Erica is getting ready for Valentine's day!

Wes is really proud of how well the  shoes he got me match the engagement ring.  I'm really proud of my amateur artistic photography.

You probably already know, but Wes and I got engaged last December (on my birthday no less!). We plan to have a sort-of-destination-wedding... just us two... we'll do a road trip and get married wherever we end up! Growing up, my family never took actual road trips...we drove straight to our destination with no stops. That was fun and all but I want to drive out West, stop in a bed-and-breakfast, see a tourist spot, eat in a restaurant featured in Man vs. Food and see if I can do the challenge. I want lots of stops in various cities and postcards from the Flying J. I'm still planning so ideas are welcome. :)

My co-worker, Rachel, is all about that Instagram. She turned me on to StoneFoxBride. Its a hippiesque wedding boutique in New York. Their Instagram is filled with pictures of future brides' engagement rings and the story behind them. I commented on one of the pictures and asked how I could submit my ring story.  No reply. : ( Maybe, I'll try again... @stonefoxbride How do I submit a ring story? And if you're reading my blog, here is my story... pick it! Pick it! Please!

Wes, Kensington, Sadie and I had my birthday dinner at my mom's with her fiance, Mike. I had gone to my mom's earlier that day to do laundry and got roped into being her sous chef for dinner. Kensington was super sick at the time so I was pretty worn out by the time we returned home (and I think it was like 11pm...way past my bedtime!). As Wes and I were lying in bed talking and reviewing the day, he asked,
"What are we going to do for your next forty birthdays?"
"This, I guess..."
"Well, lets just get married then!"
I gleefully agreed and he handed me my ring. It was perfect!!

While we're on the topic of mushy love stories, I'll just do a mush barf craft tonight. It'll be perfect for Valentine's Day. LOL This is what I made Wes for Valentine's Day last year.

Sadie is a vain one...just look at her checking herself out in the mirror! LOL

Materials needed - Mirror, paint, painter's tape, anything else you want to put on the mirror-- I used duct tape (the decorative kind),glitter, photograph, beads and glue

1. Using the painter's tape, tape a pattern that you want to use as the mirror. The sections that are not taped will be painted. I chose a small square in the middle and some artistic lines for a border.

2. Paint the entire mirror (tape and all) a solid color.

3. After the paint is fully dry, pull off the painter's tape to reveal your mirror pattern.

4. After that, you are either done or ready to decorate. I chose a picture of us and some other simple additions. 

And that's it. My goal and inspiration for my crafts is simple and cheap projects that look like they took way more time and effort once they're completed. None of my projects are ever over 10 steps or over $25. I think there's something great in turning simple into grandiose. What do you think? Do you believe in "less is more"?