DIY Dolly Mix Valentine's Day Card + Treat Bag in One

In elementary school, I was the weird kid who brought homemade Valentine's Day cards to school while everyone else doled out Ninja Turtle emblazoned missives.  Frankly, I don't remember much about those years, but I do remember sitting at the kitchen table with my Mom, making those cards.  Hubby and I both have such strange work schedules that days of the week, and especially special occasions, often pass us in a blur, but this year I remembered about Valentine's Day and whipped up something cute for our niece and nephew:  homemade Valentine's Day cards + goody bags in one!

Adorable right?  These easy Valentine's Day card come stuffed with candy so I'm sure they will be a hit!  I don't think a tutorial is really necessary, but I'll outline the steps and supplies below just in case - you're at least going to want to know about the insanely cute, pint-sized Dolly Mix I used...

Supplies:

• Clear treat bags
• Stapler
• Ribbon (this polka dot one is adorable!)
• Treats (I used Dolly mix)
• Pretty paper
• Acrylic/craft paint (I used pale pink and gold)
• Small brushes
• Gold pen
• Paper cutter/scissors 

First I cut some paper to the same width as the bags with my paper cutter.  I folded it in half and then wrote a little message across the top with a gold pen (I also signed our names and "xoxo" on the back).  Then I added a row of hand-painted hearts and set the cards aside to dry.  It took quite a bit of practice on scrap paper to achieve the effortlessly perfect swoopy heart.

While I waited, I filled two treat bags with Dolly mix.  I went to the bulk store in search of heart shaped candies but stumbled across this British confection instead.  Apparently it's been around since the 1920s and I love that it (the Waterbridge brand, at least) uses completely natural flavors and colours. 

Look how teeny!

Sure, this treat packs a lot of sugar (and I feel guilty about that), but the pieces are small and made to scale for tiny little hands.  My hope is that they'll devour it more slowly!

Once the cards were dry, I slid a folded card over the top of each treat bag and stapled it near the bottom in two places.

I threaded a length of ribbon through the card and then wrapped it front to back before tying it in a bow at the front - the ribbon hides the staples.

Easy peasy!  A cute homemade card and sack of sugar in one!  Now I need to make sure that:

A. I remember to actually bring these treats to the kiddos on Valentine's Day
B. I don't crack open each sack, inhale the Dolly Mix, and pretend that I forgot V-Day again this year

DIY Vanilla Infused Vodka with Blood Orange Sparkling Beverage

Here's a deliciously simple drink idea: DIY vanilla infused vodka with Aranciata Rossa San Pellegrino, which boasts a juicy hit of blood orange.  It's pink, so it's perfect for Valentine's Day, but it tastes like summer in a glass - like a creamsicle.  Drool.  (This isn't a sponsored post, I just really enjoy San Pellegrino sparkling fruit beverages because they're sweet and carbonated, but not as cloying as soda - although I fully admit I might be swayed by the cool history and vintage-inspired branding).  

Making my own vodka infusion was something I had been wanting to try for awhile and it turned out to be so simple!  Now I'm eager to try different variations.

How to Make Vanilla Infused Vodka

Supplies:

• Mason jar (might I suggest the, now ridiculously priced, blue ball jars?)
• Empty bottle (these are cute)
• Coffee filter
• Funnel (I used my Melitta cone brewer)
• 2-3 vanilla beans/pods  

Step One:

Pour the vodka into a clean mason jar, plop in some vanilla pods (2-3 for almost 750ml of vodka), and twist the lid tightly.  Seriously, that's it!  I photographed the smaller blue ball jar but ended up using a larger mason jar so that I didn't have to break the vanilla beans.  A mason jar ensured that I could easily retrieve the vanilla pods - they would have been difficult to fish out of a narrow bottle.  You could also pop them right into the vodka bottle and decant later, but I didn't want to infuse my entire bottle.  Some folks break open the pods or scrape out the insides but as I understand it, that can produce a gritty tasting vodka.  You really just want the oil from the pod to infuse the vodka, so leaving them whole will produce the best results. 

Step Two:

Place the mason jar in a cool, dark place for 7-10 days.  Peek into the cupboard obsessively, everyday, to check on the development.

Step Three:

Open the mason jar, remove the vanilla pods (trust me, it's easier than having them flop around), and strain the vodka through a clean coffee filter into an empty bottle.  This removes any gritty bits that have been shed by the vanilla.

I love what a soft golden hue the vodka picks up.  And it's so tasty - now I want to try adding pears and figs and all kinds of deliciousness. 

Vanilla Vodka with Blood Orange Sparkling Beverage

A glass of San Pellegrino, a splash of the vanilla infused vodka, a couple of ice cubes plus a slice of blood orange and all of a sudden Wednesday is looking a lot better.

This is the perfect drink for "Valentine's Day," "Galentine's Day," or "I'm Going to Drink at Home on the Sofa Because Who Wants to go out into That Madness Day?"  Cheers!

P.S. Curious about the oddly specific numbers on my tumblers?



Handy Hubby and I were married at City Hall in Toronto but held our brunch reception at a swank hotel.  We stayed there the night before our wedding (we flew to Greece immediately after) and the hotel gifted us these glasses - the number is our room number!

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