Oops!

Yikes, I've been a bad blogger! 

To be fair, I've been house/cat sitting for the entire month and haven't been at my house. Thankfully, I moved back in tonight! There is just something about being in your own home, no matter how humble it may be, that immediately lifts your mood. It's good to be back!

I also starting coaching softball at the beginning of this week. My plate is pretty full, but I'm determined to practice excellent self-discipline for these next few months and keep plugging away at the many different things I have my hands in! 

I also (gasp!) still have my Valentine's Day decorations up! Look for an update this weekend with some new decor for spring. I'm excited to show you what I've put together so far!

Simple Valentine's Day Gifts

Have a group of girlfriends or co-workers that you want to recognize on Valentine's Day but aren't quite sure what to do? Here's an idea!

Who doesn't love a cute pair of holiday socks?! I found a variety at Meijer's (only store I looked!), and I picked a bunch of different styles. I then headed over to Michael's and bought some take out boxes on clearance, and of course, had to add some conversation hearts. I just added a piece of white tissue paper into each box, the socks, and the hearts. I was a little pressed for time, so I had to buy some already made tags rather than make my own (I know, I'm terrible!).

I made these for the ladies on my leadership team to pass out at our meeting tonight. I always enjoy shopping for little gifts for them! Here are some other ideas I had that could be used for your girlfriends, teachers, sisters, or co-workers:

- nail file or manicure set and some pink or red nail polish
- foot scrub and some socks
- mini valentine loaf pan with your favorite bread recipe (even better if you bake them a mini loaf IN it!)
- it's winter, so who doesn't appreciate some mini lotion from Bath and Body Works? wrap it up in a take out box or cute ribbon to personalize it, and you're good to go 

Also, if you spend over $5 on any of these, you're doing it wrong! Let me know if you need some tips on where to shop ;)

Cupid Wreath

It's hard to believe it's been two years since my dear friend Laci asked me to make this wreath for her! Time sure does fly when you're having fun. 

I used a heart straw wreath form and wrapped it in gray yarn. I then used a dowel rod, snapped it- actually- and stuck it into the wreath. (It is in three different pieces.) It worked out great that it was a straw wreath because the broken ends of the dowel rod made it stick really well in the wreath. I then used pink and red felt to create the accents in the arrow. I hand-stitched some edging to give it more of a homemade look.

I then shipped it off to Charlotte, North Carolina for my friend Laci to enjoy! The check I received from Laci and Brandon is the first official dollar I have ever made from selling my crafts :)

Valentine's Day Cake Pops

Happy Valentine's Day!

Okay, well, it's still a week away. 

However, I went to the craft store today, and it was so hard to find what I was looking for to assemble some simple gifts! So I guess I'm a little behind the game here, but I still have some super cute things to share. 

These are some cake pops the bestie and I made for our co-workers a couple years ago. We had just gotten really into cake pops and decided these were the ones we wanted to tackle. I think they turned out great!

For the cupcakes, we started with a small flower cookie cutter and molded the cake and frosting mixture into it, leaving a round piece sticking out of the top of the cutter. We dipped the lower half into the dipping chocolate, waited for it to dry, and then dipped the top part into the white melts and added the sprinkles and M&M while it was still wet. 

We used a small heart cookie cutter for the hearts and dipped them. We tried making them conversation hearts by using edible pens, but as I've said before, I've never had success with those darn things! So, we added a dab of melted dipping chocolate and attached real conversation hearts! I think they turned out well, and I like the 3D effect of the hearts. 

Stay tuned! I still have a new Valentine's Day wreath and some simple gifts to share.