Authentique's Smitten and Lovely

 

The paper used on this layout id from Authentique's Smitten line 2012, and some from Authentique's Lovely line from 2013. I was influenced on the structure of the layout by Kelly Goree's Home Grows layout she published on her blog in July of 2009. Even if I used photographs in color and not as many patchwork squares, I liked how it came out. Still not as professional as Kelly's - but hey I have been out of the loop for awhile. This was my sons "Best Day Ever!" He looked forward to the

Valentine Dance at school for a whole month. He made his own appointment at the hairdressers so he would have a cool hair cut. He wanted his hair just like how it was the last time he had a hair cut. He picked out hi clothes in advance and laid them out. Asked a girl in his class to be "his Valentine" so for sure she would dance with him. So cute, how they get all excited about this stuff!

 

Authentique - Lovely Collection

 I scrapped the photo's from Valentine's Day using Authentique's Lovely collection. We had a great Valentine's evening that was planned by my friend. Yes, she planned the whole evening for all of us. The men got to respond on her E-Vite that she sent out, whether they planned to attend. Her husband then adjusted the reservations according to the number of guests who planned on attending.

I thought the Authentique paper from the Lovely Collection best displayed the photo's from our evening out. The dinner tables had these large Valentine heart shaped suckers in the center, which we promptly put into our mouths after dinner and took some cute photo's with them. It reminded me of the old fashioned Valentine's with the big red hearts. Then I remembered I purchased this paper and still had not used any of it yet. The other embellishments came from Jillibean Soup. The heart shaped wooden button and the oval conversation sticker, and some brads mixed throughout. 

No matter who planned the evening, we had a great time. Dinner in town that consisted of a special Valentine Menu, then we walked to the wine bar (where we had a table reserved for us as well), where we enjoyed spirits and dancing to a live band! The mayor of Covina was even there, and sat at our table! My friend also made Valentine candy stuffed mailboxes! So cute, she decorated them with stickers and filled them with candies... And by accident the women all wore some type of animal print! Just happened that way.

Basic Grey Kissing Booth Layout - Valentine

My kids no longer hand out Valentine's - except for Jackson. So when the scrapbook companies come out with way cute Valentine paper, I am always wondering what I would use it for? The pictures in this layout were taken at Christmas time when all of the kids were together. I used Basic Grey's new Kissing Booth line. I like this paper because it is centered with the brown. The rose colors, fuscia, deep fuscia, a mint green and a deep coffee brown.

Some of the embellishments were from the Martha Stewart Collection from a couple of years ago. But I always like her embellies! Especially the felt ones. They look like they were made by hand! The pearl effects on the scalloped paper were made with the NEW Liquid Pearls from Ranger. I love this stuff! When I use it I find I am putting in on everything! I like the Liquid Pearls and the Stickles. They both come in such wonderful colors! 

The lettering is from Thickers. I used the foam lettering. American Crafts comes up with the best lettering! I use Thickers on most of my layouts, even though I own die cut lettering and could easily punch some out quickly for a title. I only wish now that I could photograph my layouts with better color. These pictures do not do the Kissing Booth line from Basic Grey justice. I guess you will have to see it in person to know what I am trying to write!

Warning! These Valentine's Are Hot!

This year for the Valentine's to pass out in the class room I got the bright idea to take a picture of each student and create an individual card for them. I found this cute valentine card set from Making Memories bought some stickers at Michael's and made (what I thought) was some cutey personalized Valentine's. It wasn't until I went to the computer and read some blogs that I found some really cute and clever ideas, so I thought I'd post them here so next year I can use them. Can't lose my notes when I put my thoughts onto my own blog!

1. Give sucker candy with a cute tag that says "Don't you know that Valentine's Day is for suckers!" Saw this on the "bunny cakes blog." It is a good one for boys. Boys are always so hard when they get into the older grades.

2. Valentine heart shaped candies made from small candy canes. Saw this on "Homespun With Heart" blog.

3. Ice cream cone coated with chocolate topped with a pink meringue cookie and a secret Valentine message inside. This was also on Danielle Flanders page "Homespun With Heart." Scroll down to the very last part of her post.

4. Place a sucker inside a circle cut away container and stamp "I am a Sucker for You!" I saw this one at "Chic 'N Scratch." She is a Stampin' Up demonstrator.

5. "Valentine, Go Fish!" Another creative packaging idea from Angie Juda at "Chic 'N Scratch."

6. A Valentine Mini Album for your special someone. This idea came from Lia at "Organised Clutter."

Well, those were the best of the ideas that I saw for children's Valentine's to make in a large quantity to pass out to the class. Always love to receive that homemade Valentine... love Creative People... love to receive a Valentine with some thought... love all those special touches! XOXO!!! Happy Valentine's to all of you Creative People!!!

Valentine Cake

I love Valentine's Day. I love making Valentine's with the kids. I love all the papers with the hearts and the pinks and the reds. I love making treats. And I love going to dinner dressed in some new red ensemble. I was going through some of the blogs and saw a post about a cake that is made to look like a box of chocolates. It is from Bakerella. They have all the instructions on how to make this very cute treat. What a nice gift for a teacher, a boss, a friend...

Kit of the Month - February 2009

February's Kit of the Month features papers from Fancy Pants. I like the use of black mixed with the traditional Valentine colors of Red and Pink, they even brought in a very pretty turquoise. This layout can be used for both girls and boys. The washed out black paper with the "you rock" sayings can be for any one of your munchkins. There is a bit of whimsy with the scrolls and the scroll element at the bottom. I used a black pen to enhance some of the scroll and drew small random hearts. The heart die cuts have hand drawn stitch marks. It really is a layout that you must see in person to get the whole effect of the detail. Plus I cut out extra heart dies so you can make your personal layout even more unique! These wont be in the store long. We only make a small number of kits. Don't wait until the end of the month, they will (hopefully) be gone by then!

Pocket Valentine Page

These are my Valentine layouts I did for Crystal. (I posted the two halloween inspired ones already). One page offers a pocket to put cards in to keep as a momento. I used paper from Reminisce, their "Be Mine" line. This one was fun to put together...

A Plithera of Valentines!

This year the lines for Valentine's Paper was a tough call. I mentioned on the Scrappin' Good Times blog that I liked Memory Makers (Red, Black and Creme colored) line the best. It has die-cut paper with laced edges and antique looking embellishments such as embossed

arrows, tags, hearts, quotes, heart brads, heart paper clips... This line sold out at the store very fast. However, the next two lines I love (and had to have all the pieces to) are the K & Company Smitten and Marcella K Cupcakes (sold at Target)!


Smitten is Hot Pinks, Mauve, Raspberry, and Dark Chocolate. The line has tons of hearts and glittered flowers (could be used for Mom's Day), 3-D embellishments, to and from tags, laced paper ribbon, rub-ons, chipboard hearts and flowers and glittered out and a chipboard glittered alphabet is light pink.


Cupcakes is whimsickle with Devil's Food Chocolate, Lime Green, Candy Pink, and Decadent Blue. Stickered embellishments are three dimensional cupcakes and "candy sweet" sayings, felt cupcakes and hearts, and an "iced" alphabet. (As if it was made from frosting). The line has cards that can be embellished and then mailed to your Valentine, with cute cupcakes and a cherry on top! Very sweet and perfect for kids to put together and have sent from them!

I love giving and receiving Valentines. Even the mailman gets a Valentine this year!