Valentine's Decor

These past two weeks have swallowed me whole. We've had a busy schedule and to add to that enough drama to have a reality show on TLC. I'll spare you the details on all that drab except one little happening... 

RIP HULK <3

Our sweet little guy passed away last week tragically and our family's hearts are broken. You never imagine a little creature you've only had for 3 months could bring you to such devastation, but I might have cried more than my kiddos. Sad day, but he's in pet heaven as per my faithFULL little girl and that makes us smile. 

On a much happier note, I decorated for Valentine's day! Did you know you had to do that? Yeah, me neither. Pinterest told me. ;) I actually decorated about 6 years ago (not really, I'm an exaggerator) more like 3 weeks ago, but I'm also apparently a slacker. Without further ado, here's my V-day setup. Spread the love folks...

 

So there was one rule when decorating for this made up holiday... don't spend any money. As I typed that, I realized I failed. I spent 5 dollars at Wally World for fresh flowers. Dag-nabbit. Well, correction: There was one rule when decorating for this made up holiday... only spend $5 dollars.

I searched my home for things I could use. I usually just pick a color scheme to make things that you wouldn't necessarily think of using, suddenly "usable". Obviously, we're working with Red and Gold but I threw in some pink and even a splash of silver because I live dangerously. So I grabbed any books with red on it and stacked them for some height. We are not an everyday cloth napkin using family mostly because laundry is my kryptonite, so I took my red napkins (target a few years back) and just folded them to display some more red. I searched my kitchen and found my favorite Lindt Chocolates in the pantry that have red wrappers and tossed them in an old candle holder from bed bath & beyond that I bought at Goodwill awhile ago for 25 cents. 

Those tea light candle holders are from the dollar store and were originally just glass. I spray painted them for my sister-in-laws wedding and added them here to bring in more gold and height. The tops are just plates from a tea cup set we have set on top. I then took those cheap tea lights you get with the silver on the outside and hot glued some pink ribbon around the edges to make it look less cheap and more Valentinesy (made it up, don't care). 

Those gold balls are cut off of a christmas tree decoration filler that I got at Lowes after Christmas for $2. 

These boxes were from jewelry gifts (I always keep those, I don't know why. I have a problem). I used a heart stamp I have and put pink hearts on the top just because details are my jam. Glued that little gem on top and put some gift tags I already had on there with a little romantic wording. Note: Handwriting is not my jam. 

I found this free printable over on Decorate My Life

And threw it in a frame I already had. This verse is amazing. Even in a made-up, commercialized holiday that tries to exploit our feelings by throwing love into an overpriced heart shaped box of chocolates or a temporary bouquet of roses (do those things not die so quick?), Jesus shows up and says "NAH UH" that's not love. God is love, and you ONLY GET TO LOVE because I LOVED YOU FIRST! That guys awesome. I love him! Back to decor...

There's my $5 well spent on some pink tulips, and you can see the rest of the set up without a need for explanation.

I went the easy route on the mantle. Giant dollar store cards we got the kids last year leaned against the wall, check. Left over pleated trim from Titus' first birthday party taped up on the canvas, check. Dollar section (Target I love you!) pails and some painted letters that I've had since Sienna was little...

Firm believer in "throw a bow on it" ....

Target paper banner I got 2 years ago after Vday for cheapo.

Tin from the chocolates my dad got me last year. It makes my heart smile to see it out!

That's it! Did you decorate your house for Vday? I love holiday decorating and using what I have! Tomorrow I'll be back with what we made for my kids school valentines. =) In the mean time.. ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE<3