One size fits all Valentine's Day craft

Folks, mark this one in your calendars.

It's the day BEFORE Valentine's Day and I really think I have EVERYTHING done that needs to be done for a holiday.  Um.  I don't think that has ever happened.  Seriously.

But here I am.  On top of things for one day in the last 18 or so months.  And man it feels good.

I'm chalking this one up to the fact that I don't work 60 hours a week and am home an hour before I used to get home...and still get to sleep.  It's pretty amazing.  Ah.  Life.

Now just that I have extra time, doesn't mean I'm going to spend it do craft after craft for a holiday that honestly Jimmy and I don't even celebrate that much.  And while I like how decorating for holidays looks in my house, I don't so much like putting up a bunch of decorations and then taking them all back down.  Yep, I don't.  I'm weird.

But with my little man around, there are some mom requirements from this holiday.  

Number 1 - we always do Valentine's and Halloween cards.  Not sure why - but I started doing this with our dogs and of course am going to continue it with my cute kid.  We only send to a handful of family and close friends, but it's still fun.  But again, it's something to think about, prepare in advance, etc.

Number 2 - Valentine's for school friends.  Yep, Charlie's school has parties for every holiday.  And I love it. Mainly because I don't have to plan it and can just show up and see all the cute kids playing and celebrating.  Win win.  But I do have to prepare and send some Valentine treats to all his friends and a small something for his teachers.  

With those 2 to-dos, this year I figured out a way to make the perfect craft that does it all.  Oh yes.  I'm all about efficiency.  And I thought I would share.

See that banner in this picture that we took for Valentine's Day cards {attention, spoiler alert to grandparents and aunts/uncles - this pic will be on your card - sorry} ?  Well, that consists of ten paper hearts that I traced and cut out during nap time on Saturday afternoon.  10.  That's because he has 9 other kids in his class.  I had that paper downstairs (which that helps) and had some cute hemp type ribbon/string already.  When I cut them out and was thinking about how to string them up, I realized because I wanted to reuse them for the valentine's day school treat...I only wanted one hole in them.  To be honest, the banner would have been better with two holes punched on the top of each, but then I couldn't reuse - so I went with it.

Charlie didn't seem to mind.  Oh I love him and that smile.  So much.

Our dogs with our "broken hearts"

So between Saturday and the holiday the following Friday we had some friends over for brunch.  So wah-la.  I moved that little puppy to the fireplace.  Oh it makes it look like I actually tried to decorate.  how cute.  But don't be fooled friends.  I'm not afraid to tell it to you straight.

Then Tuesday night was spent in my bed watching the Bachelor DVR with my husband and using my circle hole punch (BEST purchase ever from my wedding 4 years ago) to punch out these little stickers (on the post-it full sheet labels - again, something I always have on hand that are amazing for little things like these.  No gluing for me!), stick them on, write the kid's name, use the string from the banner and wa-lah.  I give you Charlie's Valentine's Day healthy snacks for his friends at school. (Ha - it's dental hygiene month at his school, so healthy snacks it is!)

Of course I got the "you're my main squeeze" idea from Pinterest.  And I got a 20-pack of these applesauces that Charlie loves at CostCo and that's it.  I thought they turned out pretty cute.

I even cut up the kiwi already for Charlie's party on Friday.  OH MY GOSH.  What is happening to me!??  I am not staying up until midnight the night before trying to get all this stuff done.

This is probably a once in a lifetime happening in my prep for a holiday, but I have to say, it feels pretty dang good.

And just to out do myself, I even whipped out the fingerprints on Wednesday night before dinner to get some cute handprints for grandparents.  

OH MY GOSH.  I know.  You don't know what happened to me.  Come back unorganized and frantic Brittany.  Don't you worry.  Come July (at least), I'll be back in full swing.  I'm pretty sure maintaining sanity with two littles is not as easy as people make it seem.  Or at least for me it won't be!

So happy early valentine's day!  I was very excited to share my efficient...get out the scissors once (ok, maybe twice) craft.  Multi-use is where it's at.