Friday Faves...Free and Easy Valentine Mantel

As I'm reading Marie Kondo's, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and donating carloads of clothes and decorations and such to the Salvation Army, it didn't make sense for me to go out and buy more seasonal decorations, just so I could have something new for Valentine's decorating.  

So, I challenged myself to use things I already had.

 I used a heart shaped hole punch on a piece of thin cardboard, made dots around the edges with a chalk pin, then used an embroidery needle and string so they could be hung from this branch.

My granddaughters bought me this heart shaped box for my birthday.

I'm glad I thought to get it from my bedroom and add it to my mantel.

It goes perfectly with the other decorations.

 I stenciled L-O-V-E and X-O onto some wrapping paper and put them in frames I already had.

Quick, easy, and free!

Well, it's almost Friday, friends.

I hope you have a 

HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and 

a SAFE and BLESSED weekend!

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com

             

Also sharing at the Share It One More Time Link Party

A Valentine's message from 1 Corinthians 13:7...

Happy Valentine's Day!

To those of you who are single and wondering if and when you'll meet the right one,

to those of you who are disillusioned and devastated after a break up or divorce,

to those of you who are married but you wonder where the romance and passion went,

or you wonder if you're even going to make it,

or worse, if you even want to try any more,

don't give up,

don't lose hope,

endure.

I think the biggest danger of social media is having the illusion that someone,

anyone, has a perfect life.

I think I can speak for everyone I know that's been married for any length of time,

even for those who would describe their marriage as happy,

 it is not easy,

in fact, it's often downright hard,

without God's help and grace it's downright impossible.

It takes faith,

it takes hope,

it takes endurance through every circumstances,

it takes more than human love,

it takes God's love.

Whatever circumstance or situation you find yourself in today.

Whether you're single,

 in an unhappy relationship,

 or blissfully, happily in love,

there's something we all have in common.

Human love is woefully inadequate to meet all of our needs and longings for the long haul.

We all need a love that's bigger, more infinite, and more faithful and steadfast,

than any human being can give us.

We all need God's love.

We need His love to us to fill the emptiness that no human can keep filled,

and through us so that we can love others with faith, hope and endurance.

Thank God that His love is there for us.

All we have to do is open up our hearts to Him and receive it.

still following,

Also happily linking up with the lovely Lisha Epperson.

Wilt thou be my Valentine?

 (Kim's hughes texture, hardlight, 30% opacity)

I love it when the grocery store sells bunches of the small, multi-blossomed clusters of spray roses.

I think I may love them more than the elegant long stemmed roses.

 (Kim's clare texture, lighten, 20% opacity)

When one lonely bloom broke off of a bouquet of grocery store spray roses,

it fit perfectly in this wee, blue, vintage bottle, 

and became the star of this simple valentine vignette.

 (Kim's carmel texture, multiply, 40% opacity)

 (Kim's edith texture, overlay, 40% opacity)

                                                My favorite is this photo shot from above.

 (Kim's 1111 unscripted, hard light, 25% opacity)

  (Kim's thursday texture, hard light, 30% opacity)

(Kim's 2303 texture, hardlight, 25% opacity)

still following,

texture-twist

Friday Faves...5 Valentine ideas

1) Make a simple Valentine centerpiece with items you have around the house.

You will need

-a tray of some sort

- dishes or linens with a touch of red

-a small plant you already have or some inexpensive grocery store flowers

-an old Valentine card

-add a candle or two if you like

2) Make your own Valentine card using a photo.

Take a photo of you pouring cream or creamer into your favorite cup,

or sugar "you're the sugar in my coffee, (tea?),

or honey, "you're the honey...".

You don't have to have a fancy camera, use your point and shoot or your phone camera.

Then using your favorite editing app, Photoshop, PicMonkey or whatever your favorite photo editor is,

 do your edits and add your text.  

Print and give to your favorite Valentine!

3) Make some chocolates for your SWEETheart.

These coconut and pecan filled Martha Washington chocolates are so easy to make and so delicious.

One batch would make enough for your sweetie and several friends.

4) Make a sweet and simple Valentine banner.

Find out how here.

5).  Make your sweetie(s) breakfast in bed.

Our family is big on getting breakfast in bed on special occasions.

My hubs would make me and all three of our daughters breakfast in bed when they lived at home,

and we all sure loved it!

Here are some breakfast ideas for you.

Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins

 Multi-grain Blueberry Muffins

Oat Nut Pancakes

How about some Blueberry Pancakes made from this homemade mix?

If you're ambitious, 

try your hand at these delicious cranberry walnut cinnamon rolls with orange buttercream frosting!

Well, it's almost Friday, friends!

Have a HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and

a safe and BLESSED weekend!

             

Friday Faves...a pre-Valentine treat for you!

Unless you're a blogger, you may not really understand the friendships

 that you can make with other kindred spirits you "meet" online via blogging.

Some of my online friends have become in real life friends, 

and some I've never met in person, yet we bear one another's burdens in prayer and share each other's joys.

Years ago people used to become pen pals without knowing each other face to face.

Remember the story of Julia Child and her friend Avis Devoto?

This isn't much different, except we're blog pals instead of pen pals.

(I know we need to have common sense and caution 

and that people can invent online personas that aren't them at all.)

Anyway,  to all my blog friends and readers, here's a little pre-Valentine surprise for you.  

Some free Valentine downloads!

These are made to be printed to fit an 8x10 frame.

-cut a piece of card stock or watercoloring paper to printer paper size 8 1/2x11

 ( I like to use watercoloring paper because it has some texture to it.)

-click on image you want to print to download it 

-print image

-using the glass from your 8x10 frame center the image under the glass and lightly trace around it,

then cut image to size, place in your frame and voila!

You can also resize these images to fit into a smaller frame or to use as actual Valentines.

Enjoy!

Well, it's almost Friday!

Have a

HAPPY, HAPPY Friday

and 

a safe and BLESSED weekend!