• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Californians at Home
  • Home & Decor
    • Our California Remodel
    • Shop My Home
    • Lake Tahoe Cabin Style
    • Books I Adore
  • My California Closet

Northern California Style

Northern California Style

  • Home
  • About
  • Californians at Home
  • Home & Decor
    • Our California Remodel
    • Shop My Home
    • Lake Tahoe Cabin Style
    • Books I Adore
  • My California Closet
  • Shop My Home
    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Valentine's card craft

Valentine’s Day Craft Fun

February 2, 2021 By kimwheeler 20 Comments

I love Valentine’s Day!. It’s just what we need for this darker time of year, and a chance to have a little fun.. and don’t we need it now more than ever. My mom made Valentines always special for us as kids. Waiting for us at our breakfast table was a small gift like cute socks or a plant, like a little cactus and of course some chocolate and some money too.

When my boys were small I did the same giving them a surprise at breakfast and we also started our own tradition of making a special dinner and dessert together. When they were very young we had indoor picnic dinner with candles and spread a blanket in front of the fire at dinner. They loved that! They would help set it all up, make place cards and choose the plates and find flowers in the yard. As they older we moved to the table and I made chocolate dipped strawberries with the guys for dessert.

Griffin making some of the strawberries a few years ago before the remodel.

We melted both white and dark chocolate chips in the microwave. After dipping the berries in dark, we’d take a tiny spoon or spatula and drizzle the white over in swirls. A delicious dessert and pretty placed in a bowl after they harden. ( Very organic in looks too.)

For many years Grif and I made Valentine packages for his school chums when he was little. He always loved doing it and I had fun looking back and thought I’d share some of those too for those who have kids or grandkids. I feel badly for the kids who are missing all the school Valentine cards this year.

I realize it may not be cool to share the food items in the Covid era.. So maybe they can just be made and enjoyed with family at home, or you can find prepackaged treats to substitute.

Note: The boy in these photos is now a college student! Griffin was a great card maker – and still is!

One thing we liked doing is getting cellophane bags, cutting them in half, adding something, like these super balls, and fold a square notecard stapled it over the top with a sentiment. This is what Grif did one year…

Another year we did something similar with Swedish Fish.

..and wrote a cheeky, ‘I’m glad you’re in my school.’ That note was tucked inside and we tied it with yarn.

Another year we made arrows and hearts.

You keep the hearts intact and push a pretzel through them and then with kitchen shears cut a notch to make a bigger heart shape on others. Not sure why we did that, but both came out cute packaged in cellophane bags and tied with red ribbons and we put a velvet sticky heart on each.

Do you have any fun Valentine’s traditions or cool ideas? It might be nice to share more ideas here for families at home all together this year!

ANOTHER FUN ONE…Annie’s watercolor hearts! My friend Annie has the coolest crafts on her Most Lovely Things blog and this was one I always loved and easy with kids. You can do it without the heart punch and just use scissors to cut the heart shapes… Aren’t they cute?

I hope you’re having a good week. I have a Valentine’s gift ideas blog coming too!

xo

Kim

Filed Under: Valentine's card craft, Valentine's Day Tagged With: #valentinekidcrafts, #valentinesday, #valentinesdaycards, #valentinesgifts

Valentines Fun

February 14, 2013 By kimwheeler No Comments

I’m loving Valentine’s week! It’s just a fun time right before we take a week off of school for ski week here… I really get into making little treats, decorating the house ( I love this bowl, shown above, forever and always dig it out) and working on class cards with my younger son.  Here’s what we are working on for class today…A fun little idea found on Pinterest- where else? 

These were really simple and we cut blue paper to fit in clear bags with wavy scissors…

 Griffin wrote, “I’m glad you’re in my school.” We filled them with Swedish fish and tied tops with blue yarn.

I think it’s so nice to make your own Valentines.  These took almost no time. Last year we did this.
My camellias are blossoming like crazy now! We have pink, white and red and they seem to take turns blooming. The red started first. I am grateful to whomever planted these below our giant sequoia. They are one of my favorite things at this house. Isn’t it amazing how certain plants just sprout in the Winter? Nature’s calendar never ceases to wow me.

In other news, my son Griffin’s play was on stage after rehearsing since October! Groovy finished last week and was so fun. I’m really proud of him and all the kids who stuck it out so long.
Griffin after the show in costume with pals Abby and Seraphina.

 Some of the moms of show kids worked the cast party dressed in 60s outfits… I got to wear a vintage 60’s poncho from the costume designer’s box. I wish I could have kept it! What a find.

I checked out Trader Joes’s today and couldn’t resist these primulas in these old recycled pots.

I can’t decide where I like them best.. For $3.99 these are a bargain…
…A great little Valentine gift too.
Yesterday, was one of the most fun events of the year to me, the SAP Ladies’ Day Lunch. The SAP Men’s Tennis Tournament has been held in the Bay Area for 125 years and sadly, will be no more. Women are invited for a special day to watch the professional men’s tennis and then have lunch hosted by Macys and La Crema Winery, meet players and take photos.  We also received swag bags with generous full-sized Skinceuticals  serum and cream.. Test driving it as we speak and I’ll let you know…( I think they were honing in on the most likely sun-damaged crowd- tennis players.)
This was a treat. I love tennis! At the lunch. Great wine too- Did I mention that? 

Aussie and cutie, Lleyton Hewitt was fun to watch..It’s crazy how fast the men serve! I’d run if they put up one of those serve speedometers near me… It would be embarrassing to know how slow I actually am.

Being silly.. With my pal Leasa..

And more tennis girls & friends Jeanne, Vivian, Hang and Cricket..

 It was a ton of fun and I’m sad it’s the last year…
And now..countdown to 9 days off from school! We are getting out of town for a few days.
Before that we’ll make our family Valentine night dinner and chocolate-dipped strawberries.
What are your plans for Valentines? Do you have any special traditions? I love to hear…
Wishing you all a lovely Valentines’s Day!
xo
Kim

Filed Under: SAP Open Ladies Lunch, Valentine's card craft, Valentine's Day

Primary Sidebar

Featured Posts

Fun Kitchen Styling Tips!

Asian Noodles & Other Main Dish Salads

Signature Style- Fall Edit & New Season Wishlist

Remodeling – The Social Front Patio

Loving Rattan and Serena & Lily

My Favorite Sheets, Duvets & More- Refreshing Your Bed

Get My Posts by Email!

Find Me on Facebook

Northern California Style

Archives

Categories

Footer

Don’t Forget to Follow!

Blogger, writer and explorer sharing about my native California, and parts farther afield. Join me here where I chat about things to love in the worlds of design, fashion, home, travel and culture.

Currently Pinning

  • Это прекрасный мир!
  • David Jimenez on Instagram: "France is officially on lockdown and and I’m grateful the government has moved quickly to curb the spread of the virus. Pharmacies, markets and the corner Tabac stores remain open (we depend on our Tabac stores the way that New Yorkers rely on corner bodegas). My corner Tabac offers expanded services that include being a Post Office annex and the easiest place to buy metro tickets in bulk while loading up on magazines and having a shot of espresso at the zinc bar. I'
  • White kitchen with copper island stainless hood.
  • A rare glimpse into how one of Boston's oldest and premier florists (and my favorite) gets ready for Valentine's Day.
The weekend post is up with chat about the trendin The weekend post is up with chat about the trending colors for 2023 in home decor and fashion.. Did you love the 80’s? If so this is perhaps a more sophisticated version with sherbet tones and bits of magenta, greens and navy.  Here I added a bit of these Easter tones to the coffee table with a grass cloth box, one of my books and a candle. I think the best way to update things is to add touches to the home and closet that appeal to you and mix them in with neutrals.. 
What do you think of these colors? I think they’re fun. Some clothing pieces bring me back to my Esprit loving days. It could be fun to add a shirt, shoe or bag in these tones and I selected a handful to consider..

Also on the blog, a few good white jeans, skin cleansers you may need and more! 

Stop on by our blogs- links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns
 Happy Sunday!

#color2023 #springcolors #trending #serenaandlily #coffeetablestyling
A January PSA- get in your closet and get those wh A January PSA- get in your closet and get those white jeans out! I found mine at the bottom of my closet today in a basket and thought -yes! I love the look of a classic white jean, paired with a chunky sweater or turtleneck in black, beige, tan, creams-  neutral colors always look fantastic. Today it was warm enough that I could go sockless and wear my Madewell loafers with them and a little jacket I have from Anthro. Get your white jeans out. it will give your winter wardrobe have a little kick. White jeans can be worn all year and they even look great with winter boots and coats. 

This is also a great time to look at your white Jean inventory. 🤍If you don’t have a pair that’s comfortable and straight leg, in a thicker material…this might be a good time to look. I’ll share some on the weekend blog as well.

if you missed our LIVE this morning, you can watch it on Juliet’s @makemineaspritzer Instagram and I’ll link to it on my stories ! Thank you everyone for tuning in in for the fun questions and comments. We love doing this with you all weekly! Let us know in comments if there are any other topics you want to hear about. Today we talked trending colors, exercise classes .. finding art and pillows and more..

#whitejeanseason #januaryclosetremix #winterwardrobehacks
I love the sunshine in the morning streaming throu I love the sunshine in the morning streaming through the kitchen.. My baby daffodils are blooming to make it even happier. This is one of my favorite things about the new year, the bulbs and daffodils and California poppies that hint spring it on the way.💛 If you don’t have a few blooms in the kitchen, maybe you can add a few?

Hope your having a beautiful week!

#kitchensun #californialife #januaryincalifornia
I love this of Liz Taylor at her first wedding to I love this of Liz Taylor at her first wedding to Richard Burton in 1965. She’s wearing a empire, knee length dress and orange blossoms in her hair, which must have smelled heavenly. I want yellow in my closet this spring!

This is the center of my spring vision board! 💛 Link to all Elizabeth’s wedding dresses on the weekend post -and a few yellow things I added to the house if you missed it! 

#yellow #yellowaesthetic #liztaylor #thebrideworeyellow #springfashion #spring2023 #vogue
Sunday beach trip… We made it to Santa Cruz to c Sunday beach trip… We made it to Santa Cruz to check out the coast after these rough last weeks. Aptos looks pretty good and poor Seacliff is terribly battered. So sad to see what people have lost. My heart goes out to them.

We had the beach to ourselves and the weather was winter perfect. ☀️Cold and sunny. We had a picnic of sandwiches from Zoccolis deli and took in the sun and sea air while watching surfers and birds.

This song just seemed to fit -and relatable as I could not sleep last night! No idea why. Isn’t it maddening? 

Hope you get a chance to take a winter beach walk.. They are the best. 

#santacruz #aptos #california #northerncalifornia #winterbeachwalks #seacliff #norcal #seascapebeach
Happy Sunday! The weekend post is up and I’m sha Happy Sunday! The weekend post is up and I’m sharing a few good ideas for a dining room refresh, pops of yellow, my favorite winter skin care essentials right now, a beautiful and unique San Francisco house in @archdigest, online yoga, and the story behind a historic San Francisco home I came upon last week.. Head to the blog for all the deets! 

I hope its a wonderful weekend.☀️

Don’t forget to visit Juliet and Elizabeth blogs ..links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns

#northerncalifornia #weekendpost #yellow #diningroomdecor #bernardmaybeck #sanfranciscohomes #architecturaldigest #potterybarn #serenaandlily #californiastyle
Our dear friend Contessa @contessa_and_her_pig has Our dear friend Contessa @contessa_and_her_pig has been seriously sick and fortunately is back home now, but still struggling with pneumonia. If anyone wants to send her a snail mail note please dm me and I will share her address. She loves unique cards and pretty postcards you’ve saved from travel, so she would be thrilled to get a little note!

It seems like just yesterday we were in her gorgeous yard taking photos for my Californians at Home series. It’s still one of my favorite photo shoots and if you want to read it again -or missed it I will link to it in my bio today. She’s one of a kind, so let’s get her well soon and bolster her spirits!!💛💛

#californiacontessa #californiansathome
I have to share a snippet of just some of the wisd I have to share a snippet of just some of the wisdom that was Martin Luther King. He will always be one of my biggest heroes and ten years ago I wrote a small post highlighting some of his very meaningful words and quotes that we could all use as a life guide. Link to the post in my bio and more on my stories. 

Do you know he is the only American to have a holiday for him that hasn’t been a president? He also had a low approval rating when he died. That has changed. Now people around the world use his teachings of living in peace and the fight for justice as a model we can strive for. I find his words so very needed in a world that is polarized more than ever. ❤️

#mlkday #mlkquotes #whatareyoudoingforothers
It’s still raining here! In an effort to use som It’s still raining here! In an effort to use some beautiful citrus and boost morale, I made these chocolate chips with a California twist. They have orange and walnuts -and for fun I added macadamias from my Hawaii trip and coconut flakes. I also switched out brown sugar for moscavado which is less refined and had more depth and flavor. So far response has been thumbs up from the home crew! 
The recipe and all the weekend fun- along with some cozy coats for this weather, and a recap of our SF meander are on the weekend blog. Juliet and Elizabeth also have great ideas this weekend.. links as always, in our bios or stories:
@northerncalstyle 
@makemineaspritzer 
@pineconesandacorns 
Have a great weekend !

#californiacookie #californialiving #californiachocolatechipcookie #weekendpost #chocolateandorange
Just a little peek at some of the homes in San Fra Just a little peek at some of the homes in San Francisco’s Laurel Heights and a little walk through the Presidio to the Lyon Street Steps. We had an unbelievably beautiful day after so much rain and darkness. I highly recommend walking through this neighborhood, through The Presidio and grabbing lunch and checking out the lovely shops like the new Emily Joubert! The views are amazing all the way to the Golden Gate, and I am in love with all the beautiful homes of San Francisco. ❤️

#sanfranciscolove #presidioheights #lyonstreetsteps #sanfranciscowalks #housesofsf #visitcalifornia #ourgoldenstate #sanfranciscomansions #citybythebay #prettycity
Unearthed my Hunter’s and dusted them up! Bring Unearthed my Hunter’s and dusted them up! Bring it on, I am ready. I’m getting used to the rain, but this California girl is struggling with the gloom. How do people do it in the Pacific Northwest? Getting out for rainy day walks seems to help. Anyone else feel the same? I feel guilty for even mentioning it, with all the flooding and struggles so many are dealing with. 
Today is good -as we have power, internet and for now, just drizzles. 

#northerncalgal #californiastorm #hunterbootslove
It’s time for our first Signature Style of 2023 It’s time for our first Signature Style of 2023 and Cindy and I are talking cozy clothes, workout outfits and athleisure! And actually what else are we wearing right now?  If you’re not trying to workout, you’re likely staying cozy so we have all kinds of good things for you. 
Hope you’re staying dry and safe if you’re in California. 💛We had the craziest night yet with wind and rain last evening. We began with no power and internet so I was a bit slow getting this out..Sending good thoughts to everyone.

Stop on by our blogs..
As always links are in our bios and stories..
@northerncalstyle 
@cindyhattersley

#athleisurestyle #workoutstyle #cozycore #pajamastyle #signaturestyle

Copyright © 2023 · Northern California Style· Blog Design by Little Blue Deer