Mr. Monk and Valentine's Day

I know that may be a title that will send
some people running, but we love Monk in this house. And, we seem to be persuading everyone we know to love it as much! I have finally come to the decision that I love it so much because I can relate to Adrian Monk. I definitely have a bit of OCD. Witness
the attached pictures. Most people
would have been done with their
Valentine decorations as I showed you
in recent blogs, but I have to do what I
call "tweaking" and somehow that sounds better than obsessing!

I have a lot going on in my life right now and as much as I would like to tackle some large projects,
I can't seem to wrap my mind around any one long enough to actually get started. So, that leaves me time to start looking at what is! And time to start "tweaking". Hence this update.

I was in HL the other day and found this $20 frame at 66%
off. I liked it because it was a different size than most
of my frames. I'm not sure how it will ultimately end up,
but for now, I used my Cricut and cut out the numbers
and simply mounted them on a sheet of Valentine
scrapbook paper. It is on the sideboard in the
dining room.

Then I brought in my birdcage. I found the bird in the floral department of HL and made the banner from some ribbon and letters I had on hand. I used the bird nest from a spring vignette and slipped 3 sparkly hearts into it. This now sits in the front familyroom window that I was not happy with but I couldn't get a good picture of it there because of the lighting. I like the whole vignette so much better now...who knew?

I also did some tweaking on the familyroom mantle. I bought 2 large chipboard letters and added the glitter. I placed them on the mantle as well as re-positioning the lights and adding a banner of some old vintage Valentine cards that I had downloaded last year and never used. I like the look a lot better now - it is much more symmetrical - another Monk thing!


Lastly, I was looking at some vintage image CDs I had purchased and realized that I had never downloaded any of the Valentine images. I liked the one of the little girl with the Valentine, so I printed it out and layered it on some scrapbook paper and voila, a cute little image to prop on a stand and fill in an empty corner - if there is ever such a thing around here. It wasn't popping quite enough for me, so I added the glittered heart and that did the trick!

Once again, I think I am finished decorating for Valentine's Day but you never know when more of Mr. Monk will creep in and my OCD will take charge. But I do know that when I was in the stores yesterday, I was greeted with lots if St. Patrick's Day stuff, so my brain has already started to go the green route. I love to decorate for this holiday because the green gives the feeling of spring as well and it is very easy to add a few bunnies and eggs and you are on to Easter. Boy, it is no wonder that I see my life flashing before my eyes and time going so much more quickly than it has ever before. Maybe I need to stop and take time to smell the roses...if only someone would give me some for Valentine's Day - hint, hint!

Be Mine

When I looked at the above picture on yesterday's blog, I knew I really didn't like this area. Don't need or want to spend more money on Valentine's Day decor at the moment, so I shopped the house. I think it was the lack of height that was bothering me so I found this red vase on the porch. It may not be Valentiney, but the bare branches speak of winter to me and it gives a bit more proportion to the tall area. Check out the before after above and see if you agree.


I thought I was happy with the addition of the branches in the vase until I was reading new blogs this morning. Someone had old shutters on their mantle and I remembered that I used shutters in all of my autumnal decorating and loved them. They came down for Xmas as the reindeer candleabra was plenty tall enough for this space on its own. Anyhow, I ran out to the garage, grabbed the shutters, leaned them up and now I think I may be done. What do you think?

The Key to My Heart

I finally found some time to do a little bit of crafting. It is always surprising to me how many "themes" pop up in my decorating - even when I am not trying...rust, bird cages, lanterns, chunky wooden candle holders, etc., etc., and now...skeleton keys. When I saw this idea out on the blog, I realized that I love these keys and always have some on display if only propped against a picture in a vignette. I knew I had to whip up something like this and simply lay it on an old book with a red leather cover. I love it. And, I know where to find many more keys for my next project. My favorite, "The Shoppe" in Micanopy, carries them all of the time. Unless they are sold out because apparently they are a favorite of more than just me. But, they refill the basket almost as fast as they sell out! So, just ask.

I made this vintage heart collage because I love all things vintage but it isn't exactly as I had in my mind. I have tweaked it a few times since I "finished" and it is getting closer to what I had envisioned but still not quite there. We'll see if any inspiration hits before the big day.

I love cones. This one was the easiest I have made so far because I didn't have to start by making the cone. I bought a number of packages of polka dot treat cones thinking we might be able to use them in some way for Presley's sweet shoppe party. We didn't so there they were just begging to be used. They were made of card stock that I usually wouldn't use for something I wanted to pack & save - usually make mine from chip board - but once they were covered in 2 coats of glue and glitter, they were more than sturdy! I simply embellished with a premade rosette from MS and lined with a crocheted doilly from my mom and a vintage greeting.

Then I still needed something to hang from "the hand". I cut out a heart and wings from chip board, covered them in glitter and printed the sentiment. I have to confess that I saw something VERY SIMILAR at "House of Whimsy" and knew I had to do it. As I have said many times before, I don't think I've ever had an original idea but I mostly use others' ideas as a starting point and then go from there to something of my own.


The last area I had time for was the nook in the diningroom. I made this banner using a free download from the internet. Then I tied a large bow on the goose. It is starting to come together but will probably get a few tweaks before I am done as well...actually, I guess I'm never really ever done. I'm usually packing things I buy after the holiday or filing away ideas for next year before any holiday is officially ever over in my house. Guess I'm the original "party girl" - ha-ha!

I have a few more things I would like to do to the sunroom, but for the most part I am ready for the big day. If inspiration strikes soon, I will be back. But for now, I am on to repainting some more pool furniture. Hopefully I will have it all done by our first spring day!

Hearts and Flowers

So into the family room we go. I bought these hearts on a string a few years ago at Hobby Lobby. They're really simple but I like them. They look really nice hanging in a wreath but for now they hang on the door to an old red cupboard.

Admittedly this window area is one of the last that I decorate and somehow I run out of steam by the time I get there. This year I decided to use it as one more area for frames. I love the conversation heart frame that my youngest daughter made last year. I was a bit worried about how it would store with all of the humidity here in Florida, but I just stored it in the house with all of the other photos and delicate decorations and it is perfect!

I am going to bring my "Halloween" birdcage in this weekend and replace this plant. Then, I think I will check out the wedding sections of Michaels and HL and see if I can't do some sort of a "love bird" vignette. I'll let you know if I pull it off.

This planter sits by the door out to the pool. I actually bought it for my guest bathroom. For many years it was in there and served as a towel and bath item holder for company. One day I just got tired of it and brought it out here for its intended purpose and I love it. The mirror above I bought at a Junior League Holiday show from some women whose husbands were in the renovation business. Apparently they take old tin ceiling tiles and use them to make these mirrors. I love this mirror. Usually I stick antique cards of the season into it but I was ready for a change this year so it is unadorned. I also love the long, thin hanging vase that my oldest daughter bought me. I keep it filled with a few seasonal stems all of the time and it just seems to set off this area.

Many years ago (when I just had 4 grand daughters) I saw this idea for long stemmed "poses" and I made every one a set that year. Mine stays out all of the time. Fast forward to 7 grandchildren and my mom in a nursing home. I try to always keep seasonal decorations in her room but space is limited so I thought I would re-work this bouquet. I simply added the new faces and some glitter and one now sits on my table as well as another on my mom's bed side table. It is so fun to look at those faces and sure lasts a lot longer than the real things!



We made these wreaths in G.S. a few years ago. You simply bend a clothes hanger into a heart shape - actually the hardest part - and then tie on small strips of fabric. I think the knot is called a half hitch. You can make this a lot fluffier but we are always on a tight budget not to mention the fact that by the time the girls are about 2/3 done tying knots, they're more than ready to be done! It gets a little hard on the hands as you have to pull pretty tight to make it look nice.

Here is one of my new loves. My oldest daughter and her family gave it to me for Christmas. First of all, it is rusty so what's not to love. Then, it is BIG and it is a lantern and did I mention, it is rusty? Right now it is hanging in the corner of the family room where I can see it every night but I love it so much that I may move it into the living room near the rusty HUGE sconces that my youngest gave me. They will look wonderful together but for now, I am keeping it all to myself!



I have been playing around with some crafts today and if I can come up with something I like, I will post it tomorrow. It seems to be one of those days when no matter what I try, I just can't quite hit the mark. We'll see how it goes - stay tuned.

Days of Wine and Roses

This unit at the end of the kitchen stays pretty much the same all of the time - the only thing that changes is that the doo- dads are specific for each season. I love how the rose bouquet almost mimics the roses in the painting. We picked the painting up at the Fine Arts for Ocala show many years ago and I still love it although it does travel around the house as the season or holiday warrants.


Another display area for past Valentine crafts is this pie safe and shelf area. I use the shelf to hold extra painted plates and the safe holds a small stained glass hurricane and a heart shaped basket that I made and dyed a long time ago. Yes, I was into basket making for awhile. I had baskets everywhere when my house was a bit more country but now that my taste has changed a bit, I seem to only use the holiday themed baskets or the ones made for storage.

This arrangement sits on the corner of the kitchen bar. As it gets closer to Valentine's Day, it will become fresh flowers but for now, I'm O.K. with this. The glittered X & O were made last year for a G.S. Mother's Day tea that was themed "Hugs & Kisses". I made it for a center piece and loving glitter as much as I do, I couldn't bear to throw it away! So, I just stuck it in the vase and it has been there since.

This is a close up of one of the napkin decoupaged plates we have made. I use this technique a lot for any group of kids because you really can't go wrong. Basically you just trim down a single napkin layer and decoupage it on to the back of a clear glass plate. You can also use tissue paper. It is best to try not to have wrinkles but when the younger children do this, wrinkles are almost a given and when the plate dries, it really doesn't seem to matter that much. Pretty fool proof and when filled with goodies, it makes a pretty impressive gift!

Here is a close-up of another one of the photo blocks that we made last year.

These are my two favorite Valentine wine glasses as they were made for me years ago by Hannah & Morgan.

Nothing really exciting about this corner of the kitchen except to note the potholder hanging there. A few years ago, I bought some pot holder looms after reminiscing with my grand daughters about how I went into the pot holder business when I was a little girl. They loved hearing how I spent more than I made because I took special orders and had to buy so many different colored loops. Not to mention how I never even figured out how much it would cost to make a potholder. I sort of just went out with a price and took lots and lots of orders. I guess I know why my "budgeting skills" could still use a little work - you would think I would have learned my lesson but as I remember it, it was my mom's pocket book that took that hit! In any case, they really took to it and were soon producing pot holders for everyone in all of the holiday colors!


The last place I use for decorating in the kitchen is my refrigerator. When I see it like this, I have to admit it is a bit over the top but I love my pictures, so any place to display them is fine with me! Most of the magnets have been gifts from years past, but my favorite is from 2009. We painted wooden hearts with puffy paint to look like cookies and then glued them on to a clothespin and put a strip of magnet down the back. The, we made bags of "Red Hot"popcorn and sealed it off with a clothespin. When the recipient was finished eating, he/she still had the magnet to use.

Behind the girls in this picture are the profile silhouettes we made as gifts that year in G.S.

Boy! I know I said we have made a lot of Valentine gifts over the years, but even I didn't remember how many until I started looking at these pictures. One more room tomorrow - hope you'll come back!

Can You Feel the Love?

Welcome to the dining room. My pig is ready to greet you again but I think I will need to see if I can't come up with a little better outfit for such an important position.


I am still working on this area. I printed the Valentine subway art from somewhere out there in blogland and then just popped it into an old frame that I painted black. There is still more that I can do here but it will have to wait for some inspiration this weekend. The block photo holder is something Hannah and Morgan and I made last year. In fact, we made LOTS of them and each one was completely different. I love how the girls can continue to come up with such creative ideas - they're SOOOO talented - ha-ha.

Here is proof of them being so creative and talented last year and also just so darn cute!


As I look at this picture I am SURE that I will be doing some tweaking in here. It really does look better in person than it does here! What is missing?





The baker's rack holds many craft projects as well as photos. The above pots are just two of the incarnations of this idea. We made them at home and we made them several times in Girl Scouts. They can be as simple or as intricate as you want. Most of the time we used stamps cut from sponges for the hearts, but as the girls got older, they began hand painting their own design. I always love a photo gift.

The "LOVE" sign was one of many holiday signs that we made one year. I simply bought inexpensive wooden letters and we glued them together and then just used scrapbook paper and embellishments to make them pretty - once again, all different.

Also on the baker's rack is one of the hurricanes we made one year. The girls decorated them with stick on hearts and then we painted them with stained glass paint. They are beautiful when they are lit!



Last year I was all about the Bingo cards. This is one I made and then my Girl Scout troop made them as well. It brought back my memories of childhood when we really did hand make Valentines for special people. The girls were so excited to dive into my piles of embellishments and made truly unique gifts for their families. I made each one that I gave with a small doilly that my mom had crocheted so they held a special meaning to us.




The hutch holds several other past year crafts - as well as the hand that all of my girls hate. They say it creeps them out. Usually it is holding something seasonal so I need to get on that.

Several of the plates were done by the kids - again with either sponge designs when they were younger or hand painted as they got older. We used glass paint and baked them when they were done and usually filled them with homemade cookies, candy or chocolate dipped pretzels as gifts.

Also on the hutch are our salt shaker photo holders. They were all over the blog last year and look so festive filled with glitter!

I told you I had a lot of things to talk about for this holiday. If you can stand it, come back again and we'll be on to another room!