valentine's

wren attends a program at the local library every tuesday.  they have story time and then they usually have a craft project, coloring or some other activity.  wren loves it and has met a lot of great kids.  they have fun themes and usually do something for every holiday.  today they are celebrating valentine's day of course, and were supposed to bring valentine's to exchange.  

i am sure i was more excited than her to craft up some amazing valentine's but she was pretty pumped when she saw that they were dinosaurs.  if you saw my valentine post, you probably already had an idea that i would do something candy free:)  after doing that post i headed to the dollar store to see what kind of goodies i could snag up.  i had a few ideas in mind and ended up finding a package of 9 mini dinosaurs for $1.00....i snagged two of them.  

that is literally the only money that i spent on these valentine's.  probably my cheapest project ever, and i would be pretty pumped to receive a dinosaur if i was a kid.

i created the cards and printed them on white card stock, because that is what i had.  you could totally do it on colored card stock. i went with a black and white design and went back with my red sharpie pen to add some color, but you could add color if you wish with the printing process.  you can download my card designs below.

i used a single hole punch to punch 2 holes in the cards and wrapped black and white bakers twine around the dinosaur to attach them, i already had the twine.

to make your own dinosaur valentine's, download the design here.

sharing the love//55 ideas for "no candy" DIY valentines

if you are anything like my husband and i, you try your best to feed your child healthy balanced meals, avoiding processed foods and candies.  holidays make this especially difficult, and especially for kiddos. unfortunately as a society we have centered so many of our holidays around candy or food.......halloween, thanksgiving, and rapidly approaching, valentine's day!  while i love any DIY craft, especially ones that involve wren, i do not welcome the idea of gifting other children diabetes or rotten teeth.  yes wren has had candy and yes i think it is okay in moderation, but a bag full of candy filled valentine's is not my idea of a proper gift for a almost 2 year old.  so for those parents who think like us and want to get in on the fun of valentine's without the candy, this post is for you!

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valentine printables.

i am really getting in the spirit of valentine's day.  i cannot wait to make little valentine's for wren.  of course she is not in school yet but she goes to a program at the library once a week, and they always have holiday parties.

i hope that all of you are as excited as i am about hearts, red, pink arrows, cupid, and of course love and CHOCOLATE!!!!

well, if you are not, i have good news........FREE Valentine Printables for you to use at your pleasure.  the printables are 8x10.  great way to add some holiday flair by putting one of these printables in a frame or directly to your wall with my favorite.....washi tape!  other ways to use them would be a desktop calendar or something to put on your bulletin board, have fun with them!

download the printables by clicking on the image of your choice.