Tag Archives: valentine’s day

DIY // Slam Dunk Basketball Class Valentine’s Day Printables

February 10, 2015

Boy Valentine Basketball Valentine Free Printable Valentine Free Valentine Cards // Non Candy Valentine

This post contains affiliate links.

We are in Valentine mode over here at our house, and I wanted to share with you some Valentine’s I’m putting together for my children to pass out to their friends at school.

My oldest Ezra is quite the sports fanatic, so I knew that anything to do with sports, he would be in!

I saw some cute basketball Valentine’s over on Minted, but of course didn’t get my act together to get them ordered in time, so I put together my own version of the Slam Dunk Valentine!

I also came across these fun basketball pens over on Oriental Trading. I knew my Ezra would be obsessed with them since they resemble one of his favorite toys, the Kendama (He also sells Kendama’s, he’s quite the little business man)

There are so many little basketball items you could use instead out there. Small foam balls, dollar store balls, basketball stickers, basketball chocolates, basketball bouncy balls. Just browse your local dollar store or party store, and I’m sure there will be a lot of choices.

I tried to make these simple with just black ink so anyone could print them off, and not need a color printer. The key is to use orange card stock paper to print them on so they resemble little basketballs! I think the textured orange card stock is cool since it looks kind of like the texture of a real basketball!

You will need to download the free printable, and print it onto orange card stock paper.

Download the free printable, by clicking here.

I also just need to remind my readers that when I offer free printable downloads, it takes me a long time to create, and it is my property. I am allowing you to use them for your personal use only. It is not ok to alter, or sell this file or use for commercial use in any way. I feel bad that I have to point this out, but recently it came to my attention that someone was selling my free printables on Etsy using my photos and downloads. I can’t imagine why people would think that it is ok to steal someones work to sell? But, just don’t do it. Because the internet is a small world, and people always find out. Plus, my lawyer husband will have to write you a letter, and let’s just not have to do that, ok? Anyhow, moving on..

After you print out the PDF onto orange card stock, cut out the basketballs.

Address the basketballs to your favorite friends, and attach the pen to the paper basketball with a little tape. I like to use washi Japanese tape.

Boy Valentine Basketball Valentine Free Printable Valentine Free Valentine Cards

Hope you enjoy!

Let me know if you have a problem downloading the basketball PDF download.

If you end up using any of my Valentine printables, I’d love to see! Tag me on instagram @armelle_blog and hashtag #armellevalentines

{all photos by me}

Recipe // Decadent Chocolate Valentine Tart

February 6, 2015

Can you believe it’s already Valentine’s Day next week?!

I’m excited to partner with Harmons Grocery to share with you an amazing chocolate tart with berries and pistachio recipe. It its decadent, and the perfect show stopper to present to your Valentine. Everyone has different love languages, but I’m sure you’ve guessed that one of mine is making the ones I love something amazing to eat!

Harmons Grocery has an excellent baking isle to bring your desserts to the next level. My little secret in the pastry crust is a little bit of vanilla bean paste that I swear by, and you can find it in the Harmons baking isle.

Harmons also has an impressive high quality chocolate section where they sell some of the worlds most amazing chocolate! Only the best! And, if you’re not the baking type. They have an amazing section of homemade tarts and treats for your Valentine, along with an amazing floral department all ready to pick up and deliver to your sweetie!

I decided to add a little bit of crunch to the top of my chocolate tart. Harmons bulk section sells pre-shelled pistachios that I roughly chopped with a knife and sprinkled over the top with some raspberries and blackberries. You really could use any berries you’d like. I think berries and chocolate always scream romance, am I right? Or maybe I’ve been watching too many episodes of Bachelor. Wink. Either way. Can’t go wrong with chocolate and berries!

Decadent Chocolate Tart with Berries and Pistachios

Pastry Crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cups powdered sugar

2 sticks (1 cup) un-salted butter

pinch of sea salt

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Place the flour, salt, and sugar into a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add one tablespoon of butter at a time until the dough starts to form, add vanilla bean paste. It will be a tad bit dry, but the crust is almost like a shortbread consistency. Place the dough and form into an un-greased tart mold. I like to use the rectangular molds with the bottom that pops out.

Cover with tin foiled and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until set.

Ganache:

1 cup heavy cream

6 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

6 ounces good quality dark chocolate, chopped

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium glass bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until hot, just before a simmer and pour over the chopped chocolate. Allow the hot heavy cream to sit over the chocolate for about one minute, then stir well until incorporated. It should be fairly sweet with the crust, but if you like a sweeter ganache, you could use all milk chocolate, or add some semi-sweet instead of the dark chocolate.

Poor the ganache into the cooled pastry crust. Allow to cool for about ten minutes in the refrigerator.

Top with washed and completely dried berries, I used raspberries and blackberries, and chopped pistachios.

Allow to set and cool in the fridge for at least three hours before serving. Store in fridge.

Hope you and your Valentine enjoy it!

{all photos by me}

DIY // Target one spot Valentine Jars

February 3, 2015

DIY Valentines, Jar Valentines, Valentine Candy Valentine Tutorial

I’m excited to team up with Target’s One Spot to create some fun Valentine’s using their darling products from their One Spot from American Crafts.

DIY Valentines, Jar Valentines, Valentine Candy Valentine Tutorial American Crafts

They have some really amazing American Craft products in their One Spot section right now ranging from only $1 to $3! They have over 40 amazing products ranging from washi tape, to paper straws, to glittery paper. Be sure to head to your Target asap, because they are bound to sell out quick!

I decided to make a few tasty Valentine jars for some friends! Here’s how I made them.

You will need:

Glittery Paper- American Crafts from the Target Dollar Spot

Heart Straws- American Crafts from the Target Dollar Spot

Mini Burlap Bows- American Crafts from the Target Dollar Spot

Fast Drying Craft Glue or Hot Glue Gun

Sparkly Trim or Sparkly Pipe Cleaners

Scissors

Glue Dot adhesives

Valentine Candy- Tai Pan Trading

Glass Jars with Handles- Tai Pan Trading

1) Cut out Paper Valentine Hearts with the American Crafts Glitter paper. (I used a die cut machine, but you can also cut them by hand or print out a template) My hearts were about 1.5 inches

2) Cut out strips of silver glittery paper. My strips were about 1 inch by 12 inches.

3) Fold the paper strip back and forth accordion style.

4) Glue together the ends.

5) Fold the accordion in, and secure the middle together by gluing in with fast drying craft glue or a hot glue gun.

6) Take your cut out heart, and hot glue some sparkly trim or a pipe cleaner around the back rim of the heart.

7) Glue the sparkly trimmed heart to the center of the glittery paper accordion.

8) Print out a few Valentine sayings on to white card stock. Some I used were- Be Mine, Valentine, I Love You, Heart Eyes, I Heart You, Love, You’re Awesome, You + Me.

9) Cut out the strips of paper then, fold each end down near the end and beginning of the words then back up, and trim the edges in a V shape.

10) Glue the white paper strip to the heart, then secure it to your glass jar with some glue dots.