Be My Valentine- On The Cheap

How are you today?
I am sick.
Like the bottoms of my feet ache, sick.
I have had a perpetual cold via my five year old for the past month but it took a turn for the worse last night.
Anyhoo, I am not goin' into details because I am so tired of hearing from Facebook, Twitter, and blogs how everyone is sick.
And then suddenly you start to feel sick.
Just reading about the sickness that is invading the Internet.
ENOUGH.



So Valentines is one of those holidays that gets kind of lost.
First off, its dead smack in the middle of hell winter.
Second, it's never on the same day each year.
And for some reason, Valentines on a Tuesday just isn't the same as Valentine's on a Friday or Saturday.
And lastly, some people don't really think Valentines is a holiday.
That it was made up by some bored Hallmark employees.
Kinda like Sweetest Day.

When I was growing up, Valentines day was always made special for my brother and I by my mom and gramma.
We would come home from school to pink tablecloths and pink plates; hearts hanging from the light fixtures and a special valentines meal.
I still remember how good it made me feel growing up.
I try to do that every year for my girls now, some years are more lean than others but we always have a fancy homemade dinner, fake wine (apple cider in wine glasses) for the girls and flowers.
I am a true believer that a girls first flowers should come from mom and dad.

But when it comes to decorating for Valentines?
I kinda don't. really. do. it.
Well, I do and I don't.
I am so exhausted from decorating for the holidays that I just don't put any umphh into it.
Plus, Easter is early this year.
What am I sayin'.
I don't even decorate for that holiday.
The most I do for Valentines is put up our 10 year old outside garden flag and maybe put up a heart cut out I got at the Dollar Tree.
And that's on a good year.

Until this year.
While taking down the tree, I noticed some felt heart ornaments I have had for years.
On my Christmas tree.
That didn't at all look Christmasey.

And then I found these great ornaments 80% off at Kohl's last week:

Aren't these great?

I love these so much and it would have cost me waaaay more than the 4 bucks I paid to create this look.

The can of spray paint alone woulda been 11 bucks.

And the work is done for me!

 

 

So I love my little Charlie Brown tree that my mom got me last year at Pottery Barn.

So much so that I keep it up til March.

                                                         Because it makes me happy.

And the good Lord knows I need happy in mah house during Winter.

 

So I created a happy Valentines tree!

 

 

 

What do we think??

I can't get enough of these ornaments......

And then I added the decor I made last year using Dollar Tree frames (they still have them on their shelves), scrapbook paper, and old tee shirt decals.

 

 

You can go here to see the tutorial.

Its so easy and cheap.

This whole thing cost me around 5 bucks to make.

 

 

 

I also put up some decor that I made two years ago:

 

 

 

See the heart?

I got it at Goodwill back in February of 2011.

The white heart on top of it, I got also at Goodwill.

Its one of those jello molds that is either silver or copper.

 

 

 

 

 

I just spray painted it white and glued it on top of the red heart.

Cost me less than 5 bucks to create.

You can go here to see the original blog post.

 

 

For some reason this year I am more inclined to get all Valentiney.

Maybe its because the girls are getting older and they are noticing the decorations.

Or maybe its because I am realizing that the more holidays and reasons to celebrate we have during winter, the faster winter will go.

Keep tellin' yourself that, Kari.

 

 

 

Here are some fun ideas that I saw on Pinterest that will help kick that Valentiney feeling in gear for you:

 

Source: everything-in-focus.blogspot.com via Kari on Pinterest

 

I am creating the above for Ella's preschool friends!

Only a lot cheaper.

I will share my tutorial next week.

 

 

 

Source: theidearoom.net via Kari on Pinterest

 

 

Aren't these cute?

And so easy to do with the kids.

Just paper and tempura paint.

Or finger paint.

It really doesn't matter as long as it comes off your kids hands.

 

 

Source: happyhomefairy.com via Kari on Pinterest

 

I am totally doin' this for my girls this year!

Shhhhhh.....

All you need is construction paper cut into hearts, a marker and some cool adjectives that describe your kids.

 

 

 

 

Source: petitekitchenesse.com via Kari on Pinterest

 

And I am making this for breakfast!

Eggs and toast?

Easy enough.

 

 

 

Source: recipebyphoto.com via Kari on Pinterest

 

 

And this for lunch!!

Only I wont make homemade dough, just use the dough in the can.

And I have all the above ingredients in my pantry/fridge already on a regular basis.

 

 

So it isn't too hard to create a fun and memorable Valentines for your family.

And just like that, half of February is gone.

Boom.