Simple Solutions to Update Your Seasonal Decor (Part 2)

 
 Find Part 1 to this series here!
     I'm excited to share some more ideas on updating your seasonal decorations! These are pretty photo-heavy posts, but I think the concepts are easier to understand when you can see what I'm saying. Seasonal decorating doesn't have to be expensive, time-consuming or clutter-y. I'm eager to show you how adding one or two things to what you already have in your home will help to create a festive atmosphere without making you crazy!

4. Add one or two things that are distinctively seasonal.

     My kitchen colors are red, and I keep a red felt wreath in there and when it matches my holiday colors I just find something to stick on it that pulls it all together. For Christmas, I add an ornament or two in turquoise, usually a snowflake or Christmas tree. For 4th of July, I added this little bunting and anchor (Dollar Spot at Target) to make it go with my theme.

    Look again at the photo from my Easter decorations this year.

  The only item in this picture that I have to store is the eggs. (I'll tell you more about my system for printables in a minute.) I often use candy as one of my elements because it is consumable, so I don't have to store it! The Peeps never get eaten, but at around $1 (I get them on sale at Target) I don't feel guilty about tossing them at the end of the month. They shouldn't be eaten anyway, in my mind!
 I chose plain white eggs. The eggs are meant to be dye-able, but I leave them plain white because then they go with any color scheme!

5. Go "disposable"!
   If you have every paid any attention to my posts about decorating I use two things fairly frequently: candy and fresh flowers. In the Easter photo above, those are a $4 bouquet from Trader Joe's. They will most likely last the week and a half until Easter, so definitely worth the money, in my opinion. And I don't have to store them!

    This is a great example of using candy. I bought a dollar's worth of red and white gummy bears from Winco, picked all the red Sour Patch kids out of a clearance bag of Christmas ones, and bought Sixlets at the Dollar Tree. I shamelessly pulled the skull sketch my cousin did for me because I loved the funky vibe it gave this vignette. Candy is also "disposable"-as in, if my family doesn't eat it (Over the span of time that I usually have decor up they will munch on it, and then once I pull everything down I put it in a designated spot where they know they can go whole-hog!) I have no problem tossing it-although I can often find friends who are willing to take it off my hands. 

   People will ask about the temptation of having all that candy around, and I have a few things that help in that department: I will often buy candy I personally won't eat (Sixlets? Peeps? GROSS!). I also use really small quantities (the Sour Patch kids, for example) so I'm not tempted because I don't want to ruin my display. Also, constantly having candy available actually encourages me personally *not* to eat it, as I know I can always have some later. I can usually keep putting it off so "later" never comes! Ha! 

6. Change up your chalkboards and frames!

 If you haven't noticed yet, I get my money's worth from this little chalkboard. It gets a makeover for every season. I paid $3 for it from Target's Dollar Spot. Best decorating purchase-EVER! I look up ideas on Pinterest and do my best "third grader imitating professional" art on them. The handmade look is in, right? Scripture is always my go-to choice for what to write on them. 

 I spent a little bit of time (a couple of hours on Pinterest looking at tutorials) and realized the easiest thing to making your chalk art look better is to emphasize the "down" strokes of your letter. Just that simple thing makes all your work look more artistic! Two tips: first ALWAYS season your new chalkboards by completely covering them with plain white chalk-actual chalk, not chalk markers or pencils! This will keep them from being ruined by having whatever you first write on them permanently stuck on them. I made that mistake with this one and I had to buy chalk paint to cover it and fix that. Now that I have seasoned it, I don't have that problem. Second recommendation: use real chalk on actual chalkboards. It gives it the most authentic look and erases better. I have a multi-colored pack of chalk from Target that was less than $2 and I use that all the time. If you have a metal chalkboard like the tiny one in the photo with the green books chalk markers are a better pick for that type. Also, if you don't plan on erasing it, chalk markers are more precise and long-lasting. I used those on the hanging chalkboard in the Valentine set-up. 

  The frame above is the equivalent of the chalkboard. It gets a new printable or something each season. That costs almost nothing-just the cost of ink. If you aren't into creating your own, I have lots available here on the blog (search "printable") or Pinterest has tons! The two sizes I use most frequently are 8x10 and 5x7. Here is my best tip for frames: keep your prints stored in them! I keep the cardboard insert that comes with most frames, or even just the stock photo that comes in them, and I file whatever isn't being "presented" behind that. In some frames I have as many as 4 or 5 different photos or printables in there at any given time.

Side note: The set-up above was a great example of using what I had on hand. I wanted a "back-to-school" theme so I just arranged my kids' school supplies in a cute way! If you are looking for that printable, find it here. 

7. Use paper or washi tape to get your desired effect. 

       The garland above (from "The Grinch Christmas Party") is one of my favorites, but it was also one of the easiest. I simply used strips of paper, cut in a matter of minutes with my tiny little paper cutter, and chopped them to different lengths and then I hot glued them to the back of a ribbon. The whole thing took maybe 15 minutes but was so gratifying! No talent necessary. I have a whole post on how to whip up easy paper garlands you should check out if you need more ideas. 

    This entire wreath was made out of paper. I hope to one day share the tutorial, but suffice it to say it was practically free, as I backed it with cardboard I cut from a box, and used a few sheets of scrapbook paper and some hot glue to put it together. Paper is one of the least expensive things, but it makes a big impact! (Side note: here are some more books, but this time they are contributing to a "back-to-school" theme! "Free" decor! And what is more appropriate for that then my old-fashioned school bell?) 

      I limit myself to the amount of paper that will fit in a 12x12 storage container from Michael's that is about 4 inches deep. It holds all my paper and felt, and I usually can dig through to find what I want. Otherwise, it is a good excuse to run to Hobby Lobby and buy a dollar's worth of paper to match! I try to stick with paper that is one or two colors and patterned, but not specifically holiday. The ones above were from a pack and I had them leftover from a wreath I made, so they are kind of an exception. 

   

   Washi tape is another easy way to make seasonal decorations. The piece above was all washi. (Find the tutorial here.)I don't keep 500 rolls, but I do keep a small shoebox full and trust me, it's totally worth it.

 I made the shamrock in the photo with the succulent out of washi, too. I did that one a little differently, I laid strips on cardstock and then cut them out with a paper punch. And see, the washi helped me out here, too. 

  This "tree" is a great example of how handy washi can be! This is actually decorator masking tape, but same idea. This was so cheap, but made such great impact!

8. When in doubt go with white (or glass).
    I've shared this tip in regards to party-planning, but it bears repeating here, too. When you are purchasing decorative elements or dishware, you can't really go wrong with buying classic white or glass. I don't have a huge amount of space to store things, but I get my money's worth out of a small collection of items. This isn't an exhaustive list, but it gives you an idea of my most used pieces. Amusingly, many of them are in the photo above!

They are:
-2 olive trays, one small and one larger
-several assorted (one cup volume or less) plastic and ceramic white dishes. I have a square one I am particularly fond of.
-cylindrical glass vases. Two sizes. I bought the 7 inch one at the dollar store. That's the one in the photo above filled with the eggs. I also have a larger one for bigger arrangements.
-small white cake plate. Mine is actually plastic and it is hilariously from the Halloween decor at Target. It was on mega clearance and I only paid like $0.50 for it. Pick one up at a yard sale or in the Dollar Spot for $3-$5.
-larger white cake plate. Having two coordinating cake plates allows me to stack them onto each other for a tiered effect. They don't have to match perfectly! My big one is square and ceramic, the smaller one round and plastic.
-various jars. I keep mason jars in both pint and quart sizes. I use these for food storage when they aren't serving decorative purposes. The container in the photo above with the silver lid is a favorite. You can get that style at Hobby Lobby for around $3. Choose things you can use for storage year-round so you aren't making space for empty containers for months! That defeats the purpose. Most of mine live in my pantry filled with boring things like fruit snacks and granola bars. When I want them for decorating, I unceremoniously dump them in a bowl or basket, wash them out and they are ready to go!

   Obviously, you can adjust these to suit your own decor style and colors. You could easily substitute metals (silver, gold, etc.) as those will go with most any color scheme. You can be a little more flexible with frames-I have a variety in both metal and black. I also have a couple of colored ones.

   This is such a tiny amount of stuff that if you *had* to store it it would all fit in a small storage container. However, find a place for it in your everyday decorating and you've made it work double duty!

    So that pretty much finishes up my broad-stroke tips for the best ways to decorate seasonally without spending a ton of time or money, or having a garage full of decorations. However, sometimes it is still hard to figure out to put those things into practice, so I have one final post in this series where I will break down the steps and show you a mock set-up. It may seem like I have the "right" colors or items to make these tips work, and you have different colors and you don't collect weird things like glass skulls, hand-held school bells and garden gnomes. But my tips will still work! I promise-you can do it.
 
Looking for the last post in this series? Find it here:
Part 3

Simple Solutions To Update Your Seasonal Decor (Part 1)

     I love to change up my decorations around the house. If you know me, or have followed my blog for any length of time, you have seen some of the parties I have planned. To me, decorating for the changing seasons is a smaller scale version, but one I get to enjoy for longer than the few hours a party lasts.

    However, if I fell into the trap that I needed to buy new things for every holiday and season, that can get expensive. Even just storing stuff for the six or so times a year that I change things can be overwhelming. Can you imagine if I had a separate storage tote for all that stuff in addition to the several I have just for Christmas? I wouldn't have room for anything else! So, I had to come up with a better way. The system I have now works so well, I thought I would share it with you, in case you are looking for ideas for your own home!

      First, I thought I would show you this year's Easter decorations. I went with a yellow and purple theme (I'll tell you why in just a few minutes). I always decorate the top of my microwave (weird, I know, but that's just how it works out) so that space doesn't have any "permanent" decorations. That makes it easy to switch things around without having to store anything. So, I guess that is really my first tip!

1. Keep a (or several) small area(s) clutter-free so you have an easy space to decorate for any holiday.

      The other area that I always keep pretty clear for seasonal decorations is a small bookcase in my living room. Same concept-it has nothing that lives there so it is easy to move things around. When I know which spaces I routinely decorate it makes it easy to form my plan based on my needs. I never need anything too large, I have a nail above each space for hanging items, since I have kids I never choose anything too precious!

    These are the decorations from last year. Do you spy any of the same things? Yet, it is still different because I used some different pieces and this color scheme also had turquoise in it.

   Sometimes I decide to go a step further and I decorate my Expedit bookshelf. With the exception of Christmas, I almost always limit my seasonal decorating areas to the living room. They get the greatest amount of exposure there, but yet it helps me have some boundaries so I don't go overboard.

     And finally, these are decorations for the same season from 2015. Obviously, this color scheme was purple and turquoise. Now that you have viewed three years' worth of my Easter decorations, are you starting to see some patterns? Yet, every year there are some things that are different, too.

 2.Use colors that are already present in your year-round decor.
 Let me share with you what I have figured out. One of the biggest keys to making my seasonal decorations more frugal, and less craziness inducing, is to choose a color that is already part of my permanent decor scheme! My primary living room colors are turquoise, yellow and lime green. So in 2015, I chose turquoise. In 2016, I went with two of the three, yellow and turquoise again. In 2017, I went with yellow.

     This may seem complicated, but it really isn't. Here is another example:

  This is my Christmas decor from 2016, I think. (I can't exactly remember, those colors stay the same each year). Even for Christmas I made my colors work for me, choosing red to go with the turquoise blue that was already there.

    For St. Patrick's Day I pull out the lime green things I own. For Valentine's Day, it is the red I have in my kitchen. For 4th of July, I can do turquoise or again, red. But by making sure I use at least one color I already have in my home, I can re-purpose, instead of purchasing things to store 10 months out of 12.

3. Pick items from your year-round decor and use them in your seasonal groupings.
    See on the shelf in the Christmas photo above, on the right hand, the blue gnome? Not surprisingly, he also makes an appearance in 2015's Easter vignette. Except now, instead of appearing "elf"-like, as in the Christmas picture, he looks more garden gnome, right? Same object, but different placement.

      For St. Patrick's Day I decided to host a last-minute gathering and I only had about an hour to put together something cute. I gathered all my books that had green bindings and stacked them together with a green frame on top in one spot in the house. I didn't use a single store-bought "holiday" item, but having like items grouped together in a festive color conveyed the same idea. I also grabbed that "Trust in the Lord" sign to add to the grouping. I am not an artist, so please excuse my pitiful humble artwork.

     This little succulent got dressed up with a little washi tape. I keep the plant year-round, but for St. Patrick's Day it got a place of honor as the "centerpiece" for the table. Nobody would say a succulent is specific to that holiday, but with a little seasonally-coordinated tape it definitely adds to the vibe, right?

   This Valentine set-up is a favorite example of pulling from your own decor. The Fu Dog is a piece I keep out year-round, as is the silver school bell. A few "gold" (brown) books prop up a kissing photo-so "Valentine" but another thing I keep out all year! And see the "Trust in the Lord" sign? All these things look fresh and festive when I put them with a heart-shaped banner that declares, "Look at me! I've decorated for Valentine's Day!".  I didn't use any "traditional" Valentine colors, but I still think it looks appropriate.


    Wow! This post kind of took on a life of its own! I wasn't planning on turning this into a series, but it seems to be appropriate. I'm so excited to share more of my thoughts and ideas. So, has anything made you consider how you can use what you already have to make your house dressed up for the season?

Looking for the rest of the series? Find them here:
Part 2
Part 3



 

In Defense of Valentine's Day

          If ever a holiday needed a champion, it's Valentine's Day. I'm not sure where the disdain for this poor holiday originated, perhaps with a disgruntled spouse or a bitter single person, but whatever the case, I feel compelled to rise to the defense of one of my personal favorite holidays (besides my birthday, that is).

                I have discussed with quite a few people their reasons for hating on a holiday that really has done them no wrong. My husband long ago told me that he thinks it is ridiculous that there is yet another day when men must buy women gifts and flowers and the women do not have to return the favor. (The other days, in case you are wondering, are their birthdays and wedding anniversaries.) Friends have echoed the internet and said, "It's a Hallmark holiday, invented to force you to buy expensive cards and overpriced knick knacks." And we've all seen the shows on television where the single friends band together to boycott the date because it is supposedly all about romance and couples.

      However, for me, it is one of the best holidays there is. And, no, it isn't just because of the chocolate (although I *do* adore a box of Russell Stover's, dark only, please!). My birthday is a few days before, and maybe that casts a warm glow on it, but I think it started in grade school. I loved getting a box full of tiny paper squares, all with my name on them. The cheesy puns and cheap suckers with their faded white proclamations of love and friendship somehow seemed like they were just for me. I loved reading every single silly conversation heart (But I promise, they never crossed my lips if I could prohibit it-gross!). Even once we started homeschooling, my siblings and I would exchange little cards and trinkets.

    Personally, V-Day has never been about silky underthings and expensive jewelry. I've done candles and scattered rose petals and homemade dinners. But that is because I *love* my husband and want to show him how special he is to me. I would rather he give me a necklace from Forever 21 than Kay's, though. Because this isn't an opportunity to milk my spouse for jewerly store baubles and overpriced flowers, it is about love. And that isn't just about romance.

      That's why we more often share a heart shaped pizza with our kids than a reservation for two at a nice restaurant. It's why I spend hours writing handwritten notes to my friends, and in past years have made literally hundreds of Valentines, in all shapes and sizes for anyone and everyone from Sunday School teachers to the women in my Bible study. We give Valentines to ice skating instructors, and the neighbors, to our cousins and to our grandparents. It isn't just a day for lovers, it is a day for love.

     And maybe it isn't like that for you, but you get to turn that around. Buy flowers for someone, instead of waiting for some for yourself. Gift the chocolates you hope to receive. I handmade almost 200 chocolates for a Valentine's dinner at our church this year that included young and old, single and coupled. No one felt left out, and that is great. Because none of us deserve love, but it is something everyone needs.

    Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with fancy meals, and dressing up, flowers and sappy cards are fine, too. You can even request diamond necklaces or rings, if that's your thing. But maybe the problem isn't Valentine's Day, it's you. Everyone could use more opportunities to say, "I love you"- to everyone who is special in their lives. And not only that, but there are plenty more people who need to hear it, because they don't think anyone thinks they are special.

   Maybe you do that every day of the year-then why stop on Valentine's Day? Maybe you never do it-then February 14th is a good time to start.

"Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God, and anyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for GOD IS LOVE." 1 John 4:7-8 KJV

     If nothing else, use that day as a jumping off point to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Single people feeling unloved? You need Jesus. Couples who aren't getting along and romance is the furthest thing from your mind? You need Jesus. Kids who don't really understand why you can't stand in the stationary section and read all the inappropriate cards? You need  Jesus, too.

    Don't let the card and candy people dictate your behavior. Write your own cards-people like that better anyway. Skip the red-foiled chocolates and sugar hearts. Buy a bag of pretzels for all anyone cares. But for pity's sake-don't let "them" steal a chance to tell those that matter what they really mean to you. You get to make Valentine's Day whatever you want it to be, and I say, if a holiday is about love then isn't it really something we as believers should be using to our advantage? I mean, Jesus is love. Celebrate with your kids, and your neighbors, and the people at your church. Find someone who really needs a pick-me-up and give *them* the sweets and flowers. But don't let the world steal your joy. Take back this holiday and really make it about true love. For the love!

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Frosting Filled Oreo Truffles

   I heard back in January that Oreo was releasing a limited time seasonal RED VELVET Oreo. Reports were that they were outrageously tasting-some even said better than the original. Well, I could only think of one thing: Oreo Truffles. But I wanted them to be special, have a little something extra. And what is more perfect on a delicious piece of Red Velvet cake than gobs of cream cheese frosting?

   My love affair with Red Velvet started as a child. My birthday is practically on top of Valentine's Day and my mom made her wonderful homemade Red Velvet cake for my special day more than once. I love that my birthday is so close to V-Day, it has always been one of my favorite holidays. So, I couldn't resist creating a truffle (another one of my fav things!) to tie it all together. This truffle takes the Oreo truffle to the next level-the creamy filling is the perfect touch to the rich Red Velvet flavor and the color makes them perfect for the holiday of love!

 You will only need a few things for this recipe.
For the truffles you will need:
-Red Velvet Oreos (Note that these come in a smaller package than regular Oreos!)
-4 oz. cream cheese (softened)

For the filling you will need:
-3 oz. cream cheese
-1 and 1/2 c. powdered sugar (approximately)
-1/8 tsp. vanilla

For the coating you will need:
-1 package white chocolate chips
-1/2 to 1 tbsp. shortening
OR
1 package vanilla candy coating

Sprinkles, food coloring,  or other toppings to suit.

Begin by crushing the Oreos in a food processor, blender or in a ziploc, until fine and completely mixed. Use the entire package. Aren't those Oreos so pretty? I love the deep red color! And they smell amazing. They should make a candle out of that scent!

Completely incorporate the cookie crumbs into the cream cheese. Make sure it is thoroughly blended using either a spoon or your hands.Refrigerate while making the frosting to make them easier to handle.

 Meanwhile, make the frosting. Mix together the powdered sugar, cream cheese and vanilla to make a very thick frosting. It isn't necessary to make it moldable, but I did make it thicker than I would have for a cake. Scoop into a sturdy quart size ziploc and refrigerate for at least 15-30 minutes.

   Once everything has had a chance to chill, use a 1 inch candy/cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop the dough into your hand. Unlike with regular Oreo truffles, it isn't necessary to roll them at this point, because they will need to be re-shaped after they are filled. Using your thumb, press a well into the truffle. You will be adding about 1/4 tsp. of frosting into this depression. I quit taking pictures at this point because it gets a little messy. You will then need to gather the truffle around the filling, If you need to grab a little extra Oreo mixture to make it "close" then do. After you have completely covered the filling with truffle, you should be able to gently shape it into a ball. Place onto a wax paper covered tray.

   You should be able to get about 20-24 truffles. Once they are all rolled, place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. I actually refrigerated mine overnight before dipping because I didn't have time to do it the day I made them. That isn't necessary, but you can if you need to!

    When they are firmly chilled, carefully melt your white chocolate chips with 1/2 tablespoon shortening. Use more if necessary to make it smooth, but be very careful not to overheat it. You may need to use a double-boiler. I hate working with melted white chocolate chips-they are super fickle and tough to dip with! I am not at home though, and was using what was available. Personally, I will always choose CandyQuik or other type of candy melt. They are much easier to work with. If you want to color your candy coating, add the food coloring as soon as it is completely smooth.

   Working quickly using two forks, dip each truffle and place onto a wax paper covered tray. Immediately after dipping, garnish with sprinkles or decoration of your choice. (I used Sixlet candies and pearl sprinkles because it is what I had!) As soon as coating has harden truffles can be eaten, or stacked. Refrigerate any that aren't consumed right away.

     I don't usually cut my truffles open, but these are so pretty in the middle! And while it seems like such a tiny amount of frosting, it is actually perfect as you get frosting and truffle in every bite, but the frosting isn't overwhelming. 

     These are so amazing! Even my mom, who doesn't normally enjoy Oreo truffles (or anything with white chocolate) thought these were really good. I am already planning variations-you could dip them in dark chocolate, or roll them in nuts....I better stock up on Red Velvet Oreos!

   

Linked up:
"Titus 2 Tuesday" at Cornerstone Confessions

Simple and Unexpected Valentine's Decor (and a Five Minute Garland!)

     Anyone who knows me will tell you: I love a little something out of the ordinary. I love things that make you say, "oh, that isn't the norm!". But in a good way. It is becoming more and more common to use varying colors schemes for seasonal decorations (I use cream, gray and yellow for my fall decor and red and turquoise for Christmas) so, of course, I couldn't let Valentine's Day feel left out! It is one of my favorite holidays (I think because it is so close to my birthday!).

This year, I was inspired by book pages. I know those have been popular for a long time now, and I think it is because there is something so interesting and curious about all those little words. The patterns and colors are soothing and work well with so many palettes.

Since I was using old book pages (that same volume of Shakespeare I have been milking since this wreath! Talk about getting your money's worth.) I decided that black and creamy yellow were a must. I also included silver and gold- the two complementary metallics for those colors.

 The little garland could not have been any simpler. Using my tried and true formula, I put it together in about five minutes.

I used:
-one sheet of metallic silver
-one sheet of metallic gold
-one sheet of metallic dark silver
-one page of cream/black font
-one page of black/white cursive
I bought all these at Hobby Lobby, paper is 50% off this week so my grand total (5x $0.59 x .5= $1.48)
-my own book pages (free!)
-part of a spool of black satin ribbon from the Dollar Store (we will say $0.25)
-staples, use what you have! Mine are purple, but you can't really tell.:) (free!)
-scalloped heart punch, I have this one from Micheal's and I use it *all* the time. I am not including it in the cost because it is like scissors in my mind, you use it constantly! If you buy it, be sure to use a coupon.

Grand total: less than $2

 I didn't include a picture of punching out the hearts, I have enough of those! I cut out four hearts out of each of my 6 papers. I left a little space between each one, and I alternated placing them right side up and upside down. I just laid the heart on top of the ribbon and punched right through both! Easy peasy, as my kids would say. In a little less than five minutes I had over six feet of garland, including the ribbon I left hanging on both ends.

I battle my perfectionism by refusing to measure spaces or use a pattern. It is good for me to be a little less obsessive, and I am always happy with how it turns out. I love how the heart shape is so Valentine but the colors are decidedly less so. It makes for a good combination.

The only other thing I did was to whip up this little printable in Word. I used "Traveling Typewriter" from dafonts.com and wrote "Oh how He loves us all" in all caps justified to the left. I printed it on cream cardstock (I keep white and cream cardstock on hand all the time) and checked "two pages to a sheet" in the printing instructions box. That made it the perfect size to cut out for a 5x7 frame. I love how simple but powerful it is. In my mind, Valentine's Day, being about love, is not completely about romance, but about the One who is Love. Maybe *that's* why it is my favorite!

Anyway, I dragged out items from around the house, I didn't purchase anything new for this. That is the best way to decorate! Whatever your color scheme is, ask yourself: "What do I already have that matches?" It doesn't have to be "holiday"- the only things I have that says Valentine's day in this display are hearts and the printable- they are both easily switched out and cost almost nothing. Look at your things through fresh eyes and borrow from other rooms to decorate. I love to "steal" my own stuff, it makes it feel brand new!

The old-fashioned school bell was a gift from my mom, she had one I coveted, so she bought me one so I wouldn't steal her's! I had a Glade candle that I dressed up with a little washi tape, and I added the little wooden "Trust in the Lord" (also a gift from my mom!). On the other side, I used a copy of "Pride and Prejudice" and a leather bound journal I use to write my husband love letters in- a little nod to romance (you have to have a little!) topped with a mirrored frame (Target clearance) holding one of my favorite pictures of my honey and me. It was taken by the talented Beverly Bender! The "lion dog" as my kids refer to it, is a little ceramic statue from Target that is just the kind of whimsical, eccentric decor I love.

And I couldn't forget the gorgeous shelf! It was handmade by my aunt and uncle, and it works perfectly as a faux mantle. 

And, of course, because I am famous for re-using, I ripped the watches off my New Year's wreath and added three paper hearts. I couldn't resist, it was perfect for this color scheme!

The whole set-up is right above my desk, and I am loving it. It looks fresh and festive and it didn't cost much. It reminds me of things I love, and that is just right for Valentine's Day, isn't it?

A Very Late Valentine Day Recap

 So, I debated about whether or not to publish this, because I have a St. Patty's Day craft that I really want to get posted *before* the 17th, but I decided that I better go ahead and put it all down, or next year I will surely forget what I did!

I love doing a Valentine exchange with adult women. To me, Valentine's is a holiday about all love-not just the romantic kind. I actually  went to more trouble for my Bible study group than for Joel, but I can promise you that they were much more grateful, too!

I had pinned the link for this brown sugar hand scrub, and after I saw these adorable little jars at World Market, my Valentines were born.

I had an amazing coupon to World Market so I got these cutie jars for $0.50. I got the perfect little files at Target-total bonus find in the party favor section! I tied it up with ribbon and used my new heart punch to tie on scrapbook paper labels. I think they turned out pretty cute.

 I also put together these fun "Love Potion No.9" bottles for the kids' groups (Josie and Carson each gave out signed Valentines but these were from me). I got the printables from here.  I found the little heart shaped straws for $0.25 at Party City.

 In the tutorial that went along with the labels, the girl used 12oz. bottles of water, but the packets of Kool-Aid specifically say they are for a 16.9 oz bottle (a regular size one) and I figured that a bunch of 3-7 year olds were not going to understand that they needed to use 3/4 of a packet, and too strong Kool Aid is gross. Plus, full size bottles are cheaper! I thought they turned out pretty well. The kids loved them!

After handing out 40 bags of trail mix, 30 Toy Story Tattoo Valentines, 22 jars of hand scrub, 20 bottles of "Love Potion", 25 hand written note cards, and 40 magnet Valentines, the Picker total came to 177 varying types of Valentine felicitations! I may have a problem...

 

All that of course, was prepped the night before. On the actual day, since we had Bible study, I did donuts and bacon for the kids for breakfast. They loved their little cups from Walmart.

 My sleepy Valentine. They loved their donuts!

 

I love the way his eyes sparkle, even at 7:30 in the morning!

 

They made out like bandits with their Valentine exchange. Every body gives such cool cards now. They got tattoos, magnets, bracelets, stickers, and of course, candy!

 Joel brought them balloons, which I thought was so sweet. You can see Josie's tied to her wrist. I also had little bags for them with some fun little junk. Josie looks literally crazy with excitement. She will hate this picture later...;)

My other sweet little Valentine. Boy Wonder doesn't do so hot in the posing arena, so you just get him, no stuff.

We ended the day at Culver's, which was nice. I prefer to do Valentine's dinner as a family while the kids are still young. There really isn't anyone that I love to be with more than my family!

 

Happy Hearts Trail Mix (Valentine Fun)

If you like this post, I created a printable that you can use to top your Valentines with! Check it out here.

I was inspired to make this trail mix-by a cereal! I had purchased some Quaker "Whole Hearts" cereal a few months ago, and ran across it right before Valentine's Day.  How could I *not* want to make a trail mix with cereal shaped like hearts?!

Since it is Valentine's Day, I wasn't too interested in the trail mix being super healthy-as a matter of fact, the only thing even remotely healthy is the cereal. But it sure is cute! We used:

5 cups of Quaker "Whole Heart" cereal

2 cups of chocolate chips

1 bag of Twizzler cherry bites

2 8 oz. bags of conversation hearts (I know, disgusting, but I was going for looks!)

1 and 1/2 bags of Jet Puffed Strawberry HeartMallows

40 cellophane bags (I used 4x9 1/2 inch Wilton's bags, the exact width of the labels.)

40 Avery 5163 Shipping Labels

It will make enough trail mix for about 40 half cup servings (including marshmallows).

 

I love using shipping labels to close treat bags because it accomplishes two purposes: it gets the message across and it closes the bag more thoroughly than the little twist ties that usually are included. I made a super simple graphic with Word Art and made it cheerful by playing with the font colors. These are for her Awana Sparks group, so I thought the Scripture was really appropriate. 

 

Then my "happy helper" helped assemble the ingredients. A note: if I made this again, I would leave out the marshmallows. They got a teeny bit squished, and made measuring it difficult. In the end, we pulled the marshmallows out of the mix, added four or five to each bag and then added the rest of the mix. It was much easier that way!

 

Josie loved stirring everything together. See how the marshmallows kind of "float" to the top? Easier to add them separately!

After it was all mixed together, we added a generous 1/4 cup of just the mix to each bag of four or five marshmallows. It ended up being a scant 1/2 cup all together. Since it is full of sugar, I figured that would be plenty!

We folded the tops of the bags over and sealed them with the stickers.  Aren't they cheerful?

 

Josie is ecstatic to share these with her friends tonight. It was an easy way to make a special homemade Valentine for 40 kids in a short amount of time. I think it will leave all the Sparks with happy hearts!:)