Chocolate dipped oreos cookies

Sometimes, semi-homemade is just as good as slaving in the kitchen:

Super delicious, minimal effort:  Oreos cookies, melted white chocolate chips and sprinkles.  

And, excuse me, but if you're not automatically choosing "Double Stuf" Oreos, we are not friends.

"Love is for the birds" DIY Valentine's Day Gift Tag

By popular demand (and thanks for all your kind requests!), I've made the "Love is for the birds" Valentine's Day gift tags a free printable.  


Click here to download your DIY printable copy.  

And don't forget the recipe to create your own birdseed ornament.  I've modified the post a bit to ensure you're aware that the cakes MUST DRY COMPLETELY before packaging.  Otherwise, you'll get a moldy mess.  


Trust me, I speak from experience.

Get your craft on: DIY birdseed ornament tutorial

For Valentine's Day teacher gifts, we're doing heart-shaped birdseed ornaments.  Popular for bird-themed wedding favors, too, this was an easy DIY project that the Gravy Kids enjoyed.

For the heart shapes, I used a donut baking tin I found at Target.  You can use cookie cutters, too, but shelling out the $9.99 was worth it over digging through my basement looking for the box of cookie cutters.  The payment of convenience.

Here's the recipe:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons corn syrup or honey
1 packet unflavored gelatin
4 cups birdseed
Cooking spray


1. In a large bowl, combine flour, water, corn syrup (or honey), and gelatin.  
2.Add birdseed and mix well.  


 **MODIFIED INSTRUCTIONS BELOW** 
3.  Scoop into greased molds and let dry for several hours before removing from mold.  
4.  Let ornaments dry overnight on wax paper.  


The result should be a distinctly hard ornament the next day.  Any squishiness means that the ornament is not completely dry and may mold if packaged up too soon.

Alternatively, you could use cookie cutters by putting wax paper on top of a cookie sheet and filling the greased cookie cutters with seeds.  Just be sure to insert pieces of straw to leave a hole to tie the string through after the ornament dries.  A mini-bundt pan would probably work well, too.

We wrapped the heart birdseed ornaments into a plastic bag, topped it off with a "love is for the birds" gift tag and voila!  Instant gift.

Free DIY printable: Valentine's Day gift tags

Can you believe it's going to be February this week?  I've already started in on my Valentine's Day teacher gifts which I'll share very shortly.


Until then, enjoy these FREE Good Gravy! printable Valentine's Day gift tags.  Click here to download.

Of course, I couldn't resist throwing in a lovey, but somewhat non-in-your-face Valentine's Day tag with "Your Are My Sunshine."  I love that phrase.

Will this cancel my policy?

Which of the following do you think my local insurance agent dislikes the most?

A) That his photo is part of every mailed marketing piece to his customers?

B) That our children go to the same school and this is the Valentine's Day card his daughter will receive?

or

C) That he ever met me?

Moment of obvious

A note from school regarding the deadline for Valentine's Day cards:

DIY Valentine's Day gift tags

Gearing up for Valentine's Day?  Click here to download my Good Gravy! DIY printable gift tags! 

Please hold your applause for my efforts to get this out more than three days before the holiday.

And one Valentine friend of mine is going to get a jar of my beloved cereal marshmallows, as seen below.  Now, that's true love.

Free printable: Valentine's Day pillow box

For the record, I've already single-handedly plowed through nearly an entire bag of conversation hearts. My teeth are probably going to rot right out of my head, but at least it can be considered a tasty demise.

Today's craft I particularly like because it's a Valentine's Day pillow box.  I really love the squishy flexiblity of a pillow box, don't you?  Plus, it's pretty simple to assemble.  Let's get started!

After you print the PDF on a heavy cardstock, trim around the solid line with scissors.  Then, using a bone fold or butter knife, score along the dotted lines (I used a ruler for the straight lines, but you could probably freehand it, too):

Next, gently bend in where you just scored the lines:

It's at this point prior to taping that I highly recommend you fill in the "to/from" lines.  It will be easier to accomplish while the box is still flat.  Take my word for it:

Use double-sided tape to adhere on the lower tab (below the Good Gravy! logo) and join it to the opposite side of the box.  Then, tuck in the sides and your pillow box is just about done!

Finally, fill the box with gift cards and/or goodies, and you have a perfectly assembled pillow box that's great for instant gift-giving.

Enjoy while I bust into bag #2 of those little hearts...hello, sugar!

DIY Valentine's Day package

I mentioned earlier this week that I'm always wholly unprepared for Valentine's Day despite any faux ramp-up, and this year is not unlike any other.  I'm already saying to myself, "Yeah, I have about three weeks.  Plenty of time to be ready for Valentine's Day this year!"

Don't let my love for chalky little conversation hearts fool you. 

But, to get you in the craft mood, I'm pleased to offer another Valentine's Day DIY printable: a little gift package!  Okay, so it's loosely based on a French fries box.  But really, it's adorable and I promise your friends will be thrilled by your craftiness and it'll only take between five and 10 minutes to cut and assemble.

Print the file on heavy white paper and cut along the edges:

Use a bone fold or butter knife to create a crease along the edges where the bright and soft pink colors meet:

Gently fold along creased lines:

Bend the back of the box upward:

Secure the wrap around flaps with adhesive (I used double-sided tape):

Enjoy!

Free printable gift tags

I always have these lofty dreams around this time of year that I'll make all kinds of special edible goodies for Valentine's Day, but I usually fall short.  On the evening before, I find myself either baking no-brainer slice-and-bake cookies or being really desperate and running to the market about 10 minutes before closing to buy sad, tasteless mini cupcakes.  You know, those cheapy one-biters?  There's always a million left on the shelves because folks know better than to eat them. Sigh...

But if you're a better planner than me (and you probably are), I've designed print-your-own Valentine's Day gift tags to top off your little homemade goodies.  What's more, they're offered in three different tiers based on your level of affection: 

+ Nothing beats true love
+ Let's hold hands
+ We're more like brother and sister (a personal favorite)

For example, you probably don't hold the same level of affection for that guy Bob over in Accounting as you do your spouse, and it's in nobody's best interest for Bob to get the wrong idea with an "I choo-choo-choose you" gift tag.  I'm just trying to help.

PS: Be sure to enter the Thirty Handmade Days giveaway of Good Gravy! stationery.  Contest ends Thursday.  Good luck!