Love, Sweet Home Indiana Style

Oh, Valentine's Day! How much do I love you? Let me count the ways!

Today I will be sharing the little ways that I add a lot of love to my home for the month of February.

I think it's pretty safe to say that we all know how much I love to decorate for the holidays. Any holiday! Especially Valentine's Day! Pink and red color combos are the way to my heart and one would think that I have a ton of "V-Day" decor, but I really don't! Like everything in life, it's a work in progress! I slowly add a bit to my collection year after year. It is constantly growing and changing!

Adding little pops here and there are all you really need to decorate your home for Valentine's Day. That way, it doesn't look like love threw up all over your house. Although, I'd probably be okay with that!

This is what Valentine's Day looks like at my home this year!

Lights, camera, action! I am obsessed with string lights and these little heart lights add a wonderfully cozy glow to my living room.

Like the great Neil Diamond says, "turn on your heart light!"

Gel clings are a must on my front door windows for every holiday! I love the way they look when the sunlight shines through the window!

These heart ornaments are everywhere right now! I lucked out at Christmastime and got some at IKEA and am re-purposing them for Valentine's! I simply hung them on my chandelier with some grey yarn I had lying around!

Peek a boo!

I even switch out my oven mitts and pot holders for every season! Walmart usually has plenty of cute, festive, and cheap ones for every season! Like I always say, it's the little things that make a house a home!

My love-ly hand towels in my guest bathroom. Does anyone else put out fancy towels and then not really want anyone to use them or am I the only crazy one? I mean, yes obviously I want people to wash their hands, but you know. My husband says I am crazy.

No holiday would be complete without a wreath on the door! Or in my case, a wreath on every door! I made this Argyle Heart Wreath last Valentine's Day (here's the tutorial) and this year it is hanging on the inside of my back door.

Doesn't this make my entry way more welcoming? This really wasn't meant to be a Valentine's Day wreath, but it is very romantic looking. And the colors are spot on! 

My most recent Valentine's Day wreath is proudly displayed on the front door to welcome everyone to my home!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day Hydrangea Wreath!

It's February! And that means it's time for all things Valentine's! As you know I love decorating for holidays and Valentine's Day is no exception! I love pink and red color combos, I love hearts, and I most definitely love flowers! I guess I just love Valentine's Day!

Wreaths are always an important and favorite part of my home decor and Valentine's Day is no different. Last year I made an Argyle Heart Wreath for Valentine's Day and I love it. But I've gotten so used to having a wreath on the outside and inside of every door of my house, so I had to make another one! Plus, it's really just so much fun!

 My hydrangea wreaths are among my best sellers at craft shows, so I decided to make one in the colors of love ~ pink, red, and off-white! This wreath can really go for any time of the year, but it's extra perfect for Valentine's Day! I also upped the ante and added a burlap bow for something different. You gotta mix it up sometimes.

Keep an eye out! A wreath just like this may end up at one of my craft shows! I was actually going to make a DIY tutorial for this wreath, but I figured why give out my secrets?!? Buy the book! Or in this case, buy the wreath!

This is how it all starts out!

And this is the end result! I really love this wreath! It's easy to see why they are so popular!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Almond Flavored Sugar Cookies

These cookies are perfect for Valentine's Day! They are almond flavored sugar cookies ~ just a little twist on a typical sugar cookie that I came up with.

The almond flavor is very light, but it definitely adds another level of flavor to an already awesome cookie!

Of course, I love anything heart-shaped or Valentine's Day themed. I got this heart-shaped cookie cutter at Country Kitchen on clearance for only forty cents! I also got the cute red, pink, and white tiny sugar hearts decorating some of the cookies there as well.

I have been making cookies nonstop since Christmas. I just can't help it! They are easy to make, easy to eat, and not too bad for the diet. As long as you don't eat too many! I have limited myself to one a day. It's mostly worked! These cookies are exceptionally hard to stop at just one though!

 Here's the recipe!

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp imitation almond extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt

Cream the butter
Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined
Add the egg and almond extract and mix until combined

Stir together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt) in a small bowl

Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix until fully incorporated

Refrigerate the dough at least two hours, overnight is fine too

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin (about 1/4 inch) and cut out the cookies!

Bake at 350 degrees for about 9-11 minutes or until slightly browned around the edges

Cool on pan for about two minutes and then transfer to cooling rack

Frost when completely cool!

And here's the frosting recipe:

6 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup softened butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp imitation almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy
Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth
Stir in almond and vanilla extract   
 
  Enjoy!!!