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Showing posts with the label VALENTINES DAY

Chonky Boys: The Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches that Scream Summer!

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Featuring my thick and nuggy Chonky Boy Chocolate Chip Cookies, these ice cream sandwiches are the stuff that summer dreams are made of.  If you've ever had the Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich at Disneyland , you are going to LOVE these!  These big and bold chocolate chip cookies are based on a recipe from my culinary school studies at Auguste Escoffier, but with a few modifications to give them that Jennuine touch.  They make the perfectas book for a fat slice of real vanilla bean ice cream.  And those mini chips?  You just gotta have that extra cronch! Thank goodness this recipe only makes 8 sandwiches, otherwise I would be eating them for breakfast lunch and dinner.  This way, my big family can help save me from my inner child diet-saboteur.   Print With Image Without Image Chonky Boy Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches Yield: 8 Author: Jenn Erickson Loaded with chocolate chips and buttery, brown-sugary vanilla flavor, these mall-sized cookies form a perfect partnership with a
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Free Kids Superhero Valentines -- Stuck on You

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I have four kids, which, come Valentine's Day, means bucketloads of candy and junk find their way home from school. *sigh* To help cut down on cavities and landfill, I decided to come up with a fun, but sneakily practical valentine for the kids to give to all their classmates last year. These Marvel superhero bandaids came from the Dollar Tree, so they were very budget-friendly. The kids loved them because they're superhero-themed and they sure beat the icky old skin colored bandaids that we grew up with. My parent-friends appreciated them, because they were one of the few things their kids got that they didn't toss in the trash as soon as the novelty of the Valentines Day haul had worn off (around 10 minutes). Win * Win Here's how you can make your own: Stuck on You  Bandaid Valentines FREE hang tag (Download HERE ) Cardstock or Photo Paper Plain cellophane treat bags (4x6)** Bandaids (3 per
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Freebies: Kitchy, Cute and Beautiful Vintage Valentines

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I recently hand-picked some fun vintage valentines at a local tag sale.  I've scanned them in, restored some of the color and am sharing them here with you today.  Happy Valentines Day!  
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Here's the Scoop: Mini Meringue Treasure Cone #Valentines

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These miniature meringue-topped cones are as sweet as can be. Your Valentine will delight at the secret message and surprise inside!   This project was inspired by the mini-mallow cones from my mom's NYC childhood.  When I found these diminutive ice cream cones I knew right away what my girls and I would be making for their school valentines this year. With time-saving and ease in the forefront of my mind, I had originally planned on using pre-made mini meringues.  If baking isn't your thing, and you can find pre-made meringues, by all means use them.  Nary a pre-made meringue was to be found in my local stores, however, so I whipped up a batch of my own.  They require only a few simple ingredients, and you can tint the meringue any color you wish. If you've fallen in love with this sweet Valentine idea, please Pin-it . When you're ready to get started, here's the "scoop"... Mini Meringue Treasure Cone Val
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Vintage-style DIY: "True Love's Kiss" Valentine's Day Gift Tags

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Often, the subjects in vintage photos look serious, stodgy and downright uncomfortable.  Yet when cupid's arrow hit its mark, old-fashioned inhibitions apparently flew out the window.  I absolutely love old photos that capture the passion of true love's kiss! Taking my inspiration from the "Wishing Tree Tags" from Jenny Doh's new book Stylish Weddings ~ 50 Simple Ideas to Make from Top Designers , I created a set of "True Love's Kiss" gift tags for Valentine's Day.  Tie them on to a special gift, or hang the whole collection from a natural branch or flowering plant.   Next week, I'll be giving away a copy of Jenny's beautiful book  along with my highlights and review.     Without a word, these tags say so much. Don't you think?  To make your own, here's what you'll need to do: " True Love's Kiss " Valentine's Day Gift Tags Materials Image files of vintage
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Seeds of Friendship ~ Free Printable Seed Packet Valentine DIY

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  I'm really excited to be sharing the valentine project that I created for my girls to give to their friends at school this year!   I've made it easy for everyone to plant the seeds of friendship this Valentine's Day with these  DIY Seed Packets.    Simply print the packets on regular copy paper, cut out, glue the tabs and fold.  Fill with delicious and nutritious candy-coated sunflower seeds! Download the free printable seed packets HERE . Enjoy! I found candy-coated sunflower seeds in this great modern palette at Trader Joe's.  I portioned 2 Tablespoons per packet before sealing the envelope with an Elmer's Extra Strength Glue Stick. ---------------------- This post has been linked-up with: Think Pink Sunday @ Flamingo Toes BFF Open House Link Party @ The Answer is Chocolate  The Inspiration Board @ Homework
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Valentine DIY: "Nuts About You" Circus Peanut Valentines {free printable}

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An old-time candy (circa 1800) get's a new twist for Valentine's Day! I think the kids will go "nuts" for these, don't you?   Circus Peanut Valentines Circus Peanut Candy (4 per Valentine) Free printable Valentine inserts (download HERE ) Pretzel bags (sold in the cake/candy section of most craft stores) String/twine To assemble:  Download the sheet of valentine card inserts.  You can print directly on to the blank side of a piece of patterned scrapbook paper for an easy double-sided look.  Or, cut 4.5 x 1.75 strips from patterned scrapbook paper; then, print the inserts on regular printer paper.  Trim, then insert both pieces into the bag, back-to-back.  I found that the peanuts were easiest to place once the paper had already been inserted and centered inside the bag.  Once peanuts are in place, tie off ends of bag with string or twine.
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10 Creative DIY Valentine Projects

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  I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kind of gal.  As you may have observed, by the time I post a tutorial for the holiday project I've done with my family, the holiday is likely to be 48 hours from being a memory.   So, this year, with plenty of time to plot, plan and enjoy with your family, I present 10 creative, fun, whimsical and sweet ideas for Valentine's Day: Remember these guys from your childhood? Roll the pencil between your palms and their hair goes wild.  Tutorial:  Crazy Hair Pencil Valentines   This project is a treat, an activity and card all in one. Tutorial:  Butter Cookie Tic-Tac-Toe These elegant cards are made from watercolor paper and contain a tiny love note in the beak of the messenger bird. Tutorial:  Par Avion Messenger Bird Valentines This is a frugal upcycling craft. The tiny crowns are made from cardboard tubes. Tutorial:  Mini Upcycled Paper Crowns Here's a sweet idea: Pre-made he
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Retro Craft: Crazy Hair Pencils and Valentine Printable

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I fondly remember these crazy haired pencils from the 80s. My friends and I could hardly get enough of them. We made them in scouts. We made them in camp. We made them at birthday parties.   Ahh...the joy of smoothing out your pencil critter's hair, then rolling the pencil rapidly between your palms to achieve maximum crazy hair volume.  I guess times were simpler then...we didn't have a thousand channels on TV, and handheld video games were still a decade out. When brainstorming a fun valentine project for my girls to make this year, the old pencil project came to mind.  I had a hunch that even the children of the digital age would have a hard time resisting their wacky charm.    The project was a hit at home and pencils were a smashing success in the classroom.  Of course, we couldn't bear to part with them all. (If you don't hear from me in a few days, someone may have to intervene and hide my crazy haired p encil) . How
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