Magnolia Manor: Love Lives Here

SO...got my Valentine's decor up this weekend. The house always looks so naked after Christmas...it's nice to have some extra clutter laying around again. :-) The boys brought my Valentine tote down from the attic a good week ago, and we've all been stepping over it while I waited for some free time to coincide with all my good intentions.

First order of business though. We served shredded BBQ chicken for the game (a Texas twist on the traditional wings) and it was super yummy. I told my friends I'd share the recipe, so I'm throwing it up for all to see. If you LOVE chicken, than it will fit right in with my love post. Ha!

Zesty BBQ Crock Pot Chicken

12 ou bottle BBQ sauce (we like KC Masterpiece)

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. Zesty Italian bottled dressing

Worcestershire

I had ten chicken breasts in my crock pot at once, so I increased the recipe a bit. Also, the sauce cooks up VERY liquid. So, after cooking on high for about five hours, I removed the meat from the crock pot, shredded it with two forks (it was super tender), then mixed up a little more of the BBQ mixture. I drained the thin cooking liquid from the pot, then returned the meat and new batch of sauce and just kept it on "warm" setting until serving. I did it like that so the meat would be a little more sticky, and it worked out great. We served it on buns with chips and queso and a BIG OL' VAT of Nichole's famous guacamole.

I still have a guacamole hangover.

Anyway, nothing like a little party to motivate me in the decorating department.

Welcome to VALENTINE'S 2013!

Table runner new this year from Target

I switched out the quilt on the quilt rack for the first time in years! See that big "R" up there?? It was a recent flea-market score and I need to spiff it up. I'm thinking of painting it and breaking out some Modge Podge. The antique wooden spools and blue ball jars on the other side of the rack were also flea market finds and are the start of a new collection.

The big debate. Conversation hearts. Love 'em or hate 'em?? There were two distinct camps among the friends. (I'm in the love 'em camp.)

Also from the flea market? Those letters. I used black ultra fine glitter to outline the edges, then threaded them on sheer ribbon.

Saw this little idea for a felt heart garland on pinterest and strung it together while visiting with friends during the game.

My new little sign that I got for free when I bought a book recently. Perfect timing for Valentine's.

The only sewing I've done in a very long time. It was a fun, quick project.

Guess who got tired of following me and my hearts from room to room while I worked?? She decided to park it in a central location so she could just sway her head from side to side and track my every move. Way to conserve energy.