Making Valentine Cards from what I have

I had to quickly make Valentines and only with what I had around.  I really should be quilting but this also HAD to get done. 

So I pulled out all my scraps, bits, ribbons, sparkles and anything heart shape I could fine... and there was lot. 

These fun vintage Valentines -free printables - I found online. I printed one page and got to work with them first. 

Punched out some tiny hearts from leftover gold from last week's cards...

Even got out some saved Christmas cards I got this past holiday. 

Ohhh could I create from the cutouts I had from Halloween too? Sure.

Here is what I came up with...

They were completed, addressed and in the mail by 2pm!  You still have time too to make a few cards. Go for it!

Time to quilt and to inspire me I put in the movie How to Make an American Quilt to listen to in the background. 

peace

Valentine craft day - two for a toddler and one for someone who can use a hot glue gun

 I was lucky to have a day with one of my grandsons.   He is so mellow and just enjoys life that it creates a great day all around him. (okay, I am his Grandma Eli but really, it's true)

He had a buddy ready to do crafts with us. 

The first craft is nothing new, unless you are a three year old boy who just learned today what a volcano is!   We put glittery pieces and baking soda together in a small jar. Place the small jar in another container and poured in white vinegar and whammo!  It blew up everywhere. He loved it. I think next time I will use valentine cupcake sprinkles in place of the glitter so it dissolves easily. 

He loved it and gasped as it blew over the sides.  We saved some so he could repeat it with his parents. 

Next we used old valentine prints. 

and popsicle sticks and wax paper. 

We laid out four popsicle sticks lengthwise. 

Cut a piece of wax paper the same length plus an inch or two. 

Cut the wax paper lengthwise.

Glue the sticks to the top.

Fold each section. 

Pick out some valentine pictures and we glued facedown. 

Stand it up and it will naturally shape into a cube. 

Glue the inch edge to the last side to form and connect the cube. 

We put in a fake candle and set in the bathroom to see if it worked. 

It did! 

Next was an adult craft but I had my grandson pick out the decorations. 

Here it is . It is done the same way we did the tea cup crafts and new year's champagne bottle.  I will probably make one each month - smile.  Here are past ones, check out the blog for the how-to. 

peace 

Pizza Dough Recipe - If you have a bread machine you should try this!

February had been cold and good time to try out my bread making skill and sometimes lack there of... the oven will help warm the house. 

Pizza was last night . I will get to the recipe in a bit. 

The rustic bread the other day turned out fabulous and Dude has now requested it as his sandwich bread from now until he gets sick of it. This is a no- knead bread that you bake in a dutch oven. 

A fail this week would be the dinner rolls.  It started out just fine...

I put them behind the woodstove to rise from the heat... but what happened was the dog figured they were there for the taking and ate 3 of them. 

Yep, when I yelled he spit one out on the floor, silly chap. 

Now the Pizza Dough. I had never used the dough cycle on my machine and it was time I learned.  It turned out so well, now, I want to make cinnamon rolls!

Preheat oven 450*F

Put the ingredients in the machine in this order (I know it sounds weird and reverse but it works). 

2 teaspoons dried granulated yeast

3 cups bread flour (I am using this more and more instead of regular all purpose flour)

1 teaspoon salt 

2 tablespoons sugar 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup warm water

plus 2 tablespoons water

Select dough cycle, on mine it was #9 or 10.

Let go through the cycle. 

Then I just left it in the machine for 20 more minutes and it had risen to the top.

Remove, knead a little. Then flour an area and roll out into your shape. 

I sprayed a baking sheet and sprinkled some cornmeal on it. 

Transfer rolled out dough to a baking sheet.

I like my crust thin and crispy so I poked the crust with a fork and baked for 5 minutes first. 

Then add a tiny bit of olive oil over the top,  I used our homemade canned pizza sauce next and add whatever cheese and toppings  you like. 

We used up leftover cheeses , all kinds... cheddar, provolone, pepperjack, swiss and cream cheese. It tasted great.  Dude added pepperoni on his and mine was kalamata olives, onions, and sundried tomatoes (from the garden last year) . There are so many variations swimming in my head!

Then bake the whole thing for 10-12 minutes.

Sooo good and filling!

peace --pizza!