Cutest Valentine Cards Ever!

This year we made the most fun ever valentines! We had a few valentines parties this year and we had to make about 150 valentines!

I couldn't remember where my inspiration came from and then my sister in law said she thought something like that had been in Family Fun magazine last year and that could be it because I love that magazine.

These cost 9 cents to print at Walmart and the marshmallow pops were probably about 5 to 10 cents a piece. We had most of the items we needed on hand so I could be under or over estimating. Anyway here is our version and it turned out fabulous!!!

Took the pictures pretending to hold a popscisle. Then made awesome backgrounds.

The red background I made from Kaity's jacket. The green and pastel were digital scrapbook downloads I have had for years. If you really want to know I will figure out where I got them.

Then we made tons of marshmallow pops. We felt like chocolatiers, especially when Karlie started dipping, well, pretty much everything! For the sticks we used shish-kabob sticks and cut them into 3 sections which ended up being about 4" long. For the chocolate we used chocolate bark for dipping and then sprinkles. We also used strawberry flavored marshmallows as well as the white. It was fun to have the color on valentines.

 To let the chocolate set you can see that we poked holes in egg cartons and let them sit. Then we wrapped them with plastic wrap and tied paper ribbon to hold the wrap on.
We cut slits in our pictures and poked the stick through and it held great. I thought we would have to tape the back but we did not and they did not fall out.

They were a huge hit - the kids loved them. It was fun to have a picture of thier friend and they loved the pops as well. I loved that we added thier names on and didn't have to write names 75 times each! They were personal and original. I already have my idea for next year! :) This just a little better. I hope I remember it. Of course I may have 25 more between now and then!

A Fabulous Winter Tea

We have always loved having tea parties and have them regularly at our house. Sometimes we invite lots of friends and dress up in our fancy clothes and sometimes we have a tea by ourselves. When I was in about 3rd grade I made a miniature tea set out of salt dough clay, which I still have today. My dolls & bears were served several times during my childhood. Since then I have loved collecting tea pots and unique tea cups with saucers. From the time Kaity was about three we started collecting miniature tea sets and she also loved serving her animals. Karlie is also carrying on this tradition. Both of them love to have a "tea party" when their friends come over.

We have wanted to have a Winter Tea for some time and finally we did this year and plan to every year. It was FABULOUS!!! We served Homemade Hot Cocoa and Apple Juice along with our dainty luncheon dishes. We all dressed up in our tea time best and brought an American Girl Doll or Bear. Each girl and their special guest had a special place setting. It was a wonderful opportunity to dress-up and be lady like. It was also a great opportunity to think about serving others with a fun project, which is one of our goals this year.

A tradition in our town is to go "Valentine kicking." You take valentine treats to special people and kick the door and run away. So after our tea we made Valentine Cookie Kits for each girl to take to someone special. Our kits were filled with the best ever unfrosted Sugar Cookies, a container of frosting and a small baggie of sprinkles. We also included special notes with the kits and for the girls parents.

Happy Valentines Teacher!

We love our teachers and are so thankful for all they do. We love to give them fun things so they know how much they really are appreciated. This was a really fun project and it was so cute to see the teachers wearing them throughout the day.

Here are basic directions:

We used red cinnamon hard candy and chocolate hearts. 

Plastic Wrap and ribbon - we color coordinated everything red & pink.

Cut off a long piece of plastic wrap and cut it in half length wise. Then set the candies on the plastic wrap leaving about an inch in between each candy. Roll the plastic wrap over the candies making it into a long snake like necklace. Then tie a piece of ribbon in between each piece of candy.

TIPS:

Make sure you have 5-7 candies that are not chocolate for the back of the neck area. We used pattern paper &s cardstock heart to write a little note on. If you add a note put it on the front middle.