A Serenade For Solitude: Valentine's

Showing posts with label Valentine's. Show all posts

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Monday Mentions: Valentine's Edition (on thursday!)

Note: Monday morning, I was up till 5am, in the emergency room with my girl. Hence the fact that it is no longer Monday for these mentions! But because I like to keep some sort of organization around here, I'm going to go ahead and post.

I believe this is the first Valentine's Day that I've spent in a hoodie, on the couch with shots of airborne and Aleve gelcaps. The good news is that I ate chocolate for dinner (which must be great for fighting off sickness) and I have all my favorite tabs open on my laptop--Facebook, Blogger, Hotmail, and Pinterest--the perks of being sick.

Tonight, Husband spoiled the kids and I rotten. Flowers, chocolates, a tanning gift card--he said "tanning goes good with Crossfit." Hmmm...I'm down with that, along with a cap guns for the boy and a jumbo coloring book and markers for the girl.

Last night, Husband tucked me into bed, assuming all responsibility outside of the bedroom--meals, tending to our girl who is finally about recovered from her two separate flu cases in the last ten days, and even ran to the store to purchase Valentines for the kids so they could be part of today's festivities--even if it was a drop and pick-up order. Such a love.

I loved that I could hear him and the boy talking about the kids in his class, while working on writing to's and from's on his Valentines. Asher clarified to his uncle a few times, "I do not have a girlfriend!" Oh, good. Let's talk about that again in about fifteen years.

Now for some sweet Valentine mentions:

Isn't this Theo Classic Library of chocolates, charming? The books come in Toasted Coconut Dark Chocolate, Salted Almond Dark Chocolate, Cherry Almond Dark Chocolate, Orange Dark Chocolate, Mint Dark Chocolate, Spicy Chile Dark Chocolate, 70% Dark Chocolate, 85% Dark Chocolate, Salted Almond Milk Chocolate, & 45% Milk Chocolate (3 oz ea). I'd hide these bars away, for sure.

One of my favorite pastimes is to find love in unsuspecting places, whether it is in the backyard, in the kitchen, or on fabulous streams put together by other love seekers.

I recently became a follower of the lovely, Gala Darling, and learned about her Radical Self Love Project, and the amazing journals that women are creating in effort to promote self love. Aren't these wonderful? Now I want to tear open my scrapbook supplies from ages ago, to engage in some paper crafting madness.

Speaking of journals, how sweet is this journal for couples? I found it while reading this post on love and marriage, and I love the idea. What I originally went looking for are these words that my friend, Erin, posted on Facebook recently. Such a wonderful explanation of true love--that I would love to have framed.

There are no standing lovers: the only way to love is to lay down.

Lay down plans. Lay down agendas. Lay down self.

Love is always the laying down.

This is how to make love out of a marriage: Love lays down it’s own wants to lift up the will of another.

Love let’s go of it’s plans — to hold on to a person.
-Ann Voskamp

If I were in NYC tonight, I would have made sure we had reservations here (the place we spent Thanksgiving on our honeymoon), enticed Husband up 86 floors to do this, and finished the evening with a nightcap here, to make it a seriously romantic Valentine's Day. Note to self: order up some frozen hot chocolate mixes, stat.

What was the best part of your Valentine's Day?

Monday, January 30, 2012

Heart-Shaped Baking

We had a good, wet weekend! You?

One of my favorite things to do with the kids--especially on a raining day, is bake.

Any time I'm in the kitchen, Brooklynn pulls up a stool and insists on helping, so we've started telling her that she'll be cooking us dinner in just a couple short years!

In fact, as I write this, she has me helping her with her Easy Bake Oven. It's not exactly what I wanted to do this morning as I drink my coffee,

but the girl is determined--especially since Dad asked her for a cookie last night.

So chocolate chip cookies in a plastic oven at 9am it is.

On Saturday, we were out of crackers and in need of a project,

so we made these:

Homemade 'Wheat Thin' Style Crackers

To make it more fun, the kids chose cookie cutters to cut the crackers into shapes.

Using cookie cutters made the process long, but they turned out cute and tasty!

Owning a set of heart cookie cutters is a must!

Remember when we made these?

Heart-Shaped Oreo Cookie Truffles

Heart Potatoes

Anything heart-shaped wins, no?!

Hmmm...what should it be next?

P.S. Don't forget to enter the $75 gift certificate GIVEAWAY! Ends tomorrow!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Oreo Cookie Truffles

The other week, my sweet friend thanked me for something

{that hardly deserved a thank you} with a package full of truffles.

On the note she wrote--The Little Things.

I had mentioned truffles in my recent Little Things post,

so I so was touched by her thoughtfulness.

It is truly the little things and kind gestures from friends that make each day.

Thank you, Britt!

However, her kind gesture hardly ended there.

When she handed over the package and said they were Oreo Cookie Truffles,

I knew they were trouble.

C'mon. Oreo. Truffles.

So then, I pre-planned my next excuse to make this sweet treat.

For Brooklynn's Valentine's of course!

We used Bakerella's Oreo Truffle recipe,

and let me tell you--it is heaven in a truffle.

In our matching aprons,

Brooklynn assisted me the entire way through...

I cut

and she helped dip.

Then she gave them her special touch,

and her designs about melted me.

Of course, she made the "B" truffle to take to her party for herself.

Who wants even lines, anyway?

then we enjoyed a few...

and packaged up the rest.

Then all sorts of silliness ensued.

The mess in the kitchen was worth it.

Festive. Fun. Delicious.

And it was a perfect time with my girl.

Now, when are you making these?

Monday, February 14, 2011

Heart Potatoes

In effort to bring Valentine's into our meal tonight,
this is what I've been working on.

heart-shaped red potatoes

Of course I'll save the "scraps," and cook them, too.

Separately.

Love in each bite.

I'm making some of Husband's favorites tonight.

I'll share them with you soon.

Are you making anything festive?

xo, Cassie

P.S. Don't forget to check out the new Giveaway!

Baby Night Night Boutique...and a Valentine's Giveaway!!

When I was young, I had one friend who was just as passionate as I about Barbies, Barbie houses, towns, and Barbies on Broadway. We traveled between houses with our pink suitcases and internal alarm clocks that would wake us early enough to
begin a day's worth of Barbies. That was nearly twenty years ago.

Just this last year, our lives collided again, not over Mattel toys, but our love for Etsy and creative things. Although she lives in Peoria, Arizona, and I in Camas, Washington, we've picked up right where we left off, but this time, with children and new lines of creativity.

Please meet Tricia.

She's the inspired hands and heart behind the sweet Etsy boutique,

Baby Night Night.

Tricia and baby Bella.

Tricia...

How and when did you learn to sew?

I learned to sew when I was 14...it was a perfect, terrible disaster. My mother had me make a dress for my very first project...needless to say, I never finished that project.

Then when my 3 year old was 6 months old, I picked it up again. I bought a $20 machine from Target that pretty much fit in the palm of my hand. I liked it and started on other little projects and got a "big girl" sewing machine.

What is your favorite item to make in the shop?

My favorite thing to sew is probably refashioned items and my ruffle bloomers. I can't get enough of ruffles. But I do love everything I sew--blankets, snugglies, dresses, hair accessories...anything.

What inspires you when you create?

My inspiration and drive comes from my mother, really. I usually say my girls, which it does also, but really it is the desire to be like my mother. She always made me beautiful for all my school dances, and I felt like a model on my wedding day when she designed my wedding dress.

I just want to provide that for my daughters.

I see that you are celebrating your first year of business! Congratulations!

What is your hope for 2011?

My hope for for 2011 is to go for it. Don't hold back! I recently hired a seamstress because of my recent business ventures. It feels good to do what I want, and have people believe in me and want to be a part of my team.

One last thing...
How long is your Anniversary Sale going?

I hope to keep my sale going on throughout the rest of this week. I want people to know how much I appreciate their business and support for helping me get to where I am in my business.

Ruffle Bottom Bloomers in Soft Pink

Striped Baby Legs With Pink Gingham Bows

Ruffle Chiffon Skirt

Vintage Ruffle Lace Onesie

Vintage Sailor Jane Top

Tricia has been so generous to giveaway a $15 gift certificate to her shop!

Thanks, Tricia!

To enter the giveaway:

(an entry for each comment)

1.Follow the blog Baby Night Night and leave a comment that you have or already do.
2.Visit the Baby Night Night Boutique and leave a comment sharing what you love in her shop.

That should be easy!

Giveaway ends Thursday, February 17th 10pm.
Winner will be announced Friday!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

*Last week's Heart-Full Giveaway will be announced tomorrow. Thanks!