Me & Mom: On Valentine's Day...

Happy Valentine's Day my friends! Well I have something special for you on this day of love. Last year, I had my mom, the queen of poetry (at least I think so) stop by to share her thoughts on Valentine's Day. This year, I asked her to write another poem to share with you. This time the poem is sort of a combination of her thoughts and mine. She asked me to send her a list of words and thoughts that I associate with Valentine's Day. I sent my list to her and she wrote this beautiful poem in all of about 10 minutes. Hence, the queen of poetry...

Whether it's just you are two, I hope you have a beautiful day!

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Love you mom!!

CHOCOLATE AVOCADO MOUSSE

So, you know I have a love affair with chocolate. I adore it. I eat it daily. Every. Single. Day. So when I saw Giada de Laurentiis (I adore her, too) making this delicious looking chocolate mousse on her show, I knew I had to make it. It's different, it's easy to make and most importantly, it's really, really good. I imagine it would make the perfect V-day dessert, too. :)

Don't let the word 'avocado' sway you! I'll tell you why along with the recipe after the jump...

Mom's Meaning of Love Day

Happy Valentine's Day!!

I have a special guest for you today. Meet my mom, Bunnie. She is pretty much the love of my life, so I thought it was fitting for her to make an apperance today. She is exceptionally talented at writing poetry, so I asked her to whip up a poem that reflected her thoughts on Love Day. And by whip I mean about 5 minutes. That's how long it took her to write this. I just love her...

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Valentine’s Day is a day for nothing else

But to be mindful to just love yourself

It is not just a day for a man and wife

A happy frame of mine should be everyday life

Even though I have been married over 35 years

I have never expected all the flowers and frills

I stop and think of others wild about the day

Saying to myself every day should be this way

I think of my children; Love brought them here

Through the grace of God and they are so dear

They give me love more than cupid can deliver

Can’t you just see my lips are starting to quiver?

On this day I try to think of others

That live alone with no family or a lover

I try to brighten up their Valentine's Day

By just giving them a hug and a PayDay

I wish for all a safe and blessed day

Remember that kind words can go a long way

Share this day with your family and friends

Leave the candy alone; Hips is where it will end!


Love, Bunnie

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See why I love her so much?
I couldn't agree with her more.
She is the most unselfish person I know and I thank God everyday for her!

Give a friend or a loved one a hug or simply a call today if you can.

I plan to do just that. 

xo, 

Pink + Pretty

So it's Wednesday and I'm still thinking about Valentine's Day and love. In Monday's post, I talked about turning to Etsy to see the creative side of love. Of course I had to turn to the blogs and design mags to see what they had to say about the Day and how it inspires them. As I was searching, I found the color pink to be quite consistent. I'm not a girly-girl type of person, but I think touches of pink can be sexy, romantic, dramatic and elegant. Here is what I found...  

I absolutely adore this Valentine's Day inspired tablescape done by Maria of Dreamy Whites. She does wonders with white and this table is proof. It's creative, it's clean, it's crisp, and it whispers love. The hints of blush flowers create even more of a soft and romantic feel.

 

Kirsten of 6th Street Design School (LOVE her blog) did a post earlier this week on pink pillows. It was so hard to pick a favorite, but...

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 

I think #7 and #14 are my top picks.

Speaking of pink pillows, the latest issue of House Beautiful features a beautiful home in Mountain Brook, Alabama (my home state). The pink pillows and accessories add the perfect amount of drama to the otherwise neutral but elegant palette.

I searched House Beautiful online to find some more pink-studded rooms. I grew out of the whole "pink room" thing when I was about 10, but this grown-up pink retreat designed by Smith Hanes makes me want to revert back to those days. It's soft, relaxing, and not overwhelmingly pink.

Pink paired with complimentary colors like white, brown and gold can create a very romantic setting like this one. I am even liking the light pink ceiling here.

Pink and red can be nice together, too.

So I think pink can be quite pretty.

Finding Love on Etsy

Well, Valentine's Day is coming up. It's a day that people (or women rather) either take very seriously or a day that people think of as nothing but a cliché. But let's be honest, whether you celebrate the day or not, you at least think about the concept of love. Maybe you think about the people, the places, and the things that you love- or at least I do. Things that I love were on my mind over the weekend. One thing I love is Etsy, so I turned to it to find some simple, yet creative expressions of love.

 I love these prints. They would be perfect together...

The Love Shop



ReStyle



I love these "Love" throw pillows, too. This one by Dear Lillie is a favorite of mines. There is nothing like someone telling you they love you in foreign language... 

 This one is really wonderful.



Jolie Marche

And I love a good card. To me, cards that are simple, personable and to the point are worth a thousand words.

Red Letter Paper Co.



I especially love a good laugh...

Story Shop



And for all the "Single Ladies..."

Creativity Cards

I hope you have a lovely Monday!