99 Cent Store Valentine Gift Ideas

February 12, 2015February 12, 20152 Comments

This week has been Secret Sister Week at work and it has been so much fun! We pick names and then for the week before Valentines, we bring the other person a little gift each day. It’s fun to figure out what to get and how to sneak it in so nobody can guess who you are! We only spend between $10-15, so a trip to the 99 Cent Store or the Dollar Tree was where I headed. I thought I would show you how you can buy a few small, inexpensive things and it can still be special.

The first day, I gave a small glass red polka-dotted milk bottle and filled it with peanut M & M’s. My Secret Sister had noted that her favorite color is red and her favorite candy were the M & M’s. I tied on a paper heart with her name on it.

The next day was a baseball theme. She likes the L.A. Dodgers, so the colors I chose were royal blue and red. I found a cool old-fashioned looking box of Cracker Jacks, a blue Gatorade, a box of chocolates with baseballs on the cover and a blingy blue keychain.

My Secret Sister also stated that she likes Disney and to cook and bake, so the baking aisle was my next destination. I picked up a box of cupcake mix, a couple of turquoise and white cupcake holders and some cute Mickey and Minnie Mouse cupcake liners.

The last day was the little Starbucks sandwich box that I covered with pretty Valentine paper. I showed how to make this box a couple of weeks ago here on the blog. You could use any box you have on hand. I will fill it with some heart-shaped sugar cookies.

I’m excited to let my Secret Sister know I had her name and find out how she liked all her gifts. I hope you all have a wonderful Valentines Day!

Sunshine and Blessings, Pam

WOOD SLICE VALENTINE HEART

February 2, 2015February 4, 20152 Comments

I have another Valentine post for you all today! This idea I got from a couple of wonderful bloggers I follow. I just love their posts! They have the greatest ideas and wonderful homes. Please take time to check them out!

The first post is from Laura at FindingHomeonline.com. Here is the link to one of her ideas: http://findinghomeonline.com/christmas-table-ideas-mini-wood-slice-wreath-place-setting/

Here is another: http://findinghomeonline.com/wood-burlap-natural-fall-wreath/

Here is my version. I also made the small ones for my table settings, but I already have those packed away :(.

Then Karianne from ThistlewoodFarms came up with this one for Christmas: http://www.thistlewoodfarms.com/wood-slice-christmas-tree

So I made a similar one!

I started out with some of the wood slices. My husband cut mine from some tree branches he had pruned from some of our trees. You can also buy them already cut at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. He cut several different sizes.

While Karianne used an old chalkboard, I use a bulletin board I had taken out of Lauren’s room when she moved into her apartment. I stained the frame a little darker brown, using Minwax Wood Finish in Red Oak. Then I spray-painted the cork with black chalk paint. Since I was using a cork board, I glued a tack to the back of the wood slice and just stuck it into the cork. Here is my Christmas version. I added chalk for the trunk of the tree and the star.

So, since my wood pieces are movable, I decided to change it up for Valentines Day! I took the pieces off and then rearranged them into a heart. I wrote ‘Love’ in chalk across the top. Super easy!!

This project was easy and something that is very versatile for any occasion.

Love, Pam

Sweets for the Sweeties

January 29, 2015January 29, 2015Leave a comment

Hi everyone! February is almost here and hearts are everywhere! My co-workers and I have a Secret Sister exchange every year for the week of Valentines. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to get to know someone a little better and create a nice work environment. We fill out little forms about our likes and interests, then pick names and the week before Valentines Day, we secretly leave little gifts for them. So, I always try to come up with something special and homemade, at least for one of the days.

My girls and I went to Starbucks this past week and Haley bought a sandwich that came in this cute little box. I asked her to keep it so I could try to make it pretty! The first step was picking out some Valentine paper. I had these on hand, but you can find lots of different prints and styles at craft stores. I also used a paper cutter, since I can’t cut a straight line at all!

I cut the paper long enough to fit around the sides of the box and overlap the front and back a little, plus go into the inside of the box.

I glued the sides on and then cut a slit in each corner, diagonally from the corner of the paper to the corner of the box, so I could fold the paper around and into the inside of the box.

Cut off the triangle that is left after folding. Glue down all your edges.

Now measure out another piece of your paper to fit over the back, front and lid of your box. I laid mine on the paper and marked with a pencil how wide the piece needed to be. Cut this out.

I cut off the little square that was on the bottom corner of the box opening and then traced the opening on the back side of the paper I just cut. Cut the rectangle out so it will match the opening on the box.

Once the opening is cut out, wrap the paper around the box, gluing in place.

All nice and pretty! Now to add an embellishment.

I cut out one large heart in white glitter paper and a smaller heart in pink glitter. I glued the small one on top of the larger one and then glued them over the opening on the front of the box.

Ta da! All pretty and ready to add something sweet! I added a little bit of pink and white polka-dot tissue and a yummy chocolate chip bar is nestled inside.

I will make some decorated heart shaped sugar cookies to give to my Secret Sister when the time comes, but this sure looks delicious!!

I tried to explain the cutting as well as I could, but it does sound a little confusing so please email me if you have any questions about the directions. Have fun!

Sunshine and Blessings, Pam