Happy Valentines Day

I am a simple kind of girl I don't expect a lot when it comes to holidays. It is nice to be loved and remembered. But you don't have to show me with stuff. So, over the years we have celebrated Valentines Day simply. A card, chocolates or some good old fashioned flowers, sometimes even going out to eat. I don't care for big gifts or jewels to tell me I am loved. You can show me by visual actions. I'm not going to lie though. I do like gifts, to be pampered and to be fondly remembered. I certainly won't turn it down. And my dear Mr. Darling knows I don't expect anything as far as gifts for Valentines day goes. He came home the other night from a long day working at the church with a big heart shaped box of chocolates for me and a smaller heart shaped box of chocolates for Freckles, along with flowers for each of us.

It was a sweet gesture of love that was very much appreciated.

 He didn't have to do any more that that. It was purely the sweetest thing.

However, he does know I really love portrait canvases. He said to go ahead and order one as a Valentines gift. It was perfect...I got to pick out the photo I wanted and ordered it. And it arrived just in time. I decided I wanted to turn this quirky photo of my sweet Freckles. It was taken along with other photos for her 8th grade school pictures. She popped the apple up just to be silly...It was a great capture of her fun personality. I call it "The Apple Of My Eye".

It's really the little things that prick my heart and bring joy.

Happy Valentines Day to you too.

Our Valentines Day Party....

 
It's Valentines Day...I had to do something for my little family even though we are all sick with pneumonia. I mustered up the energy to set the table and baked a chocolate heart cake for our Valentine dessert later tonight after a nice lasagna, salad and garlic bread dinner.
      
I put together a simple table with reds, white and black...a felt heart garland with vintage Valentine cards in the window, hearts in soda bottles, a few messages of love on chalkboards and the key to my heart.

     
Wishing you and yours a Happy Heart Day
 filled with lots of Hugs and Kisses.
XOXOXO
23. For God's Love & Sacrafice to me
24. For the sweetest husband who makes homemade Valentines cards.
25. The fun loving family dinner when everyone is laughing
26. For chocolate cake...It's not supposed to be in the house,
 but Valentines Day was an excuse to make it...and I got away with it too.
***

My Heart Is Full....

Yesterday, the sun was softly glimmering through my windows leaving a lovely glow throughout the house. I love those sort of days. Truly breathtaking. Even when your very ill. You heard me right. We are ill again. It all started in the lungs, with a lovely fever, the perfect sore throat and pounding headache topped off by an angelic cough and flattering runny nose. Fun, fun. I was down for three days this week.Not fun when you were just getting into your mojo. just praying that it's not phnemonia. I need to get myself together...I have an order in for my shop and a tea party to plan this weekend...And it's Friday...Oh no, it's Friday already and the week has slipped away.
   
 I also continue to think of the many gifts and blessings my life has, some are right there in front of me and some are hdden, just waiting to be found. I am not about to let the flu get me down, even then I can think of the many blessings I am ever so thankful to God for. My heart is full of them.
****
13. The way the sun shines through my window on a beautiful Winter morning.
14. True love.
15. Each step I take is never taken alone.
16. Soothing a sore throat with tea.
17. Seeing myself in my children.
***
Have a blessed Friday.

Love One Another...

    

(Photo by Marilee)
 Love one another just as Christ loves you.

Happy Valentines Day!!!

I remember evry year my Mom would give each of us a small heart shaped box of chocolates for Valentines Day. I have adopted the same for my children. I give them the same every year. They love it too! Today we are having a little Valentine party at home since our tea was canceled. Hope you all have a wonderful Valentines weather it be with a sweetheart or your children.
 Blessings!!!

For The Girls....

Freckles filled out all her Valentine cards for her friends.
 We found these cute Owl cards....so sweet!
Sad news is, her Literary Tea Party was canceled due to the Hostess being sick.
 So Freckles will hand out her Valentines at Church on Sunday.
 Little does she know, I am going to have a special Valentines for her on Monday.

 

Wishing you a happy weekend!

Love Is In The Air....Everywhere I Look Around....

Call me sentimental...I found this sweetie in an antique shop for .75 cents...Poor dear had a broken wing. I didn't care though, for she was still beautiful to me. Her wing may be broken but her heart is still in tact.

We are preparing for some fun Valentine festivities. Freckles will be having her literary tea party this Saturday. She got all her Valentines cards filled out for her friends. We didn't home make the cards this year. It just crept up on us like a cat in the night. We will be making heart shaped brownies and sugar cookies for the tea.... It will be divine. Not sure if my hubby has anything planned...We'll see. ....

No matter...Valentines is everyday...That is the delightful thing about LOVE... I can whisper sweet nothings to his ear any day of the week...I kiss him every time I pass him...well, almost...I leave love notes in his lunch...That's the truth... I left him one yesterday with XOXO's from little ole me and told him to have a fantastic day. Just little things of affection like these fills the air with LOVE all around. I can't tell you how many times we say I love you during the day. No matter what day it is, he is my Valentine.

XOXOXO

Have a LOVELY day!!!

A Funny Float, A Fruitful Pitcher & A Springtime Music Box....

My daughter drew this picture to enter in The American Girl magazine for their float contest. She came up with a funny colorful float...A rainbow colored owl with her pulling the float along in a parade the sky is filled with balloons and confetti.Too cute for words. She hopes they will like it and publish it in the next magazine. I think it is quite a whimsical Festive piece. By the way...The owlets we watch from the live cams are now hatching from their eggs...
It is so fun to see.

This was a find from Thrifting...It had a little chip, but I loved it anyway. The fruit is colorful and I adore the crazing in the piece.... For now it sits in my kitchen on a shelf. It was only $1.00!!!
 I am open for ideas on what to do with it. I thought perhaps a vase for flowers.

 

This cute find made me smile. It is simple, sweet and cheery on a Winter day.
 It gets me in the mood for Spring!!! I found this when we were in Santa Maria this Summer for .75 cents.
It plays music even.
Love Blooms where it is planted.
Have a wonderful day!!!
I am linking to:
 Rednesday
&
Ruby Tuesday

Wool Paintings....

Freckles and I finally got to use this fun gift we received from our friend Susan for Christmas. It was so fun, we couldn't stop at just one. This is from a kit by Artterro. Freckles got a hang of it really quick, thankfully it is a very forgiving craft to work with.... It doesn't really matter if you messed up. She & I both did an owlets picture since we have been deep in owl studies since she has watched the movie Legend of The Guardians and reading the series by Kathryn Lasky...Heads up to all my Home School pals or owl lovers...We found this awesome live cam where you can view 3 different owl families who have just laid their eggs and are about to hatch this coming February.
 Keep an eye out for these baby owlets
 Here and Here
We have visually witnessed mating, feeding, cleaning, sleeping, horking their owl pellets and laying the eggs for the last couple weeks. Our favorite owl family is the first link with Sydney & Mel.
This is their first time having a clutch. Hope you will find some interest in it as we have. freckles will be doing a report about it once the babies come!

So the first two projects were done by me.
As the next two are Freckles wool paintings...
 She did a great job too!

Garden of Love By Freckles 2011

Flying Hoot Owl by Freckles 2011

I will be turning the hearts into little pins...
The first heart is for my dear Freckles to wear for Valentines Day.  

The last set of tiny hears are still in the works but will be made for my shop.
They are small yet sweet sentiments.
I definitely recommend this craft project...
May you all have a wonderful weekend!!!!