that will bring couple-hood to the next level.  $15.95

5.  Include this key and share a few of your tips on creating a happy marriage.  $2.50

6.  Crack open this deck to find 52 terrific tips on keeping relationships alive and well. $6.95

Do you like giving gifts that are outside of the box? We’re happy to share some of our clever gift ideas.  Simply sign up to receive these blog posts in your email and you’ll be in the loop & get our latest scoop.

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Steve & I had the pleasure of having both our parents visit us for Mother’s day again this year.  This gave me a reason to play around with creating cute jar desserts for all of us to enjoy.  Last years mini no-bake cheesecakes were quite the hit, so I scoured high & low to find a pick that could compete.  The choice ~ lemon cream cake.

The original recipe called for creating this cake in a 10″ pan and cutting it in half to spread the lemon cream mixture between the two cakes.  I’m fairly certain if I tried this feat the cake would not turn out so pretty so I decided to break out my mason jars and create 8 individual cakes instead.

Here’s what you need:

Prepare the white cake mix as the box states and add the sour cream and vanilla.  Spray eight 8 oz wide mouth mason jars with a non-stick cooking spray and pour batter inside.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Cut in the cake to create a space for the cream and remove top.   Cut off excess cake to create a flat cake top.  (These extra pieces are great for snacking and dipping in the magnificent cream you’ll be mixing up next!)

Beat the whipping cream, Mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, zest and powdered sugar until creamy and stiff.  (caution: splatter alert)  Also in case you were wondering… Mascarpone cheese is a fancy Italian cream cheese you can find in the specialty cheese section at most grocers.

Taste this mixture and you’ll want to dip anything and everything you can find in it.  I think this alone would make a fabulous fruit dip!

Fill the center of your cakes with this cream and place the top cake back on. Then add a bit more of the cream for the frosting.  This next step I feel is optional but it does give it that extra punch of lemon taste.

Mix 1/4  of the lemon cake mix with 4 tablespoons of room temperature butter and sprinkle on top.

Once assembled I kept these in the fridge for storage & took them out an hour or so before serving.

I’m happy to say they were a hit with the moms and the dads too!  This is definitely a great light dessert (in taste… not in calories :-) that is perfect for a spring or summer party.

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Catching Fireflies Unique Gift Boutique in Southeast Michigan

This eclectic shop has locations in Ann Arbor, Berkley and Rochester. Visit to find special family presents from a wide array of whimsical creations.

Looking for something out-of-the-ordinary, but not sure what exactly that may be? Buzz into Catching Fireflies  – a neat indie boutique that now has a downtown Ann Arbor location to complement its two Oakland County stores.

Owners April and Steve McCrumb invite you to peruse their plentiful collection of whimsical, often handmade, wonders, for kids (from babies to teens), teachers, grandparents – and you, too!

A welcoming scene

Describing herself as “the creative half” and her husband, Steve, as “the business half,” April and her staff comb gift shows to unearth the creations suited to her particular brand of whimsy.

Bathtub teas, bacon-flavored toothpicks, cupcake go-go purses and floral jewelry pouches are just a few examples.

“I feel really grateful to be doing this for a living,” April says.

Her customers inspire her, as well. She enjoys seeing a face light up when someone finds the perfect gift. There are many to chose from, too, in categories such as trinkets and treasures, wine lovers, Michigan goods, kitchen, office, travel, wedding and jewelry – to name a few.

Spreading their wings

No stranger to the community, April began selling her handmade photo frames at The Sunday Artisan Market in Ann Arbor while she attended Eastern Michigan University.

“I’ve always loved the area,” she says, and had been keeping her eye on the Ann Arbor building – which is nestled near Kerrytown and Zingerman’s Delicatessen – for some time, feeling it would be a good fit for the store.

The third in a growing chain of stores, the latest Catching Fireflies opened in February of 2013, with an official grand opening in March. Its original Berkley location opened in 2000, and it has a Rochester nook, too.

Products are also available online. See something you like? You can have it shipped to the store and pick it up from there.

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to get married!  We know how easy it is for a wedding budget to skyrocket, so we’ve gathered up a few DIY projects to use as favors for your guests.

These creative  goodies will make  memorable souvenirs for your loved ones as well as add a personal touch to your special day.

No sewing needed here–Christina from Intimate Weddings shows us how easy it is to make these goody bags using fusible tape. These would be just perfect for a rustic wedding.

Believe it or not, these miniature candy bars are dressed up with vintage wallpaper. Head on over to the Such Pretty Things Blog and Jessica will give you the scoop on how to create these.

Give your guests a little something sweet…check out the recipes for infused sugar that the Sugar and Charm Blog has to offer.  The possibilities are endless-guests can add a spoonful of this to their drink or use it to add a hint of flavor in a favorite recipe.

Say thank you with a beautiful green plant. We found these Potted Herb Favors on The Sweetest Occasion Blog. We also love the idea of personalizing these with your wedding colors.

Here’s an idea for a themed gift-a DIY coaster set. This set on the Bayside Bride Blog is nautical based, but you could certainly modify these to fit any idea .

Hearts aren’t only for Valentine’s Day, they are the perfect symbol of  love anytime of the year.  Send your guests home with a Pie Pop to enjoy later.  Eclectic Recipes uses ready-made pie dough to make these delicious treats.  For a pretty presentation, package these in cellophane and tie with a fancy ribbon.

Your guest’s feathered friends will love this adorable heart shaped bird seed favor from Intimate Weddings.  These cuties are great if you’re on a budget and have an outdoorsy themed wedding.

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One of the many reasons I like hosting exchange students is because they definitely make life more interesting.  Their youthful spirit and thirst for adventure is contagious.  I had the pleasure of capturing this some of this excitement at The Color Run in Ypsilanti last Saturday.

I played paparazzi for our German daughter, Jule and her Danish friend Therese.  It was a rather cool and gray morning but that didn’t curb the enthusiasm of 15,000 happy people jammin’ to catchy dance tunes getting ready to run through explosions of color.

How it works is at each kilometer marker there is a different colored large arch with numerous color puffers waiting to douse you with powdered color.

I met up with Jule & Therese at the last blue arch to capture the spirit of the run.  You really can go as crazy as you want with the color.

There are plenty of color puffers that are happy to cover you with their color if you wish.

I must admit, part of me wanted to be more than just the paparazzi and I’m already thinking of who might want to color run with me in the coming year.  You can see when the color run is coming to your city HERE. (Registration for summer runs in Windsor & Toledo open May 15 for all you Detroiters)

Think you might have caught the color fever?  Watch this magical video & you might need to sign up for your very own run to remember!

Like to see where I spend my time away from catching fireflies?  Then sign up to receive blog posts like these in your email inbox HERE

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I think the title of this book sums up my feelings about this classic comfort food.  It was hard to pick which recipe to try first, but this one won the family vote.

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 tablespoons of butter at room temperature

sourdough bread

brie

fresh chopped fresh thyme

black forest ham

granny smith apple

The combination of the tart crunchy apple, salty ham & creamy brie with a kick of thyme was quite tasty.  I added a little side salad and made Jule a happy gal when she returned home hungry from her soccer game.

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Pretty posies and gorgeous green plants are popping up everywhere now (finally!)

Check out these clever and inventive ways to showcase your favorite flowers…

Don’t put away those rain boots just yet–yes, they just became your new planter! Ann from On Sutton Place came up with this brilliant idea.

Richella from Imparting Grace created her own “aged” terra cotta pots. You can find all the instructions right here.

Taryn from  took a thrifted watering can and turned it into a beautiful planter with a vintage feel. Stroll on over to her Design, Dining, + Diapers Blog  to get the scoop.

Odds are– you’ve got some these old light fixtures around the house somewhere.  April over at the Flourishing Abode Blog came up with this creative spin on container gardening.

Switch up your hanging plants and give them a seat with this cool Chair Planter that we found on Jasey’s Crazy Daisy Blog. We think this would look just  lovely in the corner of a porch or flanking a front door.

If you are tight on space,  this Cinder Block Garden is just the ticket and can pack a lot of punch.  Over on the Hands Occupied Blog, Heidi explains how this resourceful planter can also serve as a retaining wall.

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There’s just 5 more days until we take time out to really celebrate our moms! Team catching fireflies has been making their gift lists and here a few of their picks…

My mom has created so many great memories for me. Framing one of those great memories will make the perfect gift for her! $37.50

This clock was a great gift for my mom she is just like the style of this clock, practical and whimsical! The perfect folk art piece to liven up any space. Everyone loves a cute and functional gift! $59.95

I absolutely love this magnet. The saying is most definitely true, “Moms make the best memories.” This would be the perfect gift for Mother’s Day. A little something that will bring so many smiles. $10

My mom’s house is already quite full of many lovely things so I like to surprise her with adorable art that can go outside. I know the song birds that visit her garden will be quite thrilled with this new cute and cozy home. $27.95

Most of our scrubbies end up on the edge of the kitchen sink, in a puddle of standing water. Ew! This fun stand from Forked Up Art provides a perfect place for scrubbies that lets them dry quickly. A perfect gift for Mom this year! $27.95

This is easily one of our top selling frames at catching fireflies. The colors are gorgeous and the sentiment is perfect for so many photos. $37.50

My mother and her friends take trips every year up to Traverse City and the Leelanau wineries. These glasses are great for breaking out new bottles of wine at the hotel. Much better than using the plastic hotel cups! I personally appreciate that they are BPA-free. $14.95

This adorable hook hanger would be the perfect idea for a Mother’s Day gift. It can hang keys, jewelry or anything else your heart desires! The message can also light up your moms day or anyone else who looks at it! $29.50

Instead of doing the traditional Mother’s Day gift this year, I thought it would be nice to mix it up and get a gift that is both sweet and silly. For a mom who loves to read, this is a great gift idea! $16.95

I love this sunflower lid – it does exactly what it claims to, adds sunshine to my fridge, and saves my wasting tons of saran wrap!! $14.95

Find a nice picture of you and your sibling, clip it, and you’ve made a great gift for mom! What mother doesn’t love to look upon the glowing faces of her children? This magnet is a great way to display pictures all year long! $10

I love this adorable jewelry pouch that is both stylish and functional. I gave one to my college student daughter and she loves it. It’s great for organizing your favorite jewelry when traveling or for just having them organized in your room. With travels around the corner for me, this one is on my list for Mother’s Day! $15.95

Do you like seeing what team catching fireflies is loving? We’re happy to share some of our favorite finds.  Simply sign up to receive these blog posts in your email and you’ll be in the loop & get our latest scoop.

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When I first saw these whimsical gypsy garden goodies at the gift show this past January I couldn’t wait for spring to come so I could create my own fairy land!

I love the creativity and endless options of containers you can use to create these magical vignettes.  You could make something small to go on your front porch or have fun with a larger display on your back deck.  And what a fun activity to do with your little ones too!

I’m happy to say we’ve set up sweet fairy land shops at all our locations so you can come pick & choose what goodies you would like in your garden.  And since we have a large courtyard at our Ann Arbor location, we transformed an old wheel barrow into a pretty purple fairy world.

Complete with an alyssum river and tree bark sidewalks of course!

What flower fairies wouldn’t want to make this their fanciful home?  So what are you waiting for?  Start setting up your mini magical world this spring!

Love to see the latest goodies we’re getting in?  Then sign up to receive these colorful blog posts in your email inbox…. window shopping has never been so easy!

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