Laura, you are a loving, caring mother. The way you let the kiddos help with your projects. Amazing. And I was shocked that Douglas didn't break something while sneaking in through the window? BTW love the Valentine tree. Gorgeous.
Love seeing you do things with your children, Laura. How you encourage them, teach them and include them is beautiful. In these simple everyday joys, you’re making memories that will last a lifetime. ❤
What a great use of the dried flowers! Great craft idea!! Finished product looks amazing! Benjamin is the cutest as he high-fives the whole world 😃 High-five back to you!!
Love❤❤❤the Valentine Day tree. So special. Love the dried flowers and how smart you kept them…Always nice to have a plan. So easy and so clever. 🎉 Beautiful in celebration of ❤love.
So lovely! At the end you said V for Viola, and I got so excited, as that was my mom's name...and she was as lovely as your Valentine ornaments and tree!
Favorite part! Benjamin saying “shall we?” So dang cute! Lol Douglas almost stole the show but the tree was absolutely adorable ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I was thinking the same thing! Tissue paper could be used too with bunnies or carrots on it. Tear and place on the ornaments. So many possibilities with such cute results.
Those are so adorable! I love how you get the kids involved and how crafty you are. Great idea on the alphabet ones with the flowers that start with the letter. You are smart and inspiring.
I love Benjamin's attitude. He is so positive and game to try anything. He's so well-mannered and naturally polite and well-spoken. I love that you let him taste the salt dough. Laura, your family is a delight. I love the decorations, and I'm tempted to do some right now, as I have all of the supplies. I think that they would be beautiful individually hung in a window, or with double holes, hung on a swag. Update: I did mix up 1/2 a batch. I couldn't believe how "fluffy" the dough was. I've made dough in the past tha felt very hard. It did take much longer in the oven. Like 2-3 times as long, but that's okay. I dug out the flowers and the Mod Podge and today I get to decorate. I have some friends coming over next Saturday, so it will be a fun little gifty to give them!
How beautiful!!! I LOVE this so much, and how precious that Benjamin and Samantha Grace were helping. It is just precious! Would also be pretty for a bridal shower or wedding gift table. Would also look pretty with fairy lights woven into it. Thank you for sharing this idea with us Laura. 😃👍🏻
Thank you for this -just beautiful - I love that you include your children - they are so bright and spunky - you know the saying - "an ounce of pluck is worth a ton of luck"! Douglas is quickly becoming a star - he really loves you guys and wants to be in every video - so cute! Garden on!!!
Laura, when I was small my Mother and I made salt dough ornaments for Christmas in the shape of snowmen, we used cloves or peppercorns for eyes, cinnamon sticks for arms, or snips of grapevine wreath, and tied a scarf with a piece of muslin or gingham , they were my favorite on the tree till I was in my 20s! These are so sweet ! I can’t wait to make ❤
"Garden them up!" Definitely will be borrowing this phrase. For the flowers that are too thick , I'd suggest pulling the pedals apart and arranging them in flatter designs... 😊Happy Gardening.
Laura you are so creative! I love that you'll have the ornaments that Benjamin made as he grows. When my kids were little we always decorated Easter eggs from hard boiled eggs like most people. I would have the kids write their name and the year on the eggs they decorated. Each year I saved some of the hard boiled eggs and over time the inside of the egg evaporates until finally you end up with completely hollow, decorated Easter eggs from all the years past. It's fun now that my oldest has kid and she can show them the Easter eggs she decorated at their age. Thank you for sharing this project!
Those ornaments are so sweet! I used to work at a garden center and when I'd deadhead flowers (to keep the plants pretty), I'd sometimes save the deadheaded flowers to take home later and press and then use in projects, especially petunias and pansies. So keep that in mind: deadheading is a good time to collect flowers for drying and pressing!
I Love the heart tree! ❤ The heart ornaments are lovely. What a wonderful little craft project! I just might make one. PS Thank you for teaching your little ones…Knead with a K! I’ve been a teacher’s aide for 22 years and seeing you explain and teach things to your children, I appreciate that. ❤
I love watching you interact with your kids. They each seem to have totally different personalities. It is so great that they take an interest in the gardens. I can see Garden Answer becoming a multigeneration video site.
The most precious video ever! (Hey Apple, we need a pansy/viola emoji)!!! I love seeing the kids involved in your projects but Douglas almost stole the show. 🫣
This project turned out so well! Imagination wheels start turning for many variations on this idea. For all occasions and using many craft resources. Paint, glitter, different cookie cutter shapes, stickers, charms. Sky’s the limit! 🩷🩷🩷
I love this! It would have been such fun to make with my kids are grandkids. Now I might just do it for myself and my husband. He might enjoy it too. Thank you for the great ideas!! Benjamin is so sweet!! ❤
Oh my gosh, Benjamin, you are a very sweet boy! You remind me of my son who is now almost 44 years old. He loved making things and helping with projects. The Valentines ornaments look amazing and they look great on the branches. I want to make an Easter one! Thanks for sharing! 💯 ❣️ Happy Valentine's Day!
Thanks for sharing! Years ago, we made dough ornaments at Christmas time. The hearts are beautiful and special because you and Benjamin made them together!
Oh that crazy Russell! That tree is the cutest thing I have ever seen. The ornaments are precious, and it is so cute Benjamin wants to help. Darling family💗
Loved your Valentine project. It looks so pretty. Benjamin does such a good job decorating. I was so engrossed in your project that I never even noticed Douglas sneaking into the Hartley until I watched your video again. When did you notice Douglas inside? He sure is a beautiful cat and seems to love being around his humans. Samantha is so adventurous and finds ways to entertain herself jumping on the woodpile--so cute!
🌺Darling, simply darling! 🌺Thank you, Laura, for brightening my day! I've loved ALL your dried flower ornaments and framed projects over the years. 🌿This would be a fun craft activity with the grandkiddos or a February Garden Club meeting. Another display option would be to glue a magnet on the back and place them on the fridge - how sweet with family photos and/or children's artwork!
What a wonderful project. It just warmed my heart to see mother and son working on this together. I agree it looks beautiful on the table in the Hartley.
My favorite is the clematis in the corner and it was Benjamin’s! I started a Christmas tradition where instead of giving gifts we exchange ornaments that reflect ourselves. I want to do this on glass ornaments next Christmas.
“Let’s decorate some more shall we”?!!! I just love how Benjamin is so smart and adorably cute. He likes to help. Laura, you and your hubby are raising up an exceptional future husband! Love you guys so very much. I’ve been watching your content every single day since I found you back in 2020 during COVID and I’m so blessed for it. ❤
Love, love, love it! I wish I had known how much fun this was when homeschooling our six kids! Will share this one for sure. Precious mother/children time! Thank you!
Laura, this was the perfect project for my kids and I to do today! My father passed away a couple weeks ago and I was trying to figure out a way to use the dried flowers from the bouquets we received. This will be such a beautiful way to preserve those for my family and gifts for extended family. Thank you for sharing.
I love salt dough ornaments! Have some I made in 1982 that still look great today. If you spray them with crystal clear polyurethane it helps protect them from moisture and they won’t yellow over time. Mod podge can turn yellow after a while.
Hi Laura! This was another fun video. Loved seeing Benjamin doing his own ornaments. They turned out so pretty. I'd missed Douglas coming in the window, so when I saw it in the comments I had to go back and watch it. Too cute, and sneaky! Thank you so much for sharing!
The way you bring life to death is beautiful! I have two arrangements in the house now made from foraged branches and grasses that my kids and I found last weekend. Inspired from you all 💕
It was so fun watching Douglas sneak in. The has been wanting inside for so long and the finally achieved is goal. I wish you would have filmed when he let you know he was inside.
What an adorable and sweet project. We are on our third day of being snowed in and I think I will do this lovely project with my granddaughter. She will love it! Thank you.
What a “lovely” tree! ❤ However, I am now going to have to go back and watch again to see Douglas climbing through the window that everyone is commenting about, as I totally missed it on the first go round!
I love these so much!♡ What a simple recipe to make the salt dough. I also love that it is so "Kid friendly " as well. At the flower shop where I work, we offer workshops every month. This would be a great project idea to offer! Thank you for sharing this beautiful idea!
Awe! I traced my son’s hand with that kind of dough, eight years ago and made it into a Santa Claus. Still hanging on our Christmas tree. One of my favorite ornaments! We’ll have to try heart ones. So sweet! ❤
This video made my day. I love Benjamin's enthusiasm and this was the best project to do with your kids. I'm inspired to do something similar with my son.
ooh!! I need to go back and re-watch some of the old flower press videos. Now that I have 3 seasons of wreathing under my belt, I'm really digging dried flower crafts
I love this project so much. Benjamin is adorable. I want one 🥰 Benjamin that is 🥰 I miss when my kids were little and liked doing crafts with me. Love the flowers but I feel like you could use lots of other things in place of the flowers... Stickers, glitter, confetti, photos... Love the branch too! I might bring out my little tabletop tree for Valentine's Day and Easter 💝🐣
Absolutely adorable!!!!!! They are all so unique. Thank you for sharing the recipe. You are so cute with your kids-so patient and loving. You’re a breath of fresh air! I can’t think of anyone on TH-cam I’d rather watch. So glad I found you years ago as I’ve learned so much from you and Aaron.
I always enjoy watching and learning from your videos on gardening, but when you do crafting videos my heart soars as well. I love creating and crafting. Thanks for another wonderful video and lesson. Your Benjamin and Samantha are so sweet💕. Thank you for sharing your life with us. Blessings to you💖💖
Anyone else hold their breath while watching Douglas make his way into the Hartley? Never a dull moment with that guy. ❤
Lol! 07:05 I saw that too! Little trouble maker!!!
I was doing the same thing. Please don't let anything fall over...LOL!!!
😂😂😂 I was !!
I was holding my breath that nothing would get knocked over and was so focused on Douglas I wasn't watching the actual video content. Haha
Yes!
Oh my gosh, Douglas climbing through the window of the Hartley, cracked me up. That guy really loves his humans.
I spotted that, too!
sweet cat
See him on the chair on the montage from 9:10, just his floofy tail and his little ears showing.
Must admit, I went back to see the cheeky devil climb in
"Let's decorate some more, shall we?" ~Benjamin
❤
I know. I love the word shall. We don’t use it enough!
That was too adorable
07:05 Sneaky just found a new way to sneak into the Hartley!!! 😂😂❤😂😂
Laura, you are a loving, caring mother. The way you let the kiddos help with your projects. Amazing. And I was shocked that Douglas didn't break something while sneaking in through the window? BTW love the Valentine tree. Gorgeous.
Love seeing you do things with your children, Laura. How you encourage them, teach them and include them is beautiful. In these simple everyday joys, you’re making memories that will last a lifetime. ❤
7:19 Douglas sneaking in the window 😱😂
😂❤
Totally distracted by his little sneak
Love this project. Makes me want to dry pansies. St. Patrick's Day with clover shapes would be super fun too!
And an Easter tree! Loved that the whole family was involved including Douglas!
That is the best tree ever! I loved watching mother and son. How special! Oh what beautiful memories.
So cute! An Easter tree would be so cute too❣️
Just add bunnies, eggs, and carrots -- years ago, Laura made an Easter arrangement with this same vase and hung decorative eggs❤
Douglas has joined the party, pretty, pretty hearts!
What a great use of the dried flowers! Great craft idea!! Finished product looks amazing! Benjamin is the cutest as he high-fives the whole world 😃 High-five back to you!!
Love❤❤❤the Valentine Day tree. So special. Love the dried flowers and how smart you kept them…Always nice to have a plan. So easy and so clever. 🎉 Beautiful in celebration of ❤love.
And Douglas found his way in the greenhouse, how funny!! 😂
So lovely! At the end you said V for Viola, and I got so excited, as that was my mom's name...and she was as lovely as your Valentine ornaments and tree!
I can totally see Benjamin carrying on Garden Answer when he gets older. ❤
For sure! They definitely have a family business in the making here!
I was completely distracted by the cat. I gasp when I was him go through The Hartley window. 😆 Fun craft.
This is such a beautiful project! Im thinking of doing at my garden tea party
Oh that would be so lovely or a Mother’s Day tea.
Great idea!
Favorite part! Benjamin saying “shall we?” So dang cute! Lol Douglas almost stole the show but the tree was absolutely adorable ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Love Love Love!!! Ornaments would also be so sweet strung above a kitchen window with some fairy lights 😍
Fun project! How about doing egg shapes and bunnies for the next tree???
I was thinking the same thing! Tissue paper could be used too with bunnies or carrots on it. Tear and place on the ornaments. So many possibilities with such cute results.
"Garden them up" - I'm stealing that phrase! Love this sweet tree!
Those are so adorable! I love how you get the kids involved and how crafty you are. Great idea on the alphabet ones with the flowers that start with the letter. You are smart and inspiring.
I love Benjamin's attitude. He is so positive and game to try anything. He's so well-mannered and naturally polite and well-spoken. I love that you let him taste the salt dough. Laura, your family is a delight. I love the decorations, and I'm tempted to do some right now, as I have all of the supplies. I think that they would be beautiful individually hung in a window, or with double holes, hung on a swag.
Update: I did mix up 1/2 a batch. I couldn't believe how "fluffy" the dough was. I've made dough in the past tha felt very hard. It did take much longer in the oven. Like 2-3 times as long, but that's okay. I dug out the flowers and the Mod Podge and today I get to decorate. I have some friends coming over next Saturday, so it will be a fun little gifty to give them!
How beautiful!!! I LOVE this so much, and how precious that Benjamin and Samantha Grace were helping. It is just precious! Would also be pretty for a bridal shower or wedding gift table. Would also look pretty with fairy lights woven into it. Thank you for sharing this idea with us Laura. 😃👍🏻
Such a fun project. Hearts and flowers, whats not to like? Well done Benjamin. So glad Douglas didn't knock over a pot.
Benjamin follows directions so well! He is really observant!
Thank you for this -just beautiful - I love that you include your children - they are so bright and spunky - you know the saying -
"an ounce of pluck is worth a ton of luck"! Douglas is quickly becoming a star - he really loves you guys and wants to be in every video - so cute! Garden on!!!
Miss my kids being little for these kinds of things! They look beautiful!
And this is how memories are made and carried through the adult years when the children become parents. Brava!!
This project turned out so stinking cute!!! I swore off new hobbies, but i think that just changed!
Love seeing Benjamin gain confidence and growing so fast, Samantha Grace too.
Those blue sunglasses....so great.♥️♥️
Love Douglas sneaking in to join the party🎉
Laura, when I was small my Mother and I made salt dough ornaments for Christmas in the shape of snowmen, we used cloves or peppercorns for eyes, cinnamon sticks for arms, or snips of grapevine wreath, and tied a scarf with a piece of muslin or gingham , they were my favorite on the tree till I was in my 20s! These are so sweet ! I can’t wait to make ❤
"Garden them up!" Definitely will be borrowing this phrase.
For the flowers that are too thick , I'd suggest pulling the pedals apart and arranging them in flatter designs... 😊Happy Gardening.
I loved this project. Laura can make anything beautiful !❤❤❤❤ Watching Douglas was priceless!
Laura you are so creative! I love that you'll have the ornaments that Benjamin made as he grows. When my kids were little we always decorated Easter eggs from hard boiled eggs like most people. I would have the kids write their name and the year on the eggs they decorated. Each year I saved some of the hard boiled eggs and over time the inside of the egg evaporates until finally you end up with completely hollow, decorated Easter eggs from all the years past. It's fun now that my oldest has kid and she can show them the Easter eggs she decorated at their age. Thank you for sharing this project!
My Mom Blew the eggs out of the shell before boiling and then we decorated them. VERY fragile but beautiful.
Those ornaments are so sweet! I used to work at a garden center and when I'd deadhead flowers (to keep the plants pretty), I'd sometimes save the deadheaded flowers to take home later and press and then use in projects, especially petunias and pansies. So keep that in mind: deadheading is a good time to collect flowers for drying and pressing!
I Love the heart tree! ❤ The heart ornaments are lovely. What a wonderful little craft project! I just might make one. PS Thank you for teaching your little ones…Knead with a K! I’ve been a teacher’s aide for 22 years and seeing you explain and teach things to your children, I appreciate that. ❤
I love watching you interact with your kids. They each seem to have totally different personalities. It is so great that they take an interest in the gardens. I can see Garden Answer becoming a multigeneration video site.
"Let's decorate some more, shall we?" He's so precious!
Wonderful project. Benjamin is so cute when he's concentrating.
So süß,mit den Kindern, was für ein Projekt, alles gute zum Valentinstag ❤
The most precious video ever! (Hey Apple, we need a pansy/viola emoji)!!! I love seeing the kids involved in your projects but Douglas almost stole the show. 🫣
This project turned out so well! Imagination wheels start turning for many variations on this idea. For all occasions and using many craft resources. Paint, glitter, different cookie cutter shapes, stickers, charms. Sky’s the limit! 🩷🩷🩷
You can make garlands too. So many holidays...so many possibilities! Happy Mod Pogging!
Wouldn’t an Easter one look adorable?!
I love this! It would have been such fun to make with my kids are grandkids. Now I might just do it for myself and my husband. He might enjoy it too. Thank you for the great ideas!! Benjamin is so sweet!! ❤
It is so sweet watching you do a project with your little children! You have a very beautiful family!
Oh my gosh, Benjamin, you are a very sweet boy! You remind me of my son who is now almost 44 years old. He loved making things and helping with projects. The Valentines ornaments look amazing and they look great on the branches. I want to make an Easter one! Thanks for sharing! 💯 ❣️
Happy Valentine's Day!
Thanks for sharing! Years ago, we made dough ornaments at Christmas time. The hearts are beautiful and special because you and Benjamin made them together!
What a great video! Thank you Laura for offering us fellow mamas a fun project we can do with our kiddos.❤️
Oh that crazy Russell! That tree is the cutest thing I have ever seen. The ornaments are precious, and it is so cute Benjamin wants to help. Darling family💗
Loved your Valentine project. It looks so pretty. Benjamin does such a good job decorating. I was so engrossed in your project that I never even noticed Douglas sneaking into the Hartley until I watched your video again. When did you notice Douglas inside? He sure is a beautiful cat and seems to love being around his humans. Samantha is so adventurous and finds ways to entertain herself jumping on the woodpile--so cute!
🌺Darling, simply darling! 🌺Thank you, Laura, for brightening my day! I've loved ALL your dried flower ornaments and framed projects over the years. 🌿This would be a fun craft activity with the grandkiddos or a February Garden Club meeting. Another display option would be to glue a magnet on the back and place them on the fridge - how sweet with family photos and/or children's artwork!
What a wonderful project. It just warmed my heart to see mother and son working on this together. I agree it looks beautiful on the table in the Hartley.
I enjoy watching the children being involved in activities.
My favorite is the clematis in the corner and it was Benjamin’s! I started a Christmas tradition where instead of giving gifts we exchange ornaments that reflect ourselves. I want to do this on glass ornaments next Christmas.
That is such a sweet and fun idea. Love it. Loved watching Douglas coming in the window and following Arron
“Let’s decorate some more shall we”?!!! I just love how Benjamin is so smart and adorably cute. He likes to help. Laura, you and your hubby are raising up an exceptional future husband! Love you guys so very much. I’ve been watching your content every single day since I found you back in 2020 during COVID and I’m so blessed for it. ❤
Love, love, love it! I wish I had known how much fun this was when homeschooling our six kids! Will share this one for sure. Precious mother/children time! Thank you!
You’re such a sweet momma. Love seeing you with those precious babies. 😊💕
Laura, this was the perfect project for my kids and I to do today! My father passed away a couple weeks ago and I was trying to figure out a way to use the dried flowers from the bouquets we received. This will be such a beautiful way to preserve those for my family and gifts for extended family. Thank you for sharing.
My grandchildren are coming. What a great idea! Thank you!!!
Oh how fun. Such a great project with the kids.
What a great project with Benjamin and Samantha Grace.❤
I love salt dough ornaments! Have some I made in 1982 that still look great today. If you spray them with crystal clear polyurethane it helps protect them from moisture and they won’t yellow over time. Mod podge can turn yellow after a while.
Hi Laura! This was another fun video. Loved seeing Benjamin doing his own ornaments. They turned out so pretty. I'd missed Douglas coming in the window, so when I saw it in the comments I had to go back and watch it. Too cute, and sneaky! Thank you so much for sharing!
Precious memories with the kiddos!
My ADULT children and I will be making these this weekend. EEK!! Such a cute idea. Something for the grandmothers for Valentine's Day.
I love the way you made the large heart with the small heart cut off center. The tree came out beautifully.
So sweet!! Save your branches to hang eggs on for Easter!!
"let's decorate some more, shall we" ---- OH MY STARS! So So cute! Great idea :)
The way you bring life to death is beautiful! I have two arrangements in the house now made from foraged branches and grasses that my kids and I found last weekend. Inspired from you all 💕
These would make great gifts for family and teachers.
Such a fun project! I love all of the activities you plan for Benjamin and Samantha - creating memories. These hearts are so sweet.
😂❤The adorable little floof Douglas following. LOVE him😘😘😘
It was so fun watching Douglas sneak in. The has been wanting inside for so long and the finally achieved is goal. I wish you would have filmed when he let you know he was inside.
Again so lovely to reuse nature to create what you want.
What a fun project! You are such a good Mom!
Love watching you create such lovely things but mostly how you create wonderful memories with your beautiful children!❤
What an adorable and sweet project. We are on our third day of being snowed in and I think I will do this lovely project with my granddaughter. She will love it! Thank you.
Love them....also love Benjamin helping and enjoying it so much!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰
WHAT A LOVELY IDEA
So pretty. Benjamin is such a beautiful helpful child
Absolutely beautiful!
Awe, I wanted to add this to my favorites. This would make a great Grandmother gift! The garden center needs one also.
So adorable! They came out so beautiful. It’s great that Benjamin likes to help too.
Love it, Laura!!! Some soft pink fairy lights would look so cute on it, too!!!
What a “lovely” tree! ❤
However, I am now going to have to go back and watch again to see Douglas climbing through the window that everyone is commenting about, as I totally missed it on the first go round!
Me too....I was totally concentrating on Laura and her project. 🙂
I missed it, too. It's after the seven minute mark.
So so beautiful. You never disappoint Laura.
I'm in tears at how wholesome this video is!
I love these so much!♡ What a simple recipe to make the salt dough. I also love that it is so "Kid friendly " as well. At the flower shop where I work, we offer workshops every month. This would be a great project idea to offer! Thank you for sharing this beautiful idea!
Douglas is trying to sneak in the window! Great video. Love every project you do.
Awe! I traced my son’s hand with that kind of dough, eight years ago and made it into a Santa Claus. Still hanging on our Christmas tree. One of my favorite ornaments!
We’ll have to try heart ones. So sweet! ❤
This video made my day. I love Benjamin's enthusiasm and this was the best project to do with your kids. I'm inspired to do something similar with my son.
ooh!! I need to go back and re-watch some of the old flower press videos. Now that I have 3 seasons of wreathing under my belt, I'm really digging dried flower crafts
You can dry flowers in the microwave for much quicker results. Search it on line.
I love this project so much. Benjamin is adorable. I want one 🥰 Benjamin that is 🥰
I miss when my kids were little and liked doing crafts with me. Love the flowers but I feel like you could use lots of other things in place of the flowers... Stickers, glitter, confetti, photos... Love the branch too! I might bring out my little tabletop tree for Valentine's Day and Easter 💝🐣
Absolutely adorable!!!!!! They are all so unique. Thank you for sharing the recipe. You are so cute with your kids-so patient and loving. You’re a breath of fresh air! I can’t think of anyone on TH-cam I’d rather watch. So glad I found you years ago as I’ve learned so much from you and Aaron.
I always enjoy watching and learning from your videos on gardening, but when you do crafting videos my heart soars as well. I love creating and crafting. Thanks for another wonderful video and lesson. Your Benjamin and Samantha are so sweet💕. Thank you for sharing your life with us. Blessings to you💖💖
07:28 Douglas!!!😂
I love the family time together, making such wonderful memories together!
I love this crafty project! I love how Benjamin is always ready to get involved helping out his Mom! Great video Laura! ❤️