be mine, valentine

how sweet is this motherlode of valentiney goodness that i won on an instagram giveaway from cakewalk baking? i gobbled up the cookies (i did share though- i promise!) and am using all of the other loveliness in valentine's treats of my own.

are you gearing up to make valentines? 

or do you buy your valentines from the store? or skip them altogether?

year to year it depends on what we do, but as a lover of paper and markers and glitter and all things color i can't help swoon with the idea of homemade valentines. (besides i know it is only a matter of time before my girls jump off the homemade ship and want me to buy them valentines of disney princesses or justin beiber's latest tween replacement)

some ideas if you want to get crafty!

when m was itty bitty but already in deaf school she would scribble and then i would cut out hearts from her scribbled papers. easy as can be and homemade!

one year i paid for a customized file from olliegraphic that i could just print out myself at home. it was cheaper than buying them at the store, and i could print exactly as many as i needed.

sometimes we've had little work stations around the house:

 gather supplies at the dollar store, target one spot or a craft store 

and let your kiddo get to work!

i chose only red and pink markers and let them have at it with stickers and sequins 

that they picked out at michaels:

 

cozy valentine factory on the couch:

or i've gone the easy and fast route:

taken some pictures of the girls,

added some words with picasa's photo editing 

and ordered a bunch of photo prints from the drugstore.

easy to order more if you need them, personal, and inexpensive!

last year i made these for school and to mail to family & friends~

a couple of years ago i stole an idea from design mom and made 3D photo valentines with the girls. this was so much fun for them. i had to convince them why they were posing...and the only way i could get a good one of ruby was to hold her upside down to force a smile!

after taking the picture i added text in picasa (or you could do it in photoshop or any online photo editor) & ordered prints at walgreens from my computer:

then used an exacto knife to carefully cut a slit at the top and base of m's hand to slide a lollipop into...

slid the lollipop through...

easy! cute! fast!

for teachers i bought a pack of valentine pencils at target and slid those through instead.

(or if you prefer to be sugar free or your school doesn't allow candy valentines)

spread the love!

what are you doing for valentine's day?

(any ideas for my valentine's for this year?)

i kind of want to make these amazing valentine arrows that my friend nicole made last year...but do i have the patience?!

last but not least, do you remember this valentine cutie? 

(this is just days before her cochlear implant surgery!)

my oh my how quickly five years has sped by!

xoxoxoxoxo