Messy Messy Fail - The pumpkins that I was supposed to harvest seeds from for planting continue to waste away under the snow. We just got something like 2.5 feet of fresh snow, and it's not going anywhere too soon!
Tidy Victory - I was totally inspired by Laura at @gardenanswer to try some winter sowing - essentially you plant winter hardy seeds inside milk jugs without a cap and put them outside in the snow to start growing. I picked up some marigold and cosmo seeds at the Dollar Tree to start! I'm going to put those together on Sunday while it warms up to a balmy 17 degrees F.
Happiness Is Homemade Link Party #413
Welcome to the Happiness Is Homemade Link Party #413 - my name is Katie from Love My Messy Messy Mess and it's my turn to host for the month of February - woot woot!
I live in what is referred to as the southern tier of Western New York - simply put we have four beautiful seasons a year and typically get DUMPED on with snow. We are currently pretty buried in the white stuff but that's okay - it just means more time for skiing, sledding and snowmobiling!
Valentine's Day is coming up and I'm sure many of our participating bloggers will have TONS of ideas for recipes, decorations and other fun projects. At our house we'll probably have a "fancy" dinner with steaks so we can celebrate with our two older boys - the baby (4 months!) can watch! :)
Time to check out the current party - if you missed last week's party click here!
This Week's Features
For me, winter in my home means baking season! I'm always looking for tasty treats to make for my family to keep them warm during our cold winters, and these Choco Peanut Butter Oat-Millet Muffins from Magical Ingredients looked so yummy and delicious! I love the idea of baking with millet flour and oats to try something different!
One of my happy places is Starbucks, but unfortunately it's about 12 miles away. Getting a 'Bucks drink is a special treat indeed! I saw this recipe for Homemade Crockpot Chai Tea and said to myself, "Myself, pin this recipe when you don't want to drive 12 miles!" Sometimes a nice chai tea instead of my usual coffee is a lovely change!
Being a good Western New York girl, I know that the only acceptable store bought onion dip is Bison dip, am I right? But just like Starbucks, the grocery store is a distance as well. So when I need a quick dip for watching football or a movie, this Super Homemade Onion Dip from Little Frugal Homestead will be just perfect. I already have all the ingredients in my fridge and pantry so we are ready to go!
For both Valentine's Day and Easter, I typically make a trip to a local small business that makes the most AMAZING tasting chocolate treats. I'm talking truly melt-in-your-mouth delicious. However, I like to make a fun little treat for my house, too. This Valentine Chocolate Toffee Pretzel Bark recipe from Seasonal Holiday Recipe Exchange sounds perfect and easy. Also very kid friendly!
*BONUS FEATURE*
I'm sure you can guess where our Dollar Tree is located - 12 miles away!!!! I found this roundup of Dollar Tree Valentine's Day Decor to pull out when I start hearing "I'm bored" or "There's nothing to do!". Niki from Life as a LEO Wife made this roundup so it's very kid-friendly and diverse - check out all the different ideas!
Thank you for joining us this week whether you are a blogger sharing your latest posts OR a reader enjoying all of the inspirational shares!
Don’t forget to drop by and say hello to all our hostesses, they always appreciate your visit!
Here are all of our hostesses at Happiness Is Homemade!
Linda @ A Labour of Life
Sinea @ Ducks ‘n a Row
Beverly @ Eclectic Red Barn
Katie @ Love My Messy Messy Mess
Mel @ Décor Craft Design
Niki @ Life as a Leo Wife
Would you like to be a part of Happiness Is Homemade? We are looking for hostesses to join our team. If you are interested, please email any one of the Happiness Is Homemade hostesses and let them know. We would love to have you join our party!
