Two FREE St Patrick Day Printables

 St Patrick's Day is the next celebration on my list, so I've started thinking about table centre piece design and some new printables. 

 Today's printables are an arty abstract four-leaf clover and a fun Robin Williams doppelganger leprechaun. 

You can use these images for personal use:

*cards

*scrapbooking

*framed for St Patrick's Day decor

*stickers or labels for sweet bags

*screensavers

The True Meaning of St Pat's Day:

 St. Patrick's Day, celebrated on March 17th, is widely recognised as a time for revelry and festivity, with parades, green attire, and plenty of Irish music. However, beyond the shamrocks and beer, there lies a deeper significance rooted in history, culture, and faith.

Historical Background:

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is credited with bringing Christianity to the island in the 5th century. Born in Roman Britain, he was kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave, but he escaped, only to return years later as a missionary. His efforts in converting the Irish to Christianity were profound, and he used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity—an enduring symbol of his mission.

Symbolism of the Day:

The shamrock, symbolizing both faith and the Irish identity, is celebrated alongside St. Patrick’s legacy. March 17th, the day of his death, was initially recognized as a religious holiday, commemorating his life and contributions.

Leprechauns are part of this day because they have an iconic place in Irish folklore and mythology.

Cultural Significance

While the day has evolved into a celebration for many, it remains a cherished occasion for the Irish and those of Irish descent to honour their heritage. Parades and festivals across the globe highlight traditional Irish music, dance, and cuisine, bringing communities together, regardless of individual backgrounds.

Celebrations Today:

Today, cities worldwide celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with vibrant parades, green decorations, and cultural showcases. Many embrace this day as an opportunity to reflect on the themes of unity, community, and shared heritage, reminding us of the rich tapestry that makes up our diverse world.

You'll find more St Patricks Day Ideas HERE.

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Create A Simple Natural Elements Valentine Table Centrepiece.

Some of us are busy people with busy lives, and finding those extra moments for DIY and creativity is a little limited.

With Valentine's Day coming up, I wanted to create a special heart-themed table centrepiece.

One that I could put together in about 15 minutes.

One that is minimalistic.

One that included natural earth elements.

Rock.

Wood.

Metal.

Clay.

Live plants. 

(And of course, chocolates).

To Create A Natural Elements Valentine Table Centrepiece

The first step is to place a rectangle-shaped polished piece of wood or a flat wooden serving tray onto the work table.

Next, add a rectangle-shaped basket. One that is smaller than the board, has low sides, and is woven from natural fibre.

In a corner of the tray, place your potplant in a pottery/glazed pot.

Place two large carved stone hearts (my hubby and I carved these, but you could use crystal rock hearts instead) on the wood end outside of the basket.

You can buy large-sized crystal hearts online.

Pop a bag (or in a pottery bowl) of your favourite delicious chocolates onto the tray.

Gather some fresh rosemary, make a small bunch, and tie it together with twine rope.

Place this on top of another large heart, but this one is made of metal.

Also available online or at the dollar store.

Simple to put together, minimalistic and rustic.

And even though the rosemary is not contained in water, the aromatic oils in the leaves are released with the heat in the room!

The Pot Plant Details:

The plant I used for this project is called 'Pereromia Rosso'.

Some people call it the 'Emerald Ripple Radiator Plant'.

That's because the dark green leaves are rippled, with the underside leaves radiating a beautiful red colour. The stems are also red-tinged.

These plants are considered easy care, as they prefer to dry out between waterings.

They love bright indirect light (NO DIRECT SUN), enjoy warm temperatures above 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Farenheight), and are a compact, slow-growing plant.

A soil tip for potting is to mimic their natural growing conditions, in which the soil is chunky. So add a little bark to the potting mix you use.

They like to be rootbound, so pot up small sizes at a time.

The spikes are the scentless flowers, which can produce small fruits.

Peperonia Rosso is non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Facts I didn't know about Peperonias are:

Some varieties are considered succulents.

Some are found in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, with other varieties in higher, drier altitudes. 

They all have unique ways to survive season to season.

There are over 1000 different species in the Peperonia genus!

They are highly adaptable plants, with some varieties growing as lithophytes (on rocks and in crevices) and as epiphytes (on other plants).

You can read about AIR PLANT EPIPHYTES HERE.

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#easyvalentinetablecentrepiece #heartthemedcentrepiece #rosemaryhearts #crystalhearts 

Passionfruit Cream Heart Biscuits

 Share the Valentine's Day love with your family and friends!

By homebaking these sweet Passionfruit Cream Heart Biscuits.Make a scrummy passionfruit biscuit dough.And press out little shaped biscuits using a heart cookie cutter.Bake, then cool.Whip up a creamy passionfruit icing.Spread one heart half with icing.Place a uniced heart on top.When you have joined all the hearts together with the icing...Sieve a generous amount of powdered icing sugar over the top.

Plate the biscuits and serve.

 Don't you just adore sharing the love?

Valentine's Day is the perfect day to show all that matter to you how much you care.

Passionfruit Cream Heart Biscuits

¼ cup fresh passionfruit pulp
150 grams (2/3 cup) butter
½ cup icing sugar
¼ cup cornflour
1½ cups flour

Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356°F).

Grease a baking tray or line it with baking paper.
Beat the butter and icing sugar together until a pale, light and creamy colour. Beat in the passionfruit pulp mixture. 
Sift the cornflour and flour together and mix into the creamed ingredients. 
Turn out onto a floured board and knead together.

Roll out to 1cm thickness. Cut into heart shapes using a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Place on the prepared baking tray.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a cake rack to cool. 

Passionfruit Icing

Mix together:

2 cups of powdered icing sugar

1 Tablespoon of soft butter

1 Tablespoon of passionfruit pulp

Mix together with a little milk to a spreadable consistency.

Beat well until light and creamy.

Join two hearts with the icing.

Printable recipe via Foodtalk HERE.

Would you like to know how to create this pretty stamped DIY heart picture for your Valentine's decor? 

Pop over HERE.

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#heart #cookies #kisses #homebaking #valentines #biscuits #heartbiscuits