Home made Valentine's Chocolates!

Valentine's day is tomorrow!  Do you need a last minute idea for a valentine's gift?  Why not some home made chocolates?  They're quick and easy to make and gives a personalized touch to each piece of chocolate.  So I don't normally make or give out Valentine's gifts but I was watching an anime a couple of months ago (Fruits Basket) and there was an episode about Valentine's Day and White Day and I was determined to make my own chocolates to hand out for Valentines to hand out to my friends.  

So for those who don't know here's a quick recap from the wiki page on White Day.  In Japan Valentine's is typically observed by females to present chocolates and gifts to males to show their affection - in my case friendship.  Handmade chocolates are usually preferred because it shows sincerity    and emotion put into the home made item.  On White Day, March 15th, the reverse happens where the recipient of the gift returns a gift that is typically something white.  It's silly, but I also secretly hope for something in return on White day ^_^.  I blame it on me watching so much Japanese anime although I live in America.   

So here's how I made the Valentine's day chocolates.

• 2-3 different colored candy melts (candy waffers)
• Chocolate Waffers of your choice (I used dark chocolates)
• Peanut Butter Filling and/or nuts for fillings
• Note: I don't have step by step instructions for this but check out the link.  They have to chill for 1 hour so be sure to do this step first.
• Requires: Butter, Pb, powdered sugar
• Zip lock bags
• 1-2 candy trays
• I used the Roses & Hearts from Hobby Lobby

Big thanks for my friend A for the chocolates in bulk and showing me the PB Filling recipe.

Tidy Up that Wrapping Paper

(^^ Pin Me ^^)

Original Pin: http://pinterest.com/pin/106116134941406674/

Pin rating: 4.5

So today's Fast & Simple pin is ridiculously fast and simple (as long as you have empty toilet paper rolls) and just in time for your next Christmas wrapping party.  I've seen this pin on pintrest a couple of months ago but never actually had an empty toilet paper roll until today!  The only reason I gave the pin a 4.5 rating is because who really has an abundance of empty toilet paper rolls readily available to use? Time to start saving your empty toilet paper rolls. ^_^

Take an empty toilet paper roll and make one cut down the length of the roll (from one open end to the other) and then take the roll and wrap it around your gift wrapping paper at the loose end.  And voila no more messy loose ends or need for tape.

DIY Hot Glue Snowflake Ornament

Original Pin: http://pinterest.com/pin/231724343298567815/

Original blog post: www.bystephanielynn.com &  http://www.pitterandglink.blogspot.com/

Pin rating: 4.5

Duration: 20-30 minutes

Here's a nice fast and simple project for today's blog post.  And it's great for kids too!  I was watching my nephew the other day and after he finished his homework I gave him the option of reading comic books or making snowflakes.  Since he's not a huge fan of reading and just finished reading about 20 pages for homework he immediately shouted make snowflakes.  So I had him help by reading off the directions from the blog (got him to do more reading after all) and help with glittering.  So I highly recommend this project!  The only thing is that practice makes perfect so don't be disappointed if your first snowflake isn't perfect - mine totally looked rigged but it's okay every snowflake is different!

• Snowflake print out to use as stencil
• Glitter (The glitter shown was picked up at the Dollar Tree) 
• Hot glue gun
• Glue sticks (I used at least 2 for 1 snowflake)
• Soap detergent (to create a buffer for ease of removal)
• Wax paper
• Martha Stewart Glittering Glue w/ Brush (Or Mod Podge and a brush)
• String or wire
• Paper plate (or something to sprinkle glitter all over :))

Giveaway!~ I Spy DIY: Wire Bow Ring

Pin Rating: 5

Duration: 5-10 minutes

I stumbled upon a pretty awesome blog today - ispydiy.com!  I was looking around on Pintrest to see what I can do for today's Fast and Simple  Friday post and I saw this cute little wire bow ring.  When I followed the pin back to it's original source I was blown away by the posts of blogger Jenni Radosevich with her hip/fashionable DIY tutorials on her blog.  Each blog post has step by step picture instructions as well as written instructions on how to turn high fashion into DIY projects.  This is the first Simply Pinspirational post of her project but it certainly won't be the last!  This project in particular that I did was indeed fast and simple and it gives any outfit that nice little pop/flare in your every day wear.

• Snipping pliers
• Flat nose pliers
• 6" of floral wire (Jenni used Artistic Wire)  You can find floral wire at the Dollar Tree or Michael's.
• Tube of chap stick for sizing

Bedazzled Pumpkin!

There's only 5 more days until Halloween!  Today's Fast & Simple Friday post is a bedazzled pumpkin.  I got pinspired by this pin here.  There were plenty of other ways to bedazzle and dress up the pumpkin but this one seemed the easiest.  The original pin used a crystal gemstone sticker design which would have been way faster than my method: Glitter glue!  I had some glitter glue laying around after my DIY Spider Web blog so decided to put it to good use.  The pumpkin is still drying so I don't have a final product photo yet.

Pin Rating: Seeing as how this isn't an original project on pintrest, you be the judge :)

• Pumpkin
• Glitter glue (Crayola Glittler glue highly recommended)

The pumpkin my sister brought home from Safeway.  It has a nice layer of dirt on it that needs to be washed off.

Shower time for the pumpkin.  Nice and clean after a good scrub.  Then I let it sit outside to dry for a bit.