A Holiday Haven

Screen Time Certificates

2012-05-25T10:18:00.000-07:00

School is out (or almost anyway) in most places. That means SCREEN TIME or, so my kids think. But, I have gotten 'crafty' on them and made up these little redeemable coupons that they can earn.

I haven't decided just yet what they will have to do to earn them. Chores? Probably. Reading? They like to read so I might just leave that as something they can do after they run out of certificates. A good dead? Definitely, I love to reward them for good works.

I do know I will only allow them to earn 2 hours worth each day, and they can save them up or use them one at a time. And because I have some smarties who might figure out to look at mom's blog for these I think I will add the clause: 'only good with mom's signature on the back'. You are welcome to print these and use them for your household if you would like. I made them in 10, 15, and 20 minute increments to suit whatever works best for you.

To print: click on the photo to expand it then set your cursor over the photo and right click it and select print photo. Or once the photo is expanded click 'file' and 'print' from the menu at the top of your browser. If you have any trouble try adjusting things in 'print preview' or saving the file to your computer or paint program and printing from there. (If using Firefox, you may need to click once to expand them and then again to magnify before printing, they should print out as a full page). Enjoy!

Making your home feel like a 'Bed and Breakfast'

2012-05-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

What makes a Bed and Breakfast so attractive? It is the decor, the food, the amenities, all of the above? Is it the fact that you are on vacation and relaxed? Of course (at least for most of us) your home is not a Bed and Breakfast there is work, responsibility, and cleaning to keep you busy. But why not create small moments, small places where you remember to sit and have a conversation or read a magazine. Small luxuries here and there. Here are some tips for creating a bed and breakfast attitude around your home:

Make muffins or a breakfast casserole you can pop into the oven at dinner time the night before for breakfast the next morning. Here is a site with tons of b&b recipes.

Have a 'quite time' in the evening. Turn out all the lights, light candles, play soft music, and talk about the day. (This is especially nice for children to unwind before bed).

Set a pretty basket of scented bath soaps and salts next to the sink or bathtub.

Set a garden table for breakfasts, snacks, or lunch.

Arrange a little side table with flowers and a book to remember to take time for yourself.

Put a few drops of essential oils on the underside of bed or couch pillows.

Set up an 'outdoor living' room.

Place a bench in the garden and take time to watch the grass grow.

Add lots of blooming potted plants to your porch or entry way.

Have a campfire at night using outdoor fireplace.

And ask your loved ones what would make the morning rush nicer for them, maybe just having the windows open in the summer first thing in the morning would add a little joy to their day. It only takes just a little preparation to make a lovely memory for your family and provide you with a little time to relax and reflect.

Share your suggestions, what small thing do you do to create a wonderful atmosphere?

Vacation Idea #17 - Boat Rentals

2012-05-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

WISH i was on HOLIDAY

- Vacation Idea #17 -

Boat Rentals

From a yacht, to a small little paddle boat, renting a boat is a ton of fun. The first boat we rented was a surprise to my husband one year on his birthday. I made all the plans in advance, packed the trunk of our car with fishing gear, and had him hop in the car the morning of his birthday and we were off to a small marina a couple of hours away from our home where a small little fishing boat waited for us. It was a 20' Hews Craft with a 90Hp motor and the cost of rental was about $300 for a full day. At that particular marina prices range from $100-300 for a full day rental. It is cheaper if you only want it for a few hours. We did not need to take a boating course, but I did brush up on boating basics through our states online boating guide before we went. They had us sign a liability waiver, gave us a map of the water which showed us where it was shallow, what to avoid, etc, and they made sure we knew which side of the markers we were to be on and some of the basic rules of boating.

It was a beautiful day of fishing and floating on the water under the warm sun. A trip we will never forget.

If you are considering renting a boat a few tips: 1. look at any marinas near you, often companies that rent boats operate out of the port houses, or the port itself has boats to rent. 2. check ahead of time to see if you will need a boaters license, even if you do not, it is a good idea to know the boating laws. 3. double check that life jackets are supplied, we bought our own just to make sure we had the correct fit for the kids. 4.Portable potties are a good thing to include in your supplies if you are taking the boat out for a full day.

Mother's Day Ideas ~ Last Minute, Beautiful and Simple

2012-05-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

In this post I gathered links to simple and beautiful free printables, craft projects, and ideas for mom to help create a wonderful holiday.

There is still time!

Sachet For Mom - Beautiful simple mother's day idea! Can possibly be done from items on hand.

10 chick Mother's Day gifts - If you need great gift ideas.

Fun and Frugal ideas - A little inspiration for things to do for, or go do with, mom.

Printable Kids Card - An adorable card for kids to print and give.

Mother's Day booklet printable - Wonderfully made and free to print.

Printable Gift tags - Cute gift tags cards.

Martha Stewart printable newspaper - This is the cutest idea ever! (Leave it to Martha) It is a printable newspaper that little ones fill out and give to mom. (You should have a look even if you don't have little ones).

Beautiful Printable Card - A printable card for Mom's, sister, Aunts, grandmothers.

Printable Breakfast Flags - Such wonderful way to add fun to breakfast in bed for mom!

Poppytalk Printable: Mother's Day Gift Wrap - Two different patterns of gift wrap for Mother's Day.

Pretty printable card & flower tutorial -Very pretty.

Adorable poem cards - Pick a poem and add it to a card, great for little ones and adults alike.

Quick and Easy Mother's Day Gift -An easy to make candle, that would be easy to customize with supplies on hand.

Photo cubes that take about an hour once you have all the supplies together.

Last minute, meaningful mother's day gift -Wonderful last minute idea. Make and frame, and watch mom smile!

Fingerprint Poem Craft for Mother’s Day - A fun idea for little ones.

12 great craft ideas here and I love them all!

At Mealsformoms.org you can make and send an e-bouquet of flowers.

And my all time favorite Mother's day site where you can find more great ideas: Mother's Day Central.

Happy Mother's Day!

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Mother's Day History

2012-05-01T19:28:00.000-07:00

History of Mother's Day:
Mother's day has a long tradition throughout the world, but in the United States it was started in 1907 by a woman named Anna Jarvis and has a pretty sorted history. Two years after Anna Jarvis's mother died she successfully campaigned to make Mother's Day a recognized holiday in 1914. But, by the 1920's the commercialization of the holiday troubled her deeply. She had wanted a day of sentiment and felt that a pre-printed card, a box of candy, etc. were more about generating profit than creating sentiment. She, along with her sister, spent their inheritance money to campaign against the holiday, she died in poverty. (source: Wikipedia and Womenshistory.com )

I love this history, though it is sad.

Mother's day is easy to put off until the last minute. Her story is a wonderful reminder to take a moment to truly honor the woman who has done more for us than we can ever repay her for. A well thought out gift, an honest thank you, some work from our own hand, whatever makes your mother smile.

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Rose Pin {Tutorial}

2012-04-14T07:58:00.000-07:00

A simple to make rose pin that makes takes only a little time and makes a great gift.

I am making these as a gift for Mother's day and for my Esty Shop.

Step 1: I used some old satin fabric and cut rough circles. (Don't worry about wrinkles, they will 'iron' themselves out in the next step.)

Step 2: Singe the edges with a flame. I found that a lighter made the edges turn brownish, where as a candle flame did not. But, the candle was harder than the lighter to control heat from the flame.

A note here about safety: You will want to check that your fabric is not highly flammable before beginning this project, keeping a bowl of water near just in case. If you have little ones (as I do) I suggest doing this during nap time or when they are not around so they do not learn to 'play with fire' from you. A well ventilated area is probably best. And be careful not to get burned, fire is hot! :)

Step 3: Once your edges are singed stack from large to small to make a flower. (I liked the look of the singed edges, but you can trim any edges you do not like.)

Step 4: Add beads to the middle. Sewing them in. I hid the knot between petals.

Step 5: Sew a pin to the back.

Happy crafting!

::The Holiday Challenge::
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Butterfly Gardening

2012-04-11T10:14:00.000-07:00

How to attract butterflies to your garden.

Before you run out and buy a butterfly bush or hibernation box, there are some things you need to know.

First, butterfly gardening is as important as it is fun. Natural habitats for butterflies are dwindling and many species of butterflies endangered. I am not an expert, but butterfly gardening is a ~~obsession~~ hobby of mine. One of the things I found most interesting is that the plants that are thought to attract butterflies such as butterfly bushes, and lilacs may not be the right plant for the butterflies in your area. The best way to plant the right food for the butterflies native to your area is to plant flowering plants that are native to your area. (See the connection?) To find native plants for your area you can visit: www.wildflower.org Some of the plants in my area beneficial to butterflies are: thistles, violets, willow herb, goldenrod, asters, azaleas, hollyhock, blackeye susans, and legumes such as peas. Even some weeds are beneficial for butterflies (as well as other wildlife). So now you have an excuse to leave an idle spot in your yard :). Also, while we are here, insecticides are generally not butterfly friendly.

Also mud, yes, mud is important to butterflies. They need the minerals contained in mud puddles. An easy way to create a mud puddle is to dig a hole, place a non drainable container in it, fill mostly with dirt and then water it each time you fill your birdbaths or water your garden.

Once you have spotted adult butterflies and know the areas in your yard they like to visit, you can leave pieces of banana or older orange and apple slices on wood bark for them to feast on.

Hibernation boxes and butterfly houses, although pretty, are hardly ever actually used by butterflies. They are great for promoting the idea of butterfly gardening, but not as wonderful for the actual butterfly. It has been my experience that humming birds and bees like them a lot though. Butterflies usually hide in natural spots such as under rocks and in dense bushes during stormy and windy weather.

Still don't have butterflies? You can buy eggs, caterpillars, or kits. Once the caterpillars have changed into butterflies you release them and with any luck they will enjoy your garden and lay eggs there. You can also buy live butterflies for release at weddings and other events.

www.butterfliesetc.com sells eggs, caterpillars, and has a ton of information on butterflies.

www.thebutterflysite.com is the best site I have found yet on butterflies, they have extensive information on native butterflies, butterfly kits, and live butterfly release information.

Both sites provide detailed information on the butterflies in your area and their natural foods.

(These are non-sponsored links)

Spring And Easter Ideas! Happy Easter!

2012-04-07T23:20:00.000-07:00

Lots of wonderful spring and Easter ideas from wonderful blogs:

This year I have been busy at work spring cleaning. (Here is my Spring Cleaning Checklist) I have been so carried away getting to the bottom of every drawer!

When I wasn't cleaning:

I made a printable banner. See it here: Free printable SPRING banner

Put together 20 spring fun facts

I did up my bedside table,

Put together a spring tablescape. I will be posting more photos of it later this week.

And made pink birds nests for my Etsy Shop

I can't wait to start gardening!

How is your spring going?

Here are a few of my Favorite Spring and Easter posts from the last couple of years:

Pink and Spring Decor

Bird's Nest Craft ~ Tutorial

Wired Birds Nest Charm {Tutorial}

{Very} Easy Spring Wreath

Bunny Napkin Fold

Fabric Covered Eggs

How to get rid of aphids

Fairy Gardens

Outdoor living prep.

Watering plants while on vacation

Egg Shell Starters for Seedlings

Butterfly Gardening

To join in the party, add your link to the blog party at the top of the sidebar. Join anytime till Easter! Blog parties are where bloggers get together to share their fun projects all within a theme, click on the photos in the party to see their wonderful spring and Easter ideas!

And here is a little look at the party from last year:

Easter and Spring Party 2011

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Beautiful Gift Tag Tutorial for Spring Wedding Favors

2012-04-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

Beautiful gift tags to make wedding and shower favors even more beautiful!

Supplies: Card stock, ivory and sheer sage green ribbon, pearl beads, hot glue, sharp scissors, a printer, and a candle.

To make the gift tags I printed out 'Thank you' on card stock that I divided into rectangles.

Then cut the top edges of each to make the 'gift tag' shape.

Hole punch and add ribbon ties.

Hot glued on bows.

And made a little rolled flower (See my tutorial HERE). These little flowers are so much fun!

In the center I added a pearl bead and to the underside of the flower some sage green ribbon for leaves. And then hot glued this in place on the tag.

Finish off all of the ribbon edges by very carefully singing the cut edges of the ribbon with a flame. I light a candle and then hold them a bit above the visible flame. This makes them look 'finished' and keeps them from fraying. You can also finish them by applying a little clear finger nail polish to the edges.

Bedside table decor

2012-03-22T17:21:00.002-07:00

Pretty and vintage inspired I have put together a little vignette on my bedside table. A little lace, and pretty things that make me smile.

My snooze-less alarm clock.

This little mismatched tea saucer I am using for a ring/jewelry catch.

And a pretty angel holding a bird together with my sewing basket.

And all on a pretty lacy shawl.

Spring is such a nice time of year to decorate!

✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸ƸӜƷ

I am having a spring/Easter party starting Saturday March 24 2011.

Have you made/decorated anything for spring?

Come join up! Full details under the blog parties tab at the top of this page.

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20 Spring fun facts

2012-03-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

20 Spring fun facts! It is still cold where I am, but I just couldn't resist thinking of spring, so I have compiled 20 fun facts for spring.

1. If you stand at the equator on the first day of spring, you will see the sun pass directly over head. This is only true two times a year; the first day of spring and the first day of Autumn.

2. Popular Spring blooms include tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, iris, daisies, and lilies.

3. Often though the first bloom to be seen is a dandelion :) Dandelions first came from Asia, and now calls the entire world home. I can be used both as a food and a medicine and the seeds provide and important food to many small birds.

4. Common animals and insects associated with sprint are: rabbits, eagles, frogs, hummingbirds, robins, deers, foxes, bears, bees, butterflies, and ladybugs.

5. An area along the California and Oregon border between the Harbor-Brookings bench of Oregon and the Smith River area of California is often called the “Easter Lily Capital of the World” as it produces 95 percent of all bulbs grown in the world for the potted Easter lily market which is more than 11 million bulbs each year.

6. Baby birds learn to sing. Baby birds are born with the ability to sing, but they must learn the specific songs of their species. They are thought to acquire these songs between 10 to 60 days of age and begin to sing them the next spring when they have matured at about 300 days old.

7. Arbor Day celebrated on the last Monday in April; however, each state can select its own date, depending on weather conditions. The first Arbor Day Celebration was held on April 10, 1872 in Nebraska.

8. Spring fever is real! Commonly occurring when a sudden warm spell follows a long cold period. When the temperature rises, there's a dilation or expansion of the blood vessels so that blood can be carried to the body surface where heat can be lost quickly. Some people experience an energetic feeling to this reaction.

9. Spring cleaning often accompanies spring fever. And with the warmer weather windows and doors can be open which allows ventilation for dusting and the fumes of cleaning products. It has been suggested that spring cleaning dates back to the Persian New Year where they practice "Khoneh Tekouni" which means "Shaking the house". Another possibility of the origin can be traced to the ancient Jewish of cleansing the home in anticipation of passover.

10. Emeralds represent spring, rebirth, hope, peace, and tranquility.

11. "June Brides" are not as common as they use to be. Historically June has always been the most popular month for weddings. The word June even comes from Juno the Roman goddess of marriage. However, The American National Center for Health Statistics show that July and August for the last couple of years have each have seen more marriages than June.

12. Flooding becomes more common in spring due to snow melt and spring rains.

13. Hurricane season begins in late spring.

14. Seasonal allergies in the spring are a problem for 30-60 million in the U.S. alone. The culprits are often pollen, including tree pollen, and mold.

15. Fleas! become more active as it gets warmer and at the same time your pet is more interested in going outside. Spring time is a great time to make sure you have a defense plan.

16. Animals wake from hibernation and are seen more frequently. Animals that hibernate include: ground squirrels, hedgehogs, bears, bats, and even a bird; the Common Poorwill

17. Birds fly back northward to settle and have their families. Approximately 1800 of the world's 10,000 bird species are long-distance migrants.

18. Butterflies begin to gather nectar from the first flowers of the season. See how to create a butterfly garden here: Butterfly Gardening

19. Easter is celebrated on the Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon. Which is close to the first Sunday after first full moon after Spring begins. And so the date Easter is celebrated can range from March 22 through April 25th.

20. Spring ends and summer starts around the 20/21st of June.

(sources: national hurricane center, national weather center, animal planet, everyday health, ehow, wikipedia where sources noted, the american national health statistics, starlingtalk.com.)

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St. Patricks Day Ideas! Happy St. Patricks Day!!

2012-03-17T00:04:00.002-07:00

Fun, crafts, recipes, decor, and even a little history!

And a huge thank you to everyone for joining in the fun!

Here are a few more fun St. Patricks day posts you can find on Holiday Haven:

(See links under photos)

Free printables:

St. Patrick's Day Printable Banner

St. Patricks Day Cupcake Toppers

& Pintable Irish Blessings

For the kids:

How to Catch a Leprechaun

and Leprechaun traps that work

Decorating:

FUN ~ St. Patrick's Day Tablescape

Simple St. Patrick's Day Tablescape

St. Patrick's Day Decorating

Irish Blessings Decor

Fun St. Patrick's day food:

30 Green Foods For St. Patrick's Day

Shamrock Pizza

And some history:

St. Patrick's Extraordinary Life

Shrine of St. Patrick's Bell

Creative St. Patricks Day Ideas

2012-03-15T17:58:00.001-07:00

I love Etsy! Etsy-iers come up with some amazingly lovely ideas and Etsy encourages artists to refine their art. So today to feature some of the lovely products, ideas and creativity I created a St. Patricks Day treasury. These are similar to a pin board on pinterest. Here is some of the goodies I found:

You can click on the photos to see more about each in their shop.

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St. Patrick's Extraordinary Life

2012-03-12T07:28:00.000-07:00

Captured by Irish raiders and take as a slave when he was around 16 years old, St. Patrick's day is based on an amazing man in history.

Born in Britain to wealthy parents, at (about) 16 years old he was taken prisoner by Irish raiders who were attacking his parents estate, sold into slavery, where he then worked as a shepherd. During his years of slavery, it is believed that he turned to his religion for solace and began to desire to convert the Irish people. He recounts how his faith grew, here are his words recorded in a letter called 'the Confessio':

"But after I reached Hibernia I used to pasture the flock each day and I used to pray many times a day. More and more did the Love of God, and my fear of Him and faith increase, and my spirit was moved so that in a day [I said] from one up to a hundred prayers, and in the night a like number; besides I used to stay out in the forests and on the mountain and I would wake up before daylight to pray in the snow, in icy coldness, in rain, and I used to feel neither ill nor any slothfulness, because, as I now see, the Spirit was burning in me at that time".

After 6 years of captivity he recorded a dream in which he believes God's voice told him to leave Ireland.

"And it was there of course that one night in my sleep I heard a voice saying to me: "You do well to fast: soon you will depart for your home country." And again, a very short time later, there was a voice prophesying: "Behold, your ship is ready." And it was not close by, but, as it happened, two hundred miles away, where I had never been nor knew any person. And shortly thereafter I turned about and fled from the man with whom I had been for six years, and I came, by the power of God who directed my route to advantage (and I was afraid of nothing), until I reached that ship."

After he walked 200 miles to the Irish coast to reach that ship, he records this reaction from those on the ship:

"And on the same day that I arrived, the ship was setting out from the place, and I said that I had not the wherewithal to sail with them; and the steersman was displeased and replied in anger, sharply: "By no means attempt to go with us." Hearing this I left them to go to the hut where I was staying, and on the way I began to pray, and before the prayer was finished I heard one of them shouting loudly after me: "Come quickly because the men are calling you." And immediately I went back to them and they started to say to me: "Come, because we are admitting you out of good faith; make friendship with us in any way you wish."

Once again in Britain he records he had another dream of an angel telling him to return to Ireland as a missionary:

"I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish". As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.

He studied for 15years to became a priest and then as a priest was sent to Ireland again with the direction to minister to Christians who already lived in Ireland and to convert the Irish to Christianity. Much of Ireland at that time practiced a nature based religion. St. Patrick used many symbols and traditions from that religion to teach about Christianity. Such as, superimposing the sun on a cross (which is now the Celtic cross), building bonfires as they honored their gods with fire, and it is believed that he may have used a three leafed clover to teach about the Trinity. He started over 300 churches in Ireland and by the 7th century had become the patron saint of Ireland. March 17, the day we celebrate St. Patrick's Day is believed to have been his death date in 460 AD. The St. Patrick's Day tradition was originally brought to America and made popular by Irish immigrants. And today is Ireland is a day to remember St. Patrick and celebrate the Irish culture.

More info: You can read a translated version St. Patrick's letter 'the confessio' here:"Confessio of Saint Patrick" it is a powerful read and not for the faint of heart! See a prayer that is was thought to have been written by him here: St Patrick's Breast-Plate. And you can see my post about the St. Patrick's Bell here: The Shrine of St. Patrick.

Sources: Wikipedia (where credible sources listed), history.com, St. Patrick's quotes came from the translated version of the Confessio listed above.
Photo credit: NeitherFanboy's photo stream on flicker listed under the 2.0/generic license

View more St. Patrick's History here:

::The Holiday Challenge::
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Johnny Apple Seed Day

2012-03-10T21:22:00.000-08:00

Today is a Johnny Apple Seed Day!
Johnny Apple Seed Day is sometimes celebrated March 11 during the apple planting season and often celebrated September 26 which was Appleseed's birthdate.

If you do not know his story of this inspiring man, you should. He was a gentle and generous character and looking into his life it is not hard to see why he became a legend even while he was still alive.

Born as John Chapman and later known as Johnny Appleseed. He is depicted in folklore as wearing tattered clothing, bare feet, and a cooking pot for a hat all the while singing the hymn "The Lord is good to me".

What is known for sure is that he was the son of a farmer, apprenticed on an apple orchard as a young man, and became a successful apple orchard owner with many orchards in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana. He was a deeply religious man who often preached against extravagance, while also living with out extravagance, and was best know for his extremely generous nature.

Accounts of him state that he gave away the best of everything he was given, keeping only the basics for himself, accepted goods in exchange for payment, and forgave debts freely. As an American pioneer he supplied seeds to settlers, started apple orchards which he hired others to manage and often forgave their debts when they were unable to pay. He sold and gave away many, many, apple trees, and traveled constantly. Today, in the midst of apple planting time, at harvest, and on his birthday, it is an honor to remember this selfless man who continues to inspire so many.

St. Patricks Day Recipe - (Naturally) Green Cheese Ball

2012-03-09T16:24:00.001-08:00

It is so easy to go green naturally for St. Patrick's Day, there are so many lovely foods that are already green. Really I did a whole post on them last year that you can see here: 30 Green Foods For St. Patricks Day. This year in my attempts to make a cheese ball for every holiday I have come up with a simple green one that is oh so delicious!

Recipe:

1/2 avocado

8oz of cream cheese

Chopped leaks or chives, to your taste about 1/2 cup

Green bell pepper diced about 1/2 cup

Add 1/4 cup parmesan or other cheeses (opt.)

Mix together in bowl or with mixer,

form a ball with a large spoon and serve with snack crackers.

Enjoy!

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Gardening tips and fun

2012-02-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

With spring just around the corner, before we get into all the fun of St. Patrick's Day I wanted to share a few of my favorite fun Gardening posts!

Click links under photos to view the full posts.

When is it time to start the garden?

Egg Shell Starters for Seedlings

Raised Bed Gardening

Butterfly Gardening

Easy / Laziest Way to Compost

May is the month for: Planting Pumpkins

Watering plants while on vacation

How to get rid of aphids

Fairy Gardens

The Deer in My Yard

Walk Though my Garden

Visit my Mothers lovely garden

Free Printable St. Patricks Decor - Irish Blessings

2012-02-20T12:49:00.004-08:00

Free printable Irish blessings in 3 colors. Irish blessing have become my favorite way to decorate for this holiday. Do not get me wrong, there are usually a few leprechauns that make their way to shelves too, but there is something about these blessings with their casual inclusion of shamrocks, laughter, and love that capture my heart and signify the history of this holiday. Below I have 3 blessing in 3 different colors

all are sized to fit in an 8x10 frame.

To print: (do not use the printer friendly button) Click on each photo to expand it, click again to make sure it is fully expanded (some browsers require this) then select file and print from the top of the window, or if using google chrome click on the wrench to print. Also if using google chrome you may need to right click on the photo and open it in a new window to print. If you have any trouble right click on the printable and save it to your desktop and print it from there. Personal use, but it is always ok to share these on blogs and commercial sites with a clear link back to this post and aholidayhaven.com

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St. Patrick's Day Party

2012-02-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note; The St. Patrick's Day party for 2012 starts March 3rd! You can find the party rules under the blog parties tab at the top of this page and I have updated the party schedule there for the rest of the year as well. Crafts, decor, fun ideas, recipes, printables, what ever you blog about in the theme of this holiday is welcomed!

February 16th is Do a Grouch a Favor Day

2012-02-16T08:43:00.000-08:00

Two days after Valentines day is a little unofficial holiday.

What could possibly top Valentines day?

What could be so important after a day full of love and kindness?

But of course, a day to share all of these lovely feelings... with a grouch.

A fun little holiday to love those who need it the most.

Some little token, maybe even a smile.

Go on, it may not make the grouch in your world feel any better, but it might just make you smile.

Oh what? Maybe you are the one who is a grouch? Well, there is a holiday for you too and you can see it HERE.

Happy February 16th! Make today a Holiday. :)

::The Holiday Challenge::
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Who Was St. Valentine? {A mystery as deep as love itself}

2012-02-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

Shrouded in mystery, St Valentine was described by pope Gelasius as among those "whose names are justly reverenced among men, but whose acts are know only to God" at the dedication of the Feast of St. Valentine in 496AD.

Today those words are still true.

There are three notable St. Valentines in history that may have been the Valentines we celebrate today. The first was martyred in a Roman province of Africa and not much else is known. The second was St. Valentines of Terni, a bishop from about 197ad. The third was St. Valentines of Rome who was martyred around 270ad.

Of these three, the only solid reference is to the third one, St. Valentine of Rome, and is likely the one we derive our modern day celebrate from. The reference to this St. Valentine comes from an ancient text called the Nuremberg Chronicle where alongside the woodcut portrait of Valentine, it is written that he was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius II, known as Claudius Gothicus. He was arrested and imprisoned upon being caught marrying Christian couples and otherwise aiding Christians who were at the time being persecuted by Claudius in Rome. Helping Christians at this time was considered a crime. The Emperor Claudius took a liking to this prisoner – until Valentinus tried to convert the Emperor – whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that failed to kill him, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate. (source)

At the time of Claudius II in Rome it was not only illegal to aid Christians, but according to a quote by Father Frank O'Gara on cbn.com it was even illegal to marry young people as it was thought that unmarried soldiers fought better than those who had loved ones at home to worry about.

Nuremberg Chronicle (1493)

Where it is questionable:

The Nuremberg Chronicle (which give details of our a most likely St. Valentines) was written in 1493 nearly 1000 years after the dedication of the St Valentines Feast where pope Gelasius stated the words "whose acts are know only to God". These words make it one ask the question, if so little was know about Valentines, where did the Chronicle derive its account of Valentines secretly marrying Christians?

And another troubling detail, the account in the Nuremberg Chronicle would have put Valentine's martyrdom around 270 ad during the rule of Claudius, but the official list of martyrs for that time period was complied in 345ad and does not list any Valentines. There were however, as many as 14 Valentines recorded as being martyred in ancient Rome after 345ad (source). Valentines was a common name in that time period derived from the word 'valens' meaning worthy, strong, powerful.

Where there is proof:

There is a dedication in an ancient massive Roman church that reads:

Basilica S. Valentini extra Portam

and

The basilica appellatur Valentini

Which translates too:

The "Basilica of Staint Valentine beyond the Gate"

and

"is called Valentine's"

These seem to point to a notable roman priest 'Valentine' from an earlier (possibly 270ad) time period.

Saint Valentine of Terni oversees the construction of his basilica at Terni,
from a 14th century French manuscript.

Today it is still unclear if Valentines day is the compilation of the noble works of many St. Valentines plus a bit of legend, or the extraordinary works of one man. Either way, it is a tradition built on idea of :

sacrifice,

bravery,

noble honor,

and good works.

A beautiful history to accompany our modern day celebration of

love.

Saint Valentine baptizing Saint Lucilla byJacopo Bassano

Happy Valentine's Day

This was originally posted last year, but for those who did not see it I thought it would be a great post to share again. Happy Valentines!

Free Printable Valentines Cards and Gift Tags

2012-02-10T17:16:00.000-08:00

Fun free printable Valentines card and gift tags.

With Valentines just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to make up some free printables.

To Print: (do not use the printer friendly button below) Click on each of the cards or gift tags above to expand them, click again to make sure they are fully expanded. Then click file and print from the top of your browser window or if using google chrome click the wrench and select print. (You may need to open the cards in another window in google chrome too). If you have any trouble save these to your computer desktop and print from there. Personal use only, but you are always welcome to share these on your blog, facebook, etc as well.

Holiday Haven's home page.

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Valentines Ideas on Etsy

2012-02-07T13:36:00.000-08:00

I have been spending a bit of time on Etsy lately building up a little shop and they have a feature, similar to a pinterest board, where you can gather together some of your favorite items and show them off. Below I have put together three of these treasuries with some of the amazing Valentines items. You can click on each of the photos to be taken directly to the shop page they are from to see more about them. Enjoy!

♥ Vintage Valentines ♥

♥ Red Rustic Valentiens ♥

♥ Shabby Valentines Gifts, Crafts, Decor ♥

Valentines Party! Lots of Valentines Ideas!

2012-02-03T22:00:00.018-08:00

Great ideas for Valentines Day!

Welcome to Holiday Haven's 2012

Valentines Blog Party!

Grab a cup of coffee and settle in for a moment!

I have a pretty little Valentines coffee to share with you.

It is so simple to make.

I traced overturned cup onto card stock, added simple shapes.

This makes a template.

We have an espresso maker so I brewed up some coffee and made sure to add a lot of frothed milk to the the top.

Sprinkled the template with ground cloves to make the heart.

You could also use cinnamon or nutmeg. And the heart will stay as long as the foam is not disturbed. It lasted long enough to finish putting together this breakfast tray and take it upstairs.

Can I offer you some fun Valentines cookies too? RECIPE

And you can find some of my favorite Holiday Haven Valentines posts HERE

♡ Now it is your turn! In the party below you are welcome to share any Valentines themed posts. Crafts, decor, stories, tips, whatever you blog about (as long as it is family friendly).

♡ Multiple posts are welcomed (even encouraged).

♡ Older posts within a month or two are ok, even a post from last year is ok if it is spectacular :)

♡ Please link back to aHolidayHaven.com or use the party button in the side bar. (Your links will show up in this post and also under the party button in the side bar, that way everyone is sure to see them).

♡ Please share the party; tweet, fb, pin, tell a neighbor, your mom, or whatever (not required but appreciated). I will be pinning all of the posts in the party to my Valentines board on pinterest, please consider sharing others posts when you visit them as well.

If you do not know what a blog party is, this is where bloggers (mostly women in this case) come together to share ideas from their websites. You are welcome to join in the fun by clicking on the links below and commenting.

♡ Want to take the party to your site? get the InLinkz code

::The Holiday Challenge::
Holiday Haven's home page.

16 Valentines Day Ideas

2012-02-03T12:51:00.000-08:00

16 of my favorite Valentines posts from Holiday Haven.

With Valentines just around the corner, I thought it would be nice to gather all of these ideas together to share. If you are a regular follower of this site you will recognize some of these posts from the last couple of years. I have lots of great ideas planned for the next two weeks as well and a Valentines themed blog party this Saturday too which will have lots of great ideas too! (see blog parties tab for details).

Click links under each photo to see full post:

♥ Making your home feel like a Bed 'n Breakfast

♥ Pop-up homemade school Valentines.

♥ Beauty sleep, is so important! Are you sleeping enough?

♥ A beautiful heart cake with step by step instructions.

♥ Valentines beauty: Use what you have, a funny post.

♥Free printable cupcake toppers.

♥ a romantic soft Rose Bookmark Craft

♥Valentines beauty: pamper your hands.

♥ Vacation idea #6 go Wine Tasting, for Valentines!

♥ make an at home spa date.

♥ or - Kidnap your spouse!