Enjoy Valentine's Day with your tastebuds and your crafty hands! Here are some treats & meal ideas from the kitchen, plus craft ideas to share.

Snacks: Sweet Snack Mix from scrumdilly-do

Drink: Healthy Strawberry-Banana Smoothie from SimpleMakes (er, me!)

Dinner: Candlelight on a Budget from MyRecipes

Dessert: Valentine's Day Treat Hit List from TipNut

Handmade Valentine: Little Acorn Valentine from Little Acorn

Crafty Gift: Valentine's Treasures from Schlosser Designs

Decor: Origami Cherry Blossoms from The Flirty Guide

Comment for a chance to win February's giveaway: an adorable panda pillow from My Dear Darling!

Since I launched Simple Makes on September 14, 2008, I've played around with different post formats, page layouts, topics, post frequency, and content. I've blogged recipes, book reviews, printable how-to guides, links to craft tutorials, photos from my home, and thoughts on simplicity.

As I write and look at the response (both mine and that I see in visits & comments), I've finally settled on what you can expect when you come to Simple Makes:

Tuesdays, I will blog about simple & green living for families, based on what my family's been doing together. Posts on family activities, travel, and crafts for kids fit in this category.

Posts I've written that would fit into this category include:
* Puzzle People Game
* Enjoy your Family... without Spending a Cent!
* Packing Light Tips

Thursdays, I will blog about simple & green living for homes, based on what we've been doing in our home. Cleaning tips, composting, and recipes fit in this category.

Posts I've written that would fit into this category include:
* Energy & Air Leaks
* Shower Supply Simplification
* Apartment Composting

Saturdays, I will blog short posts on any simple or green living topic, mostly using photos & links. Weekend snapshots, announcements of giveaways or special deals, and link love-type posts fit in this category. I'll also reserve posts like "On Simplicity" for Saturdays.

Posts I've written that would fit into this category include:
* Weekend Snapshots #1, 2
* Top 10 Craft Tutorials
* Simple Living or Giving Up?

Tuesday & Thursday posts are my content, based on what my life's been like, written in a way that you can use what I've done and learned, too!

For Saturday posts, I need your help. What'd you blog about this week? What's your Etsy store got on sale? What nifty link did you run across this week that I'd love, too? The best way to get my attention is to tag it for:simplyla on delicious. If you're delicious-less, try email: send your idea to me here.

Hope you're enjoying the way Simple Makes is going; comment to share your thoughts & ideas!

Reading, doodling, embroidering, and sewing. It's been a crafty, inspired, month!


Just before I left, I finished reading The Creative Family (SUPER book, even for no-kids-yet families like mine!), and completed my first project by hanging the Inspiration Line above. I hope it becomes more "inspiring" as time goes on!


This blue fabric from the left side of the inspiration line is now an almost-complete cell phone holder: I used the pattern from Doodle Stitching (which is FULL of cute patterns and ideas, most of which I actually want to make!) and plan to modify it (different design) for an iPod case to make my husband next week.


This brights-on-muslin embroidery from the right side of the inspiration line is my new sampler: I tried out sorts of stitches taught in Doodle Stitching, some of them which I already knew but also lots that were new to me. The book is FULL of beautifully illustrated photographs to teach a great assortment of stitches, both decorative and practical.

...and you?

What's your crafty side been up to this last month? Any Christmas-gift projects you're beginning? Share about 'em here, and post photos in our flickr group!