Okay, it was more like 24 gumball machines...
but after tying each little ribbon, and packaging up each of these Valentine treats, it started to feel like 76!
So worth it to make a whole room full of five-year-olds smile though! Hope your Valentine's Day was a ball too. 
Year before last, Williams Sonoma had the most adorable Valentine wreath in their catalog. It was was comprised completely of retro style Valentines that had been decoupaged onto a wooden form. I logged that idea away to borrow sometime in the future...
We have had three snow days in a row because of extreme temperatures in our area, so I decided to put my own slant on that wreath idea. This is what I came up with in my spare time. Again, I exercised some restraint with what I included. The base is so glittery and happy that I couldn't cover it all. Okay, I could have, but didn't. I am thinking that it needs a bow though. What do you think?
Cancel the intervention, I finally took down all the Christmas decorations. 
In their place are Valentines. Several years ago I bought a piece of pre-cut foam core to fit an open back frame from the craft store. I covered the foam core with velvet and then popped it into the frame. The result is a blank canvas perfect for displaying my Heart Day delights. Some of the Valentines are vintage and others are reproductions. I move them around until I like the pattern and then just attach each one with a straight pin to the covered foam core. This is what I have so far. I plan to add some other bits and bobs here and there for texture. Heaven forbid there be any blank space showing. 
I did not make a resolution to blog less in 2011, but it seems like I have done just that. Please forgive me. Even though Christmas seems like a million years ago, I still have smatterings of decorations here and there that I have yet to put away. And while you might think that doing something about that should take priority, I have found countless reasons (excuses) not to. The above picture features the tags I made for a Valentine's swap. Yep, that's right. I was sitting at my kitchen table whipping up twenty of these babies instead of acting like a responsible adult and packing away the Christmas decor. And if that is not deranged enough, I was seriously considering making a special trip to Hobby Lobby to see if they have the Easter decorations out yet. Yes ladies and gentlemen, it's a sad state of affairs. Oh well, I'll let you know if I find anything good at Hobby Lobby.
The tree probably looks the same as last year and the year before, but I still love it.
The mantle is a little bit the same and a little bit different. I know I used some of the same decorations, but maybe omitted one glass jar (insert mock gasp here).
Note to self... work on taking photos without the flash in 2011.
Yes, the flash is soooo 2010.
Ooh, and adding more icicles to things should be a top priority in the coming year as well. Glitter and icicles...always good choices. Happy Christmas Eve eve!
The gifts are wrapped, the cookies are baked, and the house is clean...time to share a few corners of my holiday home with you!
This is part of my dining room decked out for the holiday. I love when things from other parts of the house come together to make new and different Christmas vignettes, don't you? Tomorrow I'll show you some more. Hope you are enjoying the magic hours of Christmas week.
Christmas music is my favorite music. I love the traditional carols and the Top 40 Hits. I am moved by Silent Night each year at the church candlelight service, yet get the giggles when listening to The Drifters version of White Christmas. I have a little playlist going with some of my favorites to share. No, having the word "bell" in the title was not a prerequisite to being on the list. LOL! What are some of your favorites?
CHRISTMAS!
