Confession: I am a last-minute mom. I am the mom who gets the birthday gift on the way to the party and wraps it in the car. I am the mom who rushes to drop my kids off at school in my sweats. And for Valentine’s, I am the mom who runs to the store the day before and grabs whatever box of valentines is left over. But, this year, I decided to try something different. I am preparing early and getting some cute, original DIY valentines ready. If you’re looking for something different too, check out these 25 show-stopping DIY valentines!

1. S’mores Valentine– S’mores are no longer just for the summer with these cute Valentines from Overstuffed .

2. I Dig You, Valentine– Real Housemoms‘s Valentines are the perfect hand out for any kids that love playing in the dirt!

3. Paper Airplane Valentines– I have a 5 year old who would go crazy over these valentines from Lia Griffith!

4. Awesome Sauce– The Search for Imperfection‘s printable makes this valentine simple and easy.

5. Gummy Bear Valentine– The gummy bears make this valentine from Six Time Mommy colorful and yummy!

6. Olaf Valentine– Anyone else’s kids crazy for Frozen? My daughter would be obsessed with One Creative Mommy‘s Olaf valentines.

7. Conversation Heart Soap– I used to not like conversation hearts, but these soaps from A Pumpkin and a Princess definitely changed my mind!

8. Valentines Chocolate Box– Our simple valentines chocolate box is perfect for hiding surprises inside, like candy or even a ring? (wink, wink) Find it at This Grandma is Fun!

9. Valentine Donuts– I don’t know about your family, but in ours, there is no greater gift of love than donuts. Share the love with Eighteen25‘s amazing design.

10. Heart Shaped Crayons– Make Valentines colorful with Princess Pinky Girl‘s heart crayons.

11. I “Chews” You– This valentine from Crazy Little Projects is sure to be the hit at any Valentine’s Day party!

12. Pirate Valentine– Short Stop Designs‘s valentines AAAARRR fun treasures for young pirates!

13. You the “Bomb”– Make Life Lovely‘s bath bomb valentines are the perfect way to pamper friends and family.

14. Valentine Pompom Monster–
We love these cute, fuzzy monsters from Practically Functional!

15. You Make My Heart Race– These valentines from Hello, Wonderful are too cute!

16. Fortune Cookie Valentine– We love this original idea from Evermine!

17. You’re One in a “Minion”– I feel like this valentine from The Benson Street was made for me haha. I can’t get enough of the minions!

18. Unicorn Valentine Foam Hearts– This valentine from The DIY Mommy is absolutely magical!

19. Soda Valentine– If you’d like to buy the world a coke, you’ll love this valentine from Bullock’s Buzz.

20. You A-maze Me– We love this fun take on valentines from Lil Luna!

21. Lip Balm Valentine– I don’t know about your family, but my kids looooove lip balm. They would be thrilled to receive Landeelu‘s valentine!

22. Rubber Duck Valentine– Kids will go quackers over Positively Splendid‘s valentines!

23. Valen-slime– Nothing says love like heart-shaped slime! Find this valentine at Kids Activities.

24. Ring Pop Valentine– Question: why has no one ever come up with socially acceptable, edible jewelry for grown-ups? I would love to have a delicious ring that I can slowly eat throughout the day, but that also looks amazing with my outfit. Is that so wrong? Check out this valentine at The Gracious Wife.

25. You Color My World– Add a little color to Valantine’s Day with this valentine from 5 Minutes for Mom!

The post 25 Show-Stopping DIY Valentines appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Just where did this mushy day of love originate? Get ready to swoon! This site History.com explains that there are several versions of St. Valentine. One legend suggests that he was a Roman priest during the third century. When the emperor outlawed marriage for soldiers, Valentine disregarded the law and continued to secretly perform weddings for young couples. When caught, Valentine was martyred.

Another legend teaches that St. Valentine tried to help Christian prisoners escape the beatings and torture of Roman prisons. After he was caught and imprisoned, Valentine fell in love with a girl who visited him. He wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine” before he was killed. Whichever story you want to believe, St. Valentine was known to be popular, heroic and romantic.

It is believed that we celebrate St. Valentine on February 14 in an effort to “Christianize” an ancient pagan fertility festival held in mid February. Part of the festival included the pairing off of the young single men and women of the cities.

It’s kind of fun to learn the ancient legends behind our popular holidays! Why not share these stories with your grandkids as you engage them in some kids’ Valentine crafts?

Valentine coloring pages are a simple way to spend an afternoon together. You can also find a wide array free, printable Valentine cards here The Balance. If you’re up for something different, though, check out this clothes pin heart wreath. What an easy, darling Valentine craft!

Of course, Amazon offers Valentine stuff galore. Check out these fun, no-mess, removable gel window stickers. Speaking of stickers, if you know any sticker fans, they’ll love you forever when they see this set of over 1,000 Valentine stickers. The stickers cost under $20 shipped, and should last you until the day you die. Also, these Valentine pencils are perfect for passing out.

For your favorite LEGO fan, this Cupid dog set is adorable and costs only $10.

However you celebrate it with your grandkids, we hope you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day! Maybe you could break out your chocolate stash to share with your grandkids while they craft and play. (Orrrr, maybe not.)

The post The Curious History of Valentine’s Day appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

It is out with the Christmas reds and greens and in with the pinks, whites, reds, and golds of Valentine’s Day. With a day focused on showing your love for those you love the most, decorate the house, give a card, and celebrate the day with these 11 Lovely Valentine’s Day Printables. But just remember, love is a year round expression. Tell those you love what they mean to you and show it often all year long!

Which one is your favorite?

The post 11 Lovely Valentine’s Day Printables appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

The post 10 Amazing Muffin-Tin Breakfasts To Try Right Now appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

The first batch that I made of these cookies were too much for just my husband and I to eat by ourselves so I took them to our next door neighbor’s. They have a lot of kids and I thought it would be fun for them to have these as an after school treat.   Their oldest teenage daughter answered the door and pretty much before I could say anything, she excitedly asked “Are those Swig cookies?!!”

I was cool right then and there.

I then made them again for Valentine’s Day and my daughter inhaled them saying that they were much better because I had made them with almond extract instead of vanilla.  It’s kind of my signature cookie secret.

Bam. Cool again.

Print

Swig Sugar Cookie Recipe

Course Dessert

Author This Grandma is Fun

Ingredients

Cookies

• 5 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• 1 cup 2 sticks softened butter
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 1¼ cup sugar
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 2 TBL water
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp almond extract. Can also use vanilla
• Additional 1/2 cup sugar for dipping your glass into to smash cookies. Do not add this into the cookie mix.

Frosting

• 5 tablespoons Land 'o' Lakes butter softened
• ⅓ cup + 1 TBL sour cream
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2-3 TBL milk
• 3.5 to 4.5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp almond extract. Can also use vanilla.
• 1 drop red food coloring. I used two drops of neon pink.

Instructions

Cookies

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a separate mixing bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar and powdered sugar until well blended.
• Slowly pour in oil while mixing all the time.
• Add water, almond extract and eggs, blending well.
• Add dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
• Roll cookie dough into 2 inch balls.
• Put the additional 1/2 cup sugar into a small bowl.
• Place the 2 inch balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart because they will spread.
• Place a glass into the sugar (you may need to press the glass against some cookie dough to get the sugar to start to stick) and then press into the balls of dough.
• 
• Press until cookies are about 1/2 inch thick. The edge will become jagged and the cookie will spread beyond the bottom of the glass.
• 
• Bake for only 8 minutes. You do not want to over bake these cookies. 8 minutes is just about perfect.
• Remove cookies from cookie sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• If you aren't going to frost these cookies right away, place them in an airtight container until ready to frost. This is what keeps them moist. I usually layer them in a gallon size ziploc bag.

Frosting

• Cream together butter, sour cream and salt.
• Add powdered sugar and add milk as needed.
• Add almond extract and food coloring (1 drop red OR two neon pink) until well blended.
• Add either more milk or more powdered sugar as desired. I like my frosting on the thicker side.
• Spread over cooled cookies and serve immediately.
• You can also allow the icing to dry a little then place in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Notes

Recipe adapted from The Idea Room

If you want to be a “cool Grandma” to your teenage grandkids, make a batch of these Swig Sugar Cookies.  If your teenage grandkids don’t know about these cookies, then you’re already cooler then they are.

Toodles!

The post Swig Sugar Cookie Recipe appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

10 Valentine’s Day Treats

1. Mini Cherry Heart Pies. How cute are these! Ashley from Frugal Coupon Living makes this how to simple and easy! Plus, they look great!

2. Looking for some chocolate lovin? You must try this S’mores Lava Cake from Creme de la Crumb!!

3. Here’s a twist on a classic! Pizza Pinwheel Hugs & Kisses from Recipe By Photo. This would be a great go to lunch with the kids, your spouse, that special someone, or just yourself!

4. Want something cool and tasty? Take a sip of this Strawberry Vanilla Smoothie from Rocky Mountain Bliss!

5. You can never go wrong with fruit and chocolate. Check out these delicious Chocolate-Covered Raspberries from Sugar Hero! A definite YUM in my book!

6. Speaking of fruit, take a look at these delectable Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries! These tasty treats are from The Nutmeg Nanny.

7. Want to go with something not so sugary? Try out these Sugar-Free Valentine Snacks from Two Kids Cooking! Such a good idea!

8. How about a special breakfast treat for Valentine’s Day morning? Check out these Better Than Restaurant Style Crepes! All found at Munchkin Time.

9. These are always so good at Christmas, why not spread the love to Valentine’s Day! These Valentine’s Chocolate Covered Pretzels are super cute and Love From The Oven offers a great how to tutorial!

10. Last, but not least, these Cinnamon Dessert Nachos With Salted Caramel Dip from The Flavor Bender are sure way to make your special someone just melt! My mouth just waters looking at these!

Hope you have fun making some of these 10 Valentine’s Day Treats! Enjoy your Valentine’s Day!

The post 10 Valentine’s Day Treats appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Hello dear friends from Munchkintime!

Did you know that Valentines Day is just few days away!?!

As a mama of 2 girls, I like to do holiday activities with my girls, and for this year for Valentines Day we decided to bake some heart shape cookies.

I Heart You Almond Cookies made of simple ingredients like sour cream, flour, sugar, almonds and etc.

100% no butter!

You wouldn’t feel bad eating them!

Now scroll down to see how to make these yummies!

[amd-yrecipe-recipe:4]

If you make I Heart You Almond Cookies please tag my name @munchkintimeblog and hashtag #munchkintimeblog on Instagram, I would LOVE to see your creation!

Did you liked this I Heart You Almond Cookies Recipe?

Let me know in the comments below, I would love to hear from you!

3 Popular Posts from Munchkintime:

Qtip Felt Arrows

8 Ingredient Nachos Madness Recipe

DIY Melted Heart Backdrop – Video Tutorial

The post I Heart You Almond Cookies appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

According to the stores around here, Valentine’s Day preparations began on December 26th. Now that we are within a reasonable distance of this next holiday, the grocery stores have moved on to Easter and feel the need to tempt me with Cadbury Creme Eggs at the checkout counter already. It’s a little annoying, yes, but it also means that they are already marking down candy to clear the shelves. I saw a cute candy tree on Amanda Jane Brown and was inspired to do something similar for Valentine’s Day this year. You could do this project with a variety of candies, but I opted for candy hearts because they are colorful, cheap and they taste awful so no one in my family actually wants to eat them. So gather up a few supplies for your Candy Heart Wreath, warm up your hot glue gun and get to work!

Candy Heart Wreath

What you’ll need:

• Heart-shaped foam form
• Candy hearts
• Hot glue gun and several sticks (if you’re using a mini gun)
• Ribbon

What to do:

1. Add a drop of hot glue to the back of a candy heart and press it gently onto the foam wreath.
2. Continue FOREVER until you’ve covered the front of the wreath completely.

As you can see, there’s not much to it, but it feels a bit time-consuming while you’re in the middle of the process. To be completely honest, I spent less than 20 minutes putting it together. I did not place any hearts on the back. I just covered the front as much as possible, cramming the hearts together tightly in little rows. This helps them stay on, too. When you are finished, loop a piece of sparkly ribbon through the heart, tie it off and hang on the door or wall!

Honestly, I HATE glitter. I call it Devil’s Dust. It gets everywhere and you find yourself picking it off of your clothing for weeks after using just a tablespoon of it. But, I just couldn’t resist this ribbon. It was so pretty. That’s the danger of shopping at a craft store, I’m warning you!

Just a couple of notes:

1. If you live somewhere with inclement weather during the winter (snow, rain, general misery…) then I wouldn’t suggest hanging your Candy Heart Wreath on your front door. I don’t know how well the candy would hold up to a lot of moisture, even if they are hard as rocks. Our front door is covered by a hideous “security screen” that I hate, so there’s no point in hanging anything there that’s pretty. I actually hung my wreath up on the wall just inside the door. It would also be pretty over the mantel!
2. If you bang into this, a heart here or there may fall off. Just add another dab of glue and squeeze it back into its place. This is another reason I opted to keep mine off the front door. It’s been hanging on the wall for over a week with no problems whatsoever, but I know it would not survive my boisterous door slammers and their equally boisterous neighborhood friends.

So, what do you think? Cute, right? See, I told you we need to be friends. I’d love it if you came over for a visit to check out some of my other fun stuff!

Valentine’s Day Graham Cracker Crunch

Monster Cookie Milkshakes

The post Candy Heart Wreath appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

This post contains affiliates links. For more information, click to see our disclosure policy.

10 Best Gifts for Him and Her

For Her

1. “Say I Love You” His and Hers pillowcases. Ok, is this not adorable? This would bring a big awwwwwe out of my mouth if I was given this as gift. Super sentimental. Definitely would pull at my heart strings! Find more gifts like this click here.

2. Handmade Spa Bath Bomb Fizzies. Ooo pick me! If my husband gave this to me, I would seriously be so appreciative. This gift not only says, “Take the day off you deserve it,” but it also tells me that he is aware of me and my needs. So if your special gal gets easily stressed, this is the gift for her!

3. Champion Women’s Absolute Workout Leggings. Not only are these exercise pants cute, but they are comfortable! Almost any girl would love some type of comfy pants whether it be for exercising or for lounging around the house!

4. Love Knot Rings. Most girls are all about the sentimental gifts. These rings scream sentimental. The love knot ring is a symbol of love. When she wears it, she will remember you and smile. The Infinity Knot Rings are also one of my favorites!

5. Love Coupons. Want to really make her feel special? Customize your gift to fit her personality and hobbies with these Love Coupons! Personally, I am all about the experience rather than reciving a gift. So whether it be a trip to a spa or a day of rock climbing, you will make her feel loved because you know what she loves best! (And if you don’t know…it’s ok to ask!)

For Him

1. Stance Socks. Check. These. Out. What a fun gift! Men tend to have some level of love for their socks. Stormtroopers, Vader, Yoda, or even something completely different, Stance has some pretty creative socks. You’re sure to find some that fit your man’s personality!

2. In keeping with the theme, Star Wars: The Complete Saga DVD Set is a great gift to add to your movie collection! You can never go wrong with Star Wars. However, if you are a Star Wars hater then you can always go with a different movie set. The Bourne Series is a great alternative, but hey, you know your man best.

3. Summer Sausage and Cheese Wisconsin. If I gave this to my husband, he would just melt! Something about summer sausage and cheese makes his day. This is a simple gift to get to his heart through his stomach!

4. I Love My Awesome Wife T-shirt. This would be such a funny gift! You can find other shirts that say girlfriend etc. as well. It is a gift for you and for him! Need I say more?

5. Make him a dessert! After he comes home from a long day, surprise him with a yummy treat. Try making this Two Two Easy Peach Cobbler  from Sheri at Made From Pinterest! You will find the skillet you need here. You could even do a different cobbler by making it chocolate with cherries! These Twix Cookies are also a personal favorite… Homemade desserts are a great gift!

That wraps up my list of the 10 Best Gifts for Him and Her! Happy Giving!

The post 10 Best Gifts for Him and Her appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Hey, y’all! The lovely folks here at MFP have graciously allowed me to share some of my yummy recipe creations with you, and I couldn’t be more excited. Just like I love baking for others, I love sharing fun recipe ideas with new people! I can be found over at my blog, Thrifty DIY Diva, where I love creating new recipes and sharing my faves from the web, too! Like these Pecan Red Velvet Cupcakes, inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction on my Amazing Recipes Pinterest Board!

You know what I love? Pecans. But I haven’t always loved them, until I had a slice (or two, or five) of some good ole’ Georgia Pecan Pie over the holidays. Where has this been all my life? Here I am, late thirties, and I’m just now tasting this stuff? Crazy, I know.

After that pie, I began wondering what else I’ve been missing that calls for pecans. Apparently, a lot. But since one of my favorite things to do is come up with new recipes, I thought I’d add some pecans to my traditional Red Velvet cupcakes that I make every February.

Would you just look at that frosting? I think I could use it to frost my cinnamon rolls, too. Seriously, it is that good. 

The pecans add the perfect crunchiness to these cupcakes, and are even better than the usual sprinkles.

I actually thought these tasted better than my usual chocolate cupcakes. I couldn’t believe it – better than chocolate?!

I know you are anxious to get these in your oven, so let’s get cooking!

Print

Pecan Red Velvet Cupcakes

Course Dessert

Author Michelle/Thrifty DIY Diva

Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients

• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 3/4 cup sorghum flour like Bob's Red Mill - at natural grocers or online
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour like Bob's Red Mill - at natural grocers or online
• 1 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum like Bob's Red Mill - at natural grocers or online
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate melted
• 4 eggs
• 1 bottle Red Food Coloring
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

• 8 ounce cream cheese softened
• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 16 ounce confectioners’ powder sugar
• 2 cups pecans to decorate

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a muffin cup tin with cupcake liners.
• In a large bowl, stir together cocoa powder, cornstarch, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar and oil; blend on medium.
• Pour in the melted chocolate and stir.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time.
• In a third bowl, mix the food coloring and vanilla into the buttermilk and stir well.
• Add all ingredients now to the flour mixture and blend on low (do not overbeat).
• Fill each cupcake liner about 3/4 up.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Let cool completely.

Frosting

• Blend the cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl until light and fluffy, gradually adding the powder sugar.
• Place the frosting in a piping bag and press a hole through the top of the cupcakes to fill the center and then frost how you wish.
• Sprinkle with pecans.

I just love cupcakes with a creamy center, so before I frosted them, I used a piping bag to poke a hole through the top to inject a little bit of frosting!

See how easy it is to make these Pecan Red Velvet Cupcakes? Give your sprinkles a much needed break and grab a bag of pecans next time you’re at the store

But, before you go, be sure to check some of my other recipes over at Thrifty DIY Diva! I believe that eating well doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and you most certainly don’t have to go out to eat to satisfy your cravings. I love making copycat versions of my favorite restaurants at home, and creating new ones, too! And don’t forget to follow me over at Pinterest and Facebook! Here are just a few of my favorite recipes on the site now:

Copycat Starbucks Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins

Slowcooker Cabbage Roll Soup

Copycat Panera Bread Tomato Bisque Soup

The post Pecan Red Velvet Cupcakes appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I remember when I used to visit my paternal grandmother that she would ask me to read to her.  We would take a book that I was interested in and I would read out loud to her.  We would sit on her bed and she would lean back and close her eyes and just listen and listen.  She would compliment me and tell me what a talent that I had in reading and I remember feeling SO special.

I have many, many other memories of doing things with my Granny Ola that I love but none of them were major events which taught me that it really doesn’t take much to be a wonderful grandma.  My grandkids love doing ANYTHING with Grammy even though it might be the smallest or the easiest thing to do.

These Valentine Sugar Wafer Cookies are super quick and easy to make but it turns these ordinary cookies into a special Valentine’s treat.  Your grandchildren will think that you went to a ton of work to make these special just for them.  And they will be right except for the ton of work part!

More than remembering making these cookies with you, they will remember the special feeling as you spend precious time with them.  I promise that they will remember how you make them feel long after the cookies are gone.

But the cookies are still great fun so let’s get to the instructions!

Print

Valentine Sugar Wafer Cookies

Author This Grandma is Fun

Ingredients

• Candy Melts in your desired colors. I used white pink and red.
• Pink Sugar Wafer Cookies
• Sprinkles of your choice

Instructions

• In a microwave bowl, melt the Candy Melts per the instructions on the bag. Make sure your bowl is not shallow so that it is deep enough to dunk the cookies.
• Dunk one end of the sugar wafer cookie into the melted chocolate and then immediately sprinkle with your sprinkles. I sprinkled mine on the top and both the sides but not the bottom so they would lay flat.
• Place the dipped and sprinkled cookies onto some parchment paper or some aluminum foil.
• Cool completely before devouring!

Notes

Recipe inspiration from Sparkles to Sprinkles

 Have fun being a Grandma today!

The post Valentine Sugar Wafer Cookies appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Hey there! We’re Molly and Chelsea – the best friend and blogging duo behind Bests and Bites. Our favorite things include health and fitness, pool days and desserts. Like this one!

We love complicated dessert recipes and appreciate all the love and effort that goes into each one, but we love easy recipes equally as much, maybe more. We made this recipe with Valentine’s Day in mind. It’s pink, it’s festive and it’s oh-so-easy. You may even feel like you’re missing a step because it’s that easy.

Bark is one of our favorite candies to make because it takes little to no time, the ingredients are inexpensive and it turns out perfect every time. One of our favorites is this Halloween Bark we made in October. It’s becoming a theme to make a festive bark for each holiday on our blog. I think we’re going to make that a thing. Boom-it’s decided.

Not only is this bark easy, but it’s tastes so darn good. It’s chocolate after all! And red velvet. And Oreos. Throw some Oreos on anything and there’s a solid chance I’m going to love it.

The base layer is white chocolate melted and mixed with red velvet cake mix. It’s smooth and gorgeous and makes the perfect carrier for all those crumbled chocolate cookies. The key to delicious bark is quality chocolate. There are minimal ingredients in this recipe and the ones in it need to shine. I try to use Ghirardelli baking bars, but they can be quite expensive. We’ve heard Trader Joe’s name brand chocolate bars are exquisite as well.

Try to avoid using chocolate chips because of the stabilizers in them. For example, if you’re making a batch of chocolate chip cookies, the stabilizers in the chips allow them to keep their shape in the oven instead of melting all over.  This is why they don’t lend themselves well to bark that needs to be completely melted and smooth.

To create the red velvet in this recipe and the festive pink color, we mixed in a bit of red velvet cake mix  and dropped in some red food coloring. The more pink or red you want the bark, the more food coloring you add. It’s totally up to you!

Finally, the best part. The chocolate cookies crumbled on top. Make sure they’re really on there by pushing them down a little. When the chocolate hardens you don’t want any of those delicious cookies falling off!

The little chocolate pieces are a great size for a tiny chocolate craving or you can fill several bags or boxes for fun Valentine’s gifts!

Print

Red Velvet Oreo Bark

Author Bests and Bites

Ingredients

• 12 oz white chocolate
• 2 tablespoons cococnut oil
• 1/4 cup red velvet cake mix
• 2 teaspoons red food coloring
• 15-18 oreos crushed

Instructions

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
• In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 second increments stirring between each to avoid seizing. Add the oil and mix well. Stir in red velvet cake mix and red food coloring until smooth.
• Pour chocolate mixture onto prepared baking sheet and spread out into a large rectangle. Sprinkle generously with crushed Oreo cookies.
• Place bark in a cool dry place at room temperature to set. Once hardened, break into pieces.
• Store in an air tight container up to 3 weeks.

If you like this post, give us a virtual high-five by following us on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest and liking us on Facebook!

Some of our most popular recipes:

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

The post Red Velvet Oreo Bark appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

If you are a fan of red velvet then these Red Velvet Bars are going to make your day.  Thick and moist, these are kind of a cross between a cookie and and a red velvet cake.  And who can resist the cream cheese frosting?

Make sure to get your sprinkles out because if you are making these with a grandchild, they are going to want to be in charge of the “sprinkling”!

Although these would be great to serve on Valentine’s Day to express your love to your family, they are just as good all year long!  Red never truly goes out of style.

So turn on your oven and let’s get cookin’!

Print

Red Velvet Bars

Author This Grandma is Fun

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened but­ter
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 TBL which equals a 1-ounce bottle red food coloring
• 3⅓ cups flour
• ¼ cup unsweet­ened cocoa
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon bak­ing pow­der

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 bricks of 8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese softened
• ½ cup softened butter
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla I use clear vanilla so that it doesn't turn my cream cheese frosting yellow. Clear vanilla will help to keep a nice, white frosting.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix all dry ingredients together. Set aside.
• Cream together butter and sugar until creamy and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, vanilla and red food dye. Blend until well incorporated.
• Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until well blended into the cream mixture.
• It will look like a "dough"
• Press dough into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with a cooking spray. I like to line my pan with either aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray with a cooking spray for easy removal.
• Bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes or until center is clean after inserting a toothpick.
• Completely cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Blend cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and clear vanilla until smooth and creamy.
• Frost on top of cooled bars.
• May refrigerate until serving to firm up the frosting a little bit.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Chocolate Moosey

 Hope you enjoy!

The post Red Velvet Bars appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Plus, it’s super easy to make. Time consuming? Yes. But since I can’t stand to watch a movie or TV with my hands still, it’s the perfect project to do while binging on Netflix. And if you have a husband or significant other-type person sitting next to you to help, all the better. You don’t have to have super crafting skills to get this done, just a little perseverance.

Valentine Heart Wreath Materials:

• 8 inch foam heart form
• Several sheets of pink cardstock
• Hydrangea flower punch (Martha Stewart brand carries the one in this picture)
• Corsage pins or straight pins with a white head

Step 1. Get to punching. I used about 3-3 1/2 sheets of 12×12 cardstock for this project. I use different shades of pink because in the end it gives it more texture and a more interesting look than it all being the same flat pink. Again, this is a great in-front-of-the-TV activity. Or pawn this part off on your partner (like I did).

Step 2. Bend and pin. Layer up two of your little flower punches and gently bend the petals inward. Punch one of your pins through the middle. You’ll want to twist the top petals around so they don’t completely line up and make a full looking flower.

Step 3. Pin, pin, pin. Pick a starting point on your foam form and start pinning the flower petals on. I like to do rows at a time for the sake of knowing all the white spaces are covered. Keep pinning on until the entire foam heart is covered. I used around 140 sets of flowers for my heart; your number of flowers will vary due to heart size and how close together you put them.

Step 4. Totally optional. But when I was doing this project, I quickly noticed my corsage pins were a whole lot longer than my heart form was thick. Easy enough to fix. I ran out to the garage and got the wire cutters and trimmed down the pins to be flush with the foam form. Makes your pretty heart less of a health hazard, but not totally necessary to the project. Your form and pins may work well enough together that you don’t have to do this!

As I said, it takes some time to punch and pin all those flowers but the end result is worth it! You can hang as part of a cluster of Valentine decor or just set amongst your things as a pretty little Valentine perk.

Thanks again to MFP for asking me to be a regular contributor! I’d love it if you’d stop on by Frog Prince Paperie for party inspiration, and maybe find some tutorials and recipes for a few other holidays, too! You can also find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Google+.

The post Valentine Heart Wreath with Paper Flowers appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Hey there! It’s Mandy from Mandy’s Recipe Box and I have the easiest recipe you will see. There’s only 5 ingredients in this Red Velvet Banana Bread. It turns out so soft, moist and cake-like. And the chocolate red velvet flavor goes perfectly with the bananas. With Valentine’s Day next month, this is a great treat to make for your loved ones. You could make mini loaves and give them to your kids’ teachers or friends.

You can also add in chocolate chips or drizzle a yummy white glaze on top. I love it just the way it is. And a trick to cutting it, or any quick bread: sometimes it gets a crust on top that’s hard to cut through without breaking the slices into pieces. Just place the cooled loaf into a gallon sized ziploc bag or wrap in plastic wrap and let it sit overnight. The next day, it will cut like a dream. Perfect slices every time!

Print

Red Velvet Banana Bread

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 1 loaf

Author Mandy Bird

Ingredients

• 1 box red velvet cake mix
• 3 very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 2 Tbsp. buttermilk
• 2 eggs

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat the ripe bananas until "soupy".
• Add the melted butter and mix again.
• Pour the dry cake mix on top to create a barrier for the eggs.
• Add the eggs and buttermilk.
• Mix all together until smooth.
• Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake 45-50 minutes until done.

Be sure to check out these other banana recipes:

The post Red Velvet Banana Bread appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

A few years ago, I made some cootie catcher Valentines for my husband and son using scrapbook paper, and they were a big hit. This year, I decided to make some printable versions that anyone could use for their Valentine.

The idea for the printable cootie catcher Valentines came from this cool seasonal cootie catcher from Bren Did that I found on Pinterest.

I know you remember folding cootie catchers or fortune tellers when you were in school. Well, kids are still making them and having as much fun as we did!

For these free printables, I made one lovey-dovey version filled with sweet nothings, perfect to give to your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day.

Each flap opens to reveal a sweet, loving message.

Since I am also the mom of a 9-year-old boy who bristles at the thought of having to pass out any kind of remotely sappy Valentines to his classmates, I also made a boy-approved version.

In fact, there’s not a mention of Valentine’s Day at all on the boy version. Just lots of “punny” punchlines to the joke, “I really mustache you a question.”

When I made my original cootie catchers, I filmed a video tutorial that shows exactly how to fold one. You might find that useful as you’re making these.

First, you need to download the free printable of your choice.

Mustache Cootie Catcher Printable
Printable Valentine’s Day Cootie Catcher

Print it out on your home computer on a sheet of 8.5X11-inch paper. Then use scissors or a paper trimmer (this affiliate link is the one I use and recommend) to cut out the cootie catcher.

Fold the paper in half, left to right along the center line. Then unfold and fold, top to bottom, along the center line. Unfold and place the paper face down.

Fold the points to the center.

Then turn the cootie catcher over.

Fold each corner to the center again.

Like so.

And your cootie catcher is finished!

To play with it and start predicting your (romantic) future, just slide your thumb and index finger into the flaps on the underside.

Lift a flap to reveal your future.

You might enjoy these other Valentine’s Day projects:

No-Sew Embellished Heart Cocktail Napkins

Valentine’s Day Vignette (and love story)

Sew Cute Printable Valentines

The post Printable Cootie Catcher Valentines appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

These decadent vegan red velvet cupcakes with peppermint cream cheese frosting are ready for any party–perfect for birthdays, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day or Fourth of July! So festive, moist, and delicious.

Merry Christmas! It’s Jen from Bakerette.com and I’m excited to be posting today on Made From Pinterest. How lucky can I be to say hello to you on Christmas day?

Can you believe Christmas is already here?

It’s no secret that Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year. It’s my favorite because it’s so festive with lights gleaming, music streaming, people smiling, and trees sparkling.

And what about all of that Christmas music? My Pandora is set to “Frank Sinatra (Holiday) Radio”. I heart all of the old-time Christmas music–Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Ella Fitgerald, Perry Como, Carpenters, and Elvis Presley. My ring tones are “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas”. Love.

Oh, and I can’t forget about all of the drooling desserts! All kinds of cookies grace my kitchen, like Coconut, Walnut and Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies, Snowball Cookies, Pistachio Sugar Cookies, and more.

One of my favorite desserts to gift my neighbors are these Red Velvet Cupcakes With Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting! They are so moist, delicious, and festive. You can make them for any party or festivities–they’re perfect for birthdays, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day or Fourth of July!

Have a merry Christmas!

Find more delicious goodies at Bakerette.com

Gingerbread Banana Bread Loaf

Pistachio Sugar Cookies

Egg-free French Toast Drenched in Berry Syrup and Strawberries

Print

Red Velvet Cupcakes With Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

Course Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 12 cupcakes

Author Bakerette.com

Ingredients

For Cupcakes

• 1 cup soy milk
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup caster sugar**
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring

For Peppermint Frosting

• 6 ounces cold vegan cream cheese
• 1/4 cup cold vegan butter
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 3 cups confectioner's sugar

Instructions

For Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cupcake tins with cupcake liners; set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix together soy milk and apple cider vinegar; let set for 5 minutes to curdle (this makes a dairy-free buttermilk). Whisk in oil and caster sugar.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder. Incorporate wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
• Add food coloring. For darker red cupcakes, add more food coloring, and less to make lighter red cupcakes.
• Divide batter between 12 baking cups filling them 3/4 of the way full.
• Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick entered in the center of a cupcake comesout clean. Cool 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For Peppermint Frosting

• With an electric mixer beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add peppermint extract and continue beating. Slowly add in confectioner's sugar until frosting is stiff. If you need to add more, do so a little at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Notes

**Caster sugar is a super fine granulated sugar. It can be expensive to buy, so instead of buying it, make it. It's really easy to make. Place sugar in a food processor or blender. Pulse until it reaches a super-fine, but not powdery, consistency. Let it settle a moment before using in recipe. Because this sugar is so fine, it melts and gets incorporated into things much more quickly.

Recipe adapted from One Green Planet

The post Red Velvet Cupcakes appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Valentine Glitter and Stripes Wall Art

Cupid’s Arrow Love Letters

Valentine’s Day Banner

Clothespin Heart Wreath

Valentine Printable (Free!)

XOXO Valentine Decor

Stitched Heart Garland

Valentine’s Day Votive

Valentine Subway Art (printable)

Felt Heart Garland

Marbled Valentine Ring Dish

Stitched Valentine Treat Bag

Click here to see thirteen more fun ideas for Valentine’s Day.

The post 25 of Our Best Valentine Ideas! appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Valentine Pop Top Cans

O-Fish-al Valentines

Heart Attack (Free Printables!)

Valentine Candy Dish

Valentine Chocolate Box

Valentine Popcorn Snack Mix

Sprinkle Rimmed Milk Glass

Valentine Suckers

Crazy For You Cake

Chocolate Heart Cups

Soda Valentines

Popcorn Valentines

Happy Valentine’s Day!  Click on the picture below to see the

The post More of our Favorite Ideas for Valentine’s Day appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Chocolate chip cookies and bars are probably one of my absolute favorite desserts and they come in so many different variations. I absolutely fell in love with this recipe I pinned to my Dessert board from So Festive!

Since it is Valentine’s Day, I definitely wanted to add a little of the holiday color into the bars so I decided to take the recipe and turn it red. Then, after they baked, I cut them into hearts versus bars. Other than that, I kept almost everything else the same.

Ingredients for Red Velvet Blondies:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp red food coloring
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Let’s Make It:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2) In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add in vanilla and mix well. Add in eggs, one at a time.

3) In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to the butter mixture letting each prior addition incorporate before adding more. Slowly add red food coloring until desired color is reached. Fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips.

4) Spread batter into the prepared pan. Top with 1/2 cup of milk chocolate chips.

5) Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden on top. Let cool before using cookie cutters to slice.

So, I am not going to admit how many of these Red Velvet Blondies I ate during my photo shoot. Let’s just say that the family asked me to make them again so they could have more than one. I had tried other chocolate chip cookie bars before {we call them blondies because they are a lot like brownies} and this one was definitely the best. I loved the amount of chocolate chips and how soft they turned out. Just perfection.

I hope you will come visit me to find out what else the four of us at Just Us Four have been up to recently. You’ll find lots of delicious recipes and even a few crafts thrown in. Of course, you can also see what I am crushing on or making by following me on Pinterest and Instagram.

Some of my most popular recipes right now include {you can click on the picture to visit}:

This awesome post has been shared with Home Stories A to Z and Living Well Spending Less.

The post Red Velvet Blondies appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Valentine’s Day is about red and pink. Hugs and kisses. Sweets and Chocolate. School class parties and sweethearts exchanging love notes.

Call me corny but I love every Valentines note/card I’ve gotten from my kids and husband!

I also love delivering special little goodies to friends and family to let them know how much I love and appreciate them.

Best part about these Heart Filled Cups? They are quick and easy to make, you can whip out a batch, and spend your Valentine’s Day having fun delivering them!

This Pin Rocks!

Print

Chocolate Heart Cups

Author Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 1 Bag Milk or dark melting chocolate
• Valentine M&M's

Instructions

• Rub a small amount of olive or cooking oil in each heart shaped silicone mold and set aside.
• Melt chocolate in a medium mixing bowl in the microwave, or in a medium saucepan on the stove.
• Pour in enough chocolate to cover the bottom and sides of each heart mold.
• Refrigerate for 40 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened.
• Carefully remove chocolate hearts from the silicon mold.
• Fill with candy, fruit or mousse.
• Dab a small amount of melted chocolate on each heart where you want to the bow to go. Place the bow over the melted chocolate and apply gently pressure until the chocolate hardens and holds the bow in place.

 This awesome post has been shared with Home Stories A to Z and Living Well Spending Less.

The post Chocolate Heart Cups appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I loved the look of the pin I was inspired by, however, I changed my version up just a little bit because I wanted to give my Sprinkle Rimmed Glass a new twist!

To create these I used:

• Light Corn Syrup
• Red, Pink and White Non-Pareils
• Milk Glass

• Light Corn Syrup
• Red, Pink and White Non-Pareils
• Milk Glass

First I poured a fair amount of corn syrup into a small glass bowl and then I dipped the top of my milk glass into the corn syrup. You will want to remember to put enough corn syrup into the bowl to cover the top of the milk glass. The more syrup you use, the wider the layer of sprinkles will be! (And more sprinkles are always better, right!?)

Then I placed my sprinkles into a small bowl and dipped my milk glass into it.

This is not an exact art, you can definitely customize these in any way but I used the red, pink and white sprinkles because I thought these would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Doesn’t this look like a yummy treat!? A delicious glass of milk in a Sprinkle Rimmed Glass with a few delicious chocolates! I particularly love this scrumptious recipe for Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls! They would be perfect to give to your special someone (or to eat yourself) this Valentine’s Day. Yum!

I tied a cute paper straw onto the milk glass with a piece of red and white baker’s twine just to make it look a little extra special. But these would also be perfect served without a straw!

I can’t wait to make a few of these as a special treat for my kids on Valentine’s Day too! They are going to absolutely love them!

And if you are looking for a few other fun Valentine’s Day ideas, you might also like these:

Chocolate Heart Pretzels

XOX Valentine’s Decor (Pottery Barn Inspired)

Heart Candy Dish

Spring Felt Wreath

I would love it if you took a moment to follow me via my Blog| Email | Facebook | Pinterest | Google+ | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube !

Hi I’m Ashley from Simply Designing! I am an interior designer turned DIY and Craft Blogger located in the Indianapolis area. My passion for interior design grew into a love of creating and one day I simply knew I needed to blog about it! And it has changed my life in many amazing ways: I absolutely love it! I love power tools and my hot glue gun, and occasionally I love to bake too! I love life and I try my best to find joy in the simple things! I love my family and friends and I am a firm believer that a good cup of hot cocoa or bowl of ice cream can cure most things. I am grateful for all I have been blessed with every single day. Come join me at my blog www.simplydesigning.net.

I’m so happy to have Ashley with us today! I met Ashley about 8 years ago,  I have always been amazed by her creative talents. Be sure to head over to her blog and check out her latest projects!

This awesome post has been shared with Home Stories A to Z and Living Well Spending Less.

The post Sprinkle Rimmed Glass appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I love Valentine’s Day. It’s no secret I love any excuse to celebrate, and what could be better than a day dedicated to sharing love with the people most important to you?

As a kid I was always so excited for Valentine’s Day. Of course, I was in it for the candy. I might have quickly glanced at the “from” part of the card to find the name, but I really just wanted to see what treat they stuffed in that little white envelope.

As a teenager, I thought I was so clever when I came up with a “community valentine.” I figured no one really cared about the sentiment, they just wanted the candy. So at school on Valentine’s Day I carried around one single valentine and a tin of treats.

As I ran across a friend that day, I would hand them the valentine to read. I’m sure I spent hours composing the very heartfelt and sincere message: “This is a community valentine. Please read it and give it back. Happy Valentine’s Day! Love, Melanie” Obviously they must have been overwhelmed at my gushy-ness and many tears were shed. Then they would hand back the valentine and take a handful of candy.

Heartfelt and sincere, people. It’s just who that teenage girl was.

Now I like to put a little more effort into my Valentines. But let’s be real here… it’s still all about the treats. We are HUGE popcorn fans around here, and I am an even HUGER fan of simplicity. So this year my Valentines are combining a popcorn treat and a simple valentine.

Caramel popcorn is my weakness. I am a complete sucker for that chewy, caramel-y goodness. I have the most fabulous recipe that I shared at Forty Eighteen yesterday right HERE.

For these valentines I made up a batch of caramel popcorn, put a few handfuls in a cute cellophane bag, and tied on a tag for a great, tasty treat that shows my love. I mean, seriously, if I share my caramel popcorn with you… it’s true love.

But then it was time to get even simpler! Naturally I turned to Pinterest where I found these cute tags at Birds Party Blog and this cute valentine at Crazy Little Projects and was inspired to make some of my own. Not gonna lie. I kind of love them.

I picked up a box of microwave popcorn at Costco for my kids’ class valentines. It was nice of Costco to make their packaging red for me — so perfect for my valentines!

Making these popcorn valentines couldn’t be any easier. First, choose the tags you want and print them out – regular white copy paper is perfect. Click on each image to go to the download page. You can choose your favorite sentiment or print a variety page that includes all of them.

Use a 2.5-inch circle punch or cut them out by hand. Then it’s time to add to the cuteness level, so use a 3.5-inch scalloped circle and some scrapbook paper to embellish your tags. You can do this part by hand, too, but I would choose a simpler shape. Just stick the circle to the scallop and it’s ready to go!

While you’re cutting, you are going to need some strips of white cardstock, so go ahead and do that, too. Mine are 1.5 inches.

Finally it’s time to assemble. Wrap a strip of white cardstock around a microwave popcorn bag. The ends don’t touch quite, so use a piece of clear tape to tape the ends down. Stick a tag to the front and you’re done. Voila! Instant cute valentines!

You can find my crazy good caramel popcorn recipe and even more Valentine’s Day fun at Forty Eighteen.

My favorite Valentine’s Day tradition is our annual family party.

My husband, Steve, gave me this perfect Valentine’s Day surprise last year.

Spoil your valentine with this AMAZING treat.

I would love to connect with you on Facebook and Twitter, too! Instagram is my favorite! And of course, Pinterest. Oh how I love Pinterest. Have you discovered the awesomeness of Google+ yet? Seriously awesome.

What about you? Do you love Valentine’s Day? Do you have any special traditions or plans? I want to hear them!

This awesome post has been shared with Home Stories A to Z and Living Well Spending Less.

The post Popcorn Valentines appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

It’s pretty amazing how well these end up looking. I think you’ll be pretty impressed with your results and so will the people that receive these little beauties. Now, let’s get started!

Here’s What You Need:

• Fimo or Sculpey Clay in Various Valentine’s Day Colors ( I used two each of the white, light pink, fuchsia, and red.)
• Heart Cookie Cutter (Mine was roughly 2″ to 2.5″)
• Small Dish
• Rolling Pin
• Paint Brush
• Gold Paint (Optional)

Step 1: On a clean surface, get a chunk of each of the colors. Work the soft clay in you hands kneading it until it really starts to soften. Do this for each color you will be using.

Step 2: Roll these out into roughly 1/4″ to 1/2″ coils. These do not need to be exact.

Step 3: Stick all of the coils together to create a big coil of all the colors.

Step 4: Take both ends of the sculpting clay in both hands and twist the clay in opposite directions. It’ll be like your wringing it. Wring/twist the clay several times to incorporate the colors together.

Step 5: Now, make a ball out of the clay.

The amount of sculpting clay I used made a whole lot of hearts. It made about 12. The biggest recommendation while making these would be to make sure that you add extra white to your color combinations. The other colors can over power the white leaving you with a very monotone color effect.

Step 6: Take your rolling pin and roll out the clay to about a 1/4″ thickness.

Step 7: Using the heart cookie cutter, cut out a heart. Ball up you sculpting clay again, roll the clay out, and cut another heart untill you have used all of your clay.

Step 8: Take a small glass dish or bowl and lay the the heart over it and place this in the oven. Follow the baking direction on the packaging. Let cool.

Step 9: Once this has cooled, use the gold paint to paint the edges of the heart.

The color possibilities are endless, and I really like how each of these are unique.

This was a batch that I made using mostly the pink colors.

Have fun making these. These really are beautiful and mine will be going to various people. I will be sending these out in my Valentine’s Day card exchange as a little something special. The others my daughter will be gifting to her reading group friends.

Thank you as always, to the wonderful sisters from Made From Pinterest for having me. Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day and I hope it’s filled with lots of love… and hearts! Until next time.

If you like this project, check out these fun ones as well…

DIY String Art Valentine’s Day Cards

DIY Vanilla Heart Candle

DIY Vanilla Heart Candles

Candy Heart Arrows

Candy Heart Arrows

This awesome post has been shared with Home Stories A to Z and Living Well Spending Less.

The post Marbled Valentines Ring Dishes appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

They are so easy to tweak for any theme (making them perfect for any party from birthday to holiday) and with simple stitching, right up my no-sewing-abilities aisle.  Seriously, even if you say you have no crafting skills, you can do this! I mixed it up with gold supplies…who says Valentine’s Day has to be all red and pink?

Supplies needed:

• drop cloth (I found a 5′ square package at Home Depot for less than $8!)
• baker’s twine
• embroidery needle
• decorative heart ribbon (I found it by the yard at Paper Source)
• scissors

1. Cut 4″ wide, long strips of the drop cloth and cut the long strips down into about 10″ strips.
2. Fold a strip in half, canvas side out so the bottom of the bags do not have to be stitched.
   

    

3. Using the baker’s twine, started stitching from the bottom of the bag, and take your stitches a little over half way up the bag.

   

4. Stitch large stitches across each topside of the bag, leaving some thread on both sides to have enough to tie the bag, once the bag is filled with candy and other treats of your choice.  You could even put in cookies since the waterproof liner of your bag will keep things from getting greasy and seeping through.
5. Cut a heart from the ribbon, remove the sticker backing and attach to the bag.

 

 

See? I wasn’t kidding…now go make a gang of them for those special people in your life!

 

A big thank you to the ladies of Made From Pinterest for inviting me over. Please feel free to follow me on Instagram and Twitter for sneak peeks on upcoming projects and check out more of my favorite ideas I hope to do one day on Pinterest.

Need more Valentine’s Day ideas? I have a few ideas to inspire you…

Love Is In The Air party table

Candy cane hearts with free printables

Color Of Love party table

Dawn’s color of Love party table is such a fun idea, I really like how she used the plastic paint palette to organize the cupcake decorations! These would be perfect for classroom parties.

The post Stitched Valentine Treat Bags appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

My husband and I decided to spend a major portion of the holiday break re-designing and re-decorating our 12 year old son’s bedroom. He’s our our fifth and last child, we have learned over the years that involving our kids with projects like these helps them understand and appreciate all the hard work that goes into re-doing a bedroom. When it came time to assemble his night stand we gave him the instructions and minimal guidance so he could learn how to follow directions for himself.

He learned the valuable lesson that “some assembly required” equates to wondering who wrote the darned instructions! I have to give him credit where credit is due because after making a few mistakes, he corrected them, stuck with it and got the night stand assembled. He was pretty proud of himself when it was finished. I didn’t tell him about the small leftover screw I found

Making my Valentine Chocolate Box was much easier  and more enjoyable than assembling a night stand! A big thank you to the folks at Taste of Home for such a fun, creative Valentines gift idea.

Print

Valentines Chocolate Box

Author Adapted by Made From Pinterest

Ingredients

• 1 carton 7 ounces milk chocolate for dipping
• 4 fresh strawberries
• 5 milk chocolate candy bars 1.55 ounces each
• 1/2 cup vanilla or white chips melted
• 1/2 cup cold milk
• 1/4 cup instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1-1/4 cups whipped topping

Instructions

• Melt dipping chocolate according to package directions; dip strawberries into chocolate and allow excess to drip off. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; set aside.
• Follow package directions to melt the dipping chocolate. Dip 3/4 of each strawberry into chocolate, allow excess to drip off and place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Set aside and allow to set.
• Carefully cut candy bars in half widthwise. Place on parchment paper and drizzle with white chocolate; refrigerate until set.
• Using a vegetable peeler shave off a small amount of the edge of the short side of two candy bars, dip the shaved sides into the melting chocolate and place at right angles to each other on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, forming two walls of a box. Dip the short shaved sides of two more candy bar halves; attach at right angles to form a four-walled box. Repeat, forming a second box. Refrigerate boxes and strawberries until set, about 10 to 20 minutes.
• While the boxes are setting use a small bowl to whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set; fold in whipped topping and place in refrigerator.
• Place boxes on serving plates. Using a pastry tip or plastic bag with the tip cut off pipe pudding mixture into the boxes.
• Remelt dipping chocolate if needed. Dip the long sides of remaining candy bar halves into melted chocolate; adhere to a top edge of each box, forming a lid. Garnish with chocolate dipped strawberries. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until set. Yield: 2 boxes (2 servings each).

Here are few more great ideas for Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Suckers

Quick Valentine’s Day Idea

Easy Chocolate Caramel Fondue

This great post has been shared with Living Well Spending Less and Whipperberry.

The post Valentines Chocolate Box appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I love designing printables for holidays. As I was looking for a fun quote to design up, I ran across this one from my friend Rebecca at Simple As That. I adore her and her style and thought it would be fun to see what I could come up with. With a little color and some pattern, I came up with a fresh little Valentine’s print:

I adore this quote. I think it’s hard to describe love, but think this captures it pretty well. You can choose between a stripe:

or take a plain background, but both are just the sweetest little prints to add to your Valentine’s decor!

To grab these freebies click on the link below:

Fairytale Valentines Print

Thanks so much for having me!

…..

Check out these other really fun Valentine’s printables at Kiki and Company today:

Owl Valentine Pillow Boxes

My whole heart

Easy Valentine’s Robots {There is even a freebie valentine with this project}

I love finding a site full of fun useful printables for holidays, birthdays and home decor. Kiki and Company is packed with creative ideas and printables I’m looking forward to using!

The post Free Valentine Day Printable appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Here’s What You Will Need:

Paper Mache Letters

Wooden dowel

Feathers

Leather cord

Felt or glittered fabric

Hot Glue Gun

Exacto Knife

Spray Paint

Let’s get started!

The first thing you will need to do is remove the inner support card board from your paper mache letters. Using you exact knife, cut a small flap in the back of each letter. Pull out as much of the center cardboard as possible. You will need to remove this in order to get the dowel through the letters.

Next, spray paint your letters your favorite color. Of course, it can be red if you want. But I love how the original letters were spray painted gold. And gold is a go to color in my decor.

It is helpful to prop your letters up on old cans when you spray paint them. This allows you to reach the sides easily and they don’t stick to your painting surface as they dry. Apply 2 coats to each side.

While your letters are drying you can attach the feathers and leather cording to one end of the dowel. Just add a touch of hot glue to the end of the dowel and apply the feathers around the dowel. When that is dry apply another drop of hot glue to attach your leather cord. Make sure you wrap the cord around a few times to cover the ends of the feathers and then glue the end in place.

Once your letters are dry, measure 4 inches up each letter and mark with a pencil. I only advise this because I didn’t do this! I had a little trouble lining up my dowel and letters since I skipped this step. When you have your letters marked, cut a hole about the size of the dowel in each letter. Thread the dowel through the letters and cut any excess dowel from the end when all the letters are on.

I found some of this thick glitter-covered fabric near the felt at the craft store. It was just what I wanted to make the heart for the end of cupid’s arrow. I cut out 2 small hearts thinking I would use them back to back. But then I only ended up using one. To attach the heart to the dowel just apply a little hot glue to the end of the dowel.

I’m so glad I got to share this project with you today. I’d love for you to stop by and say hello at my blog Chic California. I love to share vintage style and interior design, rehab previously loved furniture and DIY on a budget. Chic California is the place where Shabby Chic Meets California Cool. You can also find me on

Here are a few of my most popular posts:

Dollar Store DIY: Vintage Locker Bins

Easy DIY Fabric Wall Treatment

Easy Valentine’s Day Craft: Birch Bark Heart Garland

Adrienne is right, I always thing of red and pink for Valentine’s day, now that I’v seen her Gold Cupid’s Arrow Love Letters I’m in love the look!

This great post has been shared with Living Well Spending Less and Whipperberry.

The post Cupid’s Arrow Love Letters appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

We are excited to announce that we’ve teamed up with some awesome companies and bloggers this year to bring you guys some amazing giveaways in 2015!!  And, today is the first of MANY!

We realized that in our past giveaways the men have been overlooked!  But, not today friends!  How does a Valentine’s Day His & Hers Gift Card Giveaway sound?

$300 Gift Card for Him and a $300 Gift Card for Her!

($600 Value)

Awesome, right?  I need to quickly recognize the amazing bloggers that are making this possible!

Lisa and Pam from Over the Big Moon – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram
Jessica and Sarah from Pretty Providence – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram
Jen, Jamie & Jodi from Eighteen 25 – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram
Rebecca from The Crafted Sparrow – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram
Tauni from SNAP – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram
Kristen from Capturing Joy – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram
Steph from Somewhat Simple – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram
Lauren from Tastes Better From Scratch – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram
Amy from The Idea Room – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram
Kristi and Kelli from Lolly Jane – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram
Debbie, Tracy and Sherrie from Made from Pinterest – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram
Kierste from Simply Kierste – Facebook/Pinterest/Instagram

Thanks ladies!  You are all amazing!!

The Prize:

The winner will get to choose 2 gift cards from the following list!  One for Him and one for Her – each valued at $300 (so the total value is $600)!!  They can choose from:

– Amazon.com Gift Card
– Target Gift Card
– Victoria’s Secret Gift Card
– Paypal Cash
– Dick’s Sporting Goods Gift Card
– Cabela’s Gift Card

Sounds amazing, right? Who wouldn’t want to be able to give a $300 Gift Card to their significant other?!? I know I’d love to surprise my husband with a Cabela’s Gift Card!

Enter below using the Rafflecopter Form!  The giveaway will run from Monday, January 26, 2015 at midnight through Monday February 2, 2015 at 11:59pm.  The winner will receive 2 Gift Cards via Email to them directly from the retailer(s) of their choice within 48 hours of their confirmation of winning.

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Valentine’s Day Giveaway appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Hey there! This is Paula Biggs writing from over at Frog Prince Paperie where I like to make a little crafty party magic for kiddos and grown-ups alike. Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate, as it’s probably the only one where it’s OK to be unabashedly red and pink and sparklingly girly about decorations. I’m thrilled to bits MFP has asked me to post up a V-day project for their Love Potion #9 series, and really love this Valentine’s Day Wall Art I made for today — especially the glitter part.

Being the craft supply hoarder I am, I had everything but the wooden letters for this project stashed away in my shelves. (I’m telling you, when the Craftopocalypse comes, I’ll be ready!!) The original Valentine’s Day wall art inspiration comes from Hey Lauren Rene and her pin for this DIY Glitter LOVE Canvas. You can see the pin on my Valentine’s Day board!

Glitter aside, the part of this project I think I like the most was how massively easy it was to make. I am talking less than 30 minutes with drying time. And no real painting skill required. Since sitting around waiting for the glue to dry takes the longest, I went ahead and did that part first. Using a disposable foam brush to smooth on the Elmer’s School Glue made the process pretty quick–it was brush, glitter repeat until all four letters were done. Be sure to do this part over paper for easier clean-up. I set the glittered letters on some overturned ramekins to dry so they didn’t stick to my paper (or anything else).

While waiting for the glue to set, I taped off my canvas. I covered the areas I wanted to stay white in 2-inch ribbons of blue painters tape. The painter’s tape on canvas worked beautifully! Once I was all taped up, I quickly spread on the black paint and waited for everything to finish drying. After it was all no longer tacky, I ripped off the blue tape (this is always the most exciting part of using blue painter’s tape!) and stood back in amazement at the perfect stripes on my canvas.

In fact, I was SO excited about how fabulously flawless that canvas turned out, that I completely spaced on an all important step in my eagerness to see my work of art complete…sealing the glitter on the letters. Word to the wise, only skip the sealing part if you want a trail of glitter dust following you around the house and all over your furniture as you’re hanging your canvas up or trying to take pictures of it.

What I did differently from Hey Lauren Rene: I used a different sized canvas and different style of wooden letter. I love that this Valentine’s Day Wall Art project is so flexible. I opted for a square canvas, as it fit in better with my overall wall gallery. The craft store has what the craft store has, so I just chose a set of letters that were a good size for the canvas I used; I didn’t have too many choices for fonts, so picked one that looked close to what Hey Lauren Rene used. I also added a little red glitter heart to my canvas. The finished product was hung against a lot of white, and I felt it just needed a dot of color to set it off.

While browsing for Valentine’s Day projects on Pinterest, I also ran across these cute heart-shaped pillows from Design Love Fest. Mine were pretty much a fail, as I got a little wild with my template and the curves of my hearts were way too big, and the template too small for a good size pillow. Even though they weren’t perfect, they are a nice pop of color in my otherwise white room. I also DIY’d a cupid’s arrow in black and gold to go along with my Valentine’s theme. The tip is a pretty heart locket I buffed gold, that I may have put a picture of my sweetie in. Along with the LOVE canvas, my living room wall is ready to bring on the hearts and flowers of Valentine’s Day!

Thanks again to MFP for asking me to guest post! I’d love it if you’d stop on by Frog Prince Paperie for Valentine’s Day party inspiration, and maybe find some tutorials and recipes for a few other holidays, too! You can also find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and Google+.

A FEW OF MY MOST POPULAR POSTS:

DIY Will you be my bridesmaid box

“How to Train Your Dragon” Birthday Party

DIY Papel Picado for Mexican Fiestas

How to Train Your Dragon happens to be one of my all time favorite movies, Toothless and Hiccup’s relationship warms my heart. It’s no wonder I love Paula’s How to Train Your Dragon Party Inspiration so much! We are thrilled to announce that Paula will start guest posting for us on March 4th, I can’t wait to see what she will be sharing with us next!

This awesome post has been shared with Living Well Spending Less!

The post Valentines Glitter and Stripes Wall Art appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.