{Happy Love Day XO}

Happy LOVE Day! In our house we have been talking a lot about love this month, it all starts with our February verse :

We have talked lots about different types of love and how we express that, not just romantic love!
So my big kindy boy wanted to send a card to do some special girls in his world.
So, together we made these cards which he hand wrote messages inside for his valentines. I think it's very important that he does most of it - as it was his idea and it isn't about me giving a gift. Rather, helping him do this and then using it as an opportunity to talk about love and use it as a teachable moment....whilst he is not embarrassed about talking with mum about it lol!



1. Take a photo of your child against a backdrop that is quite plain. Show them how to make a fist and hold it up.

2. Then at home or at your local photo developer, print it off on paper or photographic paper.
Cut it out and attach it to some card to make it sturdy enough to hold the lollypop.

3. Using a craft knife, cut a slit in the card above and below their fist.

4. Slide lollypop in and write on the card. Viola, it turns a 2D card into a delicious 3D treat for someone special!!!



I have to say that the recipients were very happy to receive these and they were a BIG hit!!!


Have a great LOVE day wherever you are!

Lauren x

{Listed on Made it.com.au}

Well, I had never planned to ever sell anything I make, but I had a lot of interest on a craft project I made for a friends wedding. So, I decided to make a few kits with the extra sheet music I had bought for the project and list them for sale on an online Australian handmade marketplace - Madeit.com.au (love this site).
So, if you are a bride-to-be or have a friend that is, have a look at the listing here!

{Paper Heart Garland}

A dear friend of mine had her wedding day recently. She saw my heart garland I made for my valentines day dinner for my husband and asked if I would make something for her special day to give it a handmade touch. I have to admit I made it up as I went and I was over the moon with the result.
The couple are a beautiful couple and are both sickly talented in so many areas, especially musically. The groom proposed to her after singing her a song in front of friends. He even gave the wedding guests an encore of it in addition to serenading the bride in front of us all in a truely tearful moment that moved us all!

So, to personalise this decoration I went to an Op-shop (Vinnies) and found some old sheet music and got to work (silently appologising to those who took to the time to write the music).

I gently pulled the staples out and folded the papers back along the crease. Then I cut strips of paper from the fold to the open side about 3cm wide making a V shape. To make the double heart shape you need to cut half the strips a few cms shorter (this allows the inside heart to be smaller and fit inside the outside one.

Slip the strips inside each other so the folds are snug and staple together. (bottom left hand and centre pictures).

Then fold the top stips around to make the heart shape and so that they are all aligned and staple the four of them together. (bottom picture right hand side)

WALLAH!


I repeated this many times over and then gently placed them into a box to transport to the wedding. Then using some gorgeous rustic twine (think it came from bunnings) I stickly taped them onto the string and created a bunting effect. This formed a banner the bride walked under as she stepped onto the red carpet of the isle and then we moved it to drape on the cake table for the reception. I loved the way it turned out and glad it added a little something extra to a friends' special day.

{the only shot of the hearts I have at the ceremony, and will have to get some clearer ones when the photos come out from the fantastic 1tree}
{Thanks to 1tree Photography for these photos - you are very talented indeed!}

Lauren x