Love Notes To Your Kids

Valentine's Day is just one week away!!!  Hard to believe we are almost half way through February.  I feel like time is flying and part of that is because we are constantly rushing through our days.  I decided that this year for Valentine's Day I wanted to do something for my kids that I had done a few years ago and write little love notes to them each day in February leading up to Valentine's Day.

 

I shared this idea a couple of years ago HERE and also on Instagram Stories this year and had so much feedback.  I thought of a few different easy ideas for doing something similar with your kids and shared it over on Savvy Sassy Moms. You can check it out HERE!

And even though we're a week into February doesn't mean you couldn't start now and do this for the week leading up to Valentine's Day!

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DIY Tassel Bracelets for Valentine's Day

I know I've said this a ton of times here before, but I just love holidays and any excuse to decorate my house.  Over the weekend I pulled out my Valentine's Day bin from the basement and went through it.  It mostly holds left over Valentine craft supplies, books, etc., but I do have a few things I put around the house like this super cute hand hooked pillow. 

I also hang up my Valentine's Day wreaths on the front doors.  

Like I mentioned though, most of the Valentine's Day bin is stuff for the kids.  All sorts of cutout hearts, doilies, stickers and more.  This year I got some beading supplies for the girls to make DIY Tassel bracelets for Valentine's Day.  

They LOVED making the tassel necklaces a few years ago and still wear them all the time, so when I saw these Valentine tassels already made from Oriental Trading, I knew they would love them.  

We set up our bracelet making station in the playroom and got to work matching colors and trying to decide how their bracelets would look. 

We used this elastic cording to string the beads and one little tip that I will share that really helps from having the beads fall off as they are stringing is to tape one end of the cording to the table.  That way it is secure and no need to worry about beads rolling all over the table.  Then, when they are finished stringing the beads just tie it off in a few knots and they are all done! 

The girls were very detailed in their bracelet making and wanted them to look just right. I loved these sets because while the hearts and colors are perfect for Valentine's Day, they can also be worn year round! This Little Mama LOVES her some arm candy so I know she'll be putting her bracelets to good use.  

We were SO impressed with the way they turned out. I mean, so cute!  We all kept saying they looked like something you would buy from a store! :-)

They each made a few and then I got to try my hand at making one, too! 

I've linked all of the beads and supplies we used below, but there are tons and tons of options at Oriental Trading to create something similar to totally unique.  

Valentine Pearl Mix Beads

Pink and White Sparkle Beads

Heart Polymer Beads

Valentine Gold Tassels 

Clear Stretchy Cording

While the girls were busy beading, Boo-Boo was digging through the Valentine's Day bin and found this awesome heart ring toss game.  

I bought this when Little Mama was in pre-school for her class Valentine's party and have used it almost every year since.  Being the room mom I'm often in charge of party activities and I have gotten my money's worth with this set.  Because it is wooden, it has held up year after year.   

As you can see, this guy had so much fun playing with it and the kids always do!  It was such a great purchase years ago and I just check and they still have it!  They also have an Easter Egg version that I also own.  When you find something that works and that the kids love, apparently you buy it for every holiday! 

Check out all that Oriental Trading has to offer for Valentine's Day HERE.  Including tons of cute Valentines to pass out to classmates.  Now that I think about it I should have gone ahead and ordered some. Please tell me I'm not the only one with very opinionated and indecisive children make that shopping task almost impossible!  

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I was given these beading product by Oriental Trading in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Little Love Notes

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and although we haven't even reached Feb. 1st yet, I wanted to go ahead and share this idea in case anyone else wants to use it this Valentine's season.

I love pretty much any holiday and any reason to celebrate.  I vividly remember being in 2nd grade and exchanging valentine's with my friends during our class party.  I came home and told my mom it was the VERY BEST DAY I had ever had in school so far.  I loved it that much.

Fast forward to college and my girlfriends and I went all out for our then boyfriends (who all became our husbands) on Valentine's Day.  We crafted all kinds of handmade gifts and even made crossword puzzles with clues about our relationships for them to complete.  Yep, that is a bunch of soon to be teachers for you.  When Valentine's Day came and went we were all a little disappointed because we got no creative, hand-made crossword puzzles back.  Ha!  And you know what we all discussed and realized after that?  We were all doing for them what we had hoped they would do for us. Most guys just don't think that way and while my Mr. can pull of some romantic gestures now and then (I am the proud owner of a stick he whittled for me in high school that says I <3 U) it isn't always the norm.

13 years of marriage in and I've given up on the romance part of Valentine's Day and instead now I love to focus all that love towards my kids!  There is no better time to tell them over and over not just how much you love them, but why!

I got this idea from my friend, K.  One time we were visiting them in February and I saw hearts all over her daughter's doors with little I love yous and reasons why she loved them.  It was absolutely the sweetest thing and I was so excited to do it with my own kids.  Only problem is that I always forget each year so this year I'm getting a head start and prepping this little activity before February 1st arrives.

I ordered this pack of DIY Fabulous Valentines from Oriental Trading to use.  It comes with peel and stick cutouts and letters to create your own Valentines.

I'm just saving those and adding them to the craft supplies in our playroom because I know my kids will put them to good use.  Then with the larger hearts I wrote out lots of different reasons why I love each of my kids.

Each night after they go to bed I'll stick one new heart on their door or somewhere in their room so they wake up with a new message from me each morning leading up to Valentine's Day.  I tried to come up with a list of things for each child that was really specific and unique for each of them. I'll use blue painter's tape to hold the hearts up so I don't have to worry about paint being peeled from the doors or furniture.  I put these up while they were at school today so I could show y'all, but I'll will keep them hidden and start next week!

We all love our kids. I just don't know that in between the rushing and the nagging to get homework done if I tell them enough.  I'm really hoping that this little activity will help build up their self-esteem.  I know it will make me so happy to see them beam with happiness as I share with them just some the reasons I love them and think they are so awesome!

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I was given this product by Oriental Trading in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.