Real Valentines Day

I know when I posted my Valentines that I said I would post the great Valentines I received from The Stationary Place Valentine Swap yesterday but I was delusional.  I watched 11 kids yesterday.  When in the world did I think I would have time to blog?  Oh well.  Today is REAL Valentines Day.

That's right, while the world is fighting the crowds and overpaying for tokens of love we are treating it just like every other day because for the Cutts family Valentines Day isn't until the 15th.  After a Valentines day several years ago where we went to 4 sold out movie theaters, watched a mother of two get arrested after an altercation with a man over the parking spot we just left at our favorite bakery and having to settle for a romantic dinner of fast food we decided it just wasn't worth the hassle and permanently changed the holiday.  Best decision ever.

So without further ado I'd like to show off the fun Valentines I got from my new pals.  

First up is the coolest piece of mail I've ever received from

Jody @ The Hobby Room

I had to snag this photo from her site because we were so excited about our Valentine that the kids and I ripped it apart and devoured the candy before I could snap a picture.  It came just like this with postage stamped on the front.  It provided us with an evening of fun, opening up each little pockets and giggling as we scarfed it all down.  Let's just say watching a baby eat Pop Rocks is hilarious.

Click on the picture or click HERE for a tutorial on how to make this cool Valentine.

I can see myself sending something like this to my nieces and nephews for their birthday.

The next Valentine I received was from

Beth @ Art and Elephants

Love the graphic print!  It's so simple and beautiful.  I also adored the little touches with the Washi tape and the Van Gogh quote.  I had never heard it before and it is so beautiful!

This next one is from

Michaela

Can we just say CUTE!!!   Valentines day isn't Valentines day without red, pink and hearts and Michaela nailed it.  I love that she used the little hearts as the steam from the cup.  She sure knows how to serve up a hot cup of LOVE!  ; )

Last but not least

Hannah @ Hannah Made

Let's just discuss this bunting for a minute shall we...  I love it!  I love bunting but never have I thought to make tiny paper bunting and put it on a card.  So clever!  The time and patience it must have taken to make tiny flags and and get that bakers twine pulled so perfectly tight.  It has me seeing hearts!

THANKS SO MUCH GIRLS!  

You're all so creative and talented and totally made my day when I received these.  Your kind words and messages were so sweet.  Hope you had a special day filled with love, love, and chocolate. 

Happy Real Valentines Day!!!

Will You Be Mine??

I'm kind of a weird crafter.  I almost never do holiday crafts.  I don't know why.  I think the holidays just sneak up on me and I never get around to it.  And to be honest I kind of get sick of seeing a million holiday themed crafts after a while.  This year though my friend Elizabeth posted about a Valentine Swap she was doing at The Stationary Place.  I saw this as a fun way to make a fun Valentine craft as well as meet some new people.  It was a blast!  I'm so glad I participated!

Tomorrow I want to show you the adorable and fun cards I received from my new pen pals.  I have yet to take pictures of their creations, but I did want to show you what I came up with before the holiday slipped by me.

I kept going over what I should make in my mind but it wasn't until the kids and I were making shrinky dinks one night did I settle on a plan.  We used an old lunch to-go box container and permanent markers to make the shrinky dinks (tutorial to come) and I attached each heart to a bit of chain.  I got the chain from a big pack of key chains they had at the Dollar Tree.

I hot glued the chain to the teal paper and then glued jumbo red rick rack over top of that.  The little love thing in the corner is a piece of scrapbook paper that I painted a swipe of teal paint on.  Once the paint dried I used a stamp to stamp the LOVE.  I then used my sewing machine to zig zag stich it onto the card. Simple but fun.

On the inside I included a little surprise.  A tiny little bookmark.  I can do a tutorial for this one too but basically I just hand stitched around a little piece of teal wool felt.  I hot glued it to a paper clip and then glued another plain heart to cover the back.  I attached the bookmark to the card by making a tiny slit in the paper so that's why you can't see the other loop of the paper clip.

Confession:  I had to make one for me too.  To put in my Hunger Games book.  Because I {heart}it so much.  Can I get a squeal for the upcoming movie release?  Eeeeeekkkk!!  I can't wait!!  

One of my darling children {read that with sarcastic disgruntled mom voice} loved the heart charms so much they took off with one of them and I have yet to have found it.  Grrrr... so I'm sad to say not all four of my cards were the same.  Sorry to whomever ends up with the random card but lace, felt and a metal brad are nice too right??

Finished off in a nice little envelope sealed with some heart tape.

Hope all my readers have a Happy Valentines Day tomorrow!

I sure do love ya'!!!