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Things I am loving lately for Valentine’s Day

Now that Valentine’s Day is a week away, I’m going to continue with the Valentine’s Day theme and share a few finds that I have been loving lately. All of these would make fun and unique Valentine’s Day gifts that are not your typical chocolate this and candy that (though there are a couple of chocolate recipes). I don’t usually do these types of posts, but it seemed like a good way to round up everything that has been going on this month.

One ♥

The first thing we have been enjoying lately are these chocolate zucchini mini muffins:

Chocolate zucchini mini muffins on red heart plate for Valentine's Day

I used this recipe for chocolate zucchini bread to make the muffins. Although the recipe is for bread, you can make 48 mini muffins by putting the batter in two mini muffin pans and baking them for 12-15 minutes. With all of the butter and brown sugar in them, the muffins are not “healthy” by any means. But they’re delicious, the kids eat them, and they’re probably better for you than a donut. Highly recommend!

Two ♥

This berry box from Target is the next item on my favorites list:

IDesign berry container from Target with grapes and strawberries for Valentine's Day gift idea

I’m typically not a fan of single-use kitchen gadgets, but the Type A person in me really likes this produce bin. We have been buying fresh blueberries, strawberries and grapes every weekend, and I stick them in this box for the rest of the week.

I prep the strawberries by cutting off the tops. But I do not rinse any of the fruit ahead of time. The berry box has a built-in strainer with a divider that you can move around, so you can rinse and strain the berries as needed. I also feel like the strainer provides good air circulation while the berries are being stored in the refrigerator. I’ve used mine every week for about two months now and have been happy with the convenience factor and the freshness of the berries.

It would make a really cute Valentine’s Day gift for a friend or teacher if you fill it with berries ahead of time. Or make a little gift “basket” by filling the bin with colorful shredded paper filler and the berries in their original packaging. And then tie everything up with a red bow.

Three ♥

More on point for Valentine’s Day, Target has the cutest Valentine’s outfits for girls right now.

Target Valentines Day girls clothes red dress with heart pockets

I bought this dress for The Dot and also this shirt and cream pants. I’ve have my eye on this dress too but feel I may have too many red outfits for a purple-loving girl.

Four ♥

And my third love brings me to my new obsession: printable clothes patterns from Etsy and online. I made these scalloped shorts for The Dot last weekend and added rick rack trimmed pockets to the back:

DIY heart scallop shorts with rick rack heart pockets for a homemade Valentine's Day gift idea

I love the red for Valentine’s Day, but she’s insisting I made her a purple pair of shorts.

In addition to the shorts, I made these cute little pants and bow headbands for the new baby on the way:

DIY baby pants and headbands using Etsy pattern for a homemade Valentine's Day gift idea

Homemade Valentine’s Day themed clothes would be such a fun and special gift to a mother or expecting mother. I am not an experienced sewer by any means, and this was my first attempt making pants and shorts. The patterns and instructions are incredibly easy to follow. Plus the best part about modern day patterns is that the creator usually has a YouTube video instructional to go along with them.

It’s a good thing my project time is limited because I could get slightly out of control buying fabric and making clothes. I may need a Hobby Lobby intervention.

Five ♥

Going back to chocolate real quick, the kids and I had a ton of fun making these simple cake pops out of oreo cookies.

Kids making oreo cake pops for Valentine's Day

We made the cake pop base and then coated them with a homemade chocolate coating (my kids aren’t a fan of candy melts). To make the chocolate coating, I poured boiling water into a large metal bowl and then set a smaller bowl on top of it. I added 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips plus 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of shortening to the smaller bowl and mixed the two ingredients together until the chocolate was smooth.

Making chocolate coating for Valentine's Day themed cake pops using chocolate chips and shortening and boiling water in metal bowls

Then we spooned the melted chocolate over the cake pops and decorated them with heart-shaped sprinkles. We let our cake pops dry on a sheet of parchment paper, but you can also invert the lollipops on a thick piece of foam to maintain the sphere shape.

Easy oreo cake pops with heart sprinkles on heart plate for Valentine's Day

The best thing about this recipe is that it saves us TONS of money at Starbucks. Mr. L and I don’t have a Starbucks “habit,” but the kids do! Every time they see a Starbucks they ask for cake pops. Now when we go on walks around our favorite outdoor park/shopping center, I can bring our homemade cake pops instead. I freeze them in ziplock freezer bags and pull them the night before so they can warm up to room temperature. I’m pretty sure Starbucks does the same thing too.

Six ♥

These fun hanging heart swirl decorations from Amazon (linked here).

Heart streamers Valentines Day gift idea decorations hang from ceiling

My aunt sent them to us as a gift, and they add so much cheer to our home. The kids helped put them together and love walking down the hallway and looking up at them. As my aunt said, all of the streamers look like a forest of hearts. I couldn’t agree more!

Seven ♥

And finally: these heart stamps from the post office.

Post office Valentines Day Stamps for Valentines card decorating party or gift idea

I mentioned the stamps in my post last week about our Valentine’s Card decorating party. The stamps are so stinking cute on the envelope and are actually a great gift idea for a friend or family member.

When I was in high school and college, my mom would give my sister and me stamps as little presents. Not only were they pretty, but they encouraged us to write thank you notes for the rest of the year.

Eight ♥

This isn’t really an official Valentine’s Day “find,” but I wanted to say how much I appreciate everyone who has been reading my blog. It really does mean a lot to me. Whether it’s an email, a “like,” or a comment, thank you so much for the support.


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🌷🐇 Happy Easter!! 🌷🐇 Truth be told, I 🌷🐇 Happy Easter!! 🌷🐇 Truth be told, I didn’t decorate for Easter this year because the house is in shambles and I can’t imagine adding more things to the chaos (new baby and teething toddler are a tricky combination). However, I did manage to put together a small bunnyscape on our kitchen table. Looking forward to Easter brunch with the family tomorrow ❤️🐰

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Happy first day of spring! It’s a doozy here in Happy first day of spring! It’s a doozy here in Texas. Sixty-four degrees and not a cloud in the sky. The kids went to the park, had a “hot dog fire” outside for lunch, and are playing in the backyard this afternoon. I stayed up late last night finishing up a blog post on one of my favorite projects: my Serena and Lily inspired modern coastal coffee table. We took an inexpensive Ikea Lack coffee table and wrapped it in textured vinyl peel and stick wallpaper to get a designer look for less. Check out the link to my blog in my bio for step by step instructions and sources.

#springisintheair #firstdayofspring #blueandwhite #coastaldecor #moderncoastal #mytradhome #ikeahack #ikeahacks #ikealovers #ikeaideas #topiary #coffeetable #coffeetabledecor #coffeetableideas #grasscloth #grassclothwallpaper #removablewallpaper #lightandbright #chinoiserie #chinoiseriechicstyle #blueandwhitedecor #classicdesign #diydecor #diyprojects #mywoodlandslifeblog
Sharing a pop of green from my wallpaper project. Sharing a pop of green from my wallpaper project. Amazingly this was one of the easiest DIY projects I’ve done, and I loved the immediate results. Plus you can’t beat the Amazon price on removable wallpaper. Click the link in my profile for sources. 

#stpatricksday #wallpaper #peelandstickwallpaper #removablewallpaper #myhome #myhomevibe #myhomestyle #mytradhome #greenandwhite #homedecor #diywalldecor #diyprojects #diyhomedecor #wallpaperwednesday #amazonfinds #herringbone #brightasthetic #brightgreen #wallpaperdecor #diy
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About me

Hi! I'm Lauren. Welcome to my blog, where I write about DIY projects, home decor, and decorating on a budget. With 3 kids under the age of 5, my house not always as neat in real life as it looks on the blog, but I find a way to embrace (and organize) the chaos.

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INSTAGRAM FEED

🌷🐇 Happy Easter!! 🌷🐇 Truth be told, I 🌷🐇 Happy Easter!! 🌷🐇 Truth be told, I didn’t decorate for Easter this year because the house is in shambles and I can’t imagine adding more things to the chaos (new baby and teething toddler are a tricky combination). However, I did manage to put together a small bunnyscape on our kitchen table. Looking forward to Easter brunch with the family tomorrow ❤️🐰

#easterbrunch #easterbreakfast #tablesetting #easter #easterdecor #eastertablescape #eastertable #eastertabledecor #tablescape #tablescapestyling #bunnies #herecomespetercottontail #familytime #springtablescape #springtabledecor #springtable #entertainingathome #neutralstyle #neutraldecor #neutralhome #carrotcake #mywoodlandslifeblog
Happy first day of spring! It’s a doozy here in Happy first day of spring! It’s a doozy here in Texas. Sixty-four degrees and not a cloud in the sky. The kids went to the park, had a “hot dog fire” outside for lunch, and are playing in the backyard this afternoon. I stayed up late last night finishing up a blog post on one of my favorite projects: my Serena and Lily inspired modern coastal coffee table. We took an inexpensive Ikea Lack coffee table and wrapped it in textured vinyl peel and stick wallpaper to get a designer look for less. Check out the link to my blog in my bio for step by step instructions and sources.

#springisintheair #firstdayofspring #blueandwhite #coastaldecor #moderncoastal #mytradhome #ikeahack #ikeahacks #ikealovers #ikeaideas #topiary #coffeetable #coffeetabledecor #coffeetableideas #grasscloth #grassclothwallpaper #removablewallpaper #lightandbright #chinoiserie #chinoiseriechicstyle #blueandwhitedecor #classicdesign #diydecor #diyprojects #mywoodlandslifeblog
Sharing a pop of green from my wallpaper project. Sharing a pop of green from my wallpaper project. Amazingly this was one of the easiest DIY projects I’ve done, and I loved the immediate results. Plus you can’t beat the Amazon price on removable wallpaper. Click the link in my profile for sources. 

#stpatricksday #wallpaper #peelandstickwallpaper #removablewallpaper #myhome #myhomevibe #myhomestyle #mytradhome #greenandwhite #homedecor #diywalldecor #diyprojects #diyhomedecor #wallpaperwednesday #amazonfinds #herringbone #brightasthetic #brightgreen #wallpaperdecor #diy
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#stpatricksday #stpattysday #stpatrick #snacks #snackideas #snacktime #snacksforkids #healthysnacks #healthysnackideas #fruitandveggies #charcuterieboard #holdthemeat #shamrock #rainbowfood #partyideas #appetizers #foodart #stpatricksdayfood #stpatricksdaydecor #fruittray #veggietray
Playing a bit of catchup on Instagram this week an Playing a bit of catchup on Instagram this week and realized I never shared how my daughter's purple bedroom turned out. While it pained me to paint over her blush flower wall, her love for purple won me over. She is thrilled with the final result and is so excited to have her big girl room just the way she wants it. All the details are on the blog (just click the link under my profile to go check out the post). #purplebedroom #nomorepink #purplebedding #bedroomdecor #purpledecor #popofpurple #catart #homedecorlove #bedroomrefresh #bedroommakeover #bedroomdesign #kidsroomdecor #kidsroominspo #girlsroom #kidsfurniture #toddlerroom #purpleroom #benjaminmoore #lavendarice #mywoodlandslifeblog
When I made this flower arrangement a few weeks ag When I made this flower arrangement a few weeks ago, little did I know that all of the camelias would freeze. I'm thankful to have this winter storm behind us. We lost power for 12 hours and luckily do not have any damage to our pipes. But I know a lot of people who were without power and water for days. Praying for Texas's speedy recovery and so very grateful for all of the linemen and other field personnel who worked tirelessly to restore power.⁣
⁣
#prayfortexas #staysafe #flowerarrangement #flowerpic #blueandwhite #diyhomedecor #entrywaydecor #camelia #pinkandblue #flowerlove #flowerpop #flowersofinstagram #chinoiserie #gingerjar #chinoiseriechic #palmbeachstyle #readyforspring #springinspo #springinthesouth #touchofpink #springflowers #traditionalhome #mywoodlandslifeblog
Now that 2021 has officially begun, I’m starting Now that 2021 has officially begun, I’m starting off the week with fresh linen. Have downsized decorative pillows to three, which makes the husband happy. Drawback to bedding refresh: getting out of cozy bed every morning is a challenge. 

#whitebedding #whitebedroom #neutralbedroomdecor #newyearnewbedding #dontwanttogetup #mypotterybarn #pickstitch #serenaandlily #percaleduvet #diyeurosham #whiteandbright #bedroomrefresh #beddingdecor #beddinginspo #homedecor #brightbedroom #mywoodlandslifeblog
Just finished putting together our mini holiday ho Just finished putting together our mini holiday home tour on the blog and realized that while Christmas is almost here, it is almost over too. I will miss all of the ornaments and reindeer and excuses to eat Christmas cookies. I’m looking forward to spending the next few days with family and especially with the kids. I’m also looking forward to 2021 and am hoping it brings some peace and resolution to this confusing year. I hope too that everyone has a safe and joyful holiday and a Happy New Year. 

#merrychristmas #happyholidays #christmasishere #enjoythemoment #holidayhomedecor #vibrantchristmas #blueandwhite #flocked #christmaslivingroomdecor #mywoodlandslifeblog
What’s for Christmas dinner? I have no idea, but What’s for Christmas dinner? I have no idea, but we will have a cute table setting 😂. I made these pink, green and red charger plates out of $2 plastic chargers from Hobby Lobby and acrylic paint. Check out today’s blog post for more detailed sources/instructions. I’ve also uploaded a step-by-step to my story highlights. 

#christmastablesetting #christmastabledecor #diychargerplates #diycharger #handpaintedchargerplate #christmaschargerplates #pinkandgreenchristmas #worldmarketlinens #holidaycharger #holidaytable #holidaytablesetting #agapanthus #hollyberries #decoratefortheseason #merryandbright #pinkchristmas #mywoodlandslifeblog
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Cookie cutters and design inspiration from @hol_fox 
She has the cutest Etsy account with such clever cookie ideas. 

#christmascookies #royalicingdecoratedcookies #santacookies #neighborgiftideas #diyholidaycookies #cutoutcookies #holidaycookies #sugarcookiesfromscratch #hollyfox #christmasgiftidea
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#plaidchristmasdecor #plaidpillows #stewarttartanplaid #diypillowcovers  #howmanypillowsistoomany #neutralholidaydecor #redandgreenandwhite #whitecouch #diychristmaspillows #pipedpillows #livingroomdetails #christmasdetails
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#christmastreedecorating #christmastrees #silverandgoldchristmastree #neutralchristmasdecor #christmaswithtoddlersismagical #treesofinstagram #christmastrees #christmastreedecoration #homedecor #neutralstyle #stockings #boxwoodwreath #mywoodlandslifeblog
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