DIY: Simple Felt Heart Wreath

I love the look of yarn wrapped wreaths and I've made quite a few but let's be honest, they take forever. So I decided to make something simpler for Valentine's Day this year. This felt wreath takes almost no time at all and you can use fabric scraps that you probably already have.

What you'll need...

• foam board or cardboard
• x-acto knife
• felt
• hot glue
• scissors

 Start by cutting a heart out of your foam board.

Next, cut the felt into strips and wrap it around the heart. Secure the felt with hot glue.

Add whatever details you like. I added some simple hearts and an arrow but felt flowers would be cute too.

Valentine's Day Cards!

I just added some new little Valentine's Day cards to the shop. Click here to check them out!

Homemade Mac & Cheese

I'll admit... I'll buy a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese from time to time (it's so cheap) but that neon orange powder kinda weirds me out. This mac & cheese (adapted from this recipe) is so easy though, I might never buy a box again.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cooked elbow macaroni
• 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup grated sharp white cheddar or parmesan cheese
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 6 slices of white bread 
• a pinch of paprika
• salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Begin by grating the cheese. 

Now take the 6 slices of bread and pulse them in the food processor. Spread the crumbs all over a baking sheet and add a little salt. Bake for about 5 minutes or until crunchy.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan and add the flour to make a roux. Add the milk slowly and stir in the cheese until it melts. Let the sauce thicken a little.

Put macaroni in large casserole dish and pour the sauce over it. Stir well.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and brown. Spread over the macaroni and cheese to cover. Sprinkle with a little paprika.

 Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

 Enjoy!

2014 Rose Parade

Yesterday morning we woke up early and went to the Rose Parade. I haven't been since I was a kid. It was so much fun! The TV really doesn't do these floats justice. They're incredible! If you're not familiar with this parade, it's a rule that all surfaces of the floats must be covered in natural materials (such as flowers, plants, seaweeds, seeds, bark, vegetables, or nuts). No artificial flowers or plant material are allowed, and the materials cannot be artificially colored. When you take all of this into consideration, these floats are really quite impressive. I took 500 photos but narrowed it down to about 20 to share with you guys.