Valentine's Decorating

[ThriftShopRomantic]

I decorated last year for Valentine's as a way of trying to cure the post-Christmas decorating blues. (Things looked so empty after I took everything down.) Anyway, I thought you all might like seeing the pics of the Valentine's day set-up this year...

http://thriftshopromantic.blogspot.com/2009/01/thrifty-valentines-day-tablescapes-and.html

It's a nice pop of color given how cold and snowy it's been here lately.

[Lisa S]

How pretty!

[RoseMary]

Jenn, everything looks so pretty! I haven't done any sort of decorating lately. My house still has several projects in progress, so don't know if I'll get anything out. I may buy a box of little heart candies and pour them in a clear jar~that will be something, I guess:o.

I love the idea of buying discounted Christmas reds to turn into Valentine decorations!

[ChapterTwo]

Jenn, your tablescape looks so pretty and inviting...and I love the look of your whole room! I have to spend more time looking at your blog someday soon. NEVER enough time, it seems. Thanks so much for sharing!

Just a little note - when I emptied our family home, I came across a fairly large heart candy box...inside was a very old veil! I can only guess that it belonged to my Mom's mom, as my mother didn't have a white gown, as my parents got married before the war (worrying that my father might have to serve). But the odd thing is that I've never come across any wedding photos of my Nana. (I hate unsolved mysteries!)

[Lisa S]

What a wonderful find!

[ThriftShopRomantic]

Chapter Two-- What an amazing surprised to find in the box. I love that it was used to preserve something so special.

Thanks for looking, gals. I get sorta happy when I come home now and see the diningroom all dolled-up. I'd had so much garland and other goodies everywhere for Christmas, I needed a little something somewhere when it was gone. :)

[Gigi]

Oh your beautiful blog has inspired me to move on...pack up the remaining Christmas decorations, and yes---get the tree down :(

I'm slow...

Jenn- your Valentine display is such lovely...

[Lynzee]

It's beautiful, Jenn!

[Breezy]

Jenn ~ so lovely!

[chyna]

I still have our trees up. :( With our Christmas being well chaotic and we still haven't done the gift exchange with my in-laws I left them up but I told my dh over the weekend that they're coming down. I can't handle them up anymore, I can leave one of the table top trees up for the gifts but the big one has got to go. I want my piano/library back! One it all comes down I don't think I can even stand the thought of anything else going back up. :o

Jenn
I just don't know how you do it, you should look into staging as a side job or something. You're good!:)

[ThriftShopRomantic]

Chyna- honestly, if it were a job I probably wouldn't want to do it! :)

I like doing it now because the visual side of it is so different from what I do in my real job. It's kind of a nice mental break.

I think lots of us were slower this year than other years in getting the Christmas stuff down-- I know I was.

I wonder if it's all because Thanksgiving was later this year?

[Lynzee]

One it all comes down I don't think I can even stand the thought of anything else going back up. :o

I know that feeling, Chyna. I couldn't wait to get my Christmas decorations down and get my house back.

[ChapterTwo]

I was the same way...couldn't wait to get the Christmas decorations down and away. I wonder why we're like that now...years ago I used to procrastinate on taking everything down; I didn't want it to end!

This year I even took my snow people display away right away; I used to leave it up 'til around March - I think I have seen enough REAL snow this year!

[WannaBHomemaker]

Hi Jenn! I love your dining room! I've been wanting to decorate a little for V-day but don't want to spend the money and then I've just been too lazy lately to make anything crafty. At my old job we decorated for every holiday but now I can't find what I did with those decorations... they might have ended up at my MIL's store...

as far as taking Christmas down, the tree and lights came down right away - I was ready for that (just got tired of looking at it really) but the little cute little decorations I did in the hallway I left up until this weekend because I didn't get it up until the week of Christmas.

[RoseMary]

Wannabe~I'm like you--I want to make something to decorate for Valentines, but I've been too lazy. I've got a couple of ideas, but nothing has come of them, yet:p.

I'm just the opposite of you on Christmas decorations. I usually put up all the little decorations scattered around the house, except the Nativities, and then leave up my tree until after New Year's Day. I love the way it looks in my living room and always miss it once it's gone:)

[Lisa S]

My friend and I just made something darling and thrifty. I had purchased a circle cutter last year. I took it to my friend's house and we cut her Christmas cards into circles. She's using them as tags for next year's gifts or to make a swag. They were very cute! The same could be done for Valentines cards or Birthday cards...

[ChapterTwo]

What a cute idea, Lisa! When we were little, my mother always used to save the Christmas cards and we'd cut them into little gift tags for the following year. People were thrifty then, by necessity, and that's what has to happen again.

[memmey]

Here is a " bad " photo of the fabric roses I bought at Cracker Barrel the other day. I am not a good photographer sorry. They were $1.49 each. I thought about going back and getting some more.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o243/memmey/yow009.jpg



http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o243/memmey/yow008.jpg

[chyna]

Memmey

Those roses are adorable!! You should go back and get more. Are you only going to have them out for Valentine's or will you find a home for them all year round?

Jenn

I felt bad that I was being a V-Day grinch so I bought some inexpensive glittery hearts at Target and Michaels and Lizzie and I decorated the staircase. It isn't photo quality but Lizzie had fun putting the foam hearts and lovebugs up. We also found a foam tree Valentine Day kit at Michaels and decorated that together. I may have to go back and get the cottage. It was way cute and I could always put it in the kitchen afterward. :)

[Gigi]

Ms. Memmey~ If those aren't the cutest roses I have ever seen! What are they made of? I love dots--so are they fabric? What a great find.

And Lisa~ since I can't part with cards-EVER- I do the same thing- using decorative scissors--they all are recycled...

[Lisa S]

Those are cute roses! Cracker Barrel has really neat stuff. We used to go there once a week when we lived in Virgina. Now it's a destination spot for us when we go to Idaho. I wish, I wish they had one in Oregon.

[neverfinished]

Oh mem...I LOVE those! I have a slight obsession with polka dots.... I might have to see if they have any of those next time I get to cracker barrel

[Gigi]

I too love Cracker Barrel~ A new one just opened up near the Eastern Shore~ we pass it every weekend. I haven't stopped yet because of the furry family members- one yellow lab Bella, one mixed sheltie Sam, and our newest member a mix sheperd/beagle Charlie...

[WannaBHomemaker]

I made a Valentine apron last night! I cut out another one but didn't get it finished. I want to give it away but am worried about how dirty it might get very quickly. Should I spray it with Scotchguard or something?

[Lisa S]

That's so cute! Was it difficult to make?

[annielinz]

I don't decorate for Valentines day, one of the few I don't. I do have a wooden heart I hang outside on my porch light but thats about it.

I love those polka dot roses, so glad I don't have a cracker barrel near me!

I love polka dots too Neverfinished....remember my chair makeover :)

WannaB, that apron is adorable!!! I bought a new sewing machine a few months back and that is one of the things I want to make. Ohhhhh, I'm seeing a polka dot apron in my future. Thank you for sharing.

[RoseMary]

I hope you got more of those roses, memmey~they are adorable! I've never seen any like them.

All I've done for Valentines decorating is open a bag of Hershey's Kisses with almonds--the wrappers are gold, silver and Valentine red:D. They look great in a bowl.

[annielinz]

Rosemary, I'm impressed theres still candy in the bowl! ;)

[shabbychick]

Those roses are wonderful! Definitely keepers!

[RoseMary]

Rosemary, I'm impressed theres still candy in the bowl! ;)

There won't by by tonight:p

Wannabe~I love the apron!

[WannaBHomemaker]

Thanks gals - It was really easy to make. DH and I already have several aprons we've received as gifts (one of mine Mom made me for Christmas is black/white polka dot with a ruffle!) and so I just laid down the fabric and laid an apron on top and cut away! I just used ribbon for the ties on the top and sides. I'm going to make about a dozen or so summery and spring-ish patterns to sell in MIL's store!

[ThriftShopRomantic]

Oh, such fun seeing all the stuff folks are coming up with here. Those polka dot roses are so you, Memmey.

And on your table, you seem to have one-- or more-- vintage tablecloths? Great colors and so perfect with everything.

[Gigi]

Ummm...I sew all the time and haven't used scotchguard on fabric yet... What material is the darling apron???

[WannaBHomemaker]

The apron was made from just cotton fabric I bought half price at Hancock's. Speaking of the apron, it sold for $13 at MIL's store! It may not sound like much but the fabric cost me $2.50 and I already had the ribbon, so that encourages me to make some more and put more embellishments on them to sell them for higher prices!

[Gigi]

Autumn- That is wonderful~ aprons are sooooo in~ or did they ever go out?

Also- what a great find on the fabric-- I hope you can find great buys like that again and again... I LOVE fabric-- I keep way too much. :rolleyes: