Scrabble Valentine's Tiles

I wish I could find the blog that gave me this idea, but a quick trip through my Pinterest boards didn't reveal a pin, so it is going uncredited.  Still, just know I didn't think of this on my own.

Aren't these cool?

Anyway, bought these giant Scrabble tiles for family friends for Christmas and when Superman saw them, he said he could have made them.  Well, yes, he could have, but we don't have a router set up to route the individual letters, and besides, I'd already purchased the gift.

See the slightly routered edge?  I love how the grain of the pine is so clear.

Turned out, Superman was right.  These were a quick and easy project.  He made quick work of cutting "tiles" out of 1 x 6 pine board, finished the edges with his router, sprayed on a few thin coats of lacquer and handed them off to me.  



Since they were specifically for Valentine's, I decided to use
a font with more flourish than the actual Scrabble font.

(I think I actually spent more time playing with fonts on the Silhouette machine than he spent prepping the tiles!)  I applied the vinyl letters (with their appropriate points value, of course) and they were done.



Scrap wood and a little time gave us a really cool decoration!

Love them!   Best of all, we used scrap wood, had the lacquer, and the vinyl, so they were a free project!

Valentine's Craftiness

I saw this post of The Peanut Paintshop on Pinterest.  She's selling these and if you don't have the time or the inclination to make your own, you should head over to her shop at www.thepeanutpaintshop.com and buy some.

Still, I'm always on the lookout for new crafts, so I decided I had to make my own. 

Five $0.79 hearts from Hobby Lobby and $1.50 in ribbon from Hancock Fabrics and I was ready to go for less than $6.00.  We had the paints at home and Buttercup and I enjoyed an afternoon of crafting and chick flicks.  What could be better? 



The names are painted on, instead of using vinyl letters.

Anyway, I used my Silhouette machine to cut vinyls of everyone's names and used the negative space to create stencils.  (I could have just used red vinyl, but I decided to practice the whole "painting with stencils" instead.)   So, the names are painted on the hearts.
 

I played around with the colors of conversation hearts,
just made them deeper.

A quick clear coat and they were ready...I sewed the ribbon to a D-ring I had in my stash, stapled the hearts to the ribbon and, viola!, a super cute (and super inexpensive) Valentine's decoration.

Oh, and they turned out so well, I made another set for my sister-in-law, paying special attention to the baby arriving this summer. 



Boy or girl?  We've got it covered!

The names on the little hearts?  If it is a boy, my nephew thinks it should be named "Lightning McQueen" and if it is a girl, "Sparkles".   Works for me!



Doesn't every home office have an xBox?

P.S.  In case you're wondering what Superman was doing during all my craftiness, I'd have to say he was embarrassing his son...yes, he's trying get up to speed on the latest xBox games.  Valiant says Superman is a "noob", poor guy!

Love was in the Air Pig

 Frugal Home Decor Pig 

(tiny milk bottle vases and dollar store heart sticks)

 Clever Subway Art Pig

(from Today's Fabulous Finds)

 Where is my Valentine? Pig

Conversation Heart Pig

 

 "Still Can't Reach Them" Pig

 

 Heart-shaped Wreath Pig

Oooh!  "We love Superman" Pig

Hope you had as much fun with your Valentine's Day as Pig did...

Food for Thought

"Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction."
-Saint-Exupery


...and something I heard on Dave Ramsey Thursday night:

"Roses are red
Lobster is nice.
My envelope's empty
Do you like beans and rice?"

The Last Batch of Valentine's Cards

Here is the last of the Valentine's Cards from the card swap. As you can see, all the cards I received in exchange for my cards were beautiful. I'm mailing cards today, so hopefully they'll arrive in time for Valentine's Day. (If not, they'll be a special treat in Tuesday's mail - remember, there is no mail on Monday.) I hope they've helped to put you in the Valentine's mood and inspired you to try your hand at something crafty, no matter how modest your efforts (trust me, mine were modest offerings!).

Traditional Beauty
This first card is Superman's Favorite. From the first moment he saw it, he just kept talking about how pretty it was. I think he likes the more traditional nature of it, but maybe I'm just putting words into his mouth. Anyway, the transparent ribbon adds the perfect touch of elegance to this traditional little card. It is not too much and not too little.

The funny thing? It turns out that we have these exact stamps, so now I have new inspiration to go with supplies I already have.

Shimmery Elegance
These little notecards are so beautiful in "real life". All the scrolls you see (forgive the weird camera angle, I was trying to get the scrolls to show without the flash wiping them out) are all shimmery metallic and the little heart shaped brad is just the right touch of "jewelry" to complement the silver ribbon. The Tiffany's blue cards are set off so well by the black frame highlighting the scrollwork. These cards are just perfect.
In addition to an understated Valentine's card, I think these cards would make awesome engagement cards, wedding cards, or just intimate notecards.

Absolutely Perfect
This last card is, I think, my favorite of the bunch (at least for this moment because I can't seem to make up my mind about any favorite for more than two minutes!). The raised lettering separated by little rhinestones is so tasteful. The contrasting red ribbon with the little charm hanging off the bow is so cute and the stamp art is so well done. Combine all that with the red, black and white color scheme and this card is just perfection, at least to me.
The sentiment on the inside of the card is not too mushy and not too silly. Again, I think it strikes just the right note: "Love puts the fun in together, the sad in apart, the hope in tomorrow, the joy in the heart." Seriously, what is not to love about this card. (I know, I said that about all of them...so sue me!)

None of the cards I've shown you today, however, are signed, so I have no idea who made them. I would love, love, love to say thank-you to the wonderful people who obviously put so much thought and hard work into these cards. While I was proud of my contributions to the card swap, it is obvious I have a lot to learn. I am humbled by the talent displayed by these cards.

Believe it or not, I'm not really into...

"Hallmark" holidays, like Valentine's Day. Whether or not someone brings me flowers and candy or doesn't, is really irrelevant. Superman shows me loves me all year long and I would never be foolish enough to put too much stock into one manufactured day. Having said that, I have a ball creating things and all these "important" holidays are a terrific excuse to stretch my comfort zone and try new things. With that in mind, I fell in love with these Pottery Barn knock-offs that No Fuss Fabulous created. Click over to see their version. Aren't they terrific?

Of course, I had to try my hand a making some of my own. Since NFF had a tutorial, it was that much easier to convince myself I could do it. This is how far I've gotten so far. They aren't quite done: they still need the names attached and I need to actually make one for Charming, as he will be here Saturday morning, so I want him to have one, too. I also need to add velcro to the closure to hold them closed (the binder clips are helping the crease set until I have the velcro attached).


These will be on the back of their chairs at breakfast Valentine's Day. I'm having the kids make Valentine's for each other and will put them in these little envelopes and Superman and I have little trinkets to put in them, as well. I think they are just so fun. What do you think?

More of the Valentine's Cards from the swap...

Here are four more examples of the cards I received via the card swap. As you can see, every single card I received was absolutely gorgeous and I could not pick a favorite. So, in no particular order, look at these cards!

Understated Elegance
I have no idea who made these elegantly understated cards, but I wish you could see them in real life. I don't know if you can tell, but the card on the left has a torn paper strip on top of striped paper. The card maker used chalk (I think) to highlight the edges and it is just so beautiful. The card on the left is accented by a big button above these words "other things may change us...but we start and end with family". Isn't that an amazing saying? I just love it (and believe it.) The words both are done with rub-on letters.
If anyone knows who made these cards, please let me know. I would love to say thank-you...they are absolutely lovely.

Retro Cutie Pie
This little red combo is retro perfection. It was the work of Shean at Diary of an Unconscious Mind. It is an awesome combination of retro stickers, printed ribbon, and textured stickers, all accented by metallic gel pens all on a deep red background. The sentiment inside reads: "This Valentine is twined around with hopes that gladness will be found within the happy heart of you on this day and all days, too." Honestly, it is just a sweet confection and I know just who I'll be sending it to.
You don't think the fact that Shean's last name is Valentine has anything to do with her affinity to Valentine's Day, do you?

Notable Notecards
Look at these pretty little notecards. Don't they put you in the mood for spring? I honestly think I'll be saving these for springtime notes, rather than Valentine's. Again, unfortunately, I have no idea who made them, but they are gorgeous. What looks like line drawn flowers is actually a cool stamp. On the blue background, they remain uncolored, but on the little cards they've been filled in with water colors. They're both accented with ribbon and the purple card has little black brads on blue ribbon while the blue card has the addition of a gingham ribbon on top of the blue ribbon.
Since these notecards are blank on the inside, I'll have no problem using them however I choose. Again, if anyone knows who made these, please let me know, because I want to thank their creator.


Spring Fling
Finally, look at this card that we've dubbed "Spring Fling". Doesn't it just put you in the middle of a meadow in your mind? This card was made by Chermonblie at He calls her "Lemon Pie". She obviously had a ball making this card...it is just so joyful. You can't read it in the photo, but above the "grass" the saying is: "If I had a single flower for every time I think of you, I could walk in my garden forever. - Claudia Ghandi". Isn't that just so cool?


So, do you see why I said this card swap was an awesome thing? I think you should head on over to any of these blogs and check them out. While you're at it, check out Little Birdie Secrets to see all the neat ideas those little birdies have!

Valentine's Cards

I'm so excited! You might remember that I participated in the Valentine's Day card swap hosted by Little Birdie Secrets and I got my batch of cards yesterday. They are so pretty and so varied, I just love them. During the next few days, I'll show you the cards I received so you can see what clever ideas people have. Whenever possible, I'll include a link to the blog of the person who made the cards, but in some cases, they remained completely anonymous, so I have no way to say thank-you! That is really a shame, because these are some beautiful cards!

So, without further ado, here are some of the cards I received in exchange for the cards I made:

This one is by Sweet Pea and Beans Etsy Shop, where she sells stationery and invitations. Check her stuff out at: www.sweetpeaandbeans.etsy.com. I don't know if you can see it, but she sewed a fabric heart onto the cardstock on top of ribbon and netting. It is so pretty. I love the tropical print of the heart fabric and know just who I'm sending the card to. (If you don't feel like making your own cards, head over to her Etsy shop and pick up some of the stuff she's got ready for you.)


Here is Buttercup's favorite card. This one was made by Chris at This is Chris Now. I don't know where she found the time to make such beautiful cards - she has two teenagers and triplets! When you look inside, it says "Sweet", to complete the sentence started on the front of the card: "You Are So....Sweet". The center of the flower is a little brad and each one of the little circles on the green paper is accented with glitter. The sweet little ribbon on the bottom adds just the right touch to the whimsical papers she chose.

I loved this card. I don't know if you can tell, but the pink heart in the center of this card is like corrugated card board...it adds an awesome texture to the card, especially combined with the silky white ribbon and the glossy embossed "Celebrate" below. Both are raised off the card surface, for that three dimensional effect. Unfortunately, I have no idea who made this card, but I'm trying to find out, so I can say "thanks!".

The last card I'm showing you today was the favorite of the neighbor girls, who oooh'd and aaaah'd over all the cards as I pulled them out. The inside of the card reads "Love puts the fun in together." The decorated envelope was just perfect. Both were made by Tami at Heart and Rose and it is just so pretty. When I read Tami's blog, she admitted that she, too, stepped out of her comfort zone to do this swap (phew! I wasn't the only one!) I'd say she did a fabulous job. This card actually didn't photograph as beautifully as it looks in "real life" . The striped paper has a slightly metallic sheen to it, and the hearts are all on the foamy things that bring them away from the card's surface, adding more dimension that the camera picked up. Also, the little black heart has hand-applied red dots to its edges to add a little oomph. Finally, the tiny grosgrain ribbon is the perfect accent and keeps it from being too austere.

Aren't these cards just beautiful? I feel so blessed to have been part of this card swap. I'll show you more of the cards I received tomorrow, but I thought you'd love a peek now.

Wow...I did it!

I managed to get 14 Valentine's Cards made and mailed for the Valentine's card swap organized by Little Birdie Secrets. I finished them all this afternoon and got them off in a Priority Mail envelope so they'll make the deadline!

I had never done anything like this before. I was excited to try it and I must say, I was pleased with how well they turned out. I started with little purple heart doilies that I picked up on clearance last year. The doilies dictated the color scheme, so I didn't go with the typical red/pink/white Valentine's theme. I found some scrapbooking paper in my stash that had the purple. Since they also had spring green those were my two colors. After I added ribbons and utilized my sewing machine to attach the ribbon to the cards and the card fronts to the card stock. I printed some graphic versions of "love" on the back and added an embossed embellishment on the front and, viola, a Valentine's card!

Look What I Just Made!

One of the things I wanted to try to make this Valentine's was little decorative towels...dish towels, bar towels, whatever you want to call them.


I found these white towels on clearance at Target and got some remnant fabric at Walmart, plus a little grosgrain ribbon, to embellish them. I traced on to the fabric cookie cutters to make the two different sizes of hearts and hit the sewing machine.

This is my first one, so it isn't perfect, but I'm sure happy with how it turned out. I tried be conscious of how the back would look as I was sewing. I think I did pretty well and the back looks fine. (I used white thread when I attached the ribbon. The contrast was cute.) What do you think?

Progress!

I got two Valentine's Day items finished yesterday, so I'm ahead of my self-imposed February 1 deadline.

Buttercup's pajama pants came out super cute, especially with the little tiny bow I added to encourage her to wear them frontwards! (Now, let's just hope I put the bow on the FRONT...I just saw her wearing them and I am beginning to wonder...hmmmm.) Notice that I almost ran out of the thread I was using. I finished in the nick of time. (I keep offering Valiant and Superman some heart pajamas, but so far, they're holding firm in the conviction that they just don't need them!)

Pajama pants are so easy to sew, I encourage anyone who's wanting to start sewing to start with them. They are very forgiving, as you really don't have fit issues and they are instantly gratifying...people are wearing things you made! They've been a terrific way to get better at sewing.

The other thing I finished was the "easy Valentine's wreath" from Little Birdie Secrets. They have a little tutorial if you click on the link, but it was basically like making those tissue paper flowers we used to make in elementary school, except you use fabric and a styrofoam wreath form. It was super easy and it turned out really well. Superman was pleasantly surprised, I think, but I'll let you judge for yourself.

I think it looks really festive on our front door and it was exactly the kind of thing I was looking for, so I'm really pleased.

Now I'm ready to start embellishing some towels and making a ton of Valentine's Cards...and getting much closer to that February 1 deadline...

Valiant's Fleece is Done!

Phew! One more pinky promise fulfilled! This is Valiant's fleece. I used Simplicity #4324 to make it. I turned out okay, but I'm still only a novice. The installation of the zipper is the best I've done so far, but, overall, Superman's fleece (the second one I completed) is still the best.
I still really stink at zippers...there must be something I'm not understanding about putting them in. Valiant is pleased, however, and it should last him two years...I made it big. Buttercup is next in line for a fleece (she picked coral fleece), but I think I'll do her Valentine's pajama pants first. I need to feel a bit more successful before I tackle another zipper!