Decorate Your Home for Fall

PEKIN, Ill., – It's finally fall and that means the weather is getting crisp and the days are getting shorter. You can make your home a little more cozy by decorating for fall! Whether it's scary Halloween decorations or fall flowers and pumpkins, take a look at our favorite ways to decorate your home for fall! For more information on how to complete these DIY projects, and for more ways to get your house looking like fall, check out our Velde Ford Pekin Pinterest page!

1. DIY Doormat

Paint your own personalized welcome mat with paint from the craft store! You could go for something a little less spooky, like pumpkins or leaves, or stick to the halloween theme! 

2. Crafty Mobile

Let the kids get involved by having them paint with fall colors on white paper. Cut out the shapes of leaves and attach them to a branch with fishing wire. Hang it on the wall or from the sealing to bring fall indoors!

3. Hanging Sunflowers

Using styrofoam balls and twine from the craft store, you can create these hanging sunflowers to decorate inside or outside of your home! Pick up some fake flowers and trim the stems to fit into the styrofoam.

4. Decorative Pinecones

If you want something a little different that the typical wreath to hang on the door, try decorating some pinecones and stringing them up to make a fall inspired decoration! If you can't find your own pinecones to decorate, the craft store should have plenty this time of year.

5. Creative Pumpkin Carving

We're sure you're going to want to carve pumpkins for Halloween, but switch it up this fall! You can use stickers and permanent markers to get this crafty haunted house look for your pumpkins!

We want your family to feel nice and cozy as the weather changes, so we hope our favorite DIY decoration projects will help you decorate your home for fall! Don't forget to keep your car nice and cozy as the air gets cool! Schedule a service appointment online and we can check out your heating system to make sure everything is working properly!

At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Stop by the dealership located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com for more information.

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DIY Gardening Projects for Spring

PEKIN, Ill. – Spring is finally here and the warmer weather is on its way! If you’re an avid gardener, this may be your favorite time of the year. It’s time to start planning what you’re planting this year, and if you’re bored of the same old veggies, fruits, plants, and flowers year after year, then we have something for you! Take your green thumb to the next level with one of our creative DIY gardening projects this spring. We guarantee your garden will be the coolest one on the block, no matter the size!

DIY Gardening Projects for Spring

Mason Jar Herb Garden

 

Vertical Vegetable Garden

Plastic Bottle Garden

 

Geodome Greenhouse

 

Tire Flower Planter

Tiered Herb Garden

 

With these awesome gardening project ideas you’ll be ready for the warmer weather in no time! To make sure your vehicle is just as prepared for spring as you are, we have a new spring car care section on our website. Check it out to learn more about the routine maintenance your vehicle needs this season. Schedule a service appointment with our experts at Velde Ford today.

At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit Velde Ford located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com

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Easy DIY Valentine Ideas for Kids!

PEKIN, Illi. - Say goodbye to traditional paper valentines and try something new this Valentine's Day! We are helping you and your kiddos kick things up a notch this year by offering you some fun and creative ways to spice up valentines at an affordable price. With these Easy DIY Valentine Ideas for Kids, you and your little one can spend some quality time together creating personalized treats for their friends and classmates! 

1. "I Dig You!"
Fill a clear plastic bag with your child's favorite Valentine's Day candy, then insert a small plastic shovel. Seal it with an "I Dig You" tag and your child's name! 

2. "Just Popping in to say, Happy Valentine's Day"

Valentines do not always have to include candy! Bubbles are not only inexpensive for you, but they're also a blast for the kids!

3. Flower Tootsie Pops
Are you feeling extra "crafty" today? With a few muffin cups and some tape, you can make these adorable Flower Tootsie Pops in just a matter of minutes! You will find the complete tutorial here.

4. Valentine S'mores in a Jar
If you choose to do this project for a large group, we suggest using a festive bag as opposed to a mason jar for each valentine. You can easily find all of the contents for a "Valentine S'mores in a Jar" - Valentine's Day marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers - at your local grocery store!

5. "Valentine, You RULE!"

Rulers are a great valentine alternative. This is a gift that your child's classmates can store in their desks and use for the rest of the school year!

 6. "Sip, sip HOORAY! It's Valentine's Day!"
This is a healthier Valentine's Day treat. Attach a festive Valentine's Day straw to a juice box or bottle of water with a packet of flavoring! 

If you liked these Easy DIY Valentine Ideas for Kids, then you are going to love all of the other Valentine's Day fun that we have waiting for you on our Pinterest page! 

Looking for a great gift for your valentine this year? Try a new car from Velde Ford! That special someone is sure to love the all-new 2016 Ford Fusion. At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit Velde Ford located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com

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Cheery DIY Christmas Ornaments Ideas

PEKIN, Ill. – Can you believe that Christmas is almost here? We can’t either, and we’re here to help you prepare! Last week we shared our favorite cookie recipes, so this week we’re getting into some decorating. The best part of Christmas is putting up the tree with your loved ones, so to add on to the festivities we’re sharing some cheery DIY Christmas ornament ideas. 

Cheery DIY Christmas Ornament Ideas

Paper Ornaments

 

Scrap Ribbon Tree Ornament

 

Mason Jar Lid Ornaments

 

Wood Slice Ornaments

Melted Snowman Ornament

Mini Snow Globe Ornament

Wire Angel Ornament

All of these ornaments are super fun and easy to make with your friends and family. Of course, they’ll make your tree look great too! Not sure how you’re getting that tree home? Try transporting your spruce or fir with a new Ford truck from Velde Ford! We’re happy to help you find an F-150 to take home this holiday season.

At Velde Ford, we're committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit Velde Ford located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com

Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram

5 Easy DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids

PEKIN, Ill. –– Helping your kid choose a great costume for Halloween can be tedious and expensive. This year, instead of spending money on an outfit they’ll only wear once and outgrow before this time next year, try making one of these 5 easy DIY Halloween costumes for kids that will prove to be lots of fun for you and your kid!

1. DIY Bed Sheet Mummy

For this Halloween costume, cut an old bed sheet into long strips then embalm your little tike by wrapping and tying the strips around their arms, legs, and torso.

2. DIY Candy Bum

This one is a classic. Grab some old cloths, tatter them with scissors, sew on a few patches, and let your kid be dirty for once. Don’t worry; they can wash up after they finish trick-or-treating.

3. DIY Biker Baby

If you ride a Harley, why not have your little one follow in your footsteps this Halloween? Use makeup or face paint to draw on a rather premature goatee and a tattoo you’d never let them get, tie a bandana around their head, and put them in some biker jeans and a Harley T-shirt. Sorry rough riders out there, but these baby bikers might make you look a little less intimidating.

4. DIY Minion

This costume is super easy. Just find a yellow shirt, some overalls, and a yellow knit hat. Make the Minion eye and goggle out of felt pieces, then glue or stitch them to the hat. Make sure you remind your kid to say trick-or-treat in Minion, which would simply be, “Bedo!”

5. DIY Living LEGO Brick

Find a box that matches the shape of your kid’s favorite LEGO brick and paint it their a color they choose. Cut holes in the box for their head, arms, and legs. What you use for the studs in the front is up to you, but Solo cups could work well! Color-coordinate their clothes and Voila!

It’s so much more fun to make something with your kids rather than go pay an excessive amount for something they’ll only wear once. Instead of shopping around a store for the perfect costume, make one of these 5 Easy DIY Halloween Costumes for Kids, or use these ideas for inspiration. If you have other ideas, let us know in the comments below!

At Velde Ford, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit our used car dealership to test-drive our used cars and trucks for sale near East Peoria, IL, located at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our website: VeldeFordPekin.com

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Healthy Dinner Recipes For Spring

PEKIN, Illi. – Spring has finally arrived! While we're excited about the nicer weather, it has also sent us into a panic knowing that summer is around the corner, and therefore bathing suit season will be here before we know it. (Insert nightmares.) BUT, the good news is that thanks to our Pinterest obsession, we have tons of healthy dinner recipes for spring at our finger tips!

Below we have gathered up a few of our favorite recipes that taste like spring and will help us slim down for summer without sacrificing taste! Try them out! After a few weeks of tasty dinners and a few good workouts, we bet you'll be running to the beach!

Healthy Dinner Recipes For Spring

Cranberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Chicken

Sriracha Lime Chicken Chopped Salad

Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

Baked Chicken with Spinach & Artichokes

 Easy Shrimp & Broccoli Stir Fry

Orange Chicken with Asparagus

If your vehicle needs help getting in shape for summer too, let us take care of it for you! The service centers at our Buick Dealership and Ford Dealership are equipped to handle any of your auto needs and we're more than happy to answer any questions you may have!

At Velde Automotive Group, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit either of our dealerships, Velde Ford  at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or Velde Cadillac Buick GMC is located at 2220 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our websites: VeldeGM.com and VeldeFordPekin.com

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Rainy Day Activity Ideas

Pekin, Illi. – They say April showers bring May flowers, and we're definitely not short on rain this week! If you're anything like us, the first thing you want to do on a rainy day is curl up on the couch and watch a movie, but if we're being real here we all know you can't watch a movie every single day of spring. So, if you're looking for a few fun ideas to cure the rainy day blues, check out these rainy day activity ideas!

Rainy Day Activity Ideas for Kids

Indoor Treasure Hunt

Host your very own indoor treasure hunt! All you have to do is create a set of clues, with each clue leading to the next and eventually to the treasure. Label the clues (5/10 or five of ten) to help the hunters keep track and before you know it they'll be lost in another world!

Build a Fort Indoors

Is there anything cooler as a child than building a fort inside and being able to sneak away to what seems like an alternate universe? Probably not.

Indoor Paddle Ball

Just because the rain is keeping you inside doesn't mean you can't get active. Try this indoor version of paddle ball – and no expensive vases or lamps will get broken.

Get Scientific

Play Bill Nye and watch your little ones oooh and ahhh over this science experiment that makes these worms come alive right before your eyes!

Cardboard Creativity

There's just something about a cardboard box that sparks creativity. The options are endless and will keep your little ones occupied all day!

If you do brave the rain and head to town on a spring rainy day, make sure to exercise additional caution on the roads since they can become slick with rainfall. As the weather changes, it's always best to be extra careful to ensure safety for you and your passengers.

If you're sick of the rain and can't wait to drop the top on a brand new convertible, stop by our Ford Dealership serving Peoria, IL to check out the new Mustang or visit our Peoria area GMC Dealership for a vehicle that is ready for any type of adventure!

At Velde Automotive Group, we are committed to providing our customers with an unbeatable level of service and a great car buying experience. Feel free to visit either of our dealerships, Velde Ford  at 2200 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554 or Velde Cadillac Buick GMC is located at 2220 North 8th Street, Pekin, IL 61554.

Visit our websites: VeldeGM.com and VeldeFordPekin.com

Follow us on: Velde GM Facebook, Velde Ford Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram