Valentine's School Party

So here is a cute idea Julie and I came up with. 

I am one of the room mother's in my daughter's kindergarden class which means we throw all the parties! Crazy I know. So I went in and took a picture of all the children the week before. Cut and sanded out some wood. Painted and distressed the wood and then they were ready for the kids to glue their pictures on and put their thumb prints on for their Mom's I hope they liked them!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Oh My!  Valentine's Day Is Here!

Now, I am the "Slacker Mother of the Year," - because we just finished our Valentine Box on Saturday afternoon and our Valentine Cards on Sunday night. 

So, for your viewing pleasure.....

The Valentine Box & Cards for Cooper

A little story behind this box (you know I ALWAYS have a story).  Cooper desperately wants an Ipod Touch. I won't buy him one.  He's only NINE and I refuse to spend that much money on one more piece of electronics!

So, I made him a paper IPod.  Then he informed me he wanted FLAMES on his box.  FLAMES?  Please tell me how FLAMES and an IPOD go together?

This is the best I could do.  Along the top it says "To Hot To Touch."  Get it?  I hope so...!!???

The backside (sorry the pictures a little - ok a lot blurry) of course the Apple Icon!

Now, the Valentine's Cards I am pretty proud of - mainly because I came up with this little idea all by   my little self!  Looks like an ordinary deck of cards, right?  WRONG!

I used some super cute digital scrapbook paper from Summertime Designs and Photoshop to created this card.  I guess the reason I am so proud of it, is because that deck of cards you see...well I designed it!  By that I mean, I started out with a plain piece of paper, created hearts, used some tools to make it look like you are holding the deck of cards in your hand.  (So I sat here for a long time trying to figure out what word to use to describe that process and I am dumb and can't think of one...).  I scaled it down to fit two cards on one 4x6 photo print and used spray adhesive to adhere it to the deck of cards!

BRiLLiANT!

The Valentine Box & Cards for Charlee

I took Charlee to the craft store (our favorite place to go together!) and let her pick out TWO pieces of paper.  This is what she decided on!  She LOVED the little Love Birds, and so did I.  We found all the ribbon and embellishments in my "Closet of Awesomeness" to decorate the rest of her box.  She cut out all the hearts and told me where to put everything!  I have a little mini me on my hands!

(Forgive the nice little off the shoulder look she has going on here...she was in her pajamas)

Here is my little sweet thing showing off her Valentine cards.  I used a scrapbook kit called Cloud Nine (for the life of me I cannot remember where I got this kit but it is freaking adorable!) and scaled them down to fit two on one 4x6 photo print.  We filled little cello bags with cinnamon hearts and attached her card with some twine.

Now, just so we all know - the cost of the Valentine boxes?  $1.50 FOR BOTH!  I kid you not!  I drove through Del Taco and asked them if I could buy two of the Fiest Pack boxes minus all the food.  The nice lady said "We don't sell them and we don't give them away - but I will let you have them!"  SWEET!!  The only out of pocket cost was the two pieces of paper I let Charlee buy.  The rest?  Came out of the closet. 

Really, you have to just LOVE Valentine's Day!  I know some people hate it and think it is a waste of money, but come on!  It is a FUN day to show others you care.  So all you LOVE haters - don't be haters be lovers! 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

R U Ready?

Valentine's Day is quickly upon us. There are so many cute valentine ideas around blogland that I have just been in awe. I'm not sure if Julie and Holly feel the same way, but speaking for myself, I have just had so much fun looking at everyone's ideas and getting inspired. Instead of posting a lot about the crafty holiday ideas, I have spent this holiday actually crafting and enjoying it with my kids. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it is best to make them first priority.

I have made some cute valentine decor for the house including some of these ideas:

Valentine Subway Art from Eighteen25

Valentine Snowflakes

(photo from Peppermintplum since we already mailed our off valentine packages to family members)

We also made these heart shaped snowflakes from Family Fun. So clever!

Along with our very own Julie's "Owl Always Love You" Owls. Haven't gotten around to make the plaque yet, still on the to-do list.

Mom (me) decided to make our valentines this year. They were so much cuter than store bought cards, but a little more time than I thought they would be. I guess everything always looks easier in blogland. That's okay though. We had a very enjoyable family night fully prepared with suckers in our mouths, making valentines, and listening to music.

Okay, not sure about the very wild hair going on here. My little girl did the ever so famous lollipop photo cards (made famous originally HERE, I think). She only had a few to do for family.

Next, was my son's valentines. I blog surfed and found five of my favorite ideas and then let him choose which one he wanted to do. Of course he didn't pick the one I was wanting him to do, still picked a great one, but I guess that is what I get when I give him autonomy! So Dana over at MADE is the awesome person that claims the credit for this stinking cute valentine idea: HEARTBREAKER VALENTINES. You have to check out her post. She has a way with photos. This is our version. Lots of cutting, letting him do the writing, stapling two sides together, filling with candy to make pillow like valentines.

But, we couldn't have done it without Dad's expert stapling skills. No, really! There was a lot of stapling going on that night.

And we finished off with a simple and cute dynamite idea from Family Fun for his teacher. "You're the BOMB Valentine". Rolos covered in paper with a pipe cleaner fuse. We also made up a few single sticks of dynamite for neighbors.

Well, there isn't much time left...so get on it, get out there and get crafting. And most importantly, tell your loved one how much they mean to you.

Valentine's Day Heart

Here is a fun, cute craft project Holly and I did together one afternoon!  I love how simple it is, yet it sums up the whole meaning of Valentine's Day - LOVE! 

"Owl Always Love You"

And I Will!

I am not sure why, but I love Valentine's Day!  Maybe it's the colors, the fun, the candy, the sweetness.  I don't know?!  All I do know, is I LOVE IT!

You gotta LOVE the cricut (or other cutting machine!), paper, vinyl, wood and Mod Podge.

You can't go wrong in life with all of the above!

Isn't this little owl the cutest?

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Just a side note - I HATE my camera and I am saving for a new one!  It take the worst pictures in the world and one day, ONE DAY, I will have a better one!  But for now, this is the best I can do!

Valentine's Day Cupcake Printable!

I know, I know!  The big LOVE day is several weeks away but I can't help but get excited to make some LOVE cupcakes, LOVE cards, LOVE everything!  Why?  Because I LOVE Valentine's Day!  This day means so much more to me than spending money on a special someone, or going out on date night.  I love this day because I get to express my LOVE to all those people I LOVE! 

PEOPLE I LOVE

Husband

Children

Mom & Dad

Sisters

Brothers

Aunts

Uncles

Cousins

Great Friends

Friends

Neighbors

Church Members

Doctors

Police Officers

Military Men &Women
My list could get really long so I will stop now.

Valentine's Day is not just about lavish gifts, chocolates and diamonds.  It's about showing and expressing how much you LOVE and appreciate those around you.  A simple smile, hug or embrace can give someone more LOVE than buying them gifts.  So this LOVE day, make sure you express LOVE to those you LOVE!

Here's a free printable to top those cute cupcakes.  You know I will be coming up with some great LOVE cupcake.  Maybe next week I will have a cupcake creation recipe for you?  Maybe just because I am in the LOVE mood!

Print off these super cute LOVE cupcake toppers and put on those delicious cupcakes you want to make for all those people you LOVE!  Remember, I would LOVE to see your creations if you use these printables!

Have you ever been to Summertime Designs?  Summer Driggs has amazing digital scrapbook kits.  This is her "So This Is Love" kit and I LOVE it!  I put together these printables from her kit, Thanks Summer!!



I {HEART} Valentine's Day....Again!

Remember when I told you all to ignore the empty candlesticks?  I found a solution!  I know the easy thing would have just been to put some CANDLES on them, but oh no.  I can't just put candles on them...they needed something with a little flair!  So, here you have it.  I used half of a styrofoam ball and covered it in red felt to make it look like a group of roses.  Turned out kinda purty huh?  Keep reading..I will tell you how!

Here is a Valentine's Day Topiary...that will never die!  Why?  Because those roses are not REAL!  They to are red felt.  So fun, right?  Wanna learn?  I thought so!  Here we go.

SUPPLIES

- A Topiary or a styrofoam ball and a dowel.

- Several (and I mean several) 3 inch felt circles.

- Straight pins.

- A cute pot or tin.

- Moss, leaves, rocks, whatever filler you fancy.

- Ribbon to dress it up a bit.

Take each circle one by one and fold it into quarters.  When it looks like this, stick a straight pin through the bottom.  The pin is there...it's just hard to see.  Sorry!

Insert the straight pin into the styrofoam ball and repeat until entire ball is covered.  You can add more or less to reach your desired fullness.  This is really easy and just takes a little bit of time!

Before you know it, you get a little something like this.

Not to shabby! Next, you can wrap ribbon around the dowel by hot glueing one end of the ribbon to the bottom of the dowel.  Wrap the ribbon up to the top and hot glue the other end to secure.  Cut a long piece of ribbon(s) and tie a cute bow at the top.  Insert topiary into pot/tin/bucket and cover with filler.

Now, get to creatin' !!!!

I {HEART} Valentine's Day!

I am in LOVE with Valentine's Day this year!  Why?  Because the LOVE of my life will be home from Iraq to celebrate in this romantic day of LOVE!  And I am sure there will be plenty of LOVE going on!  Yeah, sorry WAY TO MUCH INFORMATION! 
I was in the crafting mood but didn't want to go to the store.  I began to browse my house (which many of you know is full of crafting crap!) thinking to myself what can I make today?  When a little light when on in my brain (yes, it is a little flicker of a light...not big and bright!)  I had tons of wood scraps, valentine paper, ribbon, vinyl, sandpaper and a new PINK cordless drill.  (Oh yes, it is as cute as is sounds!)

So a few hours later...... Ta Da!!!

Don't mind the empty candlesticks...I am working on something fun to put on there.

The idea just hasn't come to me yet!

A Little Love

INSTRUCTIONS

I found some thin wood laying around and cut them into 5.5x5.5 inch squares.

Pulled out my new FAVORITE thing in the whole world...SPRAY ADHESIVE (truly where has this been my whole life?  I LOVE IT!) 

Cut some fun reds, creams, tans, and cute colors of paper into 5.5x5.5 inch squares.  They didn't have to be to perfect because I sanded the edges to make it all nice and pretty! 

Spray your super awesome cool spray adhesive all over the back of your paper and stick it onto your wood square!  Careful you put it on where you want it...once it sticks, its stuck!

Sand down your edges so they look how you would like.  After I sanded them, I inked the edges so they looked all rustic and distressed...that's how I feel some days...rustic and distressed!

I used my Cricut to cut out the vinyl letters.  You can stencil them, print them, whatever works best for you!

I like vinyl...it makes life easy.  Oh and it will pull off!  So when I don't want so much LOVE around, I could change it to....KISS or HUGS or GO AWAY, oh wait, I need more squares for that!

Then I pulled out my cute PINK power tools...the drill!  And, drilled two holes in each square. 

Cut four strips of ribbon, looped them through the holes I made with my PINK drill (yes, having it PINK makes it much more fun to use!)  Tie your knots and Ta Da, You're Done!

XOXO Blocks

INSTRUCTIONS

I love blocks!  I must truly be a kid at heart because I even catch myself building little towers with these dang things!  Here are 2 1/2 inch blocks that have been sanded nice and smooth...like a babies bottom.  Okay, not that smooth, that takes WAY to much time.  But, they are smooth enough! 

I also LOVE stain.  I stained all the blocks in a dark "Provincial" wood finish.

Cut out paper squares just slightly smaller than your blocks and once again, use the SPRAY ADHESIVE and glue on those bad boys, apply your vinyl and in a matter of minutes, you have some super cute blocks!

You can always mod podge over the top for extra security.  I am to lazy and don't want to take the time.  And, I can never seem to find a foam paintbrush when I need it.

My original plan for my "XOXO Blocks" was to have three more smaller blocks that would adorn my childrens cute faces sitting on top of the XOXO, because we do a lot of that at my house!  We all LOVE hugs and kisses...cuz seriously?  Who doesn't?

I hope everyone has a Valentine's Day full of LOVE!  Happy LOVE Day Ya'll!!!