pocky stick class valentines + free printable

February 12, 2012

i just put together some fun valentine goodies for my almost five year old, ezra’s pre-school class.  he loves pocky sticks that you can find at most asian markets.

they come in their own little cute red box, that i thought would be perfect for valentine’s day.

i designed a little note that says, “Valentine, I’ll STICK with you!”

i cut them out using the darling mini valentine die from lifestyle crafts!  it fit perfectly on the box, and really helped make them look cute!

Free Class Valentine Printable // Pocky Stick Valentine // Armelle blog

i used regular white card stock for the note inside, and kraft paper card stock for the outside heart fold over.

if you are in need of a last minute valentine, i made the little valentine note printable available to download for free.  just click here.

Free Class Valentine Printable // Pocky Stick Valentine // Armelle blog

supplies you will need
pocky sticks (affiliate)
kraft paper
white card stock
printer

you can still make these with out having the die cut, just attached the little note to the box, and you are set!
as always, you can receive 20% off your entire purchase from lifestyle crafts if you type ARMELLE at checkout!

click here for the free valentine note download.
**please let me know if you are not able to pull up the download to print

happy valentines day!

{all photos by me}

DIY // treasure class valentines + free printable

February 11, 2012

Free Class Valentine Printable // Treasure Box Valentine via Armelle Blog

My little two year old norah is in pre-school this year.  So, we decided to create a little valentine goodie for her little classmates.

She loves anything to do with pirates, so we decided to do a treasure valentine with a map, gold chocolate coins, and a treasure box.

Free Class Valentine Printable // Treasure Box Valentine via Armelle Blog

I designed a little “map” to go with her treasure that says, “Dear Valentine, Your Friendship is a Treasure.”

It was a lot of fun for me to put them together, because, let’s be honest…  they are two, they just want the chocolate, right?!

Free Class Valentine Printable // Treasure Box Valentine via Armelle Blog

So, if you are in need of a last minute valentine.  This is your lucky day!  I have the free treasure map download for you right here.  And, here are some details about how to put them together.

Supplies
chocolate coins (affiliate)
wooden treasure boxes- michaels craft store, $1 each.  (you could also just skip this and put the coins in clear cellophane bags with the map attached
kraft paper-  to print the maps on
twine

Free Class Valentine Printable // Treasure Box Valentine via Armelle Blog

Happy Valentine’s Day!

To download this free Valentine’s Day Card Treasure map pdf file*, click here.

*Please let me know if you have any trouble downloading the file.

Recipe // roasted butternut squash and pomegranate salad …

February 9, 2012

A beautiful salad is not only a show stopper at your table, but is also a great addition to a balanced meal.  Salads can be so versatile and there are endless combinations!  I even love to eat salad as a light lunch on busy days.
Pomegranates are such a beautiful fruit!  They are such an amazing color, and bring such a beautiful pop to your salad!  I love to pair interesting flavors.  For this salad I tried pomegranates with roasted butternut squash.  This combination isn’t one you would think of off hand as a great pair, but their flavors blended perfectly!
I put roasted butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, gorgonzola cheese, and toasted hazelnuts with a nice champagne vinaigrette over arugula.   A lovely combination!  Read more to see how to make this beautiful salad!  This could be a great addition to your romantic spread this Valentines Day!
{Arugula with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Seeds}
Salad
Arugula
Butternut Squash
Pomegranate Seeds
Hazelnuts
Gorgonzola Cheese
To Roast the Butter nut squash.  Dice the butternut squash into small cubes.  On a baking sheet, drizzle the squash with olive oil and roast in the oven on broil for 20-25 minutes, stirring every so often until cooked through.  Remove, and let cool.
To Toast the hazelnuts, heat oven to 350 degrees. and place hazelnuts on a baking sheet.  Toast, stirring every so often for 10-15 minutes.   Peel off the skin and slice in half.
Arrange the salad with arugula on the bottom and the rest of the ingredients on top.  Toss with champagne vinaigrette.
Champagne Vinaigrette Dressing
makes 2 cups (8 oz)
1/2 cup champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup vegetable oil/ canola oil
Using your blender, place all of the ingredients in the blender and blend well. While still blending, slowly drizzle in vegetable oil.
Enjoy!