Happy Valentine’s Day!

We’re having Spring in February and it doesn’t feel right. I can recall many a bitter cold Valentine’s Day of my twenties when all I wanted to do was dress up to go out to dinner or attend the Death by Chocolate Event on College Avenue in Appleton. These type of mild temperatures and sunshine during the day would have been miraculous!

I don’t have such plans for the Hallmark-Holiday anymore. Still, I think about the stretch between now and ACTUAL spring and I wonder how I am going to keep myself from daydreaming about summer when the snow is gone and it’s over 40 degrees. Maybe a little nod to the lover’s holiday will help, a look at being inspired by candy and hearts and all things pink…I guess it wouldn’t hurt to daydream about these ideas instead! Here’s a few quick reminders of how easily you can make any greeting card holiday a little bit more special-

Recall Nostalgia

Vintage Valentines are sure to make anyone smile. One or two pinned to a cork board or stuck up on the fridge can remind us of those schooldays when we would address tiny envelopes and stuff them with starbursts and other bite sized candies. Of course, if your children attend a school that still honors this elementary tradition that memory might not be too old!

Great antique venues like Water Street Vintage in New London have booths already merchandised to get you visualizing the red and pinks of the holiday using treasured glassware and even plastic thermos containers.

Romantic Bedding

One thing I learned about sheet sets and pillows once I had accumulated my own inventory was how easy it is to switch them out seasonally. I mentioned this when I converted my flannel winter loft into a breezy summer nook. Your bed could be waiting for a simple update in pink or red.

Notice is doesn’t have to be obvious, like cupids or hearts, it could be a paisley print or a great check with some pastels.

Easy Art

If you are a fan of canvas art then you already know how easy they are to have made and how easy they are to hang. Since they are lightweight most will hang right on a nail, making the act of switching them out from time to time less of a chore. Might I suggest a snapshot like my favorite Lake Superior photo to bring a little pink into an established gallery wall:

The fun thing about pink in this type of application is that it will usually complement any other color scheme you have going and play as a fun pop. The right shade of light pink goes with almost everything!

Why not?

I was never a fan of pink and my house was void of the shade until very recently. But now that I’ve established that there is almost no shade that a light pink doesn’t compliment- why not an accent wall in this color?

To keep it from feeling like a stereotypical little girl’s room- these examples of the rosy hue are accented with ornate and more grown-up looking mirrors. This style alludes to a more romantic Victorian inspired design- Very Valentine’s Day!

Treat yourself!

This single day sees a significant rise in sales for two specific splurges: red roses and desserts. Whether it be chocolate covered strawberries, a box of assorted truffles or a really decadent cheesecake- if you have a sweet tooth then you’ll find something to celebrate the holiday with! The fun for us was the action of decorating this dessert, just a little way to differentiate the cakes of Sunday Night Supper from other months!

Not that I am encouraging the return of the arctic chill that we Wisconsinites have come to expect this time of year but I would like to squeeze in a few more wintry memories. Besides our previous hike at Mosquito Hill and our perseverance to use that one good week of snow to attend their torchlight snowshoe event, I am yearning to get out the ice skates and tackle more scrap booking before planting the garden. If the weather forecast is correct- it looks like I might get my way next week. But in the meantime-

Happy Valentine’s Day!