Flora loves Pink - Valentine's Day

Flora loves Pink - ©CindyRippe2015

Happy Valentine's Day!  Lee and I don't have any fancy dinner plans and we don't buy expensive gifts for each other but we do take the time to recognize how lucky we are.  We know that our relationship is special and realize that it is a blessing.

This post is supposed to be about Flora's Art Adventures today but I've been pretty busy as a caregiver and helping family members and there hasn't been enough time for art.  But I guess that's what love is all about and I'm lucky to be here on earth to celebrate that love and those relationships.

So I'm spending my Valentine's Day today taking care of Mom and loving all the pink that I see in the holiday decorations around me.

We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19 

Kisses and a Cookie

Do you remember this saying?  "Sealed With A Kiss. It was really popular a "few" years ago - at least it was with me. I remember writing it on letters and especially the back of envelopes.  This cute Valentine's Day cookie, made by my DIL Sarah, sure is a sweet way to enjoy a kiss.

As I passed by a restaurant in Las Vegas last year I saw their cute display of photos that were all iconic "kissing" images in black and white.  I thought it would be a great idea for decorating our bedroom.  Just cute pictures of us kissing.  Seemed easy enough I have thousands of images to look through.  Well, unless I ask, no one takes a picture of me and we don't think to ask someone to take one of us together very often.  So, other than our wedding photos which are packed away during our remodeling project,  I could only find two pictures.  Both were captured while Lee was holding the camera and look silly but, hey, we do a lot of kissing around here and the majority of them are just happy moments, silly moments, or how ya doin' moments so I guess that's ok.  The rest is just for us anyway.  I guess the kissing decor will have to wait.

Silly kiss in Maui 2007 - ©CindyRippe2007

“Kissing is a means of getting two people so close together that they can't see anything wrong with each other.”  Rene Yasenek

Pink Valentine's Day

Hugs and Kisses to my family and friends for Valentine's Day ©CindyRippe2013

I hope you all had at least one opportunity to say  I love you to someone today.  Even if it was just to recognize that you are all special and need to remind yourself of that once in a while.  I am very lucky to have a wonderful husband and family and I'm grateful for that EVERY day, not just on Valentine's Day.  

This wreath hangs in my studio year round but I thought it would be perfect for today's photo.  I added the little hearts (bokeh effect), the banner and the message on PicMonkey.  

Love is life. And if you miss love, you miss life. Leo Buscaglia

Valentine Roses with a Message

Roses with a Message for Valentine's Day ©CindyRippe2013

I love pink roses.  I've always loved them.  From the time I was a little girl, spent time at my Grandma's house, and thought of her as the rose expert.  She grew beautiful hybrid roses that she ordered in February from the "garden book". (Jackson and Perkins).  Even then my favorites were always the pink varieties. Since roses are well known as the flower of love I figured that Valentine's Week would not be complete without a post about them.

Don't you love this use of the crystal goblet with two tiny roses inside?  As part of a tablescape from the 2008 Chicago Flower and Garden Show it added a special, romantic touch. Very sweet, and graceful.  The quote from 1 Corinthians 13:13 is one of my favorites and was perfect to accent the image.

There are three things that last: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

I try to include a Language of Flowers description each month (for the flower of the month) and when I checked to see what the meaning is for the Pink variety of Roses. I was amazed to find a huge list of meanings (at the Language of Flowers site) for the many colors as well as for the varieties that are now available. Which is your favorite?

Rose Meanings by Color

Orange
Passion,
Enthusiasm,
Fascination

Peach/Coral
Appreciation,
Congratulations,
Modesty

Pink
Friendship,
Grace,
Admiration

Purple/Lavender
Enchantment

Red
Love

White
I am worthy of you,
A heart unacquainted with love

White (withered)
Transient impressions

White and Red (together)
Unity

Yellow
Happiness,
Affection,
Joy,
Forgive & Forget,
Jealousy,
Infidelity

Rose Meanings by Variety

Hundred-leaved Rose
Pride, Dignity of mind

Japan Rose
Beauty is your only attraction

Maiden Blush Rose
If you love me,
you will find it out

Moss Rose
Voluptuousness,
Superior merit,
Confession of love

Multiflora Rose
Grace

Mundi Rose
Variety,
You are merry

Musk Rose
Capricious beauty

Musk Rose(cluster)
Charming

Wild
Simplicity

Love is like the Wind - Crazy, Windy Valentine's Day flag

Our wild and crazy flag for Valentine's Day ©CindyRippe2013

Lee found our Valentine's Day flag last night and put it up for me.  Today I thought it would be a good idea to share a picture of the flag with you since it's Valentine's Week around here.  Well, the wind had other ideas.  With wind gusts of 45 - 57 miles per hour it was like crazy love!  It took about 20 tries to get the enough of the flag design to show you. Thank goodness for digital cameras. No wasted film to develop.

While creating this collage for you I was reminded of a Nicholas Spark quote:
 “Love is like the wind, you can't see it but you can feel it.”

Wishing you love and blessings this week.  The calm and cozy kind or the wild and crazy kind.  It's up to you!

White Castle Valentine

Image adapted from my Art in Entertaining blog - ©CindyRippe2013

We drive past the local White Castle restaurant almost every day.  The sign is up again reminding everyone to make their reservations for Valentine's Day. We laughed the first few times we saw the sign years ago, it sounded so silly!  For fun one year I made reservations and surprised Lee with the news on Valentine's Day.  We had such a nice time that we invited both of our Moms the next year.  The staff decorates the restaurant, prints up menus and waitresses take your order.  Flowers and paper doilies on the table added to the mood.

I couldn't help making a little ketchup heart to commemorate the meal.  You know, it's not always about expensive flowers, gourmet chocolates or a fancy restaurant.  It's about letting your family know you love them and having fun.  Lee and I spend lots of time laughing at the silly things in life.  Joy and laughter make love fun!  What silly and fun things have you done to celebrate Valentine's Day?

Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly.   Rose Franken

Mixed Media, Milk and Cookies

When I saw all the Pink and Red Valentine Flowers today at the store I was reminded of the year I created an untraditional Valentine's Day Tablescape. Thought you might enjoy a "flash from the past". Originally posted in my Art in Entertaining Blog.

Valentine Daffodil Love - Mixed Media Book tablescape for Milk and Cookies ©CindyRippe2011-13

Well...who says that a Valentine's Day Tablescape needs to include Pink and Red?  I was feeling desperate for a touch of Spring after our trip to Sid's Greenhouse and pulled out my Daffodil Altered Book.  I created the design one year after seeing a few of my daffodils "kissing" between the fence in the yard.

Closeups of the steps to create the book ©CindyRippe2011-13

I glued several pages together and cut out heart shapes with a craft knife.  1. Rubber stamped letters on a sheet of clear acetate is glued between the pages.  2. The back side of the large heart showing the pages of the book.  3. The daffodil sketch was painted with water color, colored pencil and inked lines. A few pieces of Scrapbook paper, my garden statue photo, ribbon and a tassel decorate the rest of the piece.  It's designed to sit on an easel which works out nicely for a tablescape centerpiece. I wanted to tie the napkin with raffia but didn't have any so I improvised with embroidery floss.

Daffodil Love - Altered Book with Mixed Media Daffodil painting ©CindyRippe2013

Embroidery Floss for the Napkin Holder ©CindyRippe2011-13

1. Accordion fold the napkin. 2. DMC brand embrodery floss. 3. Spread the skein of floss into a circle.   4. Slip it on to the end of the folded napkin.  5. Twist and wrap it around one more time. 6. Adjust the threads if needed. 7. Tuck a few flowers into the floss napkin ring.

Milk and Cookies ©CindyRippe 2011-13

I can't forget the cookies!  They are made using the Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe but I used Peanut Butter chips and Mini Chocolate Chips mixed together.  "Deelicious!" as Isabella would say.

Oh...for those of you that can't imagine a Valentine's Day Tablescape without pink I found out that there are several varieties of Pink Daffodils.  Who knew??

Daffodil 'Chromacolor'

Baking cookies is comforting, and cookies are the sweetest little bit of comfort food. They are very bite-sized and personal.   Sandra Lee

February Flower of the Month - Primrose

Primrose - February Flower of the Month - ©CindyRippe2013

February's birth flower is the Primrose.  The alternate is Violet. I have this little primrose plant in my window.  It keeps company with the Amaryllis and brightens up the kitchen. I'll post a picture of the cozy pair for you in tomorrow's post.

The Victorian language of flowers gives the Primrose meaning as: Young Love, I can't live without you, and I am yours forever.  How appropriate for the month of February and Valentine's Day! 

 

*The Primrose has the botanic name of Primula vulgaris and is a low to the ground herb that flowers and is found mainly in western and southern Europe including the British Isles. It is also known as the Common Primrose and the English Primrose. It is one of the earliest spring flowers to bloom, and when left alone can quickly cover the ground in open woods and forests.

The Primrose is a relatively small flower, generally 25-40mm across and is normally found in a light yellow, almost white hue, with a bright yellow center. However, in some areas wild pink Primrose can be found growing, and as with the Carnation, cultivators have created Primrose in various other colors. *Botanical info source: babies online

Love is the answer, and you know that for sure; Love is a flower, you've got to let it grow. John Lennon

Rose Love - Easy Photo Editing with PicMonkey

I took this pink garden rose photo at the Chicago Botanical Garden.  Adding overlays and text made it even more romantic!

Many of my friends have been asking advice about digital photos and editing.  Some of the things I take for granted are new to them. I have so much fun sharing tips and techniques for all of those pictures that are still on their camera.

Even though I've used Photoshop for many years I find myself using PicMonkey.com more often now.  It's fast for me and easy for anyone to learn. PicMonkey has a large selection of free editing tools (along with an option to upgrade for more), and several tutorials on their blog.  Note: The tools with the CROWN symbol are only available in the paid version.

Since they updated the site with Valentine themed tools this week I decided to create a romantic image for you.  Here's how I did it:

1 - I clicked EDIT a photo (selecting my Pink Garden Roses from a file on my computer)
2 - I CROPPED it to size in the BASIC EDITS section
3 - Added the two CUPIDS from the Cupidity files in THEMES (this is on the bottom left side - a heart symbol right now because it's new)

The new "Sweethearts" editing tools on PicMonkey were the perfect addition to my rose photo.

4 - I changed the color to WHITE with the color slider A that shows up when you click on the CUPID.
5 - I flipped both of the CUPIDS with the left-right arrow tool. B

The option to recolor, flip and re-size overlays is really easy.  You always get the option to "apply or cancel".

6 - I added text by clicking on the P symbol on the left which opens a drop box.  I wanted to try the new free font "Sacramento".  After you choose the font you want to use, click on the box at the top that says ADD TEXT.  A new box opens over your photo.  Click on that and start typing. 

Select fonts, along with many other editing tools on the left side of the screen.

A box will open on the right side again which allows you to change the color, size and transparency of the font.  If you want to change it after you've typed you can highlight the words and make changes as many times as you want to.  This works for all the elements that you add.

Please let me know if you tried this, especially if you had fun or have questions.  ENJOY!

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.  Hebrews 13:16

Hookin Up with House of Hepworth - Check out all the great ideas!