Anniversary Day-date!

I posted *last Thursday* that it was our 4th anniversary =) For anniversaries, I reallly like to stick with "traditional" gift-giving. I'm a little ol' fashioned & corny. 4th year gifts are: flowers and fruit (traditional); silk/linens/cloth (modern). This has been the hardest year for me to plan. Last month we picked up a grill for each other, for our anniversary...so no gifting was necessary but I still wanted to incorporate these traditions into our day. My hubby isn't a big flower OR fruit fan, and there isn't much clothing needed. I tried to find silky-type of boxers, but it was harder than I thought (I'm guessing because it isn't the holidays). And I also wanted to go DO something, not just dinner. I was driving one day and it hit me (because I passed it on the road): we could go to Hidden Lake Gardens. It is run by Michigan State University, and for a small fee you get into their beautiful grounds with hiking trails, picnic areas, and gorgeous views.

I then decided to pair it with a picnic of our favorite things: roast beef sandwiches (his), chocolate dipped strawberries (mine, but done in milk chocolate as is his fave), and rice homemade krispy treats (his). Along with ice water and we were packed! I did this all in secret, getting up before he left for work and having everything ready by the time he was home. He was happily caught off guard. It was such a simple date, yet needed! Being around a 3 year old constantly, the QUIET serenity of the gardens was ahhhh-mazing ;) We we almost rushed because storms were rolling in but we hiked 1 mile, and took cover when it rained in the tropical greenhouses.

You don't always have to spend $40-50 each year for your anniversary, sometimes a quick quiet get-away is just as fulfilling! It would also be super romantic to do a NIGHT picnic, take some blankets, citronella candle, and go gaze at the stars! What are some of your favorite, easy date ideas?

DIY: Jean Spring Wreath

As I posted last week, I said I'd be working on a few spring wreaths. Here is one of them! Not only is this budget friendly (Mine cost just $1), it is total country chic! Lying in my scrap fabric bag was a pair of jeans. I try to save a few here & there that cannot go to charity, it had holes in unmentionable places (use to be my "workin outside" pair). When the dollar tree started rolling out all the new stuff for spring, I seen some basic wicker wreaths, and grabbed about 4 of them 2 big, & 2 small. A family friend has been slowing giving me her stash of fake flowers (I keep saying no, I don't need anymore, but somehow they end up in a car). The last carload brought some cute white daisy's - MY FAVE FLOWER!

You will need:
Some sort of basic wreath (check dollar tree, goodwill)
1 pair of old jeans (I only used 1 leg)
hot glue
Fake flowers of your choice

1. Cut the jeans into long strips. Hot glue 1 strip to the 'back' of your wreath, trying to hide it. Begin wrapping the strip around, slightly overlapping, gluing every few inches or so to secure it.
2. Once the wreath is covered, snip off some flower heads and decide your layout (the old wives tale of floral arranging is to have an ODD number of flowers, it's bad luck to have and even amount). If you are happy with how it looks, glue them into place!
3. I cut the tiny little pocket from the jeans, glued a piece of cardboard to the back, and then put it onto the wreath as well. I'd love to put something inside of it, just not sure yet.

=) Your wreath is finished! You could also glue some ribbon to the back to "hang" it from, that would be super cute too, or if you had a thicker wreath that won't hook into a hanger. Mine was only about an inch thick.

If you do this, I'd love to see it! Link back to me or leave a comment!