Valentine Arrow Love You Gift Bags

Valentine Arrow 'Love You' Gift Bags

I've seen lots of pretty Valentine arrows this year and, of course, Pinterest is loaded with the cutest arrows you're ever going to see.  SO, I needed to make some arrows myself. I want to make everything. I just like making things.

I brought out my prettiest and pinkest scrapbook paper. I used some pretty straws as the base for the arrows.

About a month ago - right after Christmas - I bought this really cute Washi-like tape at Joann's Fabric Store that says, "Love You". I love it so much. I've made some other things with it also.... coming soon....

The little hot pink handle gift bags I bought at a party store (that place has such FUN stuff) were perfect for what I needed. I noodled around with the scrapbook paper, making hearts and arrows but in the end I really liked the gold arrows the best. Initially I really wanted some Chinese take out containers but when I saw these little bags I knew they were the right thing for this project.

Do you have any scrapbook paper? Make some arrows .. it's great fun. Here are some arrow pictures I took when I was putting the arrows together.

 Valentine's Day is a fun time to make something pink and pretty so go make something! I used to make doily Valentines. Did you make Valentines as a kid?

Hope you are having a great weekend.

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 I love finding and sharing fun stuff from all over the net.


Hi, I'm Linda and I am the writer, crafter, and chief-cook-and-bottle-washer of this blog. Hope you will join me for some fun and it's all about fun. What if the Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about?

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What to do Weekends #106

Happy Thursday evening, all! 

Welcome back to "What to do Weekends"!  

I get so excited & inspired by seeing the beautiful projects and recipes you all bring to the party every week!  

Ready to see what touched our fancy this week? Here it goes:

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What to do Weekends #105

Welcome to What to do Weekends Party!!!

Happy Thursday evening, all! Welcome back to

 "What to do Weekends"! 

Theresa from Shoestring Elegance is my illustrious co-host. She wrote a beautiful post on Thank you notes. To visit her post click on the picture. (I learned how to make a picture clickable with a link - cool, huh?) Anyway, if you would like to read the article, click the picture. ;)

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Valentine Cupcake Paper Fun

Valentine Cupcake Paper Fun

This was one of the most fun projects I've done for my blog in a long time. Working with the pretty pink, Valentine cupcake papers was delightful.

Cupcakes and cupcake papers - a short history. 

Actually, I found that the cupcake itself originated somewhere between the end of the 19th Century and the beginning of the 20th century. The big stone ovens were known to have "hot" spots and cakes would burn on one side before the other side was cooked so they started cooking cakes in small ramekins or cups that would cook quickly and more evenly. The other reason for the "cup" cake is that there was a standardized recipe such as: 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour and 1 tablespoon of soda... this helped the bakers to remember a recipe easily.

However, sometimes these little cakes would stick to the little ramekins and bakers started lining the pans with aluminum foil. The first cupcake paper liners were made on the same machines that were used to create artillery shells for the war. They weren't much to look at but they kept the little cakes from sticking to the baking cups. Of course, today, there are lots of very pretty cupcake papers which brings me to my post using Valentine cupcake papers for a little personal party with friends or kids/grands, etc.

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Charming Hydrangea Wreath - DIY

Charming Springtime Hydrangea Wreath

I love hydrangeas. What ARE hydrangeas? They are a perennial flower here in Connecticut which just means they come back year after year... you leave the plants in the ground and they come back to life like trees. Annuals only live for one season and then they die and they don't survive winter. Perennials survive winter and come right back to life in the spring. (I used to plant lots of perennials but they don't come back for me - except for this awesome hydrangea plant from my Mom. It comes back.

According to Wikipedia: 

There are two flower arrangements in hydrangeas. Mophead flowers are large round flower heads resembling pom-poms or, as the name implies, the head of a mop. In contrast, lacecap flowers bear round, flat flower heads with a center core of subdued, fertile flowers surrounded by outer rings of showy, sterile flowers. The flowers of somerhododendrons can appear similar to those of some hydrangeas, but Rhododendron (including azalea) is in a different order.

I have one of my Mom's hydrangea plants she didn't want. It's huge. Husband dug it up and transplanted it in our side yard. It's like 8 feet wide 7 feet tall and filled with big beautiful, blue hydrangea flowers. They are blue because our soil is acidic. Hydrangeas can produce pink flowers just by increasing the PH of the soil. One tablespoon of hydrated lime in a gallon of water and given to the plant once a month for 3 months during Springtime, will turn the blue hydrangeas to pink ones. I might have to try this. I really love the pink hydrangeas. 

Anyway, I love the silk flower hydrangeas also and I bought some at Hobby Lobby which is now in Connecticut - YAY! I love that store. It's my new favorite store. Daughter, Kristy, and I (I can't believe she actually wanted to do a project with me. It's so much more fun doing crafts with someone!) found Hobby Lobby last month. What fun! I love the saying plaques and all the decorative stuff, too. That store is so trendy! If you don't know about Hobby Lobby, it is a cross between Michael's Craft Store, Joann Fabrics and Homegoods. When I bought the hydrangeas they were on sale at 50% off and all three stores have this sale often. I haven't tried Walmart yet but I'm sure they are cheaper in case you don't have craft stores where you are.

I wired on some small Spring, trailing greens and put that on the wreath first, letting it trail down one side.

We bought the beautiful long stemmed silk hydrangeas at Hobby Lobby. I cut the stems right off. Some stems are easier to cut than others and a good sturdy wire cutter helps the whole process. Then I wired these flowers onto the vine wreath on one side and over the Spring greens. Easy enough.

Really, after that it's just a matter of making a bow and then wiring that on also. I made 2 bows of different burlap color. I also glued some leaves wherever it looked kinda bare, using Fabri Tac glue - my all time favorite glue.

I like the house numbers on the right side, but on my wreath I put the initial "B".

Oh, and be sure to put a wire loop at the top of the wreath for hanging. I didn't do that initially, thinking I could just hang it on a nail with the vine part of the wreath. NOT. It fell down a few times a got a bit disheveled before I decided to make a wire loop and loop it around the wreath AND around the nail on the door. :)

I hope you will attempt to make this very easy wreath. Put a view flowers on a grapevine wreath with a bow and a few numbers and you have a nice Spring wreath! Blessings.

Best wishes,

I'm are so glad you’re  here! Please follow by email and see 

all the quick crafts and more fun foods I have coming up... or 

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Contigo and Paypal CASH Giveaway

Go Contigo Giveaway-

Katherine from Katherines Corner is having her first giveaway of 2015 and I am joining her and some more of her bloggy friends to bring you the Go Contigo Giveaway.

One winner will receive-

$200 in PayPal Cash! and $75 in Cortland Contigo Water Bottles and Auto Seal Pitcher

PayPal cash provided by Katherine and some of her bloggy friends

listed in no specific order

Katherine- Katherines Corner

Angel- Sew Crafty Angel

Kim, Jessica, Cassie, and Amber- Lou Lou Girls

Angelique- Gods Growing Garden

Heather- Woods of Bell Trees

Prudy- Butter Basil and Breadcrumbs

Karren- Oh My Heartsie Girl

Sheila- Model Savings

Laura- Mouse In The Kitchen

Nina- Vintage Mamas Cottage

Diane-Mamal Diane Keepling Life Simple

Karren- Oh My Heartsie Girl

Linda- Crafts Ala Mode

Entering the Go Contigo Giveaway is easy, log into the entry form using your email address or facebook and click on the first entry on the rafflecopter form. Please read the terms and conditions and write yes. Become an email follower or confirm you are a follower of Katherines Corner via email ( this will be verified) and enter as many bonus entries as you would like.

Open to all over 18 where permitted . Giveaway starts today and ends January 30th

Copy the button for the Giveaway below and paste it to your blog with a link back to Katherines Corner for extra entries ( remember to let her know where to find it ).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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