MORE VALENTINE IDEAS

MORE VALENTINE IDEAS FROM A FEW YEARS AGO . . .

There may no longer be young children in this house, but I think one still needs to decorate for the "other holidays", like Valentine's Day, kids or no kids!  Big people love the holidays too!

  So, today I made a valentine banner for the front entryway, and also put a little valentine tree in the dining room.  I typed out some love quotes in the typewriter font, cut them in strips, and glued one onto each piece.  Then you can embellish to your heart's content.  I just used ribbons and some cut out hearts, but you could add buttons, charms, lace, sheet music . . . anything!  I used these for gift tags also.

Enjoy . . . again!

And, of course you must have the essential Valentine's Day question . . .

Just a couple punches at the top of each piece, a little ribbon woven through, and you're done!  This is an easy project that would probably be even more charming if you let your young children help!

A DAY FOR A WREN

Supplies are gathered.  No paintbrushes.  No pens.  Today is a day for a wren!

A favorite textile artist, Abby Glassenberg, has made available some patterns for her own version of the beautiful little wren.  So, today, a friend and I will be doing our own version of this bird using vintage handkerchiefs - just in time for Valentine's Day.

Abby Glassenberg Design

 It's only January, but I'm looking forward to spring and the return of birds to our frozen state.  

There are so many great children's books and poems written about birds.  I think maybe the wren could be great inspiration for a children's story . . .

Just one little sampling of good, old-fashioned children's poetry involving birds:

There was an Old Man with a Beard

BY EDWARD LEAR

There was an Old Man with a beard,

Who said, "It is just as I feared!—

Two Owls and a Hen, four Larks and a Wren,

Have all built their nests in my beard.

I would love to see some children's illustrations for this one!

Thanks for looking today!

Nan

TIME FOR SOME HEARTS

I waste no time in boxing up the Christmas decorations.  Once Christmas has come and gone, I'm ready to move on.  Don't you love *sparse* after all the extras with Christmas?  

So.  What's next?  

Valentine's Day!  

It's time for hearts, and pink, and white, and red!  I looked around on Pinterest for inspiration and then got started.  I got out some of my burlap stash, which seems to multiply in my sewing boxes, and cut out hearts.  Many hearts.  Then I rolled up a few linen roses, attached some white ball trim, book page leaves, antique buttons, and a little string.   Here are just a few.  Rustic and humble.

This swag is available for purchase in my Etsy shop, Gillyflower Cottage.

What am I working on tomorrow?  

Osnaburg hearts with antique graphics transfers.


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PAPER HEARTS

Just a little something for Valentine's Day . . .

A couple winters ago, "McKinney Jan" and I made a bunch of these paper hearts.  I came home, put them away, and kind of forgot I had them.  I don't know how that happened because I love how they turned out!  Well, I found them again when I was sorting and sifting my way through my craft supplies!  What great timing!  We made them out of paper lunch bags and old book pages - kind of like a sandwich.  We just put the pieces together and ran them through the sewing machine.  Easy as can be!

Paper bag heart + batting + Paper bag heart + book page heart = stuffed paper hearts

So I got out a length of hemp string and put a little dab of hot glue on the back of each heart leaving about 6 inches between each one.

 Like this . . .

 Then a little dab of hot glue at either end of the mantel to hold it up there.

(Yes, on the mantel.  I do stuff like that.)

 And it's done!

Now, to bring a little valentine-ness to the rest of the house . . .


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