Abbots - I have a tea set from my great-grandmother & grandmother's house.  It is beautiful but I have let it go.

Did you know polishing silver is easy?  I DID NOT.  I mean easy.  You just keep polishing.  I saw in HGTV Magazine that Vern Yip said this is a task you shouldn't put off because it is easy, there are these amazing wipes (I wasn't paid for this, I seriously just bought the wipes on Amazon and used them.  I'll pay full price for these babies.

 Weiman knows its stuff.  Just wipe until the wipe gets dirty, then get a new one.

 Here's after one wipe.  There are still black spots, especially the handles and feet, but a good start huh?  The entire set took me about 20 wipes. 

But man is it worth it.  I'm so happy I cleaned these.  Let me know how your silver polishing goes, and whether you feel like a second footman, or perhaps Anna Bates?

The Valentine's miracle has once again occurred at our house, where we make simple, cheap handmade Valentine's at home with a little personal pizzazz.  Don't you love a word with 4 Z's?

First up is this timely Star Wars valentine with Yoda holding a "light sabre".  This is actually a dollar store glow bracelet, but who's to know.  Very easy, print on cardstock, cut, holepunch, and tape a glowstick bracelet through the hole.  Be sure not to bend the glowstick though, or it will activate.

Our second one is a butterfly valentine with candy :)  A dollar store tootsie pop 6-pack is $1.  We just needed 3 packs.

And they are colored by hand.  Again, super easy.  Card stock, paper, crayons/markers, scissors, and tootsie pops.  Happy Valentine's Day!

Some ideas for a newborn shoot with one older sibling....

Trains - 

 Holding, without the potential for dropping -

 

And a cool announcement picture with date, time, height, weight, and name in blocks.  Plus some seasonal reference via colors.

I always try to do fun activities for the kid's classmates for Valentines.  Our printer works really well and I just keep a set of blank card stock available for these little projects.  I also have a couple fonts I like, but mostly I find these ideas from other people.  They aren't mine!

Millie signed her own cards last year for her class and they are slinkies.  It says "You make my Heart Spring"

Tessa can't write, but hers said "I'm a lucky DUCK to have a friend like you."  She only had 4 classmates and I got these little ducks at the dollar store.  So each kid got the little bag and the valentine.  It has a momma and 2 baby ducks.  The teacher said the parents loved these and the kids at least have something to play with.  I'm not a big fan of candy for small kids (obviously).