Happy February!

How is it February already?!?  Time just flies, I swear... January was a whirlwind for us, getting the kids settled back into routine after Christmas Break, celebrating Leo's birthday, and navigating an altered work schedule for my husband (he's a 3rd shifter, but he was working days for 3 weeks).  Last weekend, I was sitting in my living room, crocheting a little bit after dinner, and I realized I didn't have a Valentine's Day mantel decoration ready - and that I had less than a week to make one!

Luckily for me, I have a SUPER easy method for creating crochet hearts, and I had red, pink, and white yarn in my stash, so I put down my other project and whipped up a holiday garland in no time (I'm talking less than an hour, for sure).  I made 8 hearts of each color, for a total of 24 hearts, using these simple steps:

1 - make a magic ring & chain 4 inside

2 - in magic ring, crochet 2 triple, 3 double, 1 chain,1 triple,

1 chain, 3 double, and 2 triple, then end with a chain 3

3 - pull the magic circle shut, and connect the sides with a

slip stitch in the center of the heart

Once I had the hearts done, I used the white yarn to connect them together.  I didn't want a very substantial string, so I just chained 5 to start, connected the first curve of the heart with a slip stitch, chained 5 more, and connected the second curve of the heart.  I then continued this method, chaining 5 between each heart, and working in a red-pink-white pattern.

I hung the garland on the fireplace, and I pulled the middle up to give it a "double dip" - partly because I think it's cuter, and partly so that my toddler doesn't tug on it while he's playing on the floor there ;)  But, either way, it looks adorable & it matches my door wreath, so I at least look ready for the holiday!