Slight V-Day Decor

I have never really decorated for Valentines Day before. I’m sure it has to do with somewhat of an indifference towards the holiday (not antagonistic, just indifferent), or being a little burnt out from both of our birthdays and Christmas coming right after one another, and just not ready for another holiday. But really, I think it mostly has to do with my general distaste for hearts. I guess I’m just not really a “hearts” person, and while I can admit that most of the Valentines decorations I’ve been seeing are really cute, they just don’t seem like me. (For what it’s worth, I feel like such a Valentines Day Scrooge for writing this!) But I have been seeing so many really great Valentines Day decorations around, that I decided to just bite the bullet and pull something together. Plus it can help fill a bit of the void that taking down Christmas decorations has left. (I have left this little reindeer out though, who Jayce thinks says “Weeee” when he’s flying around, and I think it’s funny.)

Anyway, I got to work seeing what I could scrounge up from around the house. I found this frame last month at the thrift store and though I wasn't a fan of the heart and mat, I loved the square frame for $1. I had planned to put a little wreath in there, but suspended the idea for a little bit.

First I made this, with a linen scrap and some berries. I think it’s cute, but framed up it just didn’t look right.

I re-did the matting in my favorite scrapbook paper, and made a new little heart out of another linen scrap. I got some printable iron-on paper and printed the word “love” thinking that I’d be able to iron the word onto my fabric, but it turns out that I bought the iron-on that looks like you have just printed something on paper. Agh! Stupid, semi-expensive, wrong iron-on paper! Anyone know what the right kind is? I had planned to hand stitch around the linen heart to give it a little something extra, but I already didn’t like it so I just abandoned it completely. I put this up on a shelf, but the first time that I walked by it I flipped it facedown. Again, it just didn’t look like me.

Then, I thought that maybe I could do something that suggests love instead of saying it, so I ended up with this.

And it goes so nicely with my little family blocks. Totally a coincidence. Totally.

(PS-This is no veiled announcement or anything. We are still a family a three, I just like symmetry, and happened to have extra blocks. :)

Furthermore, with the fresh batch of snow that we received last week and the reinstating of the under 20 degree temperatures, I decided that I wasn’t quite done with my winter decorations just yet. I made a little cone tree with twine and cotton thread (the white is a bit like snow, right?), and added a little pop of red.

I was happy to get a little bit of “valentines red” and “love” added to the house without turning to roses and hearts. And I was really happy to have made these with supplies that I already had, particularly since I didn’t want to spend any money or emerge into 14 degree temperatures!

I have wondered, after all is said and done, if I am turning into a bit of a one trick pony with those twine trees. Maybe I am. For now I am okay with it, but I’ll certainly need to have some new ideas come summertime.

I am linking to Just Something I Whipped Up, Make It For Monday, Made by You Monday, Metamorphasis Monday, Sumos Sweet Stuff, Made It Monday, Making the World Cuter, Talented Tuesday, Get Your Craft On, Toot Your Horn Tuesday, A Soft Place to Land, Works for Me Wednesday, Show and Tell, Somewhat Simple, Shabby Chic Cottage, Show Your Stuff, Thrifty Thursday, Floral Showers, Creative Cats, Finding Fabulous, and Funky Junk Interiors.