Makely

This year, I set out to make the cutest Valentine’s treats ever for Zack’s preschool class. You may remember that last year didn’t go so well. I think I more than made up for it this year.

While I was browsing the dollar store, I ran across some tiny little flower pots that were 3 for $1 and an idea “bloomed.” Didn’t the pots make adorable little treats?

These little flower pot treats are very simple to create. I didn’t post a tutorial before Valentine’s Day because ~~I’m lazy~~ I didn’t want any of the other preschool mother’s to try to out do me. I’m just kidding. It’s really the lazy thing and the fact that I waited until the absolute last minute to put these together for Zack’s classmates.

Anyway, I think these would be equally as adorable with a flower shape instead of a heart. Can you imagine them as little treats at a little girl’s tea party or garden party? You could even do a few different flower shapes – daisy, tulip, etc – and make a little bouquet. Swoon!

Let me show you how. I gathered a few supplies from the dollar store, some from the grocery store, and a few more from around the house.

Zack and I made a pan of “Marshmallow Crispy Squares” using this recipe, but I used Fruity Pebbles instead of Rice Krispies so that the hearts would be colorful. I cut the squares so that they were slightly larger than my heart-shaped cookie cutter (which was actually part of the favors from our wedding…let’s have a collective, “Awwwwww!”).

I lined a cutting board with foil and sprayed it with cooking spray so the treats wouldn’t stick to the foil. I then cut out the heart shapes and inserted a lollipop sticks into them.

Next, you need to put plastic coverings over the treats so they will stay fresh. You can be all fancy and buy clear lollipop bags at the craft store, or you can be like me and cut the zipper part off of a Ziploc bag. I used the snack size baggies for mine since my hearts were small, but you may need to use a sandwich size if your shapes are larger. I gathered the excess plastic at the bottom of the heart and tied it closed with a little piece of curling ribbon.

With some craft gift tags I already had on hand, I made little “Grown with Love” tags to add to the treats. If I needed to buy some at the store, I would have bought some that were smaller than this, but I didn’t really see the need to buy more since I already had these. On the back of the tags, I wrote each child’s name and Zack drew a little picture…of a straight line, which he said was a jump rope. He cracks me up.

I tied the tags onto the sticks with some curling ribbon. In hindsight, I think it would have been super cute to use green pipe cleaners to make little leaves instead. If I ever do this with flower shapes, I think that is what I will do. The ribbon was fun, though, and I don’t think you can ever have too much curling ribbon on hand. I think I have some in every color.

Next, cut a piece of floral foam to fit inside the little pot. Yes, I am the mother who uses floral foam in a craft project for 3 year olds. I am a little over the top. Just part of Living with Lindsay.

After sticking the lollipop stick into the floral foam, I added some chocolate hearts around the foam to hide it as best I could. I wasn’t able to completely hide it, but I think I hid it well enough.

That’s all there is to it! So sweet and simple. And they trump foil Lightening McQueen valentines any day of the week. Yay me!

Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours! I hope you get to spend the day with the people you love. Make every day count.

Not long ago, I waned to spend all of my time out and about – shopping, visiting friends’ homes, and attending playdates with my son. I think Zack and I spent more of our day away from home than we did actually being at home.

Much has changed in the last few months. I have started decorating our home with a purpose, instead of buying random home decor items on a whim. I feel like my home is on its way to being welcoming and beautiful instead of piecemeal, and now I have to have a really good excuse to spend all day running around town. I want to be here. I want to enjoy the warm sunlight streaming through our windows. I want to just sit and enjoy this home, this life, my family has created.

Tom gets credit for this photo of the amazing sunset from our backyard.

Other than the decorating, there are a few little changes I’ve made in my life that have helped me get to this point. I decided that it would be no fun to have a beautiful, well decorated home if it was constantly in disarray. I always felt like I had too much laundry to put away, too many toys to pick up, and too many rooms that needed to be cleaned. I have a new routine at home now, and it has definitely made a tremendous difference in my life.

I’ll let you in on a few little secrets, because I like you.

First, there are some easy things I do every single morning:

Give Zack his juice (aka 8 oz of water with a splash of juice) and cheerios;
Start a pot of coffee for Tom and myself;
Put a load of laundry in the washing machine;
Empty the dishwasher than ran the night before;
Open the blinds and curtains; and
Make the beds.

It seems simple, but it gets my day started and helps me to keep on top of the “homemaking” aspect of my life. Plus, since I get up and get moving, I get a lot more accomplished in my day than I used to accomplish.

The other secret is my chart. In order to keep from getting overwhelmed with everything else there is to do in our home, I simply set up a chore chart for myself. All of my tasks are broken down in easy to manage segments, so I don’t feel like I’m doing housework all day.

Click on the above chart to be taken to the full-size version.

Above is my little chart. Each day, I try my hardest to accomplish each task I have assigned myself. I’ll admit that there are days I don’t get it all completed, but I just relax and move those tasks to the next day. Everything eventually gets cleaned and I don’t have to dedicate an entire day cleaning or an entire day to laundry.

It may seem crazy and a little OCD (Hello! Have you ever read my blog before?), but it keeps me calm. I am a much better mother, wife, and Lindsay when I’m calm and relaxed. Plus, there aren’t a zillion mountains of laundry and piles of dust bunnies waiting to attack me as soon as I walk in the door. See why I don’t mind being at home now?

I challenge you to make your own little chart (or use mine) and try this process for two weeks. Start it on Monday – that gives you all weekend to prepare. You know, do your pre-dusting stretches and the like.

Let me know if you accept my challenge. Even if you have a cleaning service (who will never clean your home as well as you do, but that’s a whole different blog post), you can do the daily picking up, kitchen cleaning, and laundry tasks. I’ll be checking in mid-week to see how everyone is doing. You can do it and lead a more beautiful life in the process!

Check out one of my favorite blogs, The Inspired Room, to join in the weekly celebration of living a beautiful life!

May Love Bloom

The Little Secrets of a Relaxing Home