A Little Valentine's Cheer

I know, I know. I'm jumping the gun a little wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day, but hey, it's the Season of Love and we really needed some cheery decorations around here! It's been cold, foggy, and dreary outside and I was feelin' the Winter blues. Blah! My Solution: mid-January I decided to break out the Valentine's decor so we could enjoy the lovey cheer for more than just two weeks. I grew up in a home where my Mom decorated for EVERY holiday and it was always so fun! So, I too, do this in my home and love to decorate for the various holidays.

One of my favorites is Valentine's.
As with most of my holiday vignettes, there is really nothing fancy---just some cutesy little objects that I love. And as those close to me know, I love creating vignettes! I feel that decorating for the holidays is a way to celebrate the different seasons of life for my family. And. . . it's fun! :D

This year I found the directions for the below heart garland on {Scrappergirl} ---super cute and super easy! So my friend Ashley and I took a shopping trip to Hobby Lobby & Michaels to buy our supplies and then got together to each made a darling heart garland for our house. We loved how they turned out!
(Notice the two red rosette balls from my January 20th post? Turned out adorable!)

By the way,
I love love love Apothecary Jars!
I have used them with each holiday: 4th of July with atomic fireballs, starlight mints, and red/white/blue taffy; Easter with marshmallow Peeps, jelly beans, & chocolate eggs; Fall holidays with candy corn, black licorice, and caramels; Christmas with candy canes, red & green M&Ms, and mini ornaments; AND Valentine's with cinnamon lips, gum balls, and any other red candy. I've bought these jars over the years at Michaels---regularly priced $10-30, but they're even cheaper when you use your 40% off coupon, which I've done for all that I own. But look out, because these jars will start out filled to the top and then the supply will slowly (or sometimes quickly) diminish!

I had enough extra supplies to make another heart garland for my Great Room's mantel, too. I changed the papers a little bit from the entryway garland but since I obviously think this is such a cute idea AND it's super easy, how could I not make a second one! Too cute!
Of course my Dining Table would not be complete without its own little V-vignette. The theme here is Love Birds! See the darling Wonderfully Wordy Love Birds plate, my birdhouse w/ decorative balls, Tattered and Inked free printable "I love you a bushel and a peck," and of course, my heart frame featuring some real life Love Birds kissing! :D Cheesy you say? True, but I grew up with pics of my parents kissing everywhere around the house and I think it's a great thing for kids to see of their parents. (Makes me smile, too!)
Antoher cute idea. . .these darling Valentine's cards!
My cousin Cameron's wife Stephanie, has the most creative ideas and last year I saw this idea on her blog and decided to copy it! So, since I am creatively challenged AND computer illiterate, I turned to my fabulously talented sister Summer, to help me design them and voila---aren't these so cute!?! Such a fun idea for Valentine's Cards! Thanks to both of you gals!

Well, find your sweetie and give him a big kiss. . .
Celebrate the Season of Love!
Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Groundhog Day!

In honor of my sister Summer's favorite "holiday," my family woke up to this Groundhog vignette on the kitchen island...

Of course tonight will include watching the movie "Groundhog Day," the M&M game of "Don't Eat PHIL (Pete)," and Summer's traditional dessert of Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes with a groundhog peeking over the top of each ramekin cup (groundhog pic on a toothpick). Summer's goal: get the whole USA to join us in our Groundhog Day traditions! Just something silly & fun to do with your fam! Enjoy! :)

The boys eating breakfast after watching Punxsutawney Phil emerge just after dawn to make his 125th annual weather forecast. No shadow, by the way, which predicts an early Spring. Our SLC weathergal said "don't hold your breath" since she sees more cold, cold, cold days ahead for us here in the Wasatch front. Tye asked, "So basically, Phil is just a legend with no scientific truth behind him whatsoever?" Maybe we shouldn't have told him about Santa this year? It kind of taints his thinking...

Anyways, my point about the cold:

Drove boys to school today in -3 degree temperature, though the news said the wind chill made it feel like -21 degrees---Awww! It is cold outside for this Arizona native! One plus: Elle looks adorable all bundled up!

Changes, Changes

Driving through the snow, I went today to get my first official Utah license plate and driver's license. For a life-long Arizona girl, this is an odd thing to see on my car! The one upside: got a BYU plate to support my school---go Cougs!