Photo Valentine Tree

I found this cute little tree filled with Love and thought I'd share it.
I'm pretty sure any proud grandparent would love a tree filled with pictures to display in their home.
Great idea for a February Wedding or Shower too. :)

You can find the DIY http://choosetothrive.blogspot.com/

Kisses in the kitchen

oh my....how could i resist posting about these amazing chocolate cookies?
how sweet they must be. i can only dream of them. :)
if you'd like to do more than just dream of them...here's the recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 36 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates or HERSHEY'S HUGS Brand Candies
• 1 can (16 oz.) vanilla ready-to-spread frosting

Directions

1. 1 Beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt alternately with milk, beating until well blended. Cover; refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
2. 2 Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolate pieces.
3. 3 Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Spread frosting onto cookies, leaving about 1/2 inch around outer edge unfrosted; place chocolate piece in center of each cookie. About 3 dozen cookies.

found this here.

Be served

Need a good idea to spruce up a plain serving tray?
I must admit I have a few of these laying around that could use some personal touches.
See what you think............

punches
bottles caps
and a recycled cupboard door!
for all of the ideas and DIY head here.

Ribbon chandelier

I'm loving this chandelier. Supplies~

I think I have a box or two of dark pink petals left over from the wedding....hmmm,
do I hear a chandelier in the works?
Maybe. :)

tutorial here

Cotton Candy Garland

Oh is this ever sweet! :)

Cotton candy
Garland
You just can't go wrong with either! :)
So here's the tutorial for ya!

Sad times...enough already!!

Dec 29th my sweet Grandma passed away. It's hard to say goodbye, but knowing that she lived a good long life is a blessing.
Jan 13th my mother-in -law passed away while we surrounded her bed with prayer and song. She was diagnosed in November with cancer that had spread and was given about 4-6 months to live. What a blessing to know that all of her children were with her as she went to sleep in the Lord.
Life is hard, but we know that God is with us in the people he sends our way.

I'll be posting again in a couple days.

Blog button and changes

So I'm trying to do some different things to my blog...but I must admitt I have to be the worst person at all this hyperlink/java script/gadget computer stuff.
I uploaded a picture for a button at photobucket and have actually managed to wipe out all pictures in my account and blogs that I visit that should have a picture from photobucket...gone.
Who knows what I did!!!
I'll keep working on it though.
I want some changes here and I guess that's the only way I will get them....unless I wipe out this whole darn blog!!
A couple blogs I've gone to that are helpful are:
Jenieshells
and
Craftaholic

It's still winter....

so have a wedding!
Here in ND it's always a big risk to have a winter wedding.
You just never know when that next big storm is going to hit and in the recent years it seems like they hit most every weekend...how nice.

What a perfect theme with all the white for winter goes right along with weddings.

these wedding ideas are found here

I have to say these favors are just sweet!

Winter party

Oh this is adorable....Really, a winter themed pink party that is just sweet!
This party
Emma's Winter Onderland Party
found here {many more pics and details}

tutorial for these here

see winter's not so bad...I think I'm starting to like it! =)

It's winter wonderland.....

...........more like freeze your butt of weather here in ND!!
Forecast is for below zero temps this weekend.
Brrrrr. {we secretly love it}

In celebration {using that word lightly} of Winter I will be sharing some winter themed parties that I have found at other amazing blogs. =)

Today, this party
Landon's Winter Onederland Party
featured here
is just the {coolest} party for a one year old
don't you just love the "baby it's cold outside" sign!
These little buggers make me cold just looking at them. =)

and you really need to check out this party from here....... A green winter party!!!

Chandelier....of the felted kind.

This adorable chandelier was made by teri at giddy giddy.
I am pretty sure any little girl would love this chandelier hanging in their room after it has made it's debut at her birthday party. :)

Clay project

Last fall I had my daughter make 130 clay tags to add to snack bags that I would be handing out at our annual Christian Women's Retreat.
I wanted something that would refer to the snack inside the bag,
but also something spiritual....hence,
be filled.
Here are the steps she took {I helped some!}

The clay {bought at JoAnn's} ~

Softening the clay~

Rolling it out and cutting the shapes ~

"Stamping" each letter of be filled on 130 circles! ~

Baking ~

After the baking we dry brushed them with a bit of white acrylic paint. ~

Sprayed with a clear finishing spray, added twine and have a finished product. ~My daughter enjoyed working with the clay alot!
You can stamp just about anything onto the clay and it bakes perfectly.

You could easily stamp names of your guests for the party.
Great table seating markers, favor bag tags or key chains as a gift too.

Intentions......

I am intending on making a comeback with this party blog.
Just had to get away from it for awhile.
I'm trying to talk my daughter into helping me with this....no luck yet. :)
Sorry for the lapse in posts.