Valentine’s Day! This year we decided that instead of spending a fortune going out that we’d try and turn an ordinary day at home into something a bit extraordinary! I asked N if he would help me build a blanket fort so that we could have an indoor picnic and spend the afternoon watching movies.
Yes, this might all be a bit cheesy, but I’m a girl and sometimes I want to feel like I’m in a romantic movie dammit!
Read on to see how we made it and how it all turned out!
We gathered all of our white sheets, duvet sets, throws and blankets together along with a roll of string and as many pegs and clips as we could find from around the house. I had also found some voile panels going cheap at a second hand shop which I thought might help create a soft and floaty effect.
N set about attaching string from the curtain poles on one side of our lounge all the way across to the curtain poles on the opposite side, then used more string to connect it all together in the centre using our ceiling light fitting. This made a basic suspension structure from which sheets could be hung.
Mr Darcy has a spidey sense for string and came running in to ‘help’ with the construction.
I was told to go and relax in the other room whilst N got to work and when I was called back in the room had been transformed! N’s clever string idea had worked like a dream. He had pinched parts of the sheets with the pegs to make little peaks which helped everything to drape and gave it a bit of a carnival tent look.
Our sofa cushions made a comfy floor and he had covered them in a soft white blanket before adding yet more cushions.
We finished it off by stringing fairy lights on the inside and lining glowing candles at the entrance.
Amara.com had kindly let me choose something from their site for Valentine’s Day. At first I had my heart set on some dining pieces from Miss Etoile, but then I fell in love with this beautiful Kate Spade candle*. It gives off the most gorgeous soft lighting and a wonderful muted fig scent.
We poured ourselves a glass of Prosecco, added a drop of Chambord and toasted the day.
I’d love to say that I played the domestic goddess and cooked up lots of healthy treats, but on this occasion we both wanted to relax, so we made do with party tidbits picked up from the supermarket.
Breaded mushrooms, cheesy bites and onion rings that we popped in the oven for 20 minutes…
Strawberries and belgian chocolate dipping sauce…
…the cutest mini profiteroles…
…plus a big box of chocolates that N had surprised me with in the morning.
Inside the fort it was lovely and warm and we laid back and watched Zoolander on my tablet (not the most romantic film, but a compromise on N’s first choice which was Fast and the Furious 7!).
So yes it may all be a bit cheesy, but for next to no money we had a beautifully simple little afternoon together. No stress, just food, laughter, love… and a few kitty invaders!
…and who can ask for more than that?
I hope you had a good Valentine’s Day however you spent it! What do you think of the blanket fort… would you have a go at making one of these?
