Valentine’s Day Surprise Balls

Supplies:
10 trinkets (or notes) to fill the ball
Crepe paper streamers, various colors
Crepe paper
Craft glue
Scissors
Directions:
I started with the largest items in the center, it also helped when planning out the form to get the heart shape. Use one colored streamer o wrap your item until is completely wrapped a couple times around. Hold streamer and tear it off, then add another trinket, and continue to wrap with another streamer of a different color. Start the next streamer, where the last one ended, holding it in place until it is securely wrapped. As you wrap each item, shift the angle of the streamer, so that you overlap each layer little by little. Continue to wrap each one, pulling tightly (but gently) at the streamer so that it is is taut and smooth, and the trinket stays in place. I changed streamer colors with each trinket added and made sure each trinket was wrapped a couple times around before adding another.

Once you get to the last trinket wrapped, I added a few more wraps using various streamer colors, and made sure that these were wrapped around neatly. You want it to be smooth and taut, since this is what will be seen when the gift is given. At the end, add a dab of glue to secure the ball together. Lastly, cut out a heart from a piece of crepe paper (or streamer) and glue onto the center of the heart.

There you go! All 10 sweet treats perfectly wrapped into a heart ready for Valentine’s Day gifting.

I made one for each girl and I know they will have so much fun unraveling the ball to see their surprises. All the treats were found at the 99 cents store (I spent about $10 for everything), and while I was wrapping theirs up, I might have devoured a chocolate or two.

The treats in their ball:
– conversation hearts
– a Hershey’s kiss
– chocolate lips
– heart-shaped memo pads
– confetti popper
– self-inflating balloon
– ring pop
– heart pins
– candy bracelet

If you want to make one for your Valentine, fill it with love notes! See the one I made for Ben here, and check out the video of him unraveling it.

I have no clue of what to make for Ben this year. Last year, I made a Valentine fruit basket (and from all the girls, we made his this poster). The year before that, we went on a scavenger hunt adventure to Salvation Mountain (and I told him “I love you” in different ways). In 2014, I made him a round the clock book of messages with invisible ink. One year, I even made a teepee. I better get on it because I have one week left to figure out a gift for my love.

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I mentioned the article in this huzzah post, but we finally got our hands on a copy of the newspaper Ben and our backyard orchard is featured in. The article, which can be read here, shares tiny tidbits about our yard (though it got the sizing wrong) and how to create a backyard orchard culture of your own. I’m proud of all the work Ben has put into it, and I’m very happy to reap all the benefits of it. The girls especially love being able to go the backyard to pick out their own fruit.

If you want to see other gardening posts, check here. This week, Ben has a post coming up that shares all about our rainwater tanks, so be sure to check back if you might be interested.

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This week’s learned, links, and thankfulness…

Made this lasagna and it came out amazing. I made some tweaks to it (whole grain, fat free ricotta, left out the pesto), but the recipe was a good base.

Ramen is now on my mind. Anyone have a good recipe to share?

I tried making a new pizza with anchovies, but the ones I got from TJ’s were way too salty for it. The pizza was topped with red onions and argula, but I need to find a low sodium anchovy and maybe that will pair better.

Love this pair of vintage wood ball drop earrings.

I love all the new goods at Everlane. The breton cotton dress is so classic.

Not many sofas would make me rethink my vintage leather chesterfield, but this one (in pink!) definitely does (good thing the amount of pennies I’d need are way out of my reach).

The girls love reading choose your adventure books.

Praise God I’ve been doing well cutting out one bad habit a week. For next week, I’m going to cut my reading of news outlets to just one time a day.

Oh! Another blessing… I finished reading the entire Bible this week. It took me 3 years and month, but I’m thankful for grace that my salvation isn’t dependent on what I do or don’t do, but Jesus is my righteousness. Learning and growing in the Word, increases my joy in Christ. Here’s to starting another year of Bible reading and praying I actually finish in one year. I use the YouVersion app and choose the One Year Bible reading plan.

Before being an American, I am a follower of Jesus first, and trusting in Christ isn’t about my own self-preservation, but rather about dying to self. I’m called to love others as I love myself. I haven’t read all the articles or the actual new legislature about the order (so I didn’t want to post something without doing research), but what I do know is that we are called to love others in the same way we love ourselves. Matthew 22:37-39 “He said to him, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.'” I may not be loud about it on social media, but we ought to all be restless with what’s going on (no matter who you voted for). I do want to encourage everyone to do something to love others, especially those in fear right now. While some may oppose “love trumps hate” and instead say “action trumps hate,” I do believe love does trump hate because love is an action. My Savior going to the cross to die for me, someone who deserves eternal death and is undeserving of such grace, is an action. Jesus on the cross is the greatest form of love in action. While your action will look different based on your conviction, I think we can all agree, that just sitting idle and doing nothing is definitely not the best way to love our neighbors, here in the US and all around the world. Call, write, speak, listen, protest, educate (others and yourself), donate… do whatever it is you need to do to show love to all people.

Peace friends.

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Hang on friends, the weekend is almost here. Happy Friday!

Get the print out here and see the other kid jokes here.

Heart in Hand Clay Dish

Supplies:
Air-dry modeling clay
Roller
Clay tool set (for cutting, or can use a plastic knife)
Parchment paper
Small bowl
Craft paint
Paintbrush

Directions:
1. On top of a sheet of parchment paper, roll out a ball of clay until 1/4″ thick.

2. Place hand on top and cut out shape with clay tool (or knife). Tip: Lightly touch cracks or rough spots with a little bit of water to help smooth it out.

3. Place the hand on top of the bottom of a small bowl so that it will air dry into the shape of a dish. Allow about 48 hours to dry completely (the package says 24, but ours needed longer time).

4. Once it is completely dry, paint the outline of a hand and a heart in the middle. Allow paint to dry.

Attach a little note that says, “You hold my heart in your hand!” and you have a perfectly sweet Valentine’s Day gift for someone you love. Or have the kids make them as presents for the grandparents (or mom and dad).

I have True’s hand on my bedside table and it’s just the right place to put my rings for the day. See the other clay creations the girls made here. I love how easy it is to work with air-drying clay.

This post is part of the Michaels Makers Series. Looking for more Valentine’s Day inspiration? Make sure you visit Michaels’ blog, The Glue String, to see the rest of the Michaels Makers’ DIY Valentine’s Day gift ideas.

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Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Ingredients for the ice cream base:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Chocolate bar, optional (if you want to grate some chocolate to sprinkle on top of the ice cream)

Ingredients for the peanut butter mixture:
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate milk (I used chocolate soy milk)

Preparation for the peanut butter mixture:
In a small bowl, mix the chocolate milk and peanut butter together until combined well. Set aside.

Directions to make the ice cream:
Place the metal mixing bowl and metal wish in the freezer for about 15-30 minutes. In the meantime, prep the ice cream flavor you plan to mix in. Pour the whipping cream into the bowl and whisk just until the cream creates stiff peaks. Gently fold in the sweetened condensed milk. Continue to gently add in the peanut butter and chocolate mixture and mix until completely combined. Freeze ice cream in an airtight container (we used some metal bowls that had lids) and put this mixture in the freezer until it completely hardens.

To top the ice cream, I grated a chocolate bar to make fine chocolate shavings, and I sprinkled it on top. It is so delicious and very peanut buttery! Pic’s Peanut Butter knew my love for peanut butter based on an older post, and sent me a jar of their peanut butter to try, so I decided to make ice cream with it. Trying their peanut butter in ice cream form definitely makes my heart happy (and didn’t I mention it came out delicious?!). Ice cream is my favorite dessert and I love peanut butter everything… peanut butter in my protein shakes, frozen peanut butter banana bites, peanut butter cupcake, and any chocolate candy with peanut butter. Sometimes, if I’m still hungry right before bed, I’ll have a spoonful of peanut butter with chocolate chips sprinkled on top.

Next up, I’m determined to make salted caramel ice cream. That is my ultimate favorite ice cream flavor from A la Minute, which is the best ice cream joint on the planet, and if you know me… #illalwayssayyestoicecream.

Now, hurry up and make some ice cream because it’s so easy! If you want to try lavender or avocado ice cream, see my recipe here.

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