And on Valentine's day, we moved.

I know I'm behind on the new home updates (and the old home projects) but life keeps whirling by.
And last week, we finally moved!

It's a funny thing spending a year building a new home, watching it every step of the way, anticipating the time when you'll be there, kind of longing for the next big thing.

And then when the big day comes and all that's left in the old house is your tiny daughter, slurping down a lemonberry slush the size of her head....you suddenly realize how good this home was too you....and how--just like a favorite college roommate of 4 years--you're really going to miss her blue personality and smooth blonde feet. 

I honestly didn't think I'd be so sad saying goodbye to our first home.  I mean, it's just 3 miles down the road.  I can drive by any time.  But even typing this makes me a little teary eyed.  Maybe because I see how much we've grown as a family and how MADE has grown as a blog here in this house.  And it makes me think back to how it was when we first moved in..... 

...and the moving truck didn't show up for 4 days, so we hung out in camping chairs with Grandma and Jenga.

I keep thinking how little the kids were then.  Owen was the same age that Clara is now.  And how personalities (and faces) never change....

Life seemed simpler, and yet harder in other ways.

Being in a new state and far from family, we learned to make new friends, explore new places, to steer clear of fire ants, to eat Texas BBQ at gas station restaurants.

We watched our place go from a house to a home.

 We watched Lucy's feet touch the ground,

and Owen's knees pass up the handlebars.

 We had ice cream on the back porch,

 and pirate adventures.

 And then one day, there were three.

 This will always be the house that Clara came home to.

  and where she grew into the spunky little two-year-old we love.

Some things will come with us to the next house.

 And some time-outs we'll leave behind.

And we have you--little blue house--to Thank for the good ride.

Of course I still have many home improvement posts to share here on MADE, so I guess it's not an official goodbye yet.

It's just time to make new memories at the new house.
But with the same old hearts.

More to come!

TUTORIAL: Bowlicious Valentines

Feeling sparkly?
Feeling girly?
Then you'll fit right in on Valentine's Day.  Cause you're....BOWlicious!
I mean, you BOW me away.
You're bow cute?

I bow-lieve in you!  (and I'm hair for you)
No bow-logna!

Okay.
Call the bolice.
Ahhh!
Why are Valentine's so cheesily fun??

It's the only time I can get away with the dumbest one-liners and my (almost) 8-year thinks I'm fantastic.
Come be fantastic with us!  Let's make Valentines!
Here's what you do.....

Download and Print our free Bowlicious Valentines HERE.  

This is a 12-page pdf document with different sayings and color options. 

You can print in color, or print the Black and White pages and let your child color in the rest.
PRINTING TIPS:
• They work best printed on Cardstock (rather than paper)
• I prefer sending the document to Office Depot so they can print for me on their nice machines.  I print to their heaviest cardstock, which has a semi-gloss finish on the front and back (the cardstock they use for business cards)
• If you only want to print one of the styles---open the document, open the thumbnail view, and delete the pages you don't want, and resave.  Then send to your print shop and print multiple copies.
• Do not "scale" the settings when you print, unless you'd like the valentine's to print smaller.

When your valentines are printed....

Find or make hair bows.

I found all of these at Target and Forever 21.
If you can't find hairbows for cheap, you can make them!
Here are a few ideas:
• cut fabric strips (serge the edges if you have a serger), tie it into a bow, thread a bendy clip in the back.
• make simple felt bows and glue a clip to the back.
• use ribbon, washi tape, whatever you have on hand and get creative!

Now combine the two together!
Lucy loved helping with this part.  It was like Christmas cards all over again.
• Personalize the cards with your Valentine's name and who it's from.
• Cut along the dotted line. 
• Cut two slits with a craft knife.  It helps to place a piece of tape on the back of the card at the edges of the slits so the card doesn't tear as you attach the bow.
• Thread the bow through the slits.

And you're done!

Yay! 

Now repeat and repeat and you're ready for the 14th.
Happy Valentine's Day!