The Cutest Little Valentine's Day Craft + A Fun, Simple Party to Celebrate!

Are you looking for a fun way to spend Valentine's Day with your little sweetheart? This super simple craft is the perfect way to show your mini that you love them and that you love spending time with them, plus the end product is so cute you can keep it around your house all year long!

I decided to make two love day crafts, one a simple painting on canvas and another a decorated pot for a new plant I picked up at Ikea. No matter what you decide to add some little love hearts to, I guarantee this craft will steal someone's heart and they'll be asking for a couple to ad to their space as well!

So how do you make these cute little crafts?

You will need:

1 toilet paper roll
1 small pink & 1 white acrylic paint
A "canvas" of sorts

Now it's time to get crafty! You'll pinch the TP roll into the shape of a heart, or you can let your little one shape the heart. Once it's the perfect bubbly little token of love, you should start to mix your paint. Just a little tip: If you're letting tiny little hands in on this project, you might want to wrap a rubber band around the TP roll to ensure the heart stays in the same shape!

With the paint, leave a bit of the edges unmixed to give your hearts a tie-dye look. Now go ahead and dip your toilet paper roll into the paint and place the paint end on the surface of your canvas (or pot, mug, vase, etc). Gently make sure all edges of the heart have made contact with the surface and remove the roll fairly quickly. Repeat until you've reached the desired amount of hearts on your craft!

With my actual canvas craft I decided to add the world love with a small paint brush at the bottom and fill in a few of the hearts with paint! I think the end result is adorable, don't you?!

See, that craft was beyond easy and the perfect way to spend some time with a little one today! Next time I see my niece, I actually might make something similar with her... it's so easy and she'll love getting to help me make something so "pretty"!

After your finished with your craft, set up a pretty little strawberries & white chocolate mocha party for you and your loves and enjoy some fun!

I just laid out my pretty new creations, simple mini pink mason jars, and a little strawberry dessert set up with whipped cream and delicious little decorative chocolate pearls!

I also added in delicious Starbucks Instant White Chocolate Mocha Latte singles for each little mason jar! This little setup is the perfect way for you and your little sweetie to treat yourselves and some friends this Valentine's Day!

So tell me, what are your plans for Valentine's Day other than crafting up something adorable? I can't wait to hear all about your plans in the comments below!

A Celebration for The Choice by Nicholas Sparks: A Book Club Favorite! {NOW in Theaters: February 5th}

This post was sponsored by Lionsgate as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

I know I can't be the only girl in the world that gets lost in a book; getting swept away with the characters and their story line, letting my imagination and vivid storytelling take me away to another place. So it comes as no surprise that I've been lost lately in The Choice, by Nicholas Sparks. The man has a gift for writing and I always appreciate reading the dreamy, romantic novels he produces, but this book is one of my favorites.

Spending time with my feet in the sand and hearing the ocean breeze rolling in, while reading a love story with unexpected, yet brilliant twists has been how I passed my time recently... and maybe a few afternoons cuddled up on the couch too. I've enjoyed having the chance to read the book and now I'm making the choice to go see The Choice in theaters, TOMORROW (February 5th).

To celebrate the occasion, I had a few of my besties over to do a little gossiping about our favorite parts of the book. I guess you could say we're officially a "book club" since we spent most of the day snacking on some delicious foods, and dare I say, we even took the time to treat ourselves to mani-pedis while chit-chatting about The Choice! There's really nothing better than pampering yourself while sharing your thoughts!

I don't want to spoil the movie (and/or book) for you, but this story is about a fun, feisty medical student named Gabby who moves in next door to a total ladies man, Travis. From there, they get swept away in an unexpected, whirlwind of a romance neither even thought possible. The thing is, Travis doesn't believe in long-term commitment and, well as hard as it is to admit, Gabby is already in it for the long haul... or she thought she was, until she met Travis.

The Choice is one of those novels that takes your heart on a journey and I think it's definitely a must-read for any book club involving hopeless romantics! After you complete the book, you'll definitely want to compare it to the movie so I suggest you check out which theater you can catch it in nearby you... or if you're more of the movie-going type of crowd, add The Choice to your must-see list & check out the preview for the movie today:

So will you make the choice to go see The Choice this weekend or are you going to wait until you've read the book first/ I know I'll be sitting front and center to see this book come to the big screen, there really is nothing better than a love story by Nicholas Sparks... but any girl with a heart knows that!

Celebrate The Big Game with a Pineapple Party!

             This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TeamPizza #CB #CollectiveBias

The countdown to the Big Game is on and that means we're all watching our favorite football teams a little closer and enjoying some of our favorite foods while cheering them on. With that said, this weekend I had a little shindig to celebrate and while the game was good, the food was delicious!

Are you planning on hosting a party to watch the Big Game with your family and friends? You're in luck because this Pineapple party is the sweetest and most creative way to celebrate and I'm dishing out all the details and sharing a super cute printable to set the theme for your party!

We'll start with the chow, because who doesn't love food?! I decided to keep things simple, yet pineapple-y and the end result is sweet and savory and absolutely delicious.

The Red Baron Classic Crust Hawaiian-Style makes the perfect centerpiece for a pineapple party with perfect little pieces of savory Canadian bacon and delicious little tangy pieces of pineapple in each bite!

Plus, you can snag plenty of pizza at Target for everyone to eat and score a 5% discount with the cartwheel app... and it's so easy to pop these in the oven and have a meal served in just a few minutes-- I know I won't miss a minute of the game thanks to the simplicity of fixing Red Baron Pizza and I definitely won't sacrifice any flavor either! Literally, crust perfection in every bite is that easy!

While pizza is a fan favorite, you know I had to add plenty of pineapple into the mix for a pineapple party! So I served up these adorable little pineapple cups full of freshly-made pineapple juice, straight from my juicer!

Now I know what you're thinking, what more could I add to this delicious spread? Well, the answer is simple. These two recipes I'm sharing today are the perfect pairing for your pineapple party and they both are easy to make!

We'll start with the fun and festive Pineapple Kicker Dip! It's so delicious and has the perfect amount of sweetness to it!

For the Pineapple Kicker Dip you will need:

1 pineapple
1/4 packet of vanilla pudding mix
1/3 package of whipped topping

The toughest part of this recipe is slicing your pineapple in half, which really only takes a steady hand and a sharp knife.

Once that mission is accomplished, it's all gravy from there. You'll just scoop out the inside of one half of the pineapple and place it in a bowl. Mix the inside of the pineapple with about 2/3 of the whipped topping and add in 1/4 of the pudding mix.

Mix it all together really well and place back into the shelled Pineapple. Serve with fruit, crackers, or whatever floats your pineapple boat!

Now that we've scored a "field goal" with the Pineapple Kicker Dip, I want to share my favorite salad recipe with you... it's definitely going to be a hit with your crew! While it's super delicious, it actually includes apple instead of pineapple... regardless, it's the perfect way to serve up something somewhat healthy without sacrificing any flavor!

For the Fabulous Football Fanatic Salad you'll need:

For the most amazing homemade dressing:
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp salt & pepper

For the Salad:

2 cups arugula
1 cup spinach

1/2 a pink lady apple, cored and sliced thin
1/2 oz shaved Parmesan
2 tbsp chopped pecans

The good news is this salad is super simple to make, but it doesn't taste like it! You'll begin by whisking the vinegar, oil, garlic, Dijon, salt, and pepper for about a minute; making sure it's all combined perfectly. Set aside.

Now toss the arugula, spinach, apple, Parmesan, and pecans.

Add in the dressing when ready to serve and you're all set to score a touchdown with all your team mates!

Now that I've shared how I whipped together two delicious recipes, next on my list of party foods is the delicious Key Lime Edwards Pie! While key lime obviously isn't the same as pineapple, it makes the perfect compliment with it's creamy, tart flavor and is the perfect way to end the meal!

Plus, Edwards Pies taste homemade so you're able to serve up a pie from the heart while only having to supply minimal effort to de-thaw the package! What more could a football loving gal wish for on the day of the Big Game?

Other than the food, my table decor consisted of some adorable little paper pineapples, a few handmade accessories, an inflatable "cooler" for all of our bottled beverages, some fun & festive napkins, a couple of homemade pineapple chocolate candies, a simple banner, and this free printable perfect for the pineapple party!

So now that I've shared how you can have the sweetest (and most delicious) party on the block for game day, I'd love to hear what you love about watching the game with your family? Are you a fan of the commercials, a die-hard football foodie, or do you watch the game with more enthusiasm than the coaches? Tell me all about it in the comments below and don't forget to head to Target to score your favorites and snag a deal or two with the Cartwheel app!

Eat, Drink, & Be Merry with Libbey!

This post was sponsored by Libbey as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review

It's the holiday season and, in my opinion, that's enough of a reason to let yourself enjoy some of the finer things in life. From a nice bottle of wine to some delicious little nibbles, it's nice to let loose and enjoy.

While I love having the chance to eat, drink, and be merry, I also enjoy playing hostess and ensuring my guests enjoy themselves when they come hang out at our place. Recently, we wanted to have a little shindig with wine involved and my super simplified little set up for the party was a hit. I wanted to be able to set this up anywhere so I kept my "party decor" minimal and classy!

All I did to make this cute little minimalist serving table was cover our shelving unit with a layer of shipping paper and wrote my most favorite saying during the holiday season at the bottom. I then sliced up some delicious sausage, added a little goat cheese spread, crackers, and apples and voila - my food spread was complete & full of a good selection of deliciousness.

Now let's get to the fun part, I wanted to pair my foods with wines that were equally as delicious so I grabbed a Malbec-Syrah blend and Sauvignon Blanc and both bottles were a hit.

Since I had such delicious pairings, I also decided I needed to upgrade my stemware. I think when you finally decide to upgrade to gorgeous, reliable stemware like the Perfect Signature Collection from Libbey you finally have mastered "adulting".

These glasses are huge and that is absolutely perfect, I suppose you could say they're made for wine drinkers like me. Plus, the collection is so sturdy it will hold up to even your heaviest handed friend.

Here's an added bonus, since they're offering a 30% off incentive for the Libbey Perfect Signature Collection at Bed Bath and Beyond (find the store closest to you here) you can save big while upgrading to the finest stemware (made right here in America)! Here's how it works:

You'll start by going in-store to Bed Bath & Beyond and purchasing any glassware set from the Libbey Perfect Signature Collection - then, you'll head home and need to take a picture of how you celebrated with the Perfect Signature Collection and share it by January 30, 2016.

To gain an official twitter entry, you'll need to share a tweet showcasing your celebration! Don't forget to tag @LibbeyInc and include #CelebrateThis and to gain an official Facebook entry, you'll need to post a photo on the Libbey Facebook page. Now go ahead and sit back, relax, enjoy a glass of wine & wait for your 30% discount to arrive!     

While it would be awesome to have a coupon for your initial purchase, I want to remind you - this is an incentive for your next purchase, not a coupon for your initial purchase. The discount applies to future purchases at retail.Libbey.com; not Bed Bath & Beyond.

Now that I've shared how I put together my super simple table with my awesome new wine glasses, I'd love to hear how you like to claim the title as the "hostess with the mostest"? Are you an excellent bartender or do you have a knack for secret santa gift selections? Tell me all about how you like to celebrate the holidays in the comments below!

The Best QUICK Party Food: Delicious Savory Mini Cheese Balls

Sponsored post by Lunchbox

The holidays are here and that means it's time to be a total cheese ball. I'm not talking about imitating your goofy uncle that tells jokes that no one understands! I'm all about the most delicious thing served at any holiday party, the actual cheese ball!

While I'm usually the type to stick with just one delicious big ol' cheese ball per party, I saw this Kraft recipe and knew I had to try it, so I decided to make savory mini cheese balls for everyone to enjoy! I think I like things better this way, with a variety of flavors I'm sure this will be a dish that truly everyone can enjoy!

I was so shocked at how simple this recipe is and how absolutely delicious it tastes... minimal effort with maximum taste, this is my kind of recipe! Plus, I was able to put it all together in literally a matter of minutes...

Maybe you have a holiday party coming up and can't decide what to bring... or maybe you want to show off for Santa this year? Show up with these delicious Mini Savory Cheese Balls and everyone will be asking for your recipe!

This recipe is super simple to prepare and you can find the original from Kraft here and everything you'll need at Walmart! I wanted to share the details with you though, so they are listed below as well!

You will need:

1-1/2 pkg. PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese (12oz total)
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seed
1 tsp. poppy seed
2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
2 Tbsp. finely chopped PLANTERS Pecans

So lets get this party started, you'll begin by cutting the cream cheese into 6 pieces; rolling each piece into a ball.    

Combine sesame seed, poppy seed and half the garlic in small bowl. Mix herbs and remaining garlic in separate small bowl. Combine cranberries and nuts in a third bowl.    

Roll 2 cheese balls in sesame seed mixture, 2 cheese balls in herb mixture and remaining 2 cheese balls in nut mixture. Serve & ENJOY!

I'm totally obsessed with this recipe, with no baking time necessary and minimum work put into preparation, it's easy to see why I plan on making and taking this to the next handful of parties we are invited to... So tell me, what will your holiday spread include this year? Hopefully a handful of cheese balls and a whole lot of love! Find more recipes here so you can make every day delicious!