Valentines Day Recap

Valentines day this year was a sweet success!

Ok, maybe actually a little too sweet.  I sort of need to detox from all the sugar this week!

 Breakfast may or may not have consisted of Chocolate covered strawberries...just saying.

A couple of week before the big day, I sprung out my love decor.

My valentines day decorations are a little sparse, but I have collected a few little things over the years.

This sat in my office all month long.  The calendar was hand made for me for Christmas.  Seriously the best present ever!  Each month is designed with a hand print picture.  I'll treasure it for always!

This is a terrible picture, but I Love this little paper garland.  Sorry for the dumb pun!

We were excited to find a few valentine card in the mail and added them to our mantel.

 The boys took these homemade valentines to school.  I'm pretty sure hardly any of their classmates got the Bruno Mars reference.  But, it amused me.  I'm easily amused.

 And since I have a house full of boys who aren't really into valentines.  We exchanged lego mini figures this year.  Oh yes, and candy...way too much candy.

I'm going to go eat some chocolate now.

xoxo,

Starving Artist Party

A few months ago, my sister in law invited us over for her 7 year old's birthday party.  She hosted the cutest, most colorful party I have ever attended.  I went crazy snapping photos and just realized that I never shared them with you.  I can't take credit for all her awesomeness, but it was too good not to share.

Introducing...Jen's starving artist party!

It was hosted entirely in her back-yard.

rainbow hued streamers and balloons livened things up.

clear paint cans held some sweet treats.

As the kiddos arrived, she quickly got them busy with a little chalk art.

A game of four square also spontaneously erupted.

The chalk project got upscaled into a full blown sand art frenzey.

The kids made their own "sand" by rubbing chalk on piles of salt.

These were then layered into cute little jars.

Creating unique little souvenirs.

 

 It was hard work for our little artists, but they seemed to love every minute of it.

Next, came out the paint brushes.

What kid doesn't love to paint!?

Our hungry artists were then fed a rainbow salad. 

 and what every starving artist eats, pb&j!

Cake time came next.

One kid said it looked like a pile of snow.

But there was a surprise inside that white confection.

An entire Rainbow!

Look at those giant slices!  Every one just had to have the entire spectrum of colors.

Before the guests left, they each received, their own hand made star crayon.

 And a rice crispy treat paint brush.

Kids birthday parties are the best! 

   

XOXO,

Spring Wreath

We've had a burst of spring down here in south Texas.  I know its only January but, our winter lasts all of 2 weeks.  Pretty dang awesome, right!?  That is, if you can get through the endless summers of course.  

I was searching the shelves of one of my favorites joints, Hobby Lobby, when I came upon this ribbon.

So cute, right!?  It also comes in green and pink.  Oh the possibilities!  

I was inspired right then and there to make this wreath:

Here's the ingredient list.  Two rolls of that neato ribbon, an 18 inch straw wreath, or foam or whatever floats your boat, some felt for flowers, and a ton of hot glue.

I started it off by wrapping the wreath.  Lots of dabs of hot glue on the back side, keep it all in place

Here she is, all wrapped up!

 Next came the artistic part, forming some felt flowers.  There are a ton of tutorials out there for these, but here's my version...

First of all, free hand a spiral circle on your felt.  The bigger the spiral, the bigger the flower.

 Next, cut it out...obviously.

 Then, starting in the center, start rolling, gathering and or pleating it into a flower.  This is where the hot glue becomes your best friend.  Unless, of course, you have a tendency to burn yourself like me.  There's a reason why I no longer own a high-temp glue gun.  I can't be trusted.

 This flower was loosely rolled and gathered.

 This one received no gathering at all.

 And for this one, I pleated it pretty heavily.  All of these different looks started out as a spiral.  Pretty fun right!?

 I also made a few burlap flowers to add to the mix.

Here's a close up of my flowers smooshed onto my wreath.

I wanted a touch of sparkle and thus hot glued some beads I had laying around into the center of some of those flowers.

One of my favorite parts was hanging her up with a green polka-dot scarf I recently got for a steal through Groopdealz.  She's just stapled to the top of my door.  Shhh, that's our little secret.

After reviewing these photos, I realized that my wreath was a little lopsided.  So, I went outside and squished her back into place.  Straw wreaths are cool like that.  I probably would have preferred using a foam wreath form, but couldn't find one big enough.  I like my wreaths big and bold!  However, I promise she looks symmetrical (mostly) hanging on my door now :).

xoxo,