Be My Valentine

Love is in the air...

Happy early Valentine's Day...I wish I could have you all over for some sweet little cupcakes...this will have to do instead.

As stated in my previous post, I am enduring some difficult computer complications...and it is annnnnnnnoying! Know that I value your holiday decor enough to withstand the pain I am experiencing...you can make it up to me with all your kind comments. ;)

Valentine home tour 2009 (maybe next year I will have to host a par-tay!). I will try to note where I bought everything...most likely Target. :)

Our first stop is the bathroom...
Some hand towels for guests (Target 2008).

Sweet little love birds remind you to wash your hands (Target 08).

In the living room you will find...

Cupcake place mats (Target 08) tie the house together...and some sweet M&M's for the TV viewing sweet tooth.

Love is blooming with this adorable potted heart wreath (matches larger berry wreath in a previous post--Target 08).

Kitchen accessories for whipping up some valentine cupcakes! (Target 08).

Bows and heart wands add whimsy to boring ol cooking tools (Michael's).

A cupcake dish scrub...too cute to ever use...hung by some sweet little heart hooks. (Okay, so the heart hooks are shower curtain hooks...don't ask me what I was thinking...I love matchy matchy holiday goodness but I think the hooks are a little over the top...just because it is on clearance doesn't make it adorable...luckily I found another use that was a little more functional! Target 08)

Some of my favorite cupcake cookbooks serve as a place setting for this delicious strawberry dish (Safeway?).

Delicious cupcakes are showcased in my cake stand...the cherry topped ones are Christmas ornaments (TJMaxx)...the candle in the middle was 50 cents on clearance at the grocery store...and the heart ones are dog toys (Target 08)! No one will ever know...until you squeeze it and it squeaks! lol!

One of my hutches shows off some sweet little heart plates and mini heart containers ($1 at Michael's last year...oven safe!). Also please notice the red bow...I am very proud...this hutch was a freebie on the side of the road I refinished...problem was it had a missing handle that is smaller that the basic handle size sold in stores...well after months of holes and no handle I decided to tie a bow...so cute and totally matches the decor. LOVE IT!

Love the snowflake like details on this little plate from TJMaxx.

My newer hutch...I have to say it looks fabulous all decorated up! :) So many bloggers were hanging their Christmas wreaths over hutches and I couldn't wait until I got to use this fantastic idea. Cutie plates lined up in front of sparkling chargers. (All v-day Target 08)

Pretty and totally plastic! I also have matching dinner plates and bowls not shown.

This gator also in the bathroom (sorry too lazy and toooo many pictures to put this with the others!).

This wreath I just got from TJMaxx...I love it! I love berries to begin with but then it adds adorable little wooden hearts...to die for! I love how the colors pop off the white closet door. Definitely a possible DIY project...

Fun little apron from the dollar spot at Target last year! I know you sewing ladies can make this...shoot, if you can sew a straight line...it's all about the heart pocket...

A cute little container for pens (Target dollar spot 09--great for packaging little treats...go get some...now...they have different designs too)

My Christmas present! lol! I have been wanting a chalk board forever!!! Can you believe Pottery Barn would dare sell such a thing for like $40??? Well this isn't from Pottery Barn...but Brent finally found me one...and then you all posted about how fantastic chalkboard paint was...thanks...a day too late don't you think! ;) Well, no worries, I bought the paint and have no problem with multiple chalk boards now...

Towels galore...really I don't need this many...but they are just so dang cute (Ross).

Ditto...Ikea towel racks...amazing...I hung them on the sides of the kitchen counters...I want one to house some pots and pans but need S hooks (towels Target 08).

A fun little basket hosts some sweet as pie baking supplies. Measuring spoons/cups from Target 09 dollar spot...I'm serious...I saw the same things for $5 somewhere else...run, don't walk...Wilton silicone heart cupcake cups.

A fast and frugal decorating idea...bows...on everything...tie everything together.

More Target dollar spot finds this year...I put little tea lights in them and added bows for extra whimsy. I suggest getting the ones with holes if you want to use as candle holders...much more glowing ambiance.

The big reveal!!! My favorite by far! So many of you suggested keeping my new white Christmas tree out for a winter or V-day theme...well the thing is 7 feet and I know I have a lot of V-day decor...but I didn't have ornaments...so unless I hung my over sized collection of dish towels...Anyways, I found this little one on clearance at Wal-Mart this year and it is absolutely perfect! I only have three ornaments (all from Joann's this year) so I filled that baby up with pretty ribbons...BEAUTIFUL!!!

I am going to try to make some like the felt one on the bottom...they look fairly easy...lots of hot glue!

Dining room table...my giant candle (remember it from Christmas?) is usually surrounded by a festive wreath...but all my V-day wreaths are hearts and were not pulling off the same look...so I filled a heart dish with pebbles for a pretty little centerpiece. The bow on the candle changes with the decor...a great way to mix up your candles that are out year around. Owl love you forever place mats from Target this year and heart runner from TJMaxx (my first real runner! I splurged...it was too cute to pass up!)

Now for some little explanations...

This frugal girl needs you all to know that this is a collection...over time. I know that I often get caught up with blogging ideas...and get all shopaholic and want to spend money I don't have. Most of my Target 08' finds were ooohed and ahhhed over last year...but I was patient and bought most of it after V-day when they went on clearance. I also have a few homemade things to share over the next couple of weeks...so stay tuned!

I was also recently told (by a non-blogger) that they thought my decorating was a little over the top...okay...so it is...but I was offended. But decorating has become such a passion of mine...it brings me joy and is a reflection of my creativity...I know many of you understand! But I am always weary about what people will think when they see it all...I also realize that for some women they don't have the time or desire to decorate as elaborately...and that is okay...but I always sense an awkwardness of what they must be thinking of me in their head...So the purpose of all of this is to say I am so glad I have found so many creative bloggy friends who can understand and appreciate all of this. Your encouragement helps me to be more confident with what I do so that I can stand tall and be proud when people come into my home. So thank you for showering me with bloggy love! :)

I hope that these inspired some creative ideas to bring your inner love bird out to shower your home with lots of hugs, kisses, and sweet treats come this February...if the men in your life go crazy over the pink...tell them little miss domestic cupid made you do it! xoxo