I Made it Monday Valentine's College Care Package

I Made it Monday

Join me on my ongoing quest to share tips, tricks, projects, and recipes along with just about anything else on I Made it Monday.

Valentine’s College Care Package

When I was a kid Valentine’s Day was always an exciting day. It meant my Daddy was going to make a beautifully cheesy stuffed animal and small box of Whitman’s chocolates appear from what seemed like thin air, just for me. One year in particular I specifically remember him reaching for a red stuffed hippo on the top of our avocado green refrigerator. I don’t know about you, but the top of our refrigerator was a sacred space in our house. Reserved only for my Daddy’s wallet and keys and two boxes of cereal at all times, Frosted Flakes and Sugar Crisps, it was magical when something else appeared. It’s funny when I think about it now. If my Daddy, who stood 5’9 ¾” (his words) could easily see the top of the fridge that means we definitely didn’t have a very big refrigerator, yet somehow it seemed to be gigantic to me because only the tallest person I knew, my Daddy, could see the top. Oh, to have the perspective of a child again. 

Anyway … fast forward a few decades and I still think Valentine’s Day is exciting. That’s why when I realized that my oldest daughter would be far from home for the first time this Valentine’s Day I had to come up with a care package for her.

Now, here’s the dilemma. Care packages are a pain. Trying to find things that are needed and wanted and affordable but not so heavy that you need a loan to pay the postage really takes the fun out of making a care package. Throw in a little effort to not send a box full of junk food and candy and it’s nearly impossible. Top it off with a milestone birthday for her just 10 days later and you’re in my shoes. In the end I decided I couldn’t make it completely food or candy free so I tried to be selective. Here’s what I did.

·        A very small box of chocolates (um, it is Valentine’s)

·        A box of Girl Scout Cookies because her little sister is selling them and she’s a college student so $4 for a box of cookies isn’t really in the cards

·        Some cash hidden in a jar of M&M’s because that’s what college care packages are really about

·        A cute XO Target gift card

·        Tea, but only the stuff that came in a red box because there’s a theme here people

·        Some cute paper clips with ribbons tied on them. I know, it’s kinda cheesy but my daughter is a crafty girl like me and I know she will love having them for her most important papers.

·        Flintstone Vitamins (like she had every morning when she was a little girl) because I know they will make her smile. These were disguised as Will You B12 My Valentine vitamins. Cheesy? Yes. Will it make her smile every morning? Yes.

I cut the craft paper to fit and used double sided tape to adhere it to the bottle.

It took a lot longer than it should have to come up with something punny for a bottle of vitamins.

The jar was only $1 at Target. I used a section of a wrapping paper cardboard tube because it was a lot narrower than a paper towel or toilet paper roll.

I used small bills to fill the cardboard tube.

Ribbon makes everything better.

Well, what more could a girl want besides a Target gift card and some cute paper clips?

I also decorated the box by covering the flaps with red craft paper and adding the words Happy Valentine’s Day and some hearts. There’s a cute Minecraft picture that her sister drew for her in the bottom of the box as well. I used my Cameo to cut the cardstock for the words but you could write it or print it on your computer, whatever works for you.

Do you have more care package ideas that are fun, simple, and won’t break the bank? Feel free to share. I’ll have two kids in two different colleges next year. I’ll take all the suggestions I can get.

Be sure to follow me on Pinterest, as well as Facebook, and find my designs at Applique Time. Check back next week to see my next I Made it Monday post. 

Regards,

Bridgette 

I Made it Monday Hugs & Kisses Valentine Decoration

I Made it Monday

Join me on my ongoing quest to share tips, tricks, projects, and recipes along with just about anything else on I Made it Monday.

Hugs & Kisses Valentine Decoration

This weekend my youngest daughter and I set out to make a Valentine craft. By this I mean, I desperately wanted to pull her away from her electronics in a way that wasn't so obvious to her by making a cute Valentine decoration together. I also got in a tiny little Mom "win" since I was able to save the obvious "that's enough electronics today" for later that evening.

Supplies
Dollar store or clearance picture frames
Decorative or solid craft paper
Vinyl cutter (I have a Silhouette Cameo) or Printer
Vinyl if needed
Scissors
Ribbon if you so choose

I bought three of these picture frames on clearance at Target just after Christmas. I'm sure that they were intended for Christmas but the sparkly red said Valentines to me. At only $1 each I really couldn't pass them up. If you can't find clearance picture frames you can always check the dollar store. I think black frames would be just as cute with a red, white, and pink color scheme for the paper and vinyl.

We were trying very hard to work with what we had on hand. I didn't have enough of the blue paper or pink for all of the frame so we decided to have two with blue and one with pink. This also allowed for two different colors of words so I didn't mind. We were having a hard time deciding colors anyway. I cut the paper to fit inside the frame and my daughter put them together. For some reason she was really excited to do that part. After that we sat down to create the words in Silhouette Studio and cut them in vinyl. If you don't have a vinyl cutter don't be discouraged. You could print the words on your paper from your computer. Just play around with some fonts and see what you like, then print it out on your chosen paper. Vinyl is just an option. I would suggest printing it out first then cutting your paper to fit inside the frame. This will probably take a little more planning to decide where the placement of the word should be on the paper but I know you can handle it.

For our frames the paper is behind the glass but the vinyl is on the outside. I do wish that I had put the word "kisses" a little higher but not enough that I was going to cut more vinyl and start over. I'm already thinking I may do it again, next year of course, with a different font. I was looking for a romantic, cursive font, but I'm already thinking chunky and fun for next year. Luckily the frames were inexpensive and are easy to change. Don't be surprised if you see these resurface with white and blue for 4th of July, and maybe green during Christmas. Don't you love a versatile craft project?

You could use ribbon to attach the frames to one another and make a vertical wall hanging or just to add little bows to the frames. We chose to display them as they are on a table in the foyer. I like the idea of a wall hanging but for some reason I already have a lot of Valentine wall decorations.

We're working on a few other decorations to add to the table so the frames don't look so lonely. Right now my silly daughter likes to rearrange them to say Kisses and Hugs when I'm not looking.

Do you have a versatile way to craft with picture frames? 

Be sure to follow me on Pinterest, as well as Facebook, and find my designs at Applique Time. Check back next week to see my next I Made it Monday post. 

Regards,
Bridgette