Spring Blossoms in February!

I read online that you can force spring blossoms to bloom. I felt that I needed the joy of a delicate bloom to brighten these rainy days and I decided to give it a try... and it worked! They are stunning! (honest side note...you have to not mind the look of sticks in a vase... I love sticks so this was okay with me)

In my rubber boots, not nice ones mind you...you can see by the mud they are well used. I hacked (yes.. hacked as I have never been known to do things with delicacy) some branches from the neighboring cherry tree and carried my treasure inside. They were smooth with a hint of nubbly pale mounds of buds. Breath taking with promise. The neighbors watched secretively from behind their curtains. ha ha ha! I think that they may believe I am crazy. I have decided it's better to leave them thinking so.  I placed the fresh branches in a large clear vase with cool water. 

For two weeks I trimmed the bottoms and changed the water for with warm water. Then Voila! They bloomed. Who would have thought.... sometimes what you read online is true!

My one batch has already started to leaf! Blossoms are gone but I think...sigh...spring green!

Have a lovely Monday... Megan

Silly Paper Valentine's Hearts

So I have fallen in love with paper hearts! So Simple and easy... I just could not help myself. I saw some pictures on-line and thought...hey... I want to buy those adorable hearts! Then reality pinched me (I mean my son literally pinched me and said play with me) and I thought " Hey I could make those with the kids"! Only mission left was to convince my kids that this would be FUN! Oddly, or maybe not, other children when visiting can't get enough crafting time in with me, but my own children roll their eyes and run when they see me pull out the glue gun. I guess things seem special when you don't do them often.

To get my daughter interested I pulled the old... "Why don't you help me and then you can decide where the hearts should go. You can be the Heart decorator!" 

These beauties were made in four easy steps. 

1. Draw on paper. Stack two pieces of paper. Draw Four sizes and one middle.  (Use a ruler as a template for equal widths) (I used plain construction paper, any will do, the prettier the better  )
2. Cut out. I cut the two pieces at once for less drawing. 
3. Stack up & staple bottom. Stack two piles of largest to smallest. Put center piece on one stack. Sandwich together. Tap to make line up. Scramble to find stapler. Staple Center bottom.
4. Tuck in and Hole punch to hang. Hold center piece curve side pieces in, then do other side. Hole punch top of middle piece. Add an extra staple to bottom if you want extra secure. Attach string and VOILA!! Done. 

Draw 

Cut & Stack

Sandwich together & Staple

Tuck and Hang.

Now off to figure out Valentines for the kids classes :) !!