Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Feeling the Love

I have a weird thing about seasonal decorations. I don't like to put them up (in what I consider) too early. I feel like three weeks is about good for Christmas decorations, and I shorten the time for other holidays, the ones I deem less important. I do, however, truly love Valentine's Day.

It is probably because it is in such close proximity to my birthday. I also love that it is not a high demand holiday. I love helping the kids choose Valentine's to exchange, I love the colors, and it is just fun! I have decided, though, that I want to simplify. Fewer decorations, fewer boxes, less unpacking, less re-packing...you get the picture.

I have realized that some of my favorite decorations are the disposable kind. Candy, window clings, flowers. So I kind of went that direction and came up with some really simple things. I made the wreath above from cheap-o ornaments I bought at Target. Talk about re-purposing! I paid $0.30 for a pack of three, and they came in purple, red, white and fuchsia. What could be more Valentine"y"?


The wreath was super simple. I wrapped a foam wreath from the dollar store in dollar store ribbon (beware, it did take two rolls). I pinned the ribbon on with my trusty floral pins-I am loving those things!


Then I used more floral pins to spear the hearts on. I should have started from the outside edge, but I didn't realize that I would prefer it with two rows until I was finished. Still it was easy-peasy, and you could cut plain hearts out of felt for the same effect. And it only took about 15 minutes! Love.


I used the same hearts to make a garland for my fireplace. String the hearts on some ribbon, and insta-garland. I love having a fireplace to put garlands on. When I was taking the photos Carson asked me, "Mom, do you want me to be in the pictures?" How could I say no? Of course I want him in my pictures! Please ignore the jammies...it was 8:00am.




This is what I am talking about with the disposable part. I got this white dish at Pier 1- I love it! My mom suggested filling things with conversation hearts, and I knew this would be perfect. I can toss the candy when the holiday is over, no storing stuff, but I still get the cuteness factor!



One thing leads to another... I bought this candle at Bath and Body Works for $1 with the little glass hurricane. The candle looked too small for the holder, but I put a layer of conversation hearts on the bottom, put the candle in and then filled in the space around the sides. This would be easy to do with any type of candle! I don't plan on burning mine near the conversation hearts-I can't say how that would work.



I am planning on having flowers more often. My mom bought these for Josie at Walmart of all places. Shoved into my square vase that she bought me at Goodwill (it once held more expensive, but not cuter, flowers) it makes for a darling $3 arrangement. And I can toss them!


I  used a couple of too-short flowers to fill this little purple vase and I had to display the "love bugs" the kids made at church. I am pretty happy with my little things. They fit right into my desire to simplify and have multi-use and disposable decorative items. And now we are all set for Happy Hearts Day!


5 comments:

  1. Love the conversation hearts in the candle and I really like that besides a banner, you also made a wreath with your felt hearts. All SO cute!

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  2. I LOVE conversation hearts...but only for decorating NOT eating;) I wish I had snagged up those felt hearts but alas I can not be as creative as you and couldn't see past their Christmas potential.

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  3. Too too too too cute!!! I am in the process of making a wreath myself! Except it seems to take me a lot longer than it seems to take you. ;)

    ~ Jen

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  4. It is all so adorable, but none compares to the sweet little guy ! So glad he jumped in the photo, he is so squeezable!

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  5. Dollar tree had sweet-tart conversation hearts. I bought like 4 bags for my firsties & we had a scavenger hunt around the school for them.

    Traditional conv. hearts taste nasty, don't know why people buy them if not to decorate SUPER CUTE like you did!!!!

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