Happy Valentine’s Day 2026

Hello and Happy Valentine’s Day. It reminds me of when my children were little and we made our valentine cards and or we bought the best ones we could find. It was more fun for me than them I think. As they would put the names on the envelopes and I don’t really think they liked that. When my older ones were younger we would make cakes or cookies to take in for their parties at school. When Dusty was younger I always got the cupcakes not always by choice but the teachers would say we know you are going to bring them in. By the time Dusty was in school you weren’t allowed to take in homemade goodies. I would go to the fancy grocery stores and get special cupcakes so the kids would have something really nice. Well at least I thought it was something nice. 

When I was younger I really don’t remember anything about Valentine’s Day. The only memory I have is in the third grade we made these paper plate envelopes where we decorated them and put on the backs of our chairs to go around and deliver them to each of the students. It was creative and fun. As an adult I would make little mailboxes with my Cricut or the Silhouette. Gosh I miss those so much!!! I just don’t have a computer to run them. 

The picture above is Cooper. That particular Valentine’s Day Abigail had come over and we made cookies. In fact I believe the pictures are on this blog. Not exactly those pictures but close enough. More Valentines fun. 

I always look for heart shapes in nature. Love 💕 

These are from 2020 Jr. took them. Kim always makes the best displays for each season or holidays. They are incredibly creative. She’s so talented. 

The scary thing is I still have the boots and the headband but the GD shirt has big holes in it, note I didn’t say it was in the trash. We had fun that day with Jr. taking all the pictures. Kim has a photography business on the side Ginger Snaps. Which is perfect as they are all ginger headed. Well when I was younger we said red headed. Idk I always thought it was more orange than red growing up. What do I know? Then when my mom would say she’s brunette I am like what’s that? I was talking to my aunt tonight and she brought up a story of the desert and I was like it’s just like a mirage. I remember the first time I heard that word I was with my grandma Joann I told her I see water on the road no she says it’s a mirage. Well what’s a mirage I said. Smiling 😊 

This is another heart in nature. It was at the Coleman Trail at the Millpond. 

Abigail our oldest granddaughter. She is 3 months older than Cooper. 

Samantha our next oldest granddaughter. 

Dakota she comes after Skylar this is one of the masterpieces of Kim. I love it. When she sent it to me it was so much like the pictures I would do when the boys were little. I even made wings one year for them. Using a white boa around them. 

This was a plate created by me many many years ago. In fact Cody wasn’t even born. I think it got broke moving here. At least there is a picture of it. Every year I would make these strawberries dipped in chocolate. Fun. 

Yummy I wish I had one now. 

Skylar always ready for making something. I had bought this kit for everyone to decorate. 

Colten, Colby and Cooper

Skybear loves candy… just like her momma. Crystal would hide behind chairs or doors to eat everyone’s candy. Then the other children would be upset as Crystal would eat theirs too. 

These are the wings I had made for the boys when they were little. I kept them folded in the costume closet. Yes at our other house we had a closet that was walk in and we had many years of costumes for over the years. We took all of them to the thrift store when we moved. 

I always loved taking pictures. Her mom was in Germany at the time so she loved getting them. 

I love you Skybear 

When I typed in Valentine’s Day this came up. I miss that kitchen. 

The boys all took times washing dishes. Colby claims he had the longest……haha I think Cody did. Alexis beat them all. 

I hope you enjoyed the pictures. Have a wonderful Valentine’s  Day. Much love and hugs. 

All the best vibes, 

Dawn Gallop
 

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Bulletin Boards, Bulletin Boards Three Years of Creative Bulletin Boards for All Seasons

Bulletin Boards for all seasons......for the last three school years I have been painting the bulletin board for the PTA in the front hall of the school house. It is the bulletin board that you see when you first come in the school in front of the office. Which I am soo happy to do...I love when the children are so happy to see what is next and the reactions of them are so cute when you hear their little comments in the hallways. Some of the children come and hug me and it just thrills me to no end...I have soo enjoyed sharing my art with the children.
This bunny one was for Easter of 2012.

The pom poms I made from my own tutorial go HERE

 and hot glued them to the bunnies.

I  use Faber-Castell inks and paints that I have, they can be any brand.

The clouds I cut from batting.

The umbrellas are fabric I cut with wonder-under to hold the shape.

I think the bunnies are so cute

The daffodils I cut from the Silhouette Cameo program

I painted the raindrops on

This bulletin board was for the spring of 2013 since St. Patrick's Day and Easter were all in the same month I combined them both. I hand painted everything.

I paint the bulletin boards in my spare bedroom and create a huge mess while creating these works of art. The paint comes right up off the floors with GreenWorks You can see all the supplies I have out to use.

I even added glitter paint to the rainbow

The bunnies were so cute, I even added a real silk bow for their little bunny necks

 

This one I did from inspiration from a class I took from Juliette Crane the How to Paint an Owl 1 which was so much fun I just had to go big with this one.....these bulletin boards are 10x4 feet and I have to tape the two rolls of paper together to make it wide enough. I adore Juliette Cranes owls.

Owl bet you reach your goals for 2013

Made for the January 2013 board

This one was for February 2013

Love how this heart turned out

This  whale bulletin board was for Valentine's Day 2014

There is a Whale of LOVE here

A lot of fun this one was...I used a whole jar of Golden fluorescent Pink

The whale turned out great

The waves I stippled on the water

This bulletin board was made for the 5th Grade Graduates last year I used the Cricut to cut all the hats out the panda was hand painted, including the border 

the pandas are mascot

We had over 50+ grads

I used red Bazzill paper to cut the hats on  the Cricut

Congrats to our Grads

 

This one I did for January of 2012 I cut the banner out of the Silhouette Cameo and hand painted the panda

I used a really old stencil and Pan Pastels to paint the bamboo on

This one turned out so sweet I really love the banner

Happy New Year the banner says

This is the holiday of 2012

I first painted the white sponge look on the background

then painted all the cheerful monsters

painted glitter on them too

A wip here

Happy Holidays

The background also has huge glitter flakes "snow"

So cute

the garland is the Tim Holtz

All the boards are hand painted and I do this on the floor I recruit some help when I can

Bruce does good at helping fill in

Always getting the supplies ready

This was the holiday bulletin board more like a winter one
for 2013 December and January 2104

I used an EK Success snowflake punch

The Aleene's snow paint for the coats

I hand painted all the children

The winter has been cold in fact we have more snow than usual and the boys were even out of school today from the snow storm "Titan"

I used a wash on the back to make the pale blue color

I liked how they turned out

I love making trees

Again Pan Pastels and Faber-Castell pens

Holiday 2013

 

This was October 2013 which really is for the fall

I love fall time too and sunflowers are one of my favorites

Again a tree

Happy Fall which was painted on with chalkboard paint and sprayed with workable fixative

Everyone always loves the fall boards

 

 

 

 

 

Again another fall board this scarecrow was from October 2012

I used a real Prima flower and cut letters from the Cricut

this fall board was from 2011 again trees and I cut pumpkins from the Cricut Imagine

leaves from the Silhouette and Cricut

 The owl was cut from the Cricut Imagine

This one was for a play for Thanksgiving. 

You can see it hanging on the curtain on the stage for the Thanksgiving play.  

This bulletin board I just finished for spring time this year

of course I had Bruce make this cute pom pom using this tutorial

I love the painting bunny

 Here I am doing my Vanna pose as our principal had me do.....this board is 10x4 and I paint it on the floor in my spare room

They just are too cute.

again the spring bulletin board

Here are all five of the bunnies

Enjoy!

 

Fun Fun fun!!!!

There were others but I was unable to find the pics but I don't think I missed but one or two.

It has been a great artful ride on the bulletin boards which I am so glad they have allowed me to share.

I hope you can find some inspiration from the past three school years of bulletin boards. Thanks for looking!!!!

Have a great week! I should be back tomorrow with my next class...I just completed....week four!

Cyber Hugs,

Dawn Gallop

 

 

 

 

 

 

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