These cupcakes are so easy to make….so tasty and so ‘sweet’.

Bake a batch of cupcakes, any flavor, from scratch or from a box ~ my favorite is this chocolate cake recipe.  You will also need to whip up some yummy frosting ~ I used my Creamy Frosting recipe and tinted the frosting lightly pink. 

Once the cupcakes have cooled use a small heart shaped cookie cutter and ‘push in’ to the cupcake.  

Remove the cookie cutter and use a butter knife to scrape out the cake.  

Now, using an icing bag and decorator tip, fill in the heart shape.  That’s it!

hearts and hugs, mb 

Linking to these Lovelies!

Monday

http://www.craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/

http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/

http://www.creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com/

http://www.lifemadelovely-blog.com/

http://sewcando.blogspot.com/

http://www.skiptomylou.org/

http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/

http://www.thegirlcreative.com

Tuesday

http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/

http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.blogspot.com/

http://www.rookno17.com/

http://shoprubyjean.com

http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/

http://www.tipjunkie.com/

Wednesday

http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/

http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/

http://gingersnapcrafts.blogspot.com/

http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/

http://southernlovely.blogspot.com/

Thursday

http://alliemakes.blogspot.com/

http://answerischocolate.blogspot.com/

http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/

http://www.houseofhepworths.com/

http://www.somewhatsimple.com/

http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/

http://www.toysinthedryer.com/

http://www.yesterdayontuesday.com/

Friday

http://www.504main.com/ 

http://www.chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/

http://whipperberry.com/

Saturday

http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://www.positivelysplendid.com/

http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/

http://thirtyhandmadedays.com/

Sunday

http://www.flamingotoes.com/ 

http://sewchatty.blogspot.com/

I had been looking for some vintage heart cookie cutters and kitchen items and found a few the other day at a local antique store…I am hoping to make some cookies and perhaps use the heart molds for some cakes or brownies ~ I’ll share if I get to this…hopefully sooner rather than later! 

hearts & hugs, mb

 This Valentine’s Bunting cost $2.00 to make and took less than 30 minutes.  

Supplies:

3 Felt Sheets ~ you can use whatever colors you wish…red, pink, purple, white, etc.  

1 spool of ribbon 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch ~ 3 yards total

Thread

1.  Cut out 3 paper hearts of different sizes ~ small, medium and large ~ this is your pattern.

2.  Trace hearts on to the felt as many as will fit, approximately 10 of each size.  I traced the hearts on one sheet of felt only and then pinned all three sheets together and cut out the hearts.

3.  Once the hearts are cut out arrange them on the ribbon leaving 8 inches free on each side of the ribbon ends.  I arranged 15 hearts on each side starting at the center with the hearts starting out facing each other.  I pinned the hearts in place and then sewed them to the ribbon straight through the center of each heart.

And there you have it ~ A Valentine Bunting for less than $2.00 and under 30 minutes.

hugs, mb 

Linking to these lovelies!

Life Made Lovely

I bought some wooden clothespins at the Dollar Tree to use around the house….they have so many uses…and decided to use some for a 5-minute Valentine’s Day craft. 

All you need are the clothespins, some small stamps {I have a box of letter stamps from the dollar bin at Michael’s} an ink pad {I chose red} and that’s it…you can add some foam sticky hearts, rhinestones, buttons, etc., if you so desire.

You can use these to hold love notes on lunch bags or to close up a bag of Valentine’s candy…don’t just use these on Valentine’s Day…use them every day to share a message of love!!!!

These are also great because the kids can help. 

I’ll have more ideas on how to use these in an upcoming post but couldn’t wait to share this 5-minute craft!

hugs, mb

Linking to these lovelies!

Whipper Berry Friday Flair Linky Party

Felted Pink Valentine Heart Tutorial ~ The Rachel Berry Blog

I’m a last minute type of gal….I sure wish I weren’t but in the words of Popeye, “I ‘yams whats I ams, and dats all that I ‘yams”…..so that being said here are some last minute ideas for Valentine’s Day….a wreath, candy bar wrapper, candy bar tag, rose bouquet cupcakes and some cute cards!

Rose Bouquet Cupcakes ~ Bakerella

Valentine’s Candy Bar Tag ~ BHG

i heart you banner card ~ bhg

Candy Bar Wrappers ~ Anything But Perfect

and last but not least ….. my favorite card….I think I will make this one for my sweetie!

Checking You Out ~ BHG

valentine’s hugs, mb

I was looking for some ‘love’ quotes to add to my Valentine Cards and found the ones below…these were my favorites…so far!

♥

I found the one my heart loves.

~~Song of Solomon 3:4 NIV

♥
“Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love.”

~~William Shakespeare (“Hamlet”)

♥

“All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.”

~~Leo Tolstoy (“War and Peace”)
♥

“There is no remedy for love but to love more.”

~~Henry David Thoreau
♥
“No, nothing has the power to part me from you; our love is based upon virtue, and will last as long as our lives.”

~~Voltaire

♥

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.

~~Judy Garland
♥

Men always want to be a woman’s first love – women like to be a man’s last romance.

~~Oscar Wilde
♥

We were two and had but one heart.

~~Francois Villon

♥

Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.

~~Aristotle
♥

Those who love deeply never grown old; they may die of old age, but they die young.

~~Arthur Wing Pinero
♥

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, While loving someone deeply gives you courage.

~~Lao Tzu
♥

Love is not a matter of counting the years … But making the years count.

~~Michelle Amand
♥

Where there is love there is life.

~~Gandhi
♥

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.

~~Helen Keller
♥

Love builds bridges where there are none.

~~R.H. Delaney

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

hugs, mb

Crafts ReDesigned

The Girl Creative

Ullam

Living in France ~ this is probably my favorite…it’s made from cupcake liners.  This would be adaptable to just about any holiday…I think I’ll stock up on holiday cupcake liners when they are half off!

Smashed Peas and Carrots ~ This one is so pretty….this would be lovely at a Valentine’s Day wedding ; )

Valentine’s Day colors, decorations and ‘fluff” are so appealing to me…pink, crinoline, and romance….ahhh! I was looking around for some ideas to decorate my door and came across these lovely creative ideas.

cupid hugs, mb

“There is no remedy for love but to love more.”
-Thoreau

“A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.”
-Ingrid Bergman

“You don’t marry someone you can live with – you marry the person who you cannot live without.”
-Unknown

“Some love lasts a lifetime. True love lasts forever.”
-Unknown

“Better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.”
-St. Augustine

Valentine’s Day hugs, mb

This is a delicious and easy dessert to make for Valentine’s Day or any day for that matter.  It looks like you worked all day to make it, but in reality the prep time is less than 45 minutes.  This is best made the day before and allowed to chill overnight in the refrigerator for easier slicing.

This is a great ‘basic’ torte recipe allowing for variations/substitutions.  In place of the cherries you can substitute raspberries or strawberries and adjust the filling accordingly.

Cherry Torte

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 egg whites{room temperature}

1 teaspoon coconut extract{or strawberry, cherry, etc.}

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Filling

1 cup currant or cherry jelly

Frosting

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Cherries for garnish {optional}

1.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Line a jelly-roll pain with waxed paper & lightly coat the paper with cooking spray.

2.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

3.  Beat together butter and sugar in second medium-size bowl until light and creamy.  Add egg whites and coconut extract; beat until fluffy.  On low speed beat in flour mixture and buttermilk in 3 additions.  Fold in coconut.  Spread in prepared pan.

4.  Bake in 350º oven for 25 minutes or until cake springs back in center when lightly pressed with finger.  Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes then remove from pan to rack to cool completely.  Trim 1 inch from short ends of cake.  Cut crosswise into thirds.

5.  Prepare filling: Place jelly in a saucepan and simmer until melted-approximately 6 minutes.  Allow to cool.

6.  Spread half of the filling over one layer.  Top with another layer and spread with remaining filling.  Top with third layer.

7.  Prepare frosting:  Beat together the heavy cream and sugar in medium-size bowl until thickened. *I place my mixing bowl and beaters in the refrigerator to chill before whipping cream* Spoon the cream into a pasty bag and pipe on top of the cake.

8.  Place cake in refrigerator overnight to allow for easier slicing.  Garnish with cherries, raspberries or strawberries before serving if desired.

Serves 12

cherry hugs, mb

I tell my kids this is punch and sometimes put it in a punch bowl….but…just between you and I it’s just a glorified float!  To make the little ones feel special for Valentine’s Day I make them this 1~minute punch….get a pen and paper ready for the ingredients….I’ll wait right here…..okay….ready…..

Vanilla Ice Cream

Code Red Soda Pop {or any red pop you prefer}

Put the ice cream in a cup, preferably a clear one so the kids can enjoy the ‘view’, and slowly pour in the pop.

That’s it!

{psssttt did you notice the heart shaped ice cream in the bottom half-don’t you love when things like that just happen!}

happy punch/float hugs, mb

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