I LOVE Valentine's Day

I admit it. I'm one of those people you love to hate. I actually love Valentine's Day. And you can't say that it's because I'm married and have someone to celebrate it with because I loved it during the nineteen years that I did not have a special someone to share it with.

I love the color and the excuse to make things, whether silly decorations or decadent desserts (although I made little to none of either this year). I also love that it's a specific time set aside to remind someone of how much you love them. It's like a yearly reminder not to take your loved ones for granted. I know many see it as a day when men forgo spontaneity and are instead forced to be romantic, but I think it's what you make of it. For me, it's a fun time to decorate, make things, and share with each other all the reasons you love the other person...reasons you think of all the time, but forget to say out loud.


Anyway, apparently my husband likes the holiday a little more than I thought because I got the following today...

delivered to me at work. Receiving flowers at work has been a secret desire of mine for years. And the chocolates were delicious (yes, I ate most of them already, although a student stole one because they fell on the floor and he "assumed" I didn't want it because it was on the floor. It was down his gullet before I had a chance to stop him).

And this was on the kitchen table when I came home...

You can't read it well in the pic, but it says "We are amazing together! Look how much fun we've had! Happy Valentine's Day! I love you." The pictures are from all different times in our relationship. Not sure when the one at top left was taken, but top right is obviously our wedding, middle left is from our sophomore year of college, middle right is our engagement, bottom left was a few months ago, and bottom right was last Christmas.

I also used Valentine's Day as an excuse to send a package to my Pop-Pop, the grandfather I don't live with. He lives by himself at an assisted living home several hours away, and I don't see him much, but I knew a little package would cheer him up. I included a heart shape note that explained the following gifts:

Slippers to keep you warm through the rest of the winter.

 

a mug I painted...

....and a little bird I crocheted...

...to remind you that spring is coming soon.

 I also included some of the stained glass hearts I made a few months ago and told him that they were to brighten up his room.


Seriously, what's not to love about Valentine's Day? I'm off now to enjoy a delicious dinner and dessert that Steve and my dearest Daddy cooked for the whole family.

Slippers Galore!

So I finally have made the time to make another blog post. I've been working hard with school stuff and Christmas present making and a little while ago, planning Traci's shower. I hope to post pictures of that soon. Not the shower itself, but the decorations because I'm so proud of how I coordinated everything. For that I must wait until Traci returns so I can commandeer them from her camera.

A few weeks ago I decided I wanted to make some slippers, but not the grandma-ish ones my grandmother makes (go figure), but rather something that's at least cute if not stylish (can slippers be stylish?). So I did a google search for free patterns. It took me awhile to find one that I liked AND understood. Because Oma taught me to crochet, I don't know alot of the terminology; I've had to teach myself most of it through books, etc. Anyway, I found a free pattern by The Little House by the Sea which I really liked, then I embelished it a little with details, different yarns, buttons, and fabric paint on the bottom to prevent slipping. The outcome was a Christmas gift explosion. Below are some of the pictures. I'm thinking about posting them for sale on my etsy shop, but I'm not sure if it's worth it. Opinions? Suggestions?


I hope to also soon be posting some new glasses I've painted, Christmas glasses, as well as pictures of the mugs I made as favors for Traci's shower. I plant to post all of them on my etsy this week and promote them as Christmas gifts. Anyway, stay tuned to see them!