Creative Pay it Forward {February} and Spiced Strawberry Butter

I had it in my head that I absolutely 100% NEEDED to get my next Creative Pay it Forward project completed and delivered by February 1st. For once it seems, I have met my deadline! {insert celebratory punctuality and deadline meeting dance here}

Now on with it. This month, I wanted my project to be Valentine's Day related, hence the need to get it to the recipient in time to enjoy! I'm honestly not really one to buy into the whole, "this is the one day a year we truly celebrate those that we love" thing - I definitely believe in celebrating those we love EVERY day - however, this does not mean I am immune to the sugary sweet cuteness of it all {or the boxes of filled chocolates!!}, which will be blatantly obvious in the coming days, starting with this here overdose of pink and red:

felt heart {heartfelt, haha!} bunting, homemade spiced strawberry butter, and cheesy valentines

Just in case you want it, I am including a "sort-of" tutorial for the Spiced Strawberry Butter. I adapted the recipe from a few that I found online. I actually discovered that there isn't MUCH need to follow a recipe here. I did what seemed right, with the ingredients I had on had, and it ended up tasting AMAZING!!!! The spread is delectable on toast with a smear of cream cheese and on hot buttery biscuits all by itself. I am REALLY wanting to try it on homemade English muffin bread! Seriously, it's SO yummy and SO easy. Try it. Now. You will NOT be sorry!!! 

Ignore the bottle of germ-x, it's the last bit from after the boys came home from the hospital and I assure you the crushed tomatoes were for our taco soup, NOT for the strawberry butter. :~)

*** OOPS!!! Totally forgot to tell you to make sure you WATCH your pot when the puree is boiling, if you don't you will end up with a sugary, sticky, {albeit delicious!} mess and your pot will be nearly impossible, like throw it out and buy a new one, to clean. ***

Payin' it Forward - Crafty Mama Style

When I wrote "Crafty Mama Style" I immediately had "Gangnam Style" running through my head. With a minor lyrical modification,you know, Opah Crafty Style!! :~)

Now that that little bit of weirdness has been aired, I can tell you a bit about the 2013 edition of "Crafty Mamas Payin' it Forward" - I'm fairly convinced that's the official name. The idea is simple, sweet, and oh so fun. Basically, you choose five people to who{m?} you wish to bestow the fruits of your crafty supremeness, culinary goddessness, or ultimate bakerness, whatever. Then you hope and pray that THOSE five people will do the same, therefore extending the crafty giving a bit and so on and so forth and the chain continues. See? Simple. Sweet. Oh so fun.

My first act of crafty kindness inspiration came in the form of a big ol' box of embroidery floss sent to me in a care package by a dear friend. I haven't picked up an embroidery hoop since I was about eight years old and the last time I touched embroidery floss I'm sure I was fashioning glorious friendship bracelets, HOWEVER, I did find the act of embroidery fairly rewarding. I made a tea towel - well no, scratch that. I embroidered something and sewed it onto a tea towel, made by Target. I think it turned out pretty cute and the things I don't like about it are greatly overshadowed by picturing a certain Canadian friend picturing me attempting to complete the darn thing, all the while cursing it and wishing I had a big ol' hat to shove it's direction. ;~) {I know nobody gets that}

Here it is. Crafty Pay it Forward project #1.

In case you can't read it, especially because I messed up the first word, it says: "There is too much cheese on this. Said no one. Ever."

And, because I am pretty proud of this packaging technique I discovered on Pinterest, here it is ready for the post.

Now, let's just hope it makes it to Canada without ripping open!

Now, go on, choose your people, send some love!!! XO