Be Mine, Oh Valentine

We haven't had much sun around here 

of late but I managed to take a few 

photos of Valentines decor around the house the 

other day while the sun was out.

 I don't know how I did it but I forgot

to take a photo of the fireplace as a whole 

with it's decor. I just took photos of bits and pieces.

 

I'll try to take one later in the week.

 

Decked out the chandi with heart ornaments.

I shared on instagram this heart wreath I made last week. 

It's just tissue paper flowers on a wire form.

I painted that cabinet back in the fall and am really loving

the color. Now it flows with everything

else in the room...except I had left the existing top color.

I thought maybe I could live with it.

But I do not like it. It's almost black and too shiny.

So it's going to have to be painted. 

I love the piece except for the top....so I've got to change it.

I am going to paint it to look like wood. 

Hopefully.

 I really love this room in the sunshine...well any time.

Still looking for the perfect table to go behind the sofa.

That little white one was a temporary fix.

And now it's been in that spot over 10 years.

Problem is anything that goes there has to be 

no higher than 30 inches and 14 deep and about 40 wide.

I have not looked very seriously until I'd say the last 6 months.

One day I'll find the perfect thing. 

And oh...what I need to concentrate on is painting all

the woodwork in this room. 

I started trying to take the paint off because it was flaking off 

and it turned into the biggest mess. 

A big thing for me to tackle this year.

 

I shared this on instagram a few weeks ago. 

The basket of flowers on my front door all set

for Valentines.

I do love Valentine decor. But soon it will be time for Easter stuff.

My most favorite!

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Make it a Beauty!

So last week I told you about the roses I got in the mail from 

the Bouqs.com

in exchange for a little post on my blog about the flowers.

Well, I was very happy to give a rave review.

The roses came on Wednesday via Fed Ex and I photographed them 

on Friday. They looked fantastic...very fresh.

But when Wednesday rolled around this week and they still 

looked super great...I thought "Hey, I better give another review!"

Here it is Friday again...and a week and two days from receiving my

roses...they still look better than many I've bought locally.

So I snapped a few photos to show you.

Usually, when I get roses...I'm lucky if they last a day or two.

These are the freshest roses I've ever received!

I've never had roses last this long...ever.

And you still have time to order for Valentine's Day!

Click on the link below or the one on my right hand sidebar 

under sponsors.

I picked up that cute little tray with my words to live by

last week when out shopping with Mom.

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A Valentine Peek

Just a bit of my Valentine Mantel.

I spent 7 hours making all those tissue paper flowers.

7 hours!

At hour five...I realized perhaps this wasn't the best use of my time.

Another couple of hours of embellishment and I had a huge flower heart.

You can make one too....just tissue paper and coffee filters....and 9 hours of time.

I'll show the rest tomorrow.

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Valentine Inspiration

 via

dear little valentine trees

via

 sweet little cupcakes

via

 lovely vignette

 via

Oh...my! Can you believe this house?

So fun

via

Debra of Common Ground's wonderful sun porch.

Debra moved recently and left this sun porch behind.

I'm going to miss it so!

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Valentine Cupcake

Red Velvet in a Minute

I eat cake all the time...freshly baked cake for one...please.

I stir up little cakes for myself and thought I'd share my recipe.

I made a quickie one in honor of Valentine's Day.

 Really, no big mystery here as to the ingredients.

Just two...

Cake mix and a little water. 

Fill the cup about half way full with cake mix and add water.

Not a lot of water but just enough to make it the consistency of cake batter...which it is.

stir well

Pop in microwave for 1 minute.

That's it!

It comes out super fluffy.

Add frosting if you like...I sprinkled on a little powder sugar today.

I  usually make it plain.

I actually prefer it to baked cake.

It doesn't have any sort of toast flavor, just pure cake.

Don't over cook, though.

I'd been making muffins with pumpkin and cake mix for years when one

day I thought....I wonder if I only did water?

Works great...no need for oil or eggs.

Sorry the photos are a little fuzzy.

Snow storm here as I'm sure you probably have there.

I was lacking in sunshine and did the best I could.

I picked up that little fabric heart last week at Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts.

super sweet

They had the cutest Valentine stuff!

Cute Easter too!

Now I'm going to make myself a big pot of Thai Coconut Soup.

I discovered this stuff a few weeks ago.

I throw in some veggies, a little coconut milk (often I skip this)

cilantro, green onion, lemon grass and 

I've got a delicious soup.

One that makes me happy to be snowed in.

This soup is vegetable based too!

No chickens die to make this soup.

I usually pour it over a little rice.

Hope you are staying warm!

I've been snuggling with the weenies.

Last night Violet went out in the middle of the snow storm and just sat there in the middle of the 

yard staring at me.

She wouldn't come in.

Harvey ran out and immediately turned and ran back in.

Sally wouldn't even budge off the sofa.

Franklin looked out and shook his head.

But Violet! She sat out there for a good 5 minutes.

I had to walk away from the door...it was too frigid!

Finally, she came in all covered in snow.

Happy as could be.

"Well, glad you decided to come in Miss Polar Bear"... I said.

"Hmph"...she said and off to bed she went.

I don't know what made her want to sit out there in well below freezing temperatures.

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Valentine Decor

A Valentine Tea

Yesterday I picked up a few things to decorate for Valentine's.

I thought I'd show today last year's Valentine decorations for any of you 

that might have missed it last year.

I really loved how my collection of pink doilies look on the table.

The weenies and I had a little tea party with cupcakes and cookies.

I hope I can find where I put all those doilies for this year.

Last week I was browsing through all the pretty transferware at

http://nancysdailydish.net/

when I happened upon this pattern...

It's called Chatham by Royal Doulton.

Transferware is one thing I've never collected.

Oh...I have a piece here and there and recently acquired a blue piece but 

it never was something that I couldn't live with out.

Till I saw that plate above!

Wouldn't it make a pretty Valentine setting?

I'm going to start collecting it, I think.

It would be lovely mixed with my rose patterned china.

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