A Sweet Treat for Valentine's Day

Sometimes you might want a treat to go with

your coffee or in my case, tea.  

Sometimes you might not want a rich & decadent treat.

Sometimes you might just want something simple.

Enter these Pastry Bites, done in Valentine's Day style.

I had this recipe for quite a few years,

ripped from a magazine and tucked away

to make "some day."

(I'm not even going to go into how many of

recipes I have tucked away for "some day.")  

Let's just say that "some day" is today for this recipe.

These are really a cinch to make and they taste so good.

Here's the recipe:

Pastry Bites

6 tablespoons raw sugar 

1 ½ teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (thawed)

1 egg, beaten

In a bowl, mix sugar, spices & a pinch of salt.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, brush pastry with egg; sprinkle with half the sugar mixture.

Cover with another sheet of parchment, then flip over.

Peel off top parchment.  Brush pastry with egg,then sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Cut pastry into 10 strips & twist them.

You can leave them in long twisted strips or you can mold them into hearts as I did here.

Bake at 375 degrees until crispy, about 16-20 minutes.

And just like that, you have simple, crispy little treats that

took no time at all to make.

Enjoy!

Valentines Day Hutch & Wreath Tutorial

Hello friends!

True confession time.

This Valentine's Day inspired decor that I'm

sharing with you today is from last year!

I had all the photos loaded & ready to go.

I just never posted it!

I was so surprised when I saw the draft listed.

I don't have a lot of Valentine's Day decor.

Just a few things.

This year, (well last year) I decided to make a wreath.

I really love how it turned out.

And it was so easy to make too.

Here's my tutorial on the wreath.

It's almost silly how easy it is to make.

I traced some heart shapes onto a piece of lightweight cardboard.

I cut them out.

I then took yarn, taped the end in place and began wrapping 

it around the shape.

I wrapped all willy nilly,

nothing uniform about it.

My intention was to wrap the yarn completely around

the cardboard so there would be no cardboard showing.

However, once I got going, I decided I loved

the cardboard peeking out behind the yarn,

so I left it like that.

I glued the shapes onto a grapevine wreath

and there you have it!

Don't you love an easy craft that

turns out better than you expected?

Valentine's Day Dining Hutch

Hello friends!

I did a little Valentine's Day decorating...

just a little, nothing over the top or anything.

I went so white & neutral with my decor after Christmas

 that seeing the reds & pinks of Valentine's Day

has been a welcome change!

I don't think there's anything new here.

It's the same Valentine's Day elements 

I've used for several years, just switched up.

I made the flowered heart wreath & the stuffed hearts

(all out of felt & fleece) quite a few years ago.

I never really tired of them,

so here they are again. 

Have you decorated for Valentine's Day yet?

Do you go all out or do you prefer "just a little", like me?

Have a wonderful day & thanks for visiting!

Valentine's Day Vignette

I've been meaning to share my Valentine's Day hutch with you for a few weeks now,

but you know how that goes...sometimes blogging takes a back seat.

So, with only a day to go, here goes:

I put this together with stuff I hand on hand.

I will forever love that little cupid boy.

I've had him for quite a few years now. 

I'm happy seeing the pops of red here.  There's just so much white

outside my window right now, any color is a welcome change.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day Decor

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching

and while I don't do a lot of decorating for this particular day,

I do like to add a little something to honor it.

I decided to give my dining room hutch a little 

"love treatment."

♥♥♥

It's all very simple,  yet after decorating for Winter in mostly

white & gray, I have to say I'm enjoying the pop 

of color the red is bringing me.

Happy Valentine's Day, sweeties!

♥♥♥

 

Valentine's Day Mantel 2015

I have to be honest, 

I had to force myself to decorate for Valentine's Day this year. 

Not that I "go all out" or anything, 

but I just wasn't feeling it this year.

My remedy?

Just keep it simple.

I only spent about $10.00 total here.

I bought the banner & the heart shaped tags 

(on the branches) from Hobby Lobby for $6.00.

I spent $4.00 at The Dollar Tree to make

the square candle votive holders for Debbie & Shannon's 

crafting for $1.00 party.

Everything else was stuff  I already had on hand.

I kept the white lanterns from my Winter mantel

& changed all the other items.

Simple.

I stacked up a basket & a crate for the hearth.

I added my kid's Valentine's Day related books

& the pillow I made a couple of years ago.

Simple heart gift tags hang from a few branches.

You can see the square glass votive holders that I made 

right here.

The heart shaped plates are from Target  (on clearance)

a few years ago.

Keeping it simple meant it was a quick

change out from Winter to Valentine's Day

and it will be quick to change back to Winter

once Valentine's Day is over.

Do you decorate for Valentine's Day

or do you skip it?  

 

Valentine's Day Crafting (All things $1.00)

Today I am joining my girls, 

Debbie & Shannon, 

for a Valentine's Day All Things $1.00 Party.

As I looked back through my blog,

 I noticed  that for some reason I have done

more Valentine's Day crafts than for any other holiday.

Strange.

I guess I was never a big Valentine's Day

kind of girl, so I didn't have a whole lot in the way of decor.

Once I began blogging, I started adding to what little decor

I had for this holiday by way of crafting.

Anyway, my craft today is so simple, 

I'm almost embarrassed to share it!

I started with these items from the Dollar Tree:

I used some ribbon scraps that I had on hand 

along with some hot glue and that was that!

You can fill these as I did with flowers, votive candles, candy....go ahead...

let your imagination run wild.

Wouldn't one of these be cute filled with a few tea bags

and a couple of yummy chocolates

to give to a tea loving friend?

You know, just as a "little something" to let her know

you're thinking about her.  

Ok my sweets, that's my silly little craft for today.

I can't wait to see what fun & inspiring crafts

you have all come up with.

Have a wonderful day!

Linking to:

The All Things $1.00 Valentine's Day Party

@ Debbiedoos & Fox Hollow Cottage

 

Be Mine Tablescape

It's hard to believe it's February already.

January did go by rather quickly. 

Not that I'm complaining.

We're one step closer to Spring!

 

I desperately needed to put together a Valentine's Day tablescape. 

I was surprised to find that I hadn't shared a tablescape since last Fall!

 

So please join me for "Be Mine."

 

You can see the "whiteness" of January through the window in the photo below.

 

 

As much as I may be sick of the "whiteness," it does make

a nice backdrop to the pink & red of my tablescape.  Ha!

 

 

The heart plates & the table runner are from Target.

I bought them on clearance a year or two ago.

The plates are melamine.

The dotted glasses are a Target purchase, as well. 

 

I added a white charger from the Oneida Outlet.

They just announced the Oneida Outlet will be closing

in 90 days.  I'm going to miss that place!

 

Red silverware was an engagement gift 20+ years ago.

Place card holders are a Christmas Tree Shop find.

Pink votive holders are from Michaels.

 

 

I love how the plates & table runner match.

 

Pretty pink tulips in a red pitcher for a simple centerpiece.

I ♥ tulips!

 

It's so nice of you to visit today.

Hope to see you again soon.



 Happy Valentine's Day! 

 

Linking to:

 

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

 

 

Valentine's Day Vignette

As I am off to work on this cold January morning,

I wanted to leave you with a Valentine's Day vignette.

My dining room hutch is always a favorite place to decorate. 

You can see this hutch the minute you walk into

my kitchen from the back door. 

For that reason, I love to make it attention-worthy.

 

It all came together pretty quickly.  

I love it when that happens!

 

 

I didn't need to run out and buy anything new. 

I love it when that happens, too! 

 

 

I used the fleece heart pillow I made last year,

 

and the fleece hearts I made a few years ago.

Ever since making the hearts, I find a different

way to use them each year.
I should make more of them because I really do love them!

 

 

So there you have it...

my first Valentine's Day vignette of 2014.

 

Thanks for stopping by today!

 

Linking to:

 

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Tuesdays at Our Home @ Our Home Away from Home

 

Filled with Love

 Happy Valentine's Day!

 

♥♥♥

 

 

♥♥♥

 

 

A Valentine Pillow

I'm not sure if you remember my Halloween or Snowman pillows,

but I got the idea in my head

that I also need to make a Valentine's Day pillow to go with them.

Bur first I would like to share the words of my husband...

 

"Are you planning to make a pillow for every month?" 

" You're getting ridiculous with the pillows."

Oh yes, you gotta love him!  Ridiculous though I may be, 

I made that Valentine pillow anyway.  

 

You bet I did. 

 

That is after informing him

just who he thought he was to stifle my creativity.

That was followed by a resounding

"YEAH!"

from my daughter.  lol

 

Needless to say, my husband got a kick out of it

and laughed too.

He really is harmless.

  

I cut some fleece,

and made a heart template.

 

Despite my best intentions, I never really have a set plan.

I thought a few pearls might be nice, so

I sewed some on.

 

 

 

 

Then I sewed the whole thing together by hand.

  

 

Like I always say, it's not perfect, but

I think it's cute anyway. 

 

 

Only a few days left until the big day of love!

Are you ready?

 

Linking to:

Winter Blues Wednesday at DIY by Design