pink-a-licious

My children love hot chocolate. So, this year, for Valentine's Day I am going to surprise them with pink hot cocoa and heart shaped marshmallows. A simple way for me to show them how much they are loved!
mug: pink hearts baby mug by emma bridgewater ( I picked these up on a trip to Ireland...but I found some here.)
pink cocoa: is from I Party
heart shaped marshmallows: CVS

party perfect

I was thrilled to be featured on the Party Perfect Blog yesterday...Thanks Sara!
Check it out here.

for "cray-on" out loud, be my valentine

Looking for a fun craft to do on a long winter's day? How about making some crayons for your favorite creative valentine! Use broken crayons and peel the labels off of them. Put them into a silicone baking pan and put into a 250 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the crayons have melted. Click here for directions. These hearts fit perfectly into Wilton mini heart silicone baking cups which you can then wrap in cellophane to give to friends, or place them in a bowl for your own little ones to use.

a "heart"y breakfast

Valentine's Day is on Sunday this year. Why not make your Valentine a yummy breakfast to start their day. Use a cookie cutter to cut a heart shape in some bread. Melt some butter in a pan, place the bread in the pan,and crack an egg in the middle of the heart. Flip over, cook until done and serve. A breakfast made with love!

cherry on top

I don't make Halloween costumes or my own Christmas cards but, every year, I do make my own Valentines. I just think they are so much cuter and more personal than the kind that come in a box. I found these cherry lollipops last month and they immediately became the inspiration for my daughter's cards this year. I attached the lollipops to plain white tags with red and white gingham ribbon. I used alphabet rubber stamps for the message. They were simple to make and I hope that all of the kids in my daughter's class will enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them.

be mine

When my daughter was little I found it difficult to find appropriate Valentines to give her friends; so I made my own! Below are some examples of what I made and I am offering them at the prices listed below. Shipping & handling is not included. All orders need to be made before Feb. 1. Order soon before they all sell out!

"Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, I hope you love Cheerios, As much as I do"

Inside each red tin is a flower cookie cutter and a small round tin that you can fill with cheerios. If you order 3 or more I will include a mini box of Cheerios with the order.

$7.50

"For Cray-on out loud, will you be my Valentine!"

Inside each clear pillow is a mini box of 4 Crayola crayons and a tiny notebook. Attached to the ribbon is a crayon shaped card. These come in blue, green or yellow.

$5

"Doh you want to be my Valentine?"

Inside each box are three small containers of Play Doh. Attached on the outside is a mini rolling pin and heart cookie cutter.

$7.50

"Valentine, You blow me away!"

Each mini jar is filled with red, white and pink gumballs.

$5

Cheers to 40 years!

I made these favors for a friend who turned 40 last week. His wife planned a fabulous surprise party for him last night and since it was right after New Years the theme was "cheers to 40 years." I used a picture from his first birthday as the tag, and attached it with gold and green ribbon. On the back I stamped "cheers to 40 years" in gold ink. Inside each cellophane bag was a personalized wine stopper, mini bottles of champagne bubbles, and gold and silver Hershey kisses. I also provided a bottle of champagne and gold pens so that all of the guests could sign it as a wonderful reminder of an evening spent celebrating a milestone birthday with his family and friends.

Organizing

There is something about the New Year that makes me want to get organized. This is the bulletin board in my office. I have separated it into four sections using ribbon. One section has my calendar, another is designated for my kids, another for my husband and one just for inspiration. For my ribbons I use baskets, jars, even mugs to keep them all together. I also have some on my shelves that are organized by color. How do you stay organized?

Studio Space

In the spirit of the New Year I figured I would share some photos of my studio, the space that inspires me. As you can tell red plays a starring role. I like to organize my ribbon remnants in pretty jars. I can see through them so it is easier to find just the right color I need. My craft supplies are all in plastic bins with labels so everything is easy to find. The jars on the windowsill are all old Bonne Maman jam jars- I can't resist their red and white gingham lids. I even have some petite ones! I use them for various office supplies. I bought the frames from different places and painted them all red to make them look more uniform. It is an easy way to hang and change my children's numerous art projects. The little red chair is actually on the wall and is where I display my growing Eiffel Tower collection.