Peep, peep!

 Oh my gosh! So many cute ideas are popping up on blogs...check out this idea for a cheery cake made with Peeps~

 Can you just picture this sunflower cake being served during a teatime, brunch or outdoor picnic? Too fun! The directions can be found at The Family Kitchen. Is there something you make with Peeps? Here is another easy thing to do that yields nice results~

Just cut the center out of a large doily (you will cut the outer edge from the doily, same difference!) and wrap the resulting strip around a cupcake. Secure with sticky dots or tape.


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Brambleberry Cottage

Pink for Her Piggies

Popped into a local TJMaxx...one of my fav haunts for deals and steals...and discovered a pair of cute platform wedges for College Girl. A side benefit is that I could borrow them sometime!

I can picture her wearing these with a sweet top, cardigan and shorts or a summery dress. I'd wear them with boot cut pants, a top and a pretty scarf. Because they are platform style, they feel more comfortable than wearing a high heel. ~ 

 So many shades of pink are lovely. I mentioned yesterday we are redecorating our daughter's room, but we are not finished yet. I did snap a quick photo of the accent wall my hubby painted to share with you. It is a Behr paint that is a yummy raspberry color.

 We need to hang her posters and find a cushy upholstered chair for her to study in, but it is coming together nicely. The bedding is black and white (see the lamp shade I decorated?) and there is a circular rug on the floor that is black with white fleur de lis on it. If you look closely you can see the Valentine I made for College Girl, with a photo of Jensen Ackles on the front, sitting on her nightstand! lol~ Here is Jensen wearing pink. I can sort of see what she finds attractive, can't you? Ha ha ha! 

If you are looking for free pink printables try Sweetly Scrapped.
There are always fabulous images and great ideas at this site! The thread spool at the top of the post, along with the pink stitching divider, is from Sweetly Scrapped. I think I will fire up Netflix and watch an episode of Supernatural and see Jensen in action~
Happy pink Saturday :)


I am sharing this post with:
How Sweet The Sound 

Dress up a Lampshade, Update a Room

We are redecorating our daughter's room. It has been the same since she was in elementary school, and she was ready for a change. My husband painted an accent color on one wall. It is a Behr paint called Invitation To A Princess.

We also hung pewter colored pinch-pleat drapes. Our daughter~ I'll call her 'College Girl'~ chose a color scheme of black and white with raspberry and pewter accents. We are in the process of putting up a couple of framed posters, and changing some other details in the room.  One quick project I did over the weekend was to punch holes in the lampshade, then weave a black ribbon through the holes.

     I punched holes 2" from the bottom edge, in pairs.

Using black ribbon and starting at the front of the lamp, I wove the strand in and out of the holes until I got back to the front~

When I completed weaving the ribbon through the holes, I cut off the excess and used a glue gun to attach a matching bow. Voila!
It turned out cute. I am on a mission to get College Girl's bedroom and bathroom organized and efficient, as she tends to be messy. I figure anything that simplifies putting things away...makes it quick and easy to stow and retrieve...will encourage her to be tidier! I bought a pretty hanging shoe organizer for her closet; but it is not for shoes. It is black and white with raspberry trim and is made with pockets like this one, below.

However, she stores tights, scarves, belts and undergarments in hers. It is working out nicely and has made more room in her dresser drawers. Now I need to find boot boxes for her to store her winter boots in: she has clear shoe boxes for her other shoes, but her boots are strewn on the closet floor. The other thing we are on the hunt for is a comfy upholstered chair in which she can read and study. She just took her first exam of the semester and got 98%! Woohooo :)


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Uncommonly Yours
cozy home scenes 
 Brambleberry Cottage

You Suit Me to a Tea!

Last week I could not post anything on my blog and never did figure out what was wrong. So, until I get help from Blogger, I am using a new browser and posting this belatedly~ 

 I decided to make shortbread cookies for our February 14 teatime. My daughter showed me a photo of cookies that looked like teabags and I couldn't wait to try making some! Use any basic shortbread recipe. I used one from my Winnie The Pooh Teatime Cookbook~

After I rolled out the dough, I used a piece of parchment cut in the shape of a teabag, as a pattern. I used a knife to cut out the cookies, then my daughter made a small hole at the top of each with a drinking straw. Into the oven they went~

When they were cool, I melted chocolate and brushed it onto the bottom half of the shortbread teabags. I think when I make them again, I will dip the bottoms in chocolate and see if the surface comes out smoother. Next, I stamped small squares of card stock with cute images and tied them to the cookies. (I used an empty clear teabag wrapper and slipped one of my shortbread cookies into it for the photo).

I put together a light snack when my daughter got home from school, and the three of us- Daddy included- exchanged our Valentine cards. Not every teatime needs to be a formal meal. 

 
We decided to sample some shortbread along with fresh apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon~

Our cups were filled with Kusmi Troika tea served from our cozy covered Bodum pot. I thought the plump red strawberries on the cozy made it a lovely addition to the table.

 Notice the variety of sweeteners I arranged on a plate? There are sugar cubes, honey drops, and natural turbinado to choose from.

 
 The pink napkins are a keepsake from a special dinner served to us at the hospital when my daughter was born...the hospital brought a candlelit table into my room with dinner on it for my husband and me the evening after I gave birth. It was our first dinner as parents!
I brought a beautiful Camellia blossom in from the back yard and floated it in a small pudding dish.

 

 We used our footed monogram cups for the occasion. We bought these sweet cups at Anthropologie. 

There were heart shaped boxes on the table, as well as a framed picture and festive red and white glittery balls~

If you have never tried a sprinkle of cinnamon on fresh apple slices give it a try...it is yummy.

We used blue and white luncheon plates that have a variety of teapots pictured on them. I like the combo of red, white, blue and black~

              Here is the mark on the back of the dishes~

I used a place card holder to display a Valentine image I printed, then punched with a circle punch~

I received a wonderful package in the mail that really added joy to my week. This came from a new friend who resides in the Netherlands, and she sent tea. What a treat!  She also sent 6"x6" paper pads, baby roses, and a hand-made card.

I also got a package from a beloved friend who does monthly scrapbook exchanges with me...isn't this gorgeous? It was filled with love~

I bet you can spot the festive sparkly balls she included in the packaging...these are what I sprinkled on the tea table :)

sharing this post with:

Terri at Artful Affirmations 

Marthas Favorites 

Rose Chintz Cottage 

                                 Kathy at Delightsome Life
                                      Bernideen's Tea Time
                                         Cozy Home Scenes
                                     Brambleberry Cottage 

It Had To Be You

There are so many cute ideas for Valentine's Day out there in blogs this week! At Claire's blog you can find an svg/cut file for a lace heart~

  Want to learn how to use sealing wax? Patty has a quick tutorial
  to show you how to make pretty designs in colorful wax. It would  be an elegant vintage touch to a scrapbook page, Valentine or  envelope.

How about sharing tea with your sweet heart or best girlfriend? Harney & Sons has a festive tea you might enjoy~ According to their website:

Our Valentine's Tea blend is a romantic brew joining chocolate tea and rosebuds. In a red tin with our distinctive Valentine's Blend label, this tea is a perfect gift for that special someone.
Here's a list of all the ways to enjoy our  Blend:

Product:	Price:	Brews:
4oz. Loose Tea	$7.00	30-40 cups
16oz. Loose Tea	$20.50	150-160 cups
50 Sachet Bag	$20.00	12oz. cup
5 Sachet Tagalong	$3.75	12oz. cup

A fun way to get in the spirit of things is a Valentine manicure! A dear friend of mine sent me three shades of pink nail polish and I applied a couple of coats last night of the yummiest raspberry color to my nails, very much like the top color sample below...so girly girl. Sephora has a variety of brands and colors, and YouTube has lots of tutorials on nail art. Little girls and teens would get a kick out of the water marble technique!

doudouscrap  is offering an adorable free digi stamp. Wouldn't this be cute on a note tucked into a Valentine lunchbag?

I'm off to make shortbread. I cannot wait to show you what I do with it. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY~

We don't go overboard on Valentine's Day...we are big believers in doing little things regularly to show our love, not just when the calendar compels us. But we still like to do something fun and festive~ My daughter and I make Valentine cards and small 'happies' to give to friends.

I was using some of my stamps to create tags and cards, and was frustrated over having to dig through my collection to find the Valentine themed stamps. I suddenly remembered that I had picked up a clear container to hold road maps, but never ended up using it since I prefer a book-style Thomas Bros. Guide when driving. It dawned on me that the stamps would fit perfectly inside it.

I put my Inkadinkadoo, Verve, Hampton Art, Hero Arts, Stampendous, Crafty Secrets, TPC Studio, Pink Persimmon and EK Success stamps in it. The container came with dividers, so I organized the stamps according to theme! And since it is clear and has an opening on each end, it is easy to take and replace stamp sets from it. It also has a handle for easy transport. The majority of my stamps are in packages that fit nicely in this box~

I thought I would share a couple of cute discoveries I made while blog hopping~

How about making sweet 'Be Mine' teabag covers for your favorite tea drinker? There is a free printable and directions at Creature Comforts

These charming tickets from Miss Cutie Pie would look great tied to a gift, added to a scrapbook page or used on a card.

Head over to the Crafting Chicks for lots of Valentine ideas, printables and inspiration...like these cute little postcards!