Valentine's Mantel

Love is in the air
and everything is pink and red.
Today I am excited to show you my Valentine's Mantel.

Valentine's Mocktail ~ Orange Pomegranate Mocktail

Love is in the Air o

It is time is time to start thinking about what you are going to make for your special Valentine's meal. Do you have a plan of what you are going to make?  Do you make a special meal for your loved ones?  I have made you a Mocktaill that would be perfect for you and this can be even shared with your children..  gv 

Fill the Cookie Jar with Chocolate Almond Shortbread

Diamond, Flowers and Chocolate are the perfect gift for Valentine's Day.  Although I can't give you diamonds.... I will give you some chocolate with maybe a decorated flower or two to fill your cookie jar this Valentine's Day... The catch is that you have to make them yourself but they are worth it if you like a chocolate cookie with a crunch that melt in your mouth.

Tea Bag Holders

This is a pinterest craft that I have pinned and have wanted to make for some time.  I thought it would be perfect gift to make for friends that may be tea lovers.  For anyone that does any kind of paper crafts like scrapbooking this would be an ideal way to use up those scraps.  An inexpensive and easy way to send tea.

DIY Valentine Tea Bags with a free printable.

DIY Valentine Tea Bags

I am a big fan of tea... I drink at least one cup of tea every day if not more.  I also love to drink tea made from loose tea, but it is always a problem as  I end up with strainers full of loose tea all over the house or at least my kitchen.  

Did you know that you could make tea bags from coffee filters?  They work perfectly and you don't have to worry about straining the loose tea... you can just throw out the tea bag.  Perfect, simple and the bag can be in the shape you want.  I didn't have the big size coffee filters but did have some filters from EZ pod so used them..  You could also make them in the EZ Pod shape, just stitch around the top and then they could be put in your Single- Cup Pot.

I decided to make them up with some valentine labels but also did some teacup labels.  You could even write on the back what type of loose tea you placed in.  For the labels you can print them here.

Materials:

Coffee filters

Loose Tea

Printable Labels

String or Thread (I used heavy thread)

Directions:

Print labels and cut out.

I used EZ Pod refills so pulled them apart slightly,  Filled with 1 tsp of loose tea and sewed the filters together with thread into a semi circle.

If using large coffee filters I would cut them into a circle about 1 1/2 inch diameter, add loose tea and sew them into a semi circle.

To attach label, tie knot, thread through the tea bag and then through the label, keeping a length of string of 1 -2 inches between the tea bag and label.  

Use DIY tea bags as you would bought tea bags.  

  

Perfect gifts to give teachers, grandmothers, aunts or anyone that is a tea lover.   I love teavana tea and this would be a way to personalize the gift.

Note: Make sure that you attach the thread to the top of the heart or when you use it you will have a upside down heart like mine in the picture.  My threads where cut too long for my cup.  You could measure them so that the bag fits nicely into a cup.

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Disclaimer:

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Printables were made with the help of Clker.com

Linked to these Great Blogs: Inspire Us Thursday, Valentine's Day Saturday Dishes, Weekend Block Party
In & Out of the Kitchen

Valentine's Day... What it means to me.

 This past weekend I was listening to Heather Tallman of Basilmomma  on her radio program Around the Kitchen Sink as I was folding clothes ( romantic Huh).  She had on Sandy Fowler of Heart Filled Holidays  and they  were talking about Valentine's Day.  Now mind you, Valentine's Day has never been one of my favorite holidays to celebrate and I am not even sure why not.  This program got me thinking, what does Valentine's mean to me.

Valentine's and what it means to me

As I listened to the program one of the things that one of them said was that Valentine's doesn't just have to be for couples, just because you are not a couple doesn't mean that you can't celebrate Valentines.  Now, why didn't I think about that before.     I have  been single for a lot more years then I have been married and to me Valentine's Day was just for couples.  Now that I am married, it has a different meaning altogether to me.

When Mags and I first started courting and then got married, we lived in different countries, on different continents.  Valentines was just another day that we spent on the phone, talking to each other and wishing that we were together.  Now, we are together and it is just another day... 

So, this year it is going to change.  No I don't think I need a special day of the year to let him know that I love him or give him gifts, but it should be a day that we do things together.  Or that is what I thought we would do... we could spend some time just the two of us, together, eating a nice meal and being a couple.  With my work and his school, spending time together is hit or miss...   Well, I am not sure anything will happen this year, today as we sat down for a quick dinner together, Mags informed me that he has an exam on Friday morning, so guess what he will be doing... Yes, studying... But I hope that we will still have time to sit down and have a nice dinner together between the time that his classes are completed for the day and his studying begins.  We will see.

Along with the love that we feel for our spouses, families or friend, we have a greater love and that is for our Heavenly Father.  For without this love we have nothing, we would not have the love that we would share with those that are close to us.

Just because you are not a couple doesn't mean that you don't have someone to spend the day with.  Spend it with your friends or family and if by chance there isn't anyone at this time, you can have a wonderful Valentine's Day by yourself.  Splurge, buy your something nice, be nice to yourself and love your self.  Valentine's is also a great day to Pay it Forward, buy the person behind you a cup of coffee, or something that doesn't cost anything, smile at a stranger it may just make their day a little more brighter.

Valentine's Day doesn't mean great gifts, flowers or even chocolates, but it is a day to remind us of the great love that we have to all ~ our loved ones, the people who hold a special place in our hearts.  We don't have to spend lots of money to do this but with simple things to let them know that they are special to us and that we do love them.  So, I think this year I will get out of my comfy sweatpants, take a shower, do my hair and dress up.  I will also set a nice table with candles and have a great dinner waiting for my hubby so that we can spend a few moments together before we need to get back to our busy life of work and studying and 

That is  What Valentine's Means to Me.

I wish you all a wonderful Valentine's Day.  
You all hold a special place in my heart.


A Valentine's Printable for you.
To print click here

Printable will also be shared on Daily Dish Magazine

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻   Marlys

(¯`✻´¯)
`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻ Enjoy your day....`*.¸.*✻✿*.¸.*✻

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Cherry Cordial Mocha

 love buying the new flavours of Hershey Kisses and I usually buy a few bags as you never know when they are going to disappear.  Sometime before Christmas I bought a bag or two of Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses and my plan was to make fudge with at Christmas time... but I ran out of time and there they sat taunting me in the cupboard.

I was thinking of a post to write for on our e- magazine Daily Dish and  remember about the Cherry Cordial Kisses.  A light bulb came on and I thought they would make a great drink.  Perfect for Valentines.

Cherry Cordial Mocha

A perfect blend of coffee and chocolate with a hint of cherry

1 cup brewed coffee

2 cups milk

2 heaping tablespoons condensed milk

2 tbsp cocoa 

9 Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses

Place all ingredients in pot and heat over medium heat until steaming but not boiling and kisses are melted.  Stir with whisk while heating.  Enjoy!

This recipe makes 2 -3 cups depending on the size of cups.  Garnish with whipped cream and drizzle with cherry syrup if  desired.

Enjoy!

Marlys

This recipe was also posted on the Daily Dish and for more great drink recipes go HERE.

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Links:  Freedom Fridays , Foodie Friends Friday, Tasty Thursday, In and Out of the Kitchen, Tasty Tuesdays, Valentine's Saturday Dishes