Love at Home!

Attic Gal Rachelle says:

I just LOVE Valentines day, and that love spills out at my home - everywhere you look there is love. (Well, only if you ignore the boys wrestling around and trying to kill each other.)

All the lovin' starts at my front door where I just hung some glittery red hearts onto the all-season wreaths with some swirly red ribbon.

Step inside where it is all red and glitzy!

In the entry, I used the same red velvet rose topiaries that I use for Christmas. Above that, some shimmery red metallic fabric remnants make a great backdrop for my heartfelt vignette dedicated to love!

I made my love sign with a chunk of 2X4 painted black, then added four squares of pretty patterned paper, some Cricut cut black paper letters, and some rub-ons. Very easy and really fun!
I also replace the family photos that are usually in the silver frames with "love" pictures of our wedding, as well as wedding, engagement, and couple pictures of other relatives and ancestors.

One of my very favorite projects EVER is my love banner made on my Big Shot using fabric that is black and white and red all over.

I love, Love, LOVE it!!!

I hung some sparkly heart garland on the chandelier. Easy, easy.

I had some chipboard hearts that I colored red and drenched in more red glitter. I stuck them right on some of our family pictures with glue dots for just another fun little touch of love.

After all, that's what it is all about!

The dining room is dedicated to my other love, after my hubby and kids that is,... CHOCOLATE!

I have collected enough little faux chocolates and desserts to fill a chocolaterie. They do look so tempting, but they look better than they taste - trust me. (and zero calories!)

The red toile tablecloth is perfect with the sweet candy striped runner.

I found these pretty mirrored hearts cheap and just hung them simply on the backs of the dining chairs with more red ribbon. It really brings a lot of bling to the dining room.

Of course more red roses and some tasty gifts under glass in a pretty milk glass basket.

Even the church pew has been adorned in a red and white Hawaiian quilt, and some lovey dovey pillows. Don't you love the heart pin on the granny's sweater pillow?

In the family room is a long banner made from repo glittery vintage greeting cards, and more vintage valentines adorn the shelves.

In the living room are apothecary jars filled with love...

and a little Cupid pixie that I made last year.

Hope he sends you lots of love this year!

Upcoming Olympics Celebration

One of my dearest friends, who also was my college roommate, is coming with her wonderful family (which we love as much as her). Their visit is during the opening day of the Olympics. Wanting to make it special and memorable (and of course a learning experience), I'm wanting to plan something fun for both kids and adults to celebrate this inspiring and amazing event.

Does anyone have any great ideas?

I want to make this simple so I will actual do it and not totally wear myself out so I can't enjoy our guests, (remember what is most important here). Here is the brainstorming that was done while sitting in my car today:

Canadian food?

Pizza with different sections being topped with food that represent a certain country? (Canadian bacon, Italian sausage, etc)

Flag toothpicks (representing each country)and have in appetizers?

Have each child pick a country (out of a hat or one that they want) prior to the day and tell us a bit about it?

The child/adult gets up when their country is announced and walk around the room (hee, hee)?

Make t-shirts?

Instead of t-shirt, make socks, headband, bandanas or something else?

Spray hula hoops Olympic colors?

Do back handsprings in the yard? (just kidding)

Okay, there has got to be other really cool ideas out there in Blogland.
Please share yours. Can you hear the Olympic music playing?

Why I Love You Pillow

Alysa says...

Don't you love looking at so many creative blogs? One in particular that I enjoy is How She Does blog. This blog is filled with some wonderful and easy ideas.

They just posted this unique Valentine idea that I fell in LOVE with!! I'm so excited that I found it before it was February 1st. There is still time for you and me. Why I Love You Pillows!



One of the writers, Alison, kicks off Valentines day in her house the first day in February by putting these pillows on her kids' bed. For 14 days, Alison and her husband leave love notes in them about why they love them.

Interested in making your Why I Love You pillow? There is a tutorial. Looks like I'll be heading off to Target this weekend.

Now I've posted all these Valentine's ideas from others, I better get busy making my own. I'll show you post-crafting pictures (if I really do get around to it, I'm no Rachelle - the gal who gets it done. I'm a wannabe :).

Sorry It's Been So Long

Alysa says...

It's been a long time since we've posted. Have you given up on us?? Don't. Rachelle has had computer problems and I have had my mom in town and not wanting to take time away from her. So here we are with a tons of ideas, thoughts and plans but no computer and no time.

Here's a fun idea I'm going to do with my children for Valentine's Day. I got it off Inchmark's blog (one of the many creative blogs I enjoy following)

(Picture thanks to Inchmark)

You can find little packs of matchboxes at the grocery store. I found mine in the paper good section - 50 for $1.00. All you do is remove the matches, cut a piece of paper 2" high (or the height of your matchbox) and about 4" long (enough to wrap all the way around). Tape the back for extra security. You can use any type of paper. I was about to purchase a bunch of fun scrapbook paper that would run me a bunch of money but then walked Michaels a bit more and found wrapping paper that was red, green, pink and white stripes - Valentine's looking enough, right? The whole roll cost me $.74. Not bad.

You can do these anyway you like. Your child can draw portraits of their friends at school. They may all look the same at first glance, but your child can tell who each one is. Cut the paper down to the right size first then wrapped it around the box after your child is finished drawing. For other matchboxes, you can use a heart punch and glue a band of other paper underneath or just glue a different colored paper band around. I'm sure you will get quite creative.

Fill with candy (I purchased plain M&Ms but Inchmark says you can do candy corn as well), tuck in a little note, wrap with string if desired, and add a name tag or first initial. Then off to school!

Thanks Inchmark for a fun idea that I'm going to do with my children this year (and when I do, I'll take show you).

Don't Throw Out Those Candy Canes...

Attic Gal Alysa says:

Actually pick up a ton of them for 90% off at Target or other places so you can make these Valentine's suckers. I made these last year and they were so easy. Thanks to "Skip To My Lou" for reminding me of this awesome craft before the canes were all gone! Connect here for full tutorial. http://www.skiptomylou.org/2009/01/21/candy-cane-hearts/



I haven't tried these, but it sure looks cool. Let's try it out together.


See Make and Take blog for the complete tutorial http://www.makeandtakes.com/love-shaped-candy-canes
There are so many cool ideas how there. Who has the time? Maybe I'll try to carve a bit out this year.

A Holiday Luncheon

Attic Gal Rachelle says:

I am the president of the young women's organization at my church, and I wanted to throw a holiday party to thank the other ladies who work on my board so hard to serve our girls. Finding an evening when everyone could come proved difficult, so I decided to have a weekday luncheon instead. All of us have little ones at home, so they were all invited to come and play together, (my little guy thought HE was having a party!) In all we had 6 ladies and 9 kidlets.

Since it was lunch, I decided to keep it light with a panini bar, and since we live in the sunniest place on earth, I decided to have it outside, even in the dead of winter (actually, things are their liveliest here in the dead of winter!)

Some colorful fruit

Tomato Basil Bisque. Souper easy, and souper good! Just regular old canned tomato soup, only instead of water, use half 'n half. Then squeeze in some pre-chopped basil that you find in a tube in the produce section. Salt and pepper, of course, and it tastes like a million bucks! Really. I like to use it for entertaining (and great for feeding crowds!) People are always asking for the recipe and are always more pleased to find that it isn't much of a recipe at all.

And of course the panini (I am kind of a panini addict, myself.) I did my two favorite - traditional fresh basil, tomato, prosciutto, and Parmesan, with EVOO and salt & pepper, of course,

and one I learned from Giada - EVOO, arugula, Gorgonzola, bosc pears, and honey. (Sounds weird, but I LOVE this sandwich!)

A trick I learned at the last baby shower I had where the kidlets were invited - Uncrustables, Capri Suns, and packs of pre-sliced apples keep the little guys perfectly happy with no work!

As a gift for my ladies, I made them each a fun scarf. (No, I don't knit or crochet, but made these super easily on a Knifty Knitter.)

They seemed to like them, but it was a bit hard to get excited when we were practically melting in 80 degree heat. I hope they get a chance to use them... someday.

I made the pretty labels with SU's super pretty decorative papers, stamps, ribbon, and my Big Shot!

While we were there, they also helped me make beaded watch bands in the value colors for all the girls. I didn't get a picture of them, but these are the matchboxes I made to put them in. I popped them out easily on my Big Shot! (Can you tell I love that thing?)

What a great luncheon with some wonderful people! Those ladies were worth all the effort! I don't know what I'd do without them!

Christmas at Carmen's

Alysa says:
When we were in school, we adopted our dear friend Carmen to be our California Grammy. She needed us and we needed her.

Carmen loves to decorate for the holidays. Visiting her house is always a treat. She makes everything very festive and full of the season. (She even had special shelving built-in to display her decor.)


In the kitchen she decided to go more playful and fun.




She makes it a little dressier for the living room.


Love the gold trees.

Carmen decorates for the seasons because it makes her happy.

She suggested that if you don't want to decorate the whole place, just make one spot in your home the "holiday or seasonal spot." When I was first married, she helped me (and handed down to me) decorations to use in "my spot" which was a table by my front door.

Carmen also says "you usually know inside of you what looks good or not." I know what looks good but not always how to "get" that look. Maybe I'll figure it out this year.

Thanks Carmen for your tour of all things Christmasy. Next time, you'll have to see her garden. It's amazing!