Valentine Love

It's been a fun past few days getting ready for Valentine's Day. Both my kiddos have had fun celebrations in class. Little Missy had cute gingerbread house decorating, and Little Man just experienced his first Valentine's party in a classroom. At home we've decorated the outside of the house, and with some inspiration from a house down the road, we created a heart tree and a heart foam swag. We had a mini party at home with games, silly music, and cupcake decorating as well.

On Valentine's day we'll be out celebrating Oregon's sesquicentennial (isn't that a mouthful!) with a Birthday Bash at the capitol. There will be a six tiered cake that feeds 3,000 people, music, crafts, and pictures with the gold pioneer. I think it will be fun for the kiddos, but mostly, I come for cake. I'd go most anywhere for cake. Cake, cupcakes, or really anything with frosting and I'm there. Oh how I miss those office birthday parties with giant sheet cakes. Cake just simply makes my day!

Anyway, while I'll be stuffing my face, I want to wish you a Valentine's Day full of love and frosting goodness (or whatever your heart may fancy).

Heartfelt

Today I've been busy making my friends gifts for Valentines Day. Many of my friends are on diets so I knew I didn't want to make something edible. So instead I made some cute heart pillows. Since I still haven't unpacked everything from our move, I couldn't find any of the velvet fabric I had in mind for the project. However I came up with an idea that turned out beautifully. I've been saving a red wool sweater that had been through the wash and shrunk. I had hoped to make something out of it, and in my brainstorm, I thought the sweater material would be perfect for the project. Red, fuzzy, and soft, it made amazing heart pillows. I added beads, buttons, ribbon, cording, and tags for personality. Let me know what you think!

You too can create a heart pillow. Use any fabric you wish (even an old sweater) and cut out a heart shape. Then sew it up, right sides together, leaving a few inches on one end to stuff. Turn the heart right side out, stuff and hand-sew up the rest. Then embellish away with ribbon, lace, buttons, game pieces, tags, beads and more.