Please Pass the Lollypop!

AtticGal Rachelle says:

We have a tradition of making our own valentines to pass out in the kids' classes each year rather than buying them because we like them to be more personal.  Usually my guys make lollypop covers as shown in this post.  But this year, we decided to find a new way to present class members with lollypops using a fun and very personal idea I saw floating around on Pinterest. 

I snapped a pic of each of my two youngest with their fist toward the camera like they were holding something.  I used a wide aperture and focused on their hand so that the hand would be in focus, and their faces not so much in order to make it look even more 3D.  Then I picked my favorite for each kid, and added a valentine greeting with Picasa before sending an order to Walgreens for as many prints as they had in their class.  In an hour the prints were ready, and while I was at Walgreens to pick them up, I grabbed several bags of heart shaped lollypops.  WIth my 1/8inch punch, I punched a hole above and beneath each fist and the boys carefully put a lollypop in each card.

Done.

 (Yes, you still have time for this and it is easier than buying Valentines and having your child sign each one and put them in envelopes)

Such colorful, easy, and personal valentines.  Be sure to print off a few extra for grandmas and special friends, and of course, you'd want to keep one for yourself.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sending My Love

Valentine's Day is the perfect excuse to send a little love to those who mean the most to you.  

I designed this BFF card to be girly and frilly, for some of the great gals in my life!  Where would I be without my girlfriends?

I love the layers and ribbon detail.

This bold card had a bit of sparkle.  I used a Letterpress plate on my Big Shot to make the engraved background, and my favorite pennant and heart punches!

V-Day is on it's way, 

so send out a little love today!

Be My Valentine!

I was SO in the mood - to make valentines, that is! Valentines Day is the perfect opportunity to play with all my stamps and stuff, and at the same time show my dear ones how much I love them.

And when I make valentines, there is always chocolate and candy involved, of course - another motivating factor.

I was anxious to try my new Petal Cone die for my Big Shot which makes this perfectly adorable cone shaped box!

I just love the red and white wide striped ribbon and the crinkly gold paper!

Crowns, the Eiffel Tower, and the key to my heart - so very French! This Valentine is so ME! Amour!!!!

I also made these candy bar holders. So fun and easy. XOXO!

When you pull up on the ribbon, the candy bar pops out! What's not to LOVE?

For the kids in my seminary class, I made these cute little baggies. I found the small paper bags on clearance years ago, thinking I could do just such a project. The toppers are just cut with my Top Note die. The heart is shiny and puffy using Crystal Effects. LOVE - from the bottom of my heart!

For my own kiddos, I simply dressed up some boxes of conversation hearts with my new Be My Valentine stamp, the jumbo scallop circle punch, and a bubbly texture folder on my Big Shot!

I (heart) my boys: Alex, Nate, Derek, Dylan, Caleb, and Luke!

My younger guys also made their valentines for all the kids in their classes. It is a tradition. We make these every year, and have since my highschooler was in preschool - lollipop holders. They are quick and cute, and the kids do most of the work themselves. Caleb and Luke worked so hard on them. It was so fun to watch. Both crafters after my own heart!

Happy Valentine's Day, my fellow Attic Diggers! Hope you just feel the love!

A Little Lovin' from the Oven

Attic Gal Rachelle says...

So this morning as I was running around trying to get my middle schoolers out the door, and help my elementary schoolers get their class valentines together, my 1st grader announces that he had been assigned to bring two dozen cupcakes to his Valentine party - today. Don't we love these last minute announcements?

Well, this week I have done an inventory of my baking supplies and it turns out that I have a heart shaped cake pan, a heart shaped spring-form pan, 3 heart shaped mini spring-form pans, a heart shaped cookie sheet, heart shaped cookie cutters, heart shaped jello molds, heart shaped sandwich cutters, and even a heart shaped pancake mold. But for cupcakes - nothing.

Then I suddenly remembered that when I was a kid my mom once made heart shaped cupcakes by putting a marble between the cupcake paper and the pan, so I grabbed some glass pebbles and made some impromptu heart shaped cupcakes.

They looked kind of funny out of the oven, but once frosted they were simply adorable. Nice save by Mom, if I do say so myself!

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and with a houseful of men to love, I had to make a little effort at lovin' from the oven. For Valentines dinner I make 3D heart shaped jello (I have a mold), and canned biscuits were shaped into hearts using a cookie cutter. I didn't cut the biscuits, they were similar in size to the cookie cutter. I just pressed the entire biscuit dough into the shape of the cutter.

And of course, for the meat and potatoes man, heart shaped read meatloaf on a bed of mashed potatoes. Just mold the meatloaf into a heart shape right there in the cake pan. I thought it turned out pretty fun!

The perfect Valentine for my meat and potatoes man!

This Valentines day we will be having pink heart pancakes with strawberries of course for breakfast. Can't wait!

And I also found some adorable heart shaped lahvosh crackers that I will be serving some love up on as well.

How about you? Will there be any lovin' from your oven this Valentines Day? Do share!

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!

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.