V-Day Paint Project

Valentines day is upon us and once again I opted for another Keep Sake gift for my Valentine but this year it was a collaboration.  In years past my DIY gifts have been solo but this year the kids helped me out.  I of course purchased a small pressie from an antique store for my husband as well but my FAV gifts are those that combine thought, time and a little effort. I adore my husbands home made cards that I receive every special occasion and in between. His random bursts of greeting card creativity always inspires me to respond in kind.

I decided to create a GIANT Valentine from myself and the kids.  You could create this yourself (no kids required) and proudly display it all year round. Don't restrict this fun activity to gift giving on V-Day either, it works for many occasions.

What you need:

* Canvas (or large paper)

* Acrylic Paint (fast dry and fast cleanup w soap/water)

* Brushes

* Lip Stick

* Metallic Sharpie

*Creativity

I prepped the canvas with a white wash of acrylic paint, it just gives it a little more texture and it's something I personally like to do to canvas but it is not a necessary step.  Kaleigh was my little helper (with a fever of 102.5+ - She is a professional).

I wanted to capture a moment in time so I thought I would use my children's feet and hand prints, turning both into heart designs. I stamped each child's paint covered feet and hands onto the canvas. The feet placed in a V shape I used a brush to complete the heart and I painted a heart into the palm of each hand with metallic silver paint.

To leave my mark, I added lip stick "kisses" in both pink/red hues to correspond to the hand/feet impressions.  I also pressed the side of my palms into the metallic silver paint creating a "hand hart" shape. I pressed it into the bottom right of the valentine to create my signature. 

There is no limit to what you could press on a canvas for your Valentine (again, kids not required). You never know you could end up with a really cool piece of art or a conversation piece at the very least.

Our finished product - Daddy will LOVE it!

Still looking for a V-day idea? Check out last years Photo Book and 2011's V-day Scavenger Hunt

Shower the people you love with love ~ especially yourself!! 

Happy Valentines Day!

~ L

XO

A V-Day Idea: Last Minute LOVE

Last year I shared a meaningful DIY Valentine's day idea. This year my gift to my Valentine is also another DIY "Keep Sake", with a cost that is minimal, but a huge impact. I primarily used the most precious commodity in my life: Time. Time being an item I have very little of this gift needs to be put together .. FAST! A little bit of Last Minute LOVE. Anyone can head out to the store and pick up a gift, but my favourite gifts are created from the heart and for a guy who has everything (we have no more room for surfboards in our garage AND he is Vegan so no milk chocolate here) a hand made gift is ideal.

If you don't have your Valentine's gift yet, don't worry, there is still time to pull together a fabulous Memory book; a photographic recap of the last year. I have decided to pair mine with messages of love, gratitude and the occasional inspirational quotation.

No Valentine? No problem!! celebrate yourself and the past year with assembling a "look book" of your own. Include images, mementos, and/or fav sayings/quotes! It will be a nice gift to yourself and a tribute to your fabulous life over the last year. Down the line you can look back on it and LOVE how you celebrated yourself.

What you need:


Photo Album (any Size)

Photos (on a time crunch use your computer printer)

Scissors
Markers/Pens
Stickers (Optional)

Paper (Colored or Plain)

*Imagination/Creativity

Finished product?? Stay Tuned. Like I said this is last minute for me too and my book is still a work in progress. It's cupid crunch time for this multi-tasking MOMpreneur. Enjoy the process of creating your Memory Book. Enjoy memory lane while reviewing the photos from your last year, but make sure your walk is a quick one as V-day is 2 days away!!

Not into books or photos? Try my DIY Scavenger Hunt - All you need is cards and creativity!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

~ L
XOXOX

A V-Day Idea

We are a few days away from the most LOVED and most LOATHED Hallmark holiday of the year ~ Valentine's day!

I wanted to share a creative Valentine idea for the man or woman who has everything, needs nothing and would sincerely appreciate an thoughtful expression of LOVE (that's all of us, right?)

I don't really buy into all the consumerism that surround these contrived holidays however besides the natural daily expression of love between my husband and I (we gift and are romantic all year long) I thought I wanted to share my creative splurge on a V-day past and my personal creation, my variation of a scavenger hunt activity. It was inexpensive, thoughtful and FUN!



Here's what I did - You can make your own modifications to customize his/her experience:


I created 10 clues to guide him throughout the house.

I used both greeting cards (from the $ store) as well as hand made cards to use as clues.


Each clue was a riddle type rhyme that would lead him to the next. For example:




On the cover of the first card (it started in the kitchen on the fridge) The outside read: "For my Valentine, my husband, my life ~ here you begin your quest to uncover the love gift from your wife xox". It was a V-day card and on the inside Clue #1: When you are feeling less than fresh, all salty and yucky. There's just one place to go to get squeaky clean, you may even see a rubber ducky"



Clue #2 was in the shower under our daughters Rubber Ducky Toy. A homemade card that read: "On me you stand to surf a wave. You use me each and every day. Come find me, come get me - run to this room where unpacked boxes sit in doom and gloom"



Clue#2 was under taped to one of his surfboards in our garage. A greeting card read "Surf's up you found me - open to reveal clue # 3" - 3rd Clue: "This drawer is mostly filled with things that rarely bring you glee; like bills, junk and other stuff you'd rather never see"



Clue #4 was located in the kitchen "junk drawer". It was a homemade card that read: Here I am ~ Clue # 4 you will "get it" you've done it before. 4th Clue: Communicate with family, research, shop and play games. Since this invention came into our home life has never been the same. I sit where your fingers strike keys ~ when you find clue #5 you will be very pleased.



Clue #5 location under the computer's keyboard ....



You get the idea. There was 10 clues in all. You can design your hunt any way you would like. You can hand make all the clue cards and even the gift at the end. Depending on your plan and budget you can purchase something or create something on your own.


The grand gift at the end of the hunt for him was 200 tiny glow in the dark star stickers that I placed in the bedroom ceiling right above where he sleeps. The final clue had him crawl into bed, read the clue card and look up. I hit the lights just then to reveal my glow-in-the-dark message. It spelled out the words "I Love You" and I also created the constellation PAVO (which means peacock)in stars - I had purchased and named a star from the International Star Registry for his 40th birthday (which is another fabulous gift idea: http://www.starregistry.com/ ) and I chose the stars location in the constellation PAVO.


Total Cost:

Cards - $5 & Stickers - $6 = TOTAL $11

Time $0

Result: - Priceless Memories



Single and Fabulous?


I suggest buying yourself something fabulous and loving yourself this V-day. My suggestion get a new fragrance. You don't have to go to a grand expense if you are on a budget but you can treat yourself and show yourself some love with a new signature scent. If you can't afford one take a quick trip to the fragrance counter and sample some. Grab a friend and go frgarance sampling (and perhaps some makeup while you are there)



My current Fragrance Favourites:


Thierry Mugler: "Angel" & "Womanity"









Kimora Lee Simmons: "Fabulosity" & "Seductive Goddess" (Watch for her new fragrance LOVE ME to hit stores in Spring)








Versace: "Bright Crystal"








No matter who you choose to spend your V-day with the most important LOVE on this and every day is SELF LOVE. Celebrate yourself and how unique and wonderful you are! You don't need a 3rd party confirmation ... you know you are worth it.