Valentine Swap: The Giving

I participated in the Valentine Swap organized by Aunt Peaches. I am so glad she did this. I thoroughly enjoyed making them and waiting to see to who and where I would be sending them. I can't wait to see the Valentines I will receive in the mailbox!

While I made my Valentines, I put out a smorgasbord of Valentine-y materials for my kiddos as well.

Here they are with their finished creations:



Here are mine:

I stamped, colored, and applied glitter glue.
Oh, and I used pop up dots because I love them.

I also included a punny Valentine wish:


{I can't show you my made-for-family ones...not yet}

I am seriously hoping this can be a new tradition. I love it so.

Love Bugs

BBD found some craft foam paint pens so we brought out the foam and other crafting goodies.

The paint did not work so well-guess that is why it was on sale.

The girl and I made some love bugs.

I am not sure what the boy made, at one point in time it was a yellow snowman.


The girl made me some hearts too, so I could "make something".

So I did.

She also made a little girl who is raising her hand cause she knows the answer.

Love Birds

I love these hanging on my wall, but cannot get a decent picture. {le sigh}


made with the Silhouette, card stock, ribbon, glitter mod podge

Please check out some of these fabulous linky parties. Wonderful ideas and inspiration await! Thank you!

Lovin' Life Bookmarks

I have a crafting compulsion/supply hoarding problem. I have a hard time walking by the paint chips and not grabbing a few. My daughter is pretty sure this is part of the routine of shopping.

Sometimes, I succeed in just walking by, especially if I have no real project ideas floating around in my mind. But the other day I grabbed some to just mess around with. I tried a few things. I did not love any of them.

Some people may have stopped there, but not I. No, I got more paint more paint chips to add to the pile of paint chip creations I wasn't really happy with.

I messed around some more and made some bookmarks. Didn't love them either. They just kind of hung out for a while. Staring at me. Taking up table space. But I hate throwing stuff away. So I let them mock me for a bit.

Then I tried a different project. It failed too. But I salvaged some pieces and added them to the bookmark project.

I don't know if I love them, but they are growing on me.


What the girl created:


Moral of the story {the husband would not approve so shhh}
Leave your craft problems out on the table until you finally get an idea that makes it better.

Just in case you are interested:

These bookmarks are made from paint chips and book pages.

I don't know if it was just operator error, but stamping was tricky-seemed slippery, but the husband says this makes them look "rustic" so we will go with that.

Book pages were cut with the Silhouette machine-which ate my book pages up to a degree- and a mini shape punch. I also used a paper slicer, square punch, and corner rounder for the paint chips.

Please check out some of these fabulous linky parties. Wonderful ideas and inspiration await! Thank you!

Valentine Sh-mantel

Not much, just a little something to spread a little love and cheer.


Since my lovely daughter vetoed my first banner idea, I made another, all by myself.

The son likes it.

And some simple vases.

{made from these neat bottles}

Please check out some of these fabulous linky parties. Wonderful ideas and inspiration await! Thank you!

XOXO characters

My children are delighted by the idea that letters can stand for hugs and kisses. Just delighted. It's silly but with the feel of budding academia-what's not to delight in? It was like being let in on one of the secrets those mysterious things, letters, hold.

And so I give you, our XOXO characters.





They are full of personality. And l-u-v.

We used glue dots, which the girl child was so in to it moved her to song

"Give us what we want---

We want GLUE DOTS!"

BBD was actually more interested in decorating a scrap. What are you to do?
He is quite proud of his "line AND squiggle".


So I turned it into a bookmark. He thought this was genius.


{p.s}

I am so pl-ea-s-ed with this idea,
so please don't rain on my parade and tell me someone else thought of it first...

ta-da! Rhinestone beauty covering up boring old pin head!


Please check out some of these fabulous linky parties. Wonderful ideas and inspiration await! Thank you!

Red Wreath

I whipped up this sweet little wreath.

I like it just the way it is.

My darling daughter informed that it is nice , "but needs more details".

She is honest like that.

She can be trusted to give you an honest opinion, but she is kind enough to cushion it when needed.

"Mama, those sunglasses are a little bit ugly.

But you are very pretty."

So, hmm, more details to come?