Valentine Doilies

Have you seen Martha Stewart's valentine doilies?

They are all over Pinterest.

They are the cutest things...easy & cheap!

I bought a package of red and pink paper napkins, (Dollarama)

grabbed my scissors, and went to work.

Fold the napkin in half.

Fold in half again.

Cut out a heart free hand. 

 Or make a cardboard template and cut out around it.

I drew this heart simply to show you where I was cutting it out.

  The farther up on the napkin that you cut out the heart increases

the size of hole in the middle of your doilie.

Use them as a runner down the center of your table.

A place mat.

A great family activity in preparation for Valentine's.
Use these doilies to decorate tables, windows, bulletin boards! 

Have Fun!!

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Chocolate Coconut Flour Cupcakes

Last week was my son’s birthday and he was 20.  I cannot believe how time has flown by.  I decided to make him his favourite chocolate cupcakes and even made them grain free.  I found this recipe on "Basic Ingredients" blog.  I have tweeked them a bit.  They are quite possibly the most delicious cupcake.  I sure hope Jess thought so!  God has blessed us with 4 wonderful children and Jess is second oldest and our only January birthday.  

You could easily carry this cupcake into February and share them on Valentines day.  Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Chocolate Coconut Flour Cupcakes

½ cup coconut flour

½ cup cocoa powder

½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp baking soda

3 eggs plus 9 Tbsp of liquid egg white

½ cup coconut oil or melted butter (I used ¼ cup butter

and ¼ cup coconut oil)

1 cup of honey

*Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl and then add eggs, egg whites, coconut oil or butter and honey.  Mix well and spoon into cupcake pan (I used cupcake liners) 

Bake 350 14 to 16 minutes or until done.  Makes 9 cupcakes. 

*When you whisk your dry ingredients it puts air into them and helps to make your baking lighter. 

My icing recipe:

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp coconut milk

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Melt in microwave and stir in enough icing sugar until desired consistency.  1/2 cup would make a nice glaze and 1 cup would be a stiffer icing.

Frost cupcakes with my icing recipe or use your choice of cream cheese icing, chocolate mousse, or serve cupcakes warm with a delicious ice cream.  Enjoy!  

~Gwyneth

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Valentine Garland

While sorting through and organizing Christmas

decor after the holidays I came across this strand

of pink mini lights.  I think they must have been used

on one of my daughters little trees in their

bedroom at some point.  I just kept them out

and thought I might fit them into Valentine's

decor somewhere.  I'm not a big Valentine's

decorator.  Just a little touch here and there.

Pinterest to the rescue for inspiration!

Have you seen these Valentine's garlands?

This is my spin on them.  

Pink (or clear)  mini lights + heart paper doilies + hole punch

Gently fold over the doilie, being careful not to crease it. 

 Punch a half hole.

Gently push a bulb through the hole.  

It doesn't get much easier than that.  

You can alternate heart shaped and round doilies on your garland, 

or use clear lights and red doilies too!

The fun part about creative projects is making it

completely your own. 

Last week I spent some time putting away Christmas dishes

and pulling out some pink for Valentine's.

This was the perfect spot for my new garland.

So pretty at night.

Tanya

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~LOVE~ & Linky Follower Party #2

Happy Valentine's Day

As I thought about Valentine's Day, I knew I wanted to use the color pink in my decorating this year.  My sister, Lisa, gave me the sweetest cream and sugar and four cups and saucers as part of my Christmas gift this year.  She found them at one of our favorite haunts.  ;0)  They are beautiful, and have lots of pink, so I knew they would be perfect.



I also knew I wanted roses in my silver coffee pot.  These sweet little buds have begun to dry, and I am ready to hang them upside down to complete the process.  They will be beautiful for a long time. 



I won a fabulous giveaway from Christine @ Stonehouse Living a few weeks ago.  This silver dish was one of the many things she sent me.  I love it!  Click on her blog name above to see all the other wonderful things she sent to me!  












I even decorated my sugar bowl.  To be completely honest, I believe it was my father, that I first saw do this.  It was many years ago.  He added a teaspoon, or so, of colored sugar to the sugar bowl.  Mix it all up, and your sugar bowl is decorated for the occasion.  



The Valentine's banner took about 10 minutes to make.  I used my trusty glue gun, and glued the paper doilies and buttons onto a piece of ribbon!

Watch for this recipe soon!

Jess @ A Cozy Cottage in the City made the most beautiful cupcakes in January, and I vowed I would try and replicate them for Valentines.  I also think they would be perfect for Mother's Day, Easter, Birthdays, Showers...well, you get the picture.  I love cupcakes!  All you 'vintage lovers' will love Jess's blog.

Greater love has no one than this,

 that he lay down his life for his friends. 

John 15:13 NIV 




Photography courtesy of
 Nicole Payzant Photography.

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Linky Followers Party #2

Many of you have probably already heard that

GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT WILL GO AWAY

on Feb 29 for any one that is not with blogspot

but rumor has it that it is being completely phased out for everyone soon

BUT

there is good news

RULES:

1. you MUST have the LINKY FOLLOWERS tool on your site to participate.

If you see that your link has been deleted you need to add the LINKY FOLLOWER tool to your site and then come back over and re-enter your link
{You can have both the LINKY FOLLOWERS & GFC on your site but you must have the LINKY FOLLOWERS toolto participate in this party hop.}

2. You MUST follow the person who has the party on their site as a thank you.

3. Just add your blog button to the LINKY PARTY below.

4.Then grab the BLOG HOP code

You will find the code right under the Linky Party where it says CLICK HERE TO ENTER–

just under that it says: WHAT IS A BLOG HOP? GET THE CODE HERE

Click on GET THE CODE HERE and enter it into a post on your site.

You can grab the party button code in the FOOTER at Its So Very Cheri

You can grab info from my post if it helps you with your post.

5. Then you follow other bloggers–(as many as you want)
–leave each one of the blogs that you follow a comment letting them know you are following them and ask them to follow you back.

If you want to add the BLOG HOP to your own site you will get lots of new followers–(see rule #2)

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We're moving...

...our Facebook page from a "Profile Page" to a "Fan Page".  It is a more proper forum for us.  We sure do not want to loose any of you, awesome "friends," in the move.  So please visit our new page HERE, and "Like us".  On January 16th we will be having a draw from the names of our awesome readers that have "Liked" our new page.  

Facebook Draw

The cutest Cupcake Stand

Valentines Napkins

Pkg of 6 Valentine Treat Boxes

2 Tea Towels

Betty Crocker Hot Cinnamon Candle

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