Pink and Red Galore

Ahh February! Also known as the month that contains Valentine's Day. This is the holiday that makes this pink loving gal expand her color palette to include red. Well, from time to time I will add a tiny pop of red to our pastel palette, in the home and in my fashion. I see red as the oh so necessary maraschino cherry placed atop a neapolitan sundae or cone. In our decor I feel like red makes the pastels pop…like if there are red accents on a hand painted pink sign, then the pinks look even pinker. And when it comes to my wardrobe, all it takes is some deep red lipstick to totally set off an all pastel ensemble. So yeah, red acts both literally and figuratively as the cherry on top. 

And at this time of year red appears in great abundance around here. Lots of vintage Valentine ephemera is heavy on the red, and with us nostalgia wins big. So instead of sticking to our tight palette of pastels, we'll cast red in a starring role. 

As I said on Instagram earlier today, if you accompanied me to the grocery store and I happen to wander off…you can find me in one of two places...the baking aisle or the floral dept. 

And yes, this most recent trip to the grocery store was no different. I wandered off and came back with this bouquet. I simply couldn't pass it up! It made me so happy, and it was only $5.99!

It actually came with double the blooms you see here. The rest are placed in other vases around the house. 

I love the pink, red and white paired with the aqua-turquoise hue of this vintage ball jar. It is one of my favorites! 

 This time of year means pulling out some of my all time favorite decorations, including my Magpie Ethel assemblages form our friend Laurie Romanaggi. We have been collecting her creations for years.  I was looking for more pieces from this collection, rummaging through some boxes I had stacked way in the back of a closet, when sadly I was reminded that I lost the pieces I was looking for to Hurricane Sandy…that complete jerk. 

Ah well…it's senseless to lament...I'll just have to add more to our collection! 

So, not only is it nearly Valentine's Day…we've also got Galentine's Day on the way! For those who do not know what Galentine's Day is…it is a Parks & Recreation reference/episode that kinda took on a life of it's own. 

Here's a little clip to bring you up to speed. 

I love the whole concept of Galentines, so I jumped at the chance to participate when I was asked by my friend Kristen to take part in a Galentine's swap among Instagram friends! This swap works in a way that's unlike a traditional swap, in that the person we send to is not the person who sends to us. So that means no one knows who has who! 

We all filled out a little questionnaire and then the info was passed on to our would-be partners. We all mailed our packages out in time so that we could all open them on Galentine's Day…Feb 13th! I was joking the other day to Aaron that I sorta feel like a grown-up, because there is a box here full of gifts for me and I haven't opened it yet. ha! I'm in awe of my adult-like restraint.  

Above are pics of the gifts I sent off…if you focus reeeaaly hard you can indeed see a name on a tag. oops! ; ) Still lots of surprises.

Oh and this. Just a typical scene around here. 

Hope you guys have been having a great week! And thanks so so much for all the sweet words about our Sweetheart Valentine's Day wreath! And for entering the giveaway! We are LOVING reading all about your fave Vday memories!! Some are so funny, and some are just so sweet! You still have 2 days left to enter if you haven't already! 

Thanks for popping in!!

Love from the Jersey Shore!

xo Jenny…and Aaron says hi!

Oh Target, You so so get me! ( a happy haul)

Jenny and her trusty space heater were like white on rice. My wintertime appendage, hummed along with my entire workday. Day in, day out. So it's no surprise that the absence of it's comforting hum, due to the warm weather of the past few days, would effect me so much. It was part of my workday much like the hum of the air conditioner becomes part of your summertime sleep ritual. How on that first cool autumn night without the AC the silence of the night is deafening, and you wonder how in the world you'll ever be able to sleep again without the sound of the AC lulling you off to dreamland. Well, I guess the wicked month of March sensed my unease...because today it is absolutely FREEZING once again, and my trusty space heater is at my side and humming with life. 

Hey March "Thanks, but no thanks!" 

As close as my space heater and I have become, I'd be more than happy to see her go. Just give me back my warm weather!

Just yesterday it was Spring jacket weather and I celebrated this fact by taking a day trip to Target. It had been forever since I had been there and it seems that Target had been anticipating my triumphant return to their aisles. Upon crossing their threshold I saw that they had rolled out the red carpet for me. I was greeted with pink and aqua galore! The dollar bins! Like a moth to a flame, like a bee to honey, so is Jenny to dollar bins filled with cute.

We grabbed a cart, and began filling the kid's seat with what I call "littles". First, these aqua and silver notecards kill me! Their accompanying envelopes have an adorable polka dotted border. The loose hand painted motif is very art journal-y...and yes...$1.00! The only items not found in the dollar bins are these sweet cupcake notecards. They were $4.99 and can be found in the stationary section.

This faux leather journal has lined pages inside. That cover pattern just makes me so happy! I'd love a stencil like it for art journaling. The journal is the perfect size for keeping in my bag for quick little ideas for classes, projects, designs, blogging, or shopping lists! And it was $3.00.

How pretty are these?! Little zippered pouches made of very thin material. Great for make up brushes, or pens & pencils. I bought two...because...$1.00! 

And then adorable aqua paper clips! Ah!! $1.00! 

I'm a sucker for these oldschool date roll stamps! How could I pass up this set! Look at the tiny little aqua ink pad! $3.00

Classic little alphabet stamp set. $3.00

I had blogged these chairs from IKEA when they first came out, and they remained on my wish list, awaiting my next trip to IKEA. Since they are now only $10.00 I had every intention of picking up at least two of 'em on my next trip there. Beyond cute! 

Well, it looks like Target jumped in at the last second and stole the show! I almost died when I walked down the aisle and came upon these chairs! and ummm...yessss! YAAASSS! Could you die? No really, right?! And I love the pattern even more than the IKEA version. It's a bit more vintage. like vintage wallpaper patterns.

Doesn't the pattern remind you of the motifs on our JUMBO hand painted vintage wallpaper wall? 

If you don't have a Target near you, they do sell them online! And guess what...$12.99!! They look bluer in the pic on the Target website than they are in real life. They are truer in color to the photos you see here.

So yeah...pretty great right? I'm in pink and aqua heaven right now! I also grabbed an adorbs aqua wallet and a new lipstick that I'll share another day!

If you look back at the pics on this post (which only represent the tip of the Target iceberg), I think it goes without saying that this here blogger, and you there Everyday is a Holiday readers, are how shall I say it??...Target's target demographic right now. 

So I simply had to share! 

You are welcome. wink.

xo Jenny, and Aaron says hi!

Friday Favorites

Today was a great Valentine's Day...me and Aaron, as usual, were home, working together, doing a little decorating, cooking some risotto, baking some muffins, giving the chihuahuas tubbies, listening to music, watching our current favorite show after dinner...all the everyday stuff...and why should it be any different? We used to go out to eat on V Day, but then it got to be so stressful...too many other people out there doing the same thing. So we made it a day about cooking and relaxing at home. Overall, I like everything about Valentine's Day, especially that it's a day when pink and red sit side by side, center stage. I'm a highly visual girl after all. And speaking of visual...check out the perfectly stenciled wall above. So Fabulous! The colors and textures work so well together. So FUN! I need more rooms in my house. 

And I have been a fan of Fun Cult  forever! That amazing banner above is made by the same sweet gal who made the "forever" banner that hangs on our headboard. If you don't have one of your own yet...what are you waiting for?!!

I will always love paper crafting, and the simplicity and feel of paper decorations. I love the roses, sepia book pages, layered paper heart garland from La Mia Casa. It's just beautiful. And crafts like this should be kept in the highest regard. I so so appreciate the time and care put into precious things like this.

Do you want to make your own Royal icing sprinkles? Well, here's how! And they're not just for Valentine's Day! Imagine them in lots of lovely pastels. 

I wouldn't mind calling this Pink House my home. I feel like I'd have to return home with a package full of macarons each and every day. Why is it that I can picture exactly what my life would be if this was the doorway I came home to everyday?  

Yes, I'll take this couch and furball ottoman (if it's faux)...asap. Again, I can imagine a whole new life that revolves around the existence of these pieces. 

I'm so incredibly smitten with my Instagram friend Baby Dear's tattoos. I've seen so many tattoos that attempt to be sweet, but in the end they turn out harsh and odd looking. At the opposite end of the spectrum are Baby Dear's tattoos. She got them just right. Exactly as sweet as the elements that inspired them. Big kudos to her tattooer.

Perfect pink heart doilies for serving up sweet treats...or even for crafting, art journaling, or whatever you can think of. I'm a huge fan of these!

Lastly,  to say that these Italian Thumbprint Cookies are so up my alley is a gross understatement. I am a huge pistachio fan! Now mix the pistachio with vanilla bean, strawberry preserves, and white chocolate, and you've got yourself treasure for the tastebuds. I am totally making these! 

Ok, that's it for today. I'm so thrilled that you guys took the time to check out some of my faves on this lovey dovey Friday. Me and Aar send big love and hugs to you and yours!

xo, Jenny...and Aaron says hi!