I really love the Martha Stewart Crafts line (and I’m not getting paid to say that). When Jo-Anns started dedicating an aisle to it, Ryan was still in law school and I was unemployed so money was tight. I would literally plant myself in the aisle, gather up everything I wanted and then whittle it down to the one thing I could justify buying. You know, for a “blog project.” So I jumped at the chance to be part of 12 Months of Martha. Here’s the gist: I get sent a box of Martha Stewart Crafts products once a month, a come up with a project using the materials, and then I share the results. Sound good? Good. Here’s what I made with materials from the first box.

To make your own Valentine paper treat bags you’ll need:
- scrapbook weight paper (I used sheets from Martha Stewart Crafts Valentine Paper Pad)
- scissors
- decorative paper punches (like this heart from MSC)
- clear cellophane
- double sided tape or glue stick

For the template, I simply traced the outline of a deconstructed bag I had in my party supply stash. The dimensions when open are 11×4 with additional material for the flaps (don’t forget flaps!). This envelope template from Mineco would work too. So once that’s decided, cut it out and use your paper punch to create a little window.

Cut out a square of cellophane big enough to cover your window and attach with glue to the backside of the paper. Put glue on the folded in flaps, then fold up the bottom half of the paper to attach and create a bag.

Fill with treats than close up the top with tape or round labels. I used Shape N’ Tape from Lifestyle Crafts which is sheets of decorative adhesive so you can cut it into any shape you want.

Treat bags complete.

I used Good & Plenty candies only because they looked pretty in the bags. Please do not give your Valentine Good and Plenty. Unless you want to be kicked in the shin.

In the February issue of Martha Stewart Living, I’m quoted saying I’m stitching hearts onto pouches for my valentines (pinch me). Here’s the proof that I wasn’t making it up:

To make your own you’ll need:
- muslin bags (I got these on Amazon)
- embroidery floss/twine/thread (whatever you have handy)
- needle

The instructions are pretty straight forward, thread your needle and start stitching. I printed the cross stitch pattern from here and followed this tutorial from Wild Olive for the hearts. They’re not perfect but it adds charm. At least that’s what I tell myself.

Fill mine with gold nuggets and gift certificates to TCBY please.

On Tuesday I said that nothing says I love you quite like chocolate and cream cheese. Correction: nothing says I love you quite like puppets. Just look at these happy little guys.

To make your own you’ll need:
- printable downloads (at the bottom of the post)
- scissors
- small brads
- sucker or popsicle sticks

Simply print, cut on the dotted lines, attach limbs with brads and tape a stick to the back.

Which one is your favorite? I’m awfully fond of the fox myself.

fox puppet download
owl puppet download
whale puppet download
deer puppet download

puppets designed by Kirsten Bingham

Today’s Valentine was created by Bar Rucci.

Homemade Valentine’s are the best. Hearts, glitter, red & pink, what’s not to love? It brings me back to my childhood. There was nothing that made me happier as a kid than creating 20 matching (but varied) Valentine cards for my classmates. As a mom, my enthusiasm for this holiday begins the minute the Christmas tree is down.

This year, inspiration struck from the newspaper we had out on the table for a painting project. The aftermath looked so pretty, we decided to just keep going. We painted all the paper and hung it to dry. My mind was racing with the endless possibilities. What should we do with all of these beautiful pages? In the end, it just had to be hearts!

To make your own you’ll need:

- Newspaper
- Liquid Watercolor
- Brushes
- Heart Template
- Watercolor Postcards
- Scissors
- Rubber Cement

Step 1: Paint the newspaper with the liquid watercolors and let dry. Since we work at our dining room table (that was made by hand by my neighbor’s mother in Australia!), I always lay down a big towel underneath the newspaper. But these pages can just as easily be painted on the floor, on an easel, or outside! The liquid watercolor will seep through the newspaper a little bit, but it also dries quickly.

Step 2: Create a heart template. You can cut a heart out of paper and then trace it onto heavier cardstock or cardboard. (Just make sure the heart is sized to fit the postcard.) Next, use the template to trace the hearts all over the newspaper. Then cut out the newspaper hearts.

Step 3: Using the same template, trace hearts onto the blank postcards with a pencil. Paint around the hearts with liquid watercolor. Encourage your child to paint over the line just a little bit. This is good practice for them to focus and paint carefully. I mixed 4 colors in the red family and instructed the kids to blend the colors as they painted so that the effect, when dry, was like ombre. For smaller children, they can paint the whole page. Make sure to use a black pen rather than a pencil, though, to trace the heart so that you can see it underneath the paint.

Step 4: Using rubber cement, coat the back of the newspaper heart and then also coat the heart on the postcard with glue. Let them both dry, then carefully place the newspaper heart within the white space left on the postcard. This gluing method is a very good trick to use if you want the glue to stick forever!

We painted 4 sheets of newspaper and were able to get 65 hearts cut out! I’m sure you will be seeing them pop up in future projects, too (mind still racing).

Have fun!

 You can find more of Bar’s art projects at Art Bar Blog or shop her card shop (hello thank you cards) at Late Night Cake.

If you’re trying to win over a Valentine, you can’t really go wrong with chocolate and cream cheese frosting.

To make your own jar of mini heart cookies you’ll need:
- a batch of homemade oreos (or a favorite type of cookie)
- mini heart cookie cutter
- weck jar
- twine + paper

Simply bake the cookies as instructed, cut them out into heart shape, fill your jar and package with twine and a paper flag.

I tried to come up with a corny saying for the label but every one I came up with was very Michael Scott-ish. Do you have any clever ideas?

This week on YAMF is going to be dedicated to the handmade Valentine. I should give you fair warning, I’m a fan of the corny like the stuck on you message with these felt heart pins. Click here for the full tutorial on Julep.

Today’s post is from the talented Alana Davis of Humunuku Shoppe. These pillow boxes would be perfect for party favors, Valentines, or to wrap that bling you’ve been eyeing (as long as it’s not too heavy from the weight of the diamonds).

To make you’re own you’ll need to grab:
- the template
- scissors
- a bone folder (or popsicle stick!)

1. Print template on any color card stock. You can scale size on printing options to make different sized pillow boxes.
2. Cut around outside of design.
3. Use a bone folder, or other hard tool to score on each dotted line (& also down the center, where you will fold the box in half).
4. Fold along scored lines.

5. Glue edges to seal box.
6. Style with bow or other decorative embellishments.

What surprise will you wrap in yours?

See a lot more pretty from Alana by visiting her website and Etsy shop.

Just add snow.

(the eyes and mouth are shaker pegs, the buttons are painted wooden knobs, the pipe is a toy mallet)

A few other posts you’re sure to like:
Crafting with leather (to do: make that triangle clutch)
The low maintenance houseplant that’s oh so pretty
Best of the week!

I feel like it’s been ages since I wrote a post to simply say, “Hey, I like this!” but I think this modern cabin being renovated by Sarah and her husband warrants it.





I love all the design choices they’ve made, especially the colors (like the green screen door and black exterior – gutsy!) and the bunks. I often think it would be fun to take on a major renovation like this but then I remember the arguments that painting our brand new house caused and decide I better just let other people be adventurous.

You can see more photos of the cabin renovation on Smitten Studio.

all photos: Sarah Sherman Samuel of Smitten Studio

My friend Kirsten is a work-from-home mom too. She found that every time she tried to sit down to her computer and squeeze a little bit of work in, her four-year-old would instantly be climbing all over her even if she had just started her working on her own project. She just wanted to be right next to mom. So Kirsten came up with the solution to create a mini work station for her daughter right next to her desk so that they could work side by side. It turned out pretty cute so I wanted to share.





A few tips to create a similar work station for your mini human:
- Organize the markers/colored pencils/crayons by color so they’re easy to put away in the right spot and they’re easy for your kid to find what they want. To keep them more contained, Kirsten just cut up shipping tubes and covered them with washi tape.
- Place a bin for trash right under their feet so it’s easy for them to sweep the scraps right into it.
- Hang a cork or magnet board up right near their desk for them to instantly showcase their creations.

sources: mini desk and chair from thrift store; wall organizer, cube bin, and things bin from Land of Nod