NEIGHBORLY VALENTINES

When I got up this morning, there was a sweet gift bag on my doorstep from "the neighbors"! The candle is Vanilla Egg Nog, the pinks are candy coated almonds, and the striped background is a pretty scarf! They are such wonderful people!

Here is what I made for them:

For Becky, the mom, I made this tag. I happened to run across this saying on the internet a few days ago and knew it would be perfect for her.

For the kids (one girl, three boys) I made candy cups of molded white chocolate hearts and snowmen and a few Kisses.

I hope you all have a very nice Valentine's Day!

TIME FOR A LITTLE SOMETHING

I didn't join in any Valentine swaps this year - I have so many from previous years! I love pulling out seasonal swap items, it's so much fun! Here's a pretty illustration from an early Vogue magazine that I colored in. Please feel free to use it.

Went thrifting with Mister yesterday (Saturday). I picked up this charming coffee mug for my Becky.

I was delighted to find these English teacups with cottage design. A nice addition to my collection!

We're ready (or not!) for another foot or two of snow over the next 36 hours, to add to the three feet we already have. I'm not complaining, though. It's annoying, but I'm so grateful that my area doesn't get plagued with tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, and the like. The earth will start shifting its' position next month and Spring will be on its way!

HAVE A LITTLE LOVE

I made this little Valentine shadowbox from an Andes Mints box - just the right size for my chipboard letters!

MY LATEST VALENTINE CRAFTS

I had decided to make a Valentine tag for my neighbor, Becky:

She's a sweetheart! At the last minute, I decided to make a card for her 3-yr-old son, because he's home most of the time (preschool two half-days/wk) while his three older siblings are in school. I also tucked in a piece of chocolate.

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It's hard to tell, but I made it a pop-out card.

Well, yesterday afternoon I walked down the driveway and put them in their mailbox. As I was coming back the 2nd grader was walking over with a vase of flowers in hand! I told him I had just put the cards in the mailbox and he went to get them.

Becky called to thank me for the gifts and was especially thrilled that I gave a card and candy to Shawn. He had a fever and couldn't go to his pre-school V'Day party, and was jealous that his brother had come home with all kinds of candy and he had none. So she said that I had made his day! (Thank you, Lord!) Becky also said that she gave the flowers as a thank you for letting her kids use my (long) driveway to get to the bus stop.

I was happier about the blessing I was than the flowers I received.

SOME VALENTINE DECORATIONS

We got another foot (30cm) of snow today, :( . I had to shovel a path from the house out to the road that our back driveway goes to, because it's a heck of a lot shorter than the 1/8 mile long "official" driveway - twice! I'll be sore tomorrow! I hired the two brothers next door to shovel a path down the long driveway to the bus stop.

I am joining up at Rednesday, hoping all those reds will warm me up!

I'm going to show you some of my Valentine decorations - some that I made. First is a beautiful accordion card that I picked up a year or so ago. It's so pretty!

Next is my what-not shelf.

I decorated the three little bottles for V-Day - stickers or double-sided tape so I can take them off easily.

Couldn't resist giving this forlorn angel a Valentine card. Hope she cheers up.

This is a candy box that I decorated for myself. I am absolutely in love with it!

Remember this guy? "Where's Steve?" (Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter). He's looking to get lucky!

Last is a heart-shaped necklace that came from my aunt's estate.

A BLUE REDNESDAY!

I'm getting ready for Valentine's Day in a blue fashion this year - on one shelf, anyways! And there's just enough bits of red to qualify for Rednesday, too! This is the shelf above my craft table.

Some vintage Avon Here's My Heart containers, two Lefton girls, and a few other pretties!

VALENTINE SPOOLIE SWAP!

LIST OF SWAP PARTNERS HERE.

I have thought long and hard over whether to have a Valentine swap, and what kind. I finally decided to do a spoolie creation swap. Sandy, of 521 Lake Street, had an Easter Spoolie swap last year and I loved it! So, here we go!

This is a sample picture of what a spoolie craft looks like:

You can look on Google for more ideas. If you don't have, or can't get, a thread spool then "think out of the box" and use something else like a mini candle stick or a small salt shaker!

You can also add little gifts like candy, craft supplies, trinkets, and whatever you may think of.

If you would like to join, you must be an active blogger, and sign up below by Friday, January 10th. (I always accept stragglers, though!)

I will let you all know the details on Monday, January 13th.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

I hope you all have a happy day and if you don't have a valentine, remember that God loves you very much!

Pink pearl heart Nestabling from Want2Scrap. Hearts and squirrel embellishment - Martha Stewart/Michaels.

VALENTINE REDNESDAY

Happy Valentine Rednesday! How many of you were affected by Blizzard Nemo? It dropped 24 inches/61cm of snow on my town here in Massachusetts. Some places got 30+ inches, flooding and power outages! We were blessed with safety and power. The hurricane-force winds blew drifts up to 5 feet/1.5meters in some parts of the yard! (Didn't help while shoveling to the bird feeder.) But the wind did keep the snow off the feeders so the birds were able to eat throughout and after. Here's a shot of the snowbirds (juncos) before I shoveled.

Now, for some Valentines . . .

You know something good is about to happen when you receive a lime-green package in the mail!

It's from Denise of Bloomin' (formerly Beagle Run Cottage) blog. I couldn't wait to tear it open! Take a look at the fantabulous banner she made. Of course, it deserved a place of honor in the kitchen!

She also sent along this great patriotic apron! I can smell the burgers on the grill already! Come on, Summer! Thanks so much for thinking of me, Denise!

Next is a Valentine that I made, but didn't finish. I thrifted the heart-shaped metal wreath (6"/15cm) and glued on the lace and tulle. I hung it on this hook right above my craft desk and there it sits! I kinda like it as-is!

This Valentine I made for my 90-year-old gardening buddy, Ethel. She's such a sweetie! I'll make some heart-shaped sugar cookies to take over with this. I used a gift-card box and glued the doors on, then decorated the inside with a 3-D girl.

Now, I'll be on my way and I wish you all a very pleasant Valentine's Day!