Hearts + Hugs

I love Valentine's Day. I think I love it because it's all pink and red with chocolate all over! Stephen thinks it's a made up holiday so Hallmark can make more money. I've been trying to change his mind for years. This year I made some fun heart garland that I tied on to my dining room chandelier. It turned out so cute!

The tulips? From Stephen? No... got them at Costco. They look so pretty and they were only $6!!! I just couldn't pass them up.

The dining room looked so nice that the kids decided to make their Valentine's in there. Mac just stuck stickers on the back of a sucker, but Anna and Elan went to town! Anna actually made all 28 of hers from start to finish. She decorated a glassine envelope and stuck a chocolate inside. Complete with hearts, jewels, polka dot stickers and a cute mini red clothespin. 

Elan did good just signing his name on 23 Valentines! In the process, he ate several pieces of chocolate.

This is the Valentine I made Stephen... It's very glittery. The plaid paper is from My Mind's Eye "Lost and Found" collection and I LOVE it! The "X" and "O" are covered in little red and white seed beads. Cute, huh?! 

And that concludes my Valentine decor/card/activity for the night. Have a good night. ;)

Welcome Home...

As I said yesterday, it was my great, childhood friend, Megan's, birthday last week. It just so happens that she lives in Chicago... so, Sammye Jo and I went up, shopped CHA, and stayed with her for the weekend. For her birthday gift, I had to make her something... she had just moved into a new apartment the weekend before, so I wanted to make her something "homey." And this is what I came up with... A framed, 8x10 collage of homemade goodness. Sorry about the awful glare.

This is the top of the collage. I cut out an airplane from the Studio Calico paper and also fussy cut some clouds. The birdie is a pin from K&Co.

Bottom: I personalized a die cut label "Louisville to Chicago and back again... welcome home Megan!" I added the fleur-de-lis charm to the handmade house found at Trinkets NH.

This is the left side: I used a die cut vintage key and attached it with a button and red twine. I love the "LIVE" tag- it just worked perfectly with this project!

And finally, the right side: a personalized mailbox. Probably my fave... Megan's last name starts with a "B" so I added a little monogram.

Megan lives alone, so I hope she looks at this and thinks of me! :) A little reminder that she is loved and missed in Louisville too!