And just like that, summer is right around the corner! Like the rest of the country, we think of Memorial Day as the unofficial start of summer and are pumped to start busting out coolers filled with tasty drinks, wearing sundresses (without leggings!) and playing lawn games with the whole family. We’ve teamed up with HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® to kick summer off with 5 must-makes for Memorial Day weekend.
From a handmade bag that keeps all your beauty essentials on hand to a DIY portable cornhole set, there’s something for everyone in your family on this list — whether you’re heading out of town for the weekend or staying local and kicking it in a park, your backyard or your friend’s party-perfect rooftop.
And on the topic of warm weather essentials, be sure to visit the HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® website for tons of tips and information for keeping your family prepared for summer sun and fun! Now, time to start making! :)
Whether you call it a dopp kit, a toiletry bag or your weekend kit, a bag that houses all your skincare essentials is a must. And we’re not just talking about the same falling-apart Ziploc you’ve been busting out for the last three years.
1. DIY Weekend Beauty Kit
And guess what else? We’ve teamed up with HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® to give away $300 worth of HEALTHY ESSENTIALS® products to 3 lucky readers. Simply enter your email below and you’ll be entered to win. You’ll also be subscribing to the Brit + Co newsletter!
This sweeps is now closed.
Scroll down to see the full how-to, expertly created by Kelly Bryden, complete with printable iron-on graphics and a list of our skincare musts for summer weekends, parties and everyday celebrations.
Next you need a weekender or tote to pack up your beauty bag, a swimsuit, a layer and any other items you can’t leave home without.
2. Leather Bucket Bag
We created a Leather Bucket Bag perfect for everyday use, or for a weekend that’s all about packing light. And alert to modern moms: You can totally cart around your kiddo’s must-haves in one of these bags as well!
What happens when the American flag meets a hipster? Red, white and blue mustache photo props, of course.
3. Photo Booth Props
Created last summer for the 4th of July, these Printable Photo Props have been a year-round favorite at Brit HQ. We recommend making a lot more than you think you need — kids and grownups alike have a tendency to pocket these funny little props.
Admittedly, this won’t fit in your weekend bag. But if you’re heading somewhere by foot or by car, this lightweight cornhole set is an absolute must.
4. Portable Cornhole Set
We made it using canvases from the art store! For real. It’s not regulation or anything, but it will make for hours of fun pretty much anywhere you go. Plus, because you’re using canvas, you can paint any design you like right on your boards. We even created our own bean bags! Head here to see the full DIY Cornhole Set tutorial.
Lastly, make sure to pack a headband or scarf to keep your hair perfectly styled, even after a windblown ride in a convertible (cue ’90s motivational pop song “Dreams” by Gabrielle) or a day at the beach.
5. Chic Turban-Style Headband
We love the retro style of this Chic Turban Headband for keeping the flyways tamed.
Now, about that DIY Weekend Beauty Kit. First off, here are some of the essentials we always keep in our summer weekend kit. Along with a pair of sunnies and the perfect lip gloss, these will ensure that your skin is protected and beautiful.
Face Scrub: You’ve gotta keep that face of yours bright and sparkling! AVEENO® Positively Radiant® Brightening Scrub is a great scrub with ingredients made for sensitive skin — perfect for days spent in salt water or in the sun.
Moisturizer with SPF: I personally swear by using moisturizer with SPF in it every day, not just in the spring and summer. A bottle of AVEENO® Positively Radiant® Moisturizer SPF 30 goes a long way.
Oil Absorbing Sheets: Clean, clear and under control? Don’t mind if we do. Ever since CLEAN & CLEAR® Oil Absorbing Sheets came out when we were teenagers, they’ve been a go-to for keeping our faces fresh and not too shiny.
Hand Cream: If you’re out and about, we’re betting you’re washing your hands a lot and spending a lot of time in the sun. Keep your hands moisturized throughout your weekend adventures by keeping NEUTROGENA® Norwegian Hand Cream on hand, pun intended ;)
Floss: Always, always, always keep floss in your kit! No matter what the season. LISTERINE® Floss is a great option and comes in a variety of flavors.
Visine: Keep your eyes moist in all that hot sun!
Next thing to do is create a bag to carry all these essentials.
Materials:
– canvas
– 11-inch zipper
– iron-on transfer paper
– Brit + Co beauty bag printable (download here)
Tools:
– sewing machine
– iron
– sewing pins
– ruler
– measuring tape
– scissors
– pen
Instructions:
1. Fold canvas in half, and draw a half circle on the fold line. Ours measured 8 1/2 inches in height x 10 inches in length. Then cut out.
2. Measure the circumference of the half circle. Add two inches to that measurement and cut out a strip of canvas that is 6 inches wide. Our strip measured 26 inches x 6 inches.
3. Cut the rectangle in half and sew back together with a 1 1/2 inch hem.
4. Find the middle of the rectangle and pin the zipper upside down. Sew a complete rectangle around the zipper.
5. Take the seam ripper and removed the seam that covers the zipper.
6. Pin the rectangle to the circumference of your half circle bag. Make sure the good sides are facing in. Then sew.
7. Turn the bag inside out, cut out the iron-on decals and iron onto your new toiletry bag.
Don’t be intimidated by the zipper part of this — we’ll talk you through it!
First, fold canvas in half, and draw a half circle on the fold line. Ours measured 8 1/2 inches in height x 10 inches in length. Then cut out.
Then, measure the circumference of the half circle. Add two inches to that measurement and cut out a strip of canvas that is 6 inches wide. Our strip measured 26 inches x 6 inches.
Cut that rectangle in half and sew back together with a 1 1/2 inch hem.
Find the middle of the rectangle and pin the zipper upside down. Sew a complete rectangle around the zipper.
Take the seam ripper and removed the seam that covers the zipper.
Pin the rectangle to the circumference of your half circle bag. Make sure the good sides are facing in.
Then sew.
Turn the bag inside out.
Then cut out the iron-on decals and iron onto your new toiletry bag!
We also made an all-pink option!
What are your Memorial Day Weekend must-makes? Talk to us in the comments below.
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
Kobu Agency for Unsplash
You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures