“You Warm My Heart” Valentine

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Amy

bags marked

I find holidays so much easier now that there are inspiration sources like Pinterest and the abundance of blogs in general to provide cute ideas. I tend to have a great idea for say– Halloween– in April, then have nothing but a complete blank two days actually before Halloween! So, I love being able to scout around to help jump start my creativity. I don’t know exactly where I saw this idea, but I knew I wanted to put together a ‘kit’ of something with my daughter for her Valentine’s treats and this is what we came up with.

Long ago, I saw Paula Deen make these chocolate covered stirring spoons with her cute grandson {not that it was likely her original idea either} but I thought it would be a fun way to involve my four-year old in her Valentine goodies for her preschool class.

sloane helper

So we spent a cold, rainy day {thus the poor pictures} yesterday putting together her special treats. Here is what I used:

ingredients better

We dipped the red spoons in the {melted} candy melts then covered them with sprinkles–her job, and a very messy one at that!

spoons2

Then we put together small bags of mini marshmallows together with some hot chocolate in a larger cello bag. {You can find these bags at craft stores and sometimes even Target, etc.}.

bags

While the spoons were in the fridge to harden, we made up the printable for the top.

tag close up

I just printed it out on regular cardstock, folded it and taped it to the top of the bag. To embellish it further I used a little twine on the top, because colored baker’s twine just makes things better, don’t you think?

So here they are….all set for preschool Thursday!

bags done

tags side

So, if you are still looking for a last minute project, just click here: You Warm my Heart Valentine Printable and it will take you to a printable .pdf for the top of the bags.

You Warm my Heart Valentine Printable

Happy Valentine’s Day!

XO,

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Valentine’s Printables

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Amy

I am starting to set my mind on Valentine’s Day. With three little ones all needing to show up at school with something for each classmate, I have learned the hard way to NOT try to do it ALL the night before!

Here is a sampling of some of our past projects. The printable file is under the image. Enjoy!

jar valentine printable

{Click HERE for a collection of printable tags}

Red Valentines Gift Tags

valentine bag printable subway art valentines day printable

{Click HERE for sign printable}

The printable below I originally designed for Mother’s Day, but I saw it going around Pinterest for Valentine’s Day. It would be a lovely and easy gift for someone special. I just printed it right on scrapbook paper with a light pattern, trimmed it down and framed it.

{Click HERE for post with printable link}

framed HK quote

helen keller printable

So, are you ready for Valentine’s yet?

XO,

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Anniversary Pillow Tutorial–Perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Christy


You guys know I’ve been playing around with pillow slipcovers lately (read about my house number pillows HERE).  Recently, some of y’all might have seen the 2013 pay-it-forward challenge that made the rounds on Facebook…well, I decided to participate, and I knew I’d need to come up with a great gift idea for my friends who decided to do it with me.

Since we’re getting close to Valentine’s Day, what better way to commemorate the establishment of a family than an anniversary pillow?  Here’s what I made:

Aren’t they cute?  I had done one in a different size for our front porch and knew I liked the look, and the fact that it was personalized:

Wouldn’t this be a great Valentine’s Day, anniversary, wedding, or bridal shower gift?  I’ll confess, I even made two of them for friends having January birthdays, because I knew they’d love them.

Here’s how to make these exact pillows.  You’ll want to follow the step by step tutorial for Citrasolv fabric transfers that I wrote HERE, and if you want yours to look like mine, use canvas painter’s dropcloths from Home Depot as your fabric.

The pillow forms are from Hobby Lobby and measure 16″ x 12.5″.  They go on 30% off sale about once a month, and that’s when I bought mine.

For the name, I used Century font in size 135 (for longer names) up to 175 (for shorter names).  You’ll need to play with that a bit.  For the “EST” (established), I used Respective font in size 125 point, and for the year I used Constantia in 125 point.  Big Caslon and Freebooter script are also good choices.

These might be cute new baby gifts, too.  Just put the baby’s name and birthdate on it, instead.  What a fast, and easy way to make someone a personalized gift!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

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Decoupaged Hug and Kiss {XO} Wreath for Valentine’s Day

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Christy

I don’t usually decorate very much for Valentine’s Day, but I decided to make a wreath for my front door this year.  I snagged some hot pink candles for my chandelier, and found the cutest pink striped and polka dot pillows at Southeastern Salvage for $5 apiece, so it seemed destined to be!

The wreath was so easy:  I started with a grapevine wreath that I already had, and then I bought a cardboard “X” and “O” from Hobby Lobby.  They were on sale, so probably about $1.50 apiece.  I then selected two colors of scrapbook paper (also on sale) in complementary patterns.

First, I put the letters face down on the wrong side of the paper, and traced around them. I then cut the paper out to fit.

The X was a little too big for the 8-1/2″ x 11″ paper, but the pattern was such a busy one I knew that no one would notice if it wasn’t a continuous pattern, so I could use a small patch piece.

After cutting out the paper, I painted the backs and the sides of the letters.  I used Anita’s Acrylic in Hot Pink. (The tops are covered with the paper, so didn’t need to be painted)

After the paint dried, I used ModPodge decoupage paste to adhere the scrapbook paper to the front of the letters.  I brushed the paste on the top of the letter, and on both sides of the scrapbook paper.  This gets the paper wet enough that it adheres well.

This is the part where you have to get your hands messy, as you smooth out any wrinkles and make sure that the paper is neatly folded around the edges and sides.  As I suspected, you really can’t tell that the pattern is interrupted on the X at all.

After my letters dried, I used a hot glue gun to glue a florist’s wire to the back of both letters, and then wired them onto my wreath.  You could certainly adhere them in other ways, but I thought this would make it easier to take them off and replace them with something else later.

I did try some pink flowers, then some pink tulle and mesh, but I didn’t like any of those things as much as I liked the plain X & O on the wreath, so I left it just like it is.  All in all, it was a fun, fast, and inexpensive way to decorate for V-Day.

One other thing that would be SO cute:  use “X O X O” or “BE MINE” to make a banner to string over the front door or the fireplace mantel, similar to what I did for Christmas (these are the same Hobby Lobby letters as the wreath project, by the way).

Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

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The Best Make~Ahead Cinnamon Roll Recipe EVER!

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Christy

It’s December 26th, and there’s a good chance you’ve exceeded your maximum caloric intake for the day/week/month/year already.  BUT, don’t we get to feast until the New Year and then start our diets?!

This is the best cinnamon roll recipe EVER, and I have made quite a few, including my grandmother’s (delicious) and Pioneer Woman’s (also yummy).  There are a couple of reasons I like this one so much.  First, the dough gets mixed in a bread machine.  While I make lots of bread from scratch, sometimes it’s nice to be able to dump the ingredients in the bread machine and do something else while it does the work.  Yes, you can mix the dough by hand if you don’t have a bread machine.  Second, you can make the rolls the day before, cover the pan and let them rise in the fridge overnight.  Then bake and frost the next morning (I also make the frosting the day before) and enjoy.  Third, they are slap-your-momma good.  Seriously!  Why not try them for your New Years’ Day breakfast?  That way, if your head aches from too much champagne, all the work is already done for you.

I claim no credit for this recipe.  I found it on my favorite recipe site, AllRecipes.com, where it has 4,916 reviews and a five-star rating.  That means there are over 314 million people in the US alone who don’t know about this recipe!  And what about the rest of the world?!  Out of the goodness of my heart, here it is:

Clone of a Cinnabon by Marsha Fernandez (click to go to original recipe)

IngredientsAll about Cream:

Dough:

  • 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup margarine, melted
  • 4 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Filling:

  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (you can use the fancy kind if you want, but it’s great with the plain old grocery store brand)
  • chopped pecans, if desired (because they make my husband happy)
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened

Frosting:

  • 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

  1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
  2. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.
  3. Roll dough into a 16×21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. (Christy’s note:  add chopped pecans if you’d like.  My kids prefer not to have nuts, so I do half and half).  Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).  (Christy’s note: This is where I cover them and put them in the refrigerator overnight.  In the morning, I take them out and let them come to room temperature and rise for up to two hours, and then I bake them).
  4. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract and salt. (Christy’s note:  I make the frosting the day before, too, and store it in the fridge.  Pull it out when you take the rolls out to rise the next morning).  Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

I bake these a little longer than 15 minutes, sometimes up to 18-20 minutes.  I try to find the balance between letting the tops get too brown and having the uncooked doughy center (I hate that!).  These are SO delicious, and I usually serve them with fresh strawberries or pineapple.  You can thank me later!

Thanks for stopping by!

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Tricks to Ensure Your Guests Feel Welcome This Holiday Season

Posted on December 23, 2012 by Terry

I am hosting Christmas at my home this year. My husband’s family will be traveling in from Syracuse, NY, and from Hilton Head, SC, to celebrate the season with us here in Virginia.  I am so grateful they are willing to travel, as my husband and I simply will not. :)  That probably sounds quite selfish, but we decided that while our children are young we want them to experience Christmas morning at home.  I feel we are creating some amazing memories similar to the ones I grew up with, and that is just something I am not willing to compromise on.

Norman Rockwell captures it perfectly!

With that said, I do realize it is a huge sacrifice for our family and friends to travel during the holiday season, and I really want to make them feel welcome.  In order to ensure that our guests feel comfortable in my home over the holidays, I try to be sure they have everything they need during their stay.  Here are some helpful hints and creative ways to welcome your guests this holiday season.

Bathrooms:

Fresh towels are a must.  I try to have at least two towels per person, especially for our female guests.  I use two towels daily, so extra towels are just something I wouldn’t want my guests to go without.

I personally love the Better Homes and Gardens Thick and Plush Towels from Walmart (yes, I did say Walmart!).   They come in about 10 different colors, they are super inexpensive, and you can easily monogram them to give your bathroom a more custom look.  Doesn’t the monogram make all the difference?

I hope to have His and Her guest robes hanging  in my guest bathroom someday.  Wouldn’t that be such a nice hotel touch?

Pottery Barn robes would be such a lovely touch when welcoming your guests.

I always have Q-tips, cotton balls, soap, a new toothbrush, toothpaste,  shampoo and conditioner on hand.   It is a busy time of year, so guests might forget to pack something.

I re-purposed grandmother’s mason jars to hold cotton balls and q-tips.

Bedrooms:

Fresh Sheets and lots of pillows are a must in my guest room.  There is nothing like crawling into a comfy warm bed after a full day of traveling.

I also try to ensure I have photos displayed around the bedroom that reflect their family.  It is like bringing a piece of their home into my home.  For example, here is an amazing photo of my niece Chloe from her senior picture photo shoot.  I have placed that in the bedroom where her parents are going to sleep this holiday.  Isn’t she beautiful!?!

My Niece Chloe- As gorgeous as ever!!

Kitchen:

I try to ensure that all dietary needs are met.   As most of you know, I have a son who has a rare metabolic disorder, so when we travel we have to pack so much food to ensure he can eat along the way!  I would hate for my guests to feel that they have to do the same, so I try to stock my fridge to ensure I have something for everyone.  My niece is lactose intolerant so I will have soy and almond milk available for her.  My nephew is peanut free so most of my baked goods will be peanut free.  This is not always realistic, but I try my best to make sure everyone feels at home.

Lastly, I always set up a coffee station so my guests can brew a cup as soon as they wake up.  I hate waiting for my much-needed cup of Joe in the AM!  For this reason, I love the Keurig Brewing System.  No one has to wait for a hot cup of coffee, cocoa or tea in the morning.  You can simply brew the perfect cup of coffee whenever your heart desires.

Terry’s Coffee Station

Christy’s Holiday Coffee Bar

Amy’s Cocoa Bar

May your guests feel warm and welcome this holiday season!  Thanks for stopping by and Happy Holidays!
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Dining Room Makeover {BM Revere Pewter Paint}

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Terry

It’s been 5 years in the making but every room on the main level of my house is finally painted- YAHOO!!!  This is such a huge victory for me as I really hate painting.  Well, that may not be entirely true as what I really hate is the prepping and taping.  I know there are million gadgets out there that tell you that you don’t need to tape if you buy their products.  Unfortunately that just doesn’t apply to me and my “get it done” personality.  I am a born ‘rusher’,  I start a project and I want it done as soon as I begin.  This is not the best personality to have when it comes to DIY home improvement projects and that is why I must tape prior to painting:)

I hate taping but it is a necessity for my “get-it-done” personality!

My dining room is prepped and ready for some color!

Another reason it has taken me so long to paint my house is because I am afraid to commit.  I have a huge fear over picking the wrong paint color.  I am so thankful for my girlfriends as they have an amazing eye for color and help point me in the right direction.   This time around, I painted outside of my beige comfort zone and tried a cooler shade of grey.  Revere Pewter is an amazing Benjamin Moore color with a tiny hit of beige so it was the perfect compromise for me.  It ties perfectly into the rest of my home and as you can see below, it works well with the Grant Beige painted in my formal living room which is right next door.

Adding some color to my dinning room inspired me to move some things around.  Remember that mirror I had hanging above my buffet?  I have since painted that with chalk paint and shifted it over to another wall.  My husband and I placed an open white shelf where the mirror used to hang.  I am sure this looks very familiar as Amy and Christy both have this exact shelf hanging in their home,  I guess I felt left out and had to have one for myself!  Doesn’t it look so much better?

Here is the mirror before the chalk board makeover- sorry for the Halloween flash back!

My new and improved chalk board!!!

New paint and open shelving really changes the look of my dinning room.

I actually stenciled this jar because I wanted to create a fall “Thankful” apothecary container this past November. I tried to write down reasons to be thankful daily and I would place them inside this jar. I have kept it out because I love the burnt red color of the leaves and I feel that I still have a ton to be thankful for this Christmas. It is a terrific reminder to remain thankful during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

Lastly, here are a few shots of my holiday dinning room tablescape:

Bunched up burlap fabric creates a rustic table runner

My dollar store snowflake plates add a pop of red to my dinning room table

I love adding greenery to a table

This belonged to my beloved grandmother (aka: Nanie). She passed away last year at 103 years old. I love having bits and pieces of her memory scattered around my home especially at Christmas. This is one of my favorite holiday memories as Nanie would light the candles and it would magically spin around.

 

 

Happy Holidays!

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DIY Ruffled Burlap/Ticking Tree Skirt

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Terry

One of my most treasured wedding gifts was from my Grandmother.  She made my new husband and I our very first holiday decorations.  It was such a clever gift since we were young and just starting out.  We really didn’t have holiday decor, certainly nothing that matched. But, as the years have passed and our family has grown I have been wanting to update my holiday decor.

This year I decided to try making my own tree skirt using an old round tablecloth.  I loved the red and white plaid table cloth as it was so I decided not to have ruffles go all the way up.   I did want some ruffles and loved the idea of burlap since many of my ornaments are rustic.  I then decided to add the ticking as the striping contrast pulls it all together.

Here is my step by step DIY Ruffled Tree Skirt tutorial. (I apologize for the dark photos– My basement work space is in need of a lighting makeover!)

Happy Holidays!

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A Sweet Christmas Treat–Cherry Limeade Recipe

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Christy


As a part of our homeschool experience, my children are involved in a once-a-week tutorial program.  The wonderful tutorial my kids attend gives them a day of enrichment–art, music, drama, creative writing, Bible, science lab, and PE for my daughter, and some very intense math, history, and English classes for my son.  So even though I thought I’d hung up my “Room Mom” credentials a few years ago, it turns out that the tutorial program has a Christmas party, too.  And hey, I’m not going to be a Scrooge about it–we should celebrate Christmas every chance we get, in my opinion!

The seventh graders in my son’s class were craving a little sugar this morning (when are they not?!). They start the day with algebra and need all the energy they can muster.  I found some darling red and white striped paper straws at Home Goods last week and decided I wanted to contribute a drink so I could use them.

I’m addicted to Sonic’s cherry limeade, and I’ve tried a few different recipes before.  This is a tweak of several of them, but you might want to taste as you go since some like it sweet and some like it tart!

~Cherry Limeade~

1 Two-liter lemon-lime soda

1 jar maraschino cherries

1 c. fresh lime juice (Yes, you can cheat and use the bottled kind!  No judgment here!)

1/2 c. sugar (more or less to taste)

Mix all the ingredients together, including the juice from the jar of cherries, and stir until the sugar dissolves.  I cheated this morning and used bottled lime juice, although the fresh really does taste better.  When I use fresh limes, I cut them up after I juice them and throw them into the mix–they look so pretty with the cherries.  If you don’t have limes or lime juice, a can of frozen limeade concentrate will do in a pinch, although this will make a tarter batch of cherry limeade.  It’s not rocket science, though!

The fun part is garnishing the glass and the pitcher.  Of course, I pulled out my darling striped straws, and some red and white napkins from Target.  I used one of my favorite printables EVER–the “Drink Me” Mad-Hatter-inspired labels–to dress up the pitcher, along with a red ribbon {visit Betsy at B. Nute Productions to print out the Eat Me/ Drink Me labels–clicking the photo below will take you to her site.  While you’re there, take a look around–her other stuff is *awesome*}.

Mad Hatter Eat Me Drink Me Printable Tags from B. Nute Productions

They downed the entire pitcher, so it looks like it was a hit!

Thanks for stopping by!

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