Craft while Snacking.. if you like yucky candy

In Need of a Quick (and i mean Quick) Craft for Valentine's Day?

Easy for the kids to do.. and they will love it as they can snack and craft using the same items.  :)  

I actually made this as I was waiting for Micah to finish his lunch.. round 2. (good eater!) I was putting those gross Valentine heart candies in a pretty bowl and had way too many.  I'm not going to eat them.. I never did like those!  I tend to think their intended purpose is for sucker moms (ahem) to buy them for their little girls to decorate a Valentine box... and then have all the extra to use as Valentine decor in pretty bowls and vases.  Agree?   (it's ok if you do eat them.. but I've got to know... do you like Peeps at Easter too?? There may be a connection!)   anyway... here's the project.

Not too hard to figure out this one :)  

I did not use glue however.. I figured there was no reason in ruining the candle :)  

I used scrapbooking adhesive. This might be hard for kids.  I think the little sticky dots would be easy for them and still hold.  Glue would be hard because it would cause the hearts to slide down.  Or if you are like my son.. any thing can be stuck with Duct tape or Hot glue! (I'd try hot glue.)

pretty.  easy.

If you do purchase these hearts for your little girls.. beware!  There are some new phrases on the hearts since we were young... oh sure they still say:

xoxo

be mine

love

hugs

but .. they added..

text me

i heart u

tweet me

me + u = 4ev

first kiss

and.. my personal fave..

my boo!    

Addie working hard on her Valentine Box!

Have Fun Getting Ready For Heart Day!

DIY Decor.. "LOVE"

I had the best week last week with my sister and her family!! The cousins had a grand time together!!  And Oh MY! When they left.. It was February!  How did that happen??  

I had a plan for a Valentine's mantle.. Simple. Pink. Soft. 

& that's exactly how it turned out.  LOVE!

Speaking of {LOVE} .. my favorite part of the mantle turned out to be a sign, with LOVE on it.  

Garrett had been collecting treasures (read also: dumpster diving) and found some great pieces of pressed wood.  He claimed the larger one for the fort (of course!) but said I could have the other piece.

I should probably interject that the dumpster is next door.. a site of new construction..mostly full of pallets and other home materials that 8 year old boys find amazing and essential to build a fort! ;)

Here's the finished sign.

the awesome wood Garrett found

<------------- before

after --------------->

painted with a sample of "Hot Stone"

by Valspar

I stenciled LOVE with Benjamen Moore - Pink Moire

pallet table.. not quite ready to completely share. <in progress>

Coffee beans make the perfect vase filler for Valentine's

 dot dot dot... in sparkle.

Here s the mantle (rather, my faux one above the TV). 

a little tule for a soft look

old halloween candy (pink nerds) also make a good filler

LOVE ... XOX

I am enjoying this mantle.. Simple. Pink. Soft.

and I love the gray walls!!

Do you do a Valentine's Theme in your home?

Linking:

Power of Paint Party 
Transformation Thursday

Germs Be Gone! (please)

A Gentle {and visual} Reminder

Are the Germs still hanging around your house?  Here, we are (dare I say) in a good place.  (ok, i am sure that will lead to some new bug nesting in our home.)  But hopefully with this little reminder I've set out.. we can keep those buggy friends at bay!

It is nothing special at all... but it has helped everyone to remember to 

1. Use a tissue (as opposed to a sleeve).

2. Throw it away (as opposed to laying it on the counter next to the box.. the same counter that happens to be just above the trash can.  Hmmm...)

3. Wash hands before resuming to all important activities.

Now, some of us have more trouble with certain numbers listed above than others... but I think the benefits are felt by all. 

it's the little things...

arrow for additional reminder of WHERE to "throw" .. just incase

see.. it even rhymes.. Addie practices a little reading, phonics, and cleanliness now with each (and there are many) Blow!

Happy Friday!!

I think I'm going to bring back "pass it on"... (the 1 a day  posts in october that i did).  Not every day.. but aren't the little tips that help you in your day your favorite??  

they are for me.

A little frustrated, I'd say

I'm going to cough up a confession right now...  Full blast, can't take it any more.. Frustration. With. Myself.

My house is so not ready for visitors. Visitors that are coming tomorrow.  My sister would be so mad if she knew am stressing like this. (Sorry Meg!) She's so laid back and not the type at All to judge if my house is cleaned and in order or if there are toys and piles throughout..  ahem.. the ladder.

Its a disappointment in myself. I wanted to have it ready for when she came.
That was the goal.

No, i didn't think it would be all organized and each room painted and decorated with all the Pinterest ideas i have... I'm not that delusional.  But a general neatness would be nice.
And folks, that is NOT what we have.

I should have organized the guest room last week.. it is kind of a catch all since its the loft and out of my daily sight.  Instead, I decided to paint the living room and laundry room.  I should have cleaned and organized Monday when the kids were off. Instead I decided to start painting Micah's room.. because it was going to be "easy".  Well... let's just say I upped the ante in there. It is going to be Great... at some point. 

So there we have it. My confession of the messiest house ever before guests arrive. I don't want to whine here... but ya know,  it's not all happy little crafts and cute kids here all the time. ;)

Can anyone identify?!?!?!? 
Thanks for listening (if you read to here.. you rock!) and hey, don't judge! Unless of course you have it all together all the time... then i invite you to throw stones... throw lots of stones! ;)

Ps... why did i take time to write this??  Well besides feeling much better... i multi-tasked and did it on my phone while rocking Micah!  Boom! Break out the caffeine.. (or wine?!)   It is cleaning time!!

going to attack the kitchen first!

Blessings

Blessings.
enough said.

Garrett learned to play chess two weeks ago.  He taught me this week.  He used grown up statements like, "the thing about chess is..." while explaining to me.  He knew my moves before I did and told me when 'he wouldn't do that'...   i felt like 8 year old.

Addison got a trim this weekend.  About 3 and a half inches came off her blonde locks.  She's still as cute as ever, but in complete girl fashion.. she changed her mind about cutting it up to her chin and donating her pony tail when we arrived.  Addie is not a "pull on the heart stings" type girl... she's 5. 

Enjoying the game this week.  a little chilly at 8:30 am!

Addie loves to spend time in her room now.. big girl bed, books, and the ipad.  why not?!

How cuddly precious is this?!

My boys.  sooooooooooo sweet.

New Years Mantle

2013!!

I've been wanting to share my New Years mantle.. how is it that it is half way through January already?

We've been busy with projects already.. here you can see a little of the paint project.. I think it is a never ending project spilling over to multiple rooms in the house!

After putting away Christmas.. I have stayed away from decorating.  Like I said we are focusing on the house and the projects we've been talking about since we moved in.  So, I picked two areas to add a little winter flare.  What is life with out a good lookin:

1. the front porch {here}

2. the mantle (well, my version)

I went really simple.. silver and blues.

 

Since it was too warm here, I used my aqua scarf for color and texture.

Cheers!

I love the sparkle

I made these with things I had.. didn't even have to paint the sicks :)

This vase became victim to silver paint.. it's pearly and pretty.

A dear friend in NV made me this wreath! Isn't it fabulous?  thanks Kristyn!

I move these vases around all the time! {Here} is how i made them a while back.

I still miss having a real mantel... but this is working.

OH, and how do you like the paint??

linking to:

 

 

Rustic January Front Porch

Trying to capture "winter" while it is 80 degrees is somewhat difficult.  After being in snowy Ohio though, I felt the need to continue it somewhat... it is after all, January.  I didn't have much of a plan for what I wanted to do on the front porch.. it just sort of evolved.  And I kind of like it! 

 It's natural.  It has a touch of Florida.  It has glitter.

There's those silver numbers again!

pinecones and greenery provided by our neighborhood :)

antler borrowed from Garrett :)

Welcome!

here's the glitter.. the first initial of our names :)

This is an old rug maker, of my great grandma's.  I just loved the texture and height here. :)

So yeah, January can be kind of blah in the decorating world.  But I really don't think this is "blah" at all.  It's inviting.. like, come on in and have a cup of coffee or tea (possibly iced...)!

side note... my accomplice on the gathering walks fell asleep on the job! 

 

 LOL, I gathered these last week when Micah started feeling better and wanted to be outside.  So on one of these walks I decided how to "dress my porch for January".. then on another walk I brought some clippers and did the neighborhood pruning.  Let's just say the construction guys on our street think I am NUTS! (notice the pallet boxes in the pictures.. they know it's me!)

Linking:
Create & Inspire 
Get Your Craft On