Hearts of Friendship Swap

Last month my blog friend Tammy invited me to participate in a small Valentine's Day swap called Hearts of Friendship Swap. We were asked to create a heart ornament in a medium of our choice and the only requirement was to include a quotation about friendship. The box of ornies arrived at my door earlier this week and I could hardly wait to tear open the box to see what everyone had made.

Tammy - "Friends meet you in a tender place where it's safe to risk your heart."

Sandy - "Right next door or miles apart, friends are always close at heart."

Vivian - "Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold."

Vivian also sent us this sweet bonus heart ornament!

Lee - "Each friend represents a world in us."

Ruth - "Friends live in your heart."

Carla - "Friends are the stitches that hold our hearts together."

Natalea - "A friend is someone who sees through you and still enjoys the view."

Grace - "A friend is one of the best things you can be and the greatest thing you can have."

Me - "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."

I decided to hang my ornaments from the chandelier in my craft room, so the lighting isn't the best in the photos above. Tammy has posted some more detailed pics of all the swap ornaments here. I really enjoy these small exchanges because they are totally manageable to complete. It's so much fun to receive these small works of art from people whose work you admire. And the idea of including quotes about friendship was a fun addition. Wasn't it amazing that all the quotations were unique with no duplicates!

Heart Sessions :: 8

Heart Sessions :: 5

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,

And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.

~ William Shakespeare, Midsummer Night's Dream

Heart Sessions :: 2

The sweet envelope for this Valentine card is from Teresa McFayden's Paper Romance E-Zine.

I used a cupcake liner-turned-rosette as the base. The large chipboard heart is sprayed with Candy Apple Red Glimmer Mist. Small paper doily is from Martha Stewart Crafts. The damask heart is a rubber stamped image (from Michael's) embossed with clear embossing powder for a little sheen.

Sweet Inspiration Boxes

Heather of Speckled Egg hosted the Second Annual Inspiration Box Swap last month. Each of us were to fill a large matchbox with things to inspire our partners to create something for Valentine's Day. You'd be surprised how much you can fit into these small boxes! The old saying, "Good things come in small packages" certainly applies here. The photos above show the box (and contents) that I created for my 3 swap partners - Sarah, Marian and Andrea. And pictured below are the beautiful boxes these ladies created for me!

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Then my friend Cerri and I were having so much fun creating these boxes for our swap partners that we decided to do a private swap with each other and this is the sweet box that she made for me:

And this is the box I sent to Cerri:

Valentine Tag Swap Reveal

My friend, Natalea hosted a fun little swap a while back and I finally got around to photographing all of the tags I received. I have looked at them over and over again and I discover something new each time. Some of the gals have strung the tags on ribbon and create a Valentine garland, which I think is a great idea. Some have attached them to a string of pink or white lights - I really like that idea. And some of us still have their tags in book-form, which is how we received them in the mail.

1. Kathy Lowry

2. Kimberly Laws 3. Diana Ptaszynki

4. Beth Holcombe 5. Robin Kesner

6. Rachel Velder 7. Vivian Neroni

8. Jane Palmer 9. Natalea Kanderfer

10. Alisa Noble 11. Grace Palazzolo

12. Wanda Clark 13. Connie Senyitko

14. Kana Conger 15. Geralyn Gray

16. Wendy Robrecht 17. Tammy Lucik

18. Linda Hanes 19. Marion Ballog 20. ME!

If you have time, you have to check out the cute little tutorial

that Brandy has posted on the Joli Paquet blog.

Valentine Wrap Up

Just thought I would give a final Valentine wrap up with some pics I haven't shared with you yet.

I was lucky enough to find this adorable vintage Whitman's Chocolate box at a resale shop. I plan to keep it out all year long because it's just so pretty!
I mentioned in an earlier post that I participated in Natalea Kandefer's Vintage Valentine Ornament Swap and I received the most magical ornies in return. I put them all on my white feather tree which I have in my front hallway. I love them so much I hate to have to take it down. So I think I will move the tree to my studio and call it my "Tree of Love" so I can admired the tiny works of art a bit little longer.

Here are the links to the talented ladies who participated in this swap: Natalea Kandefer (hostess), Cindy Gilstrap, Kathy Jacobson, Sandy Michelle, Alisa Jane, Lee Weber, Vivian Neroni, Tammy Lucik, Heather Rowley, and Sarah Keith. Thanks so much for all these treasures girls!
Another swap I participated in was Heather Bluhm's Valentine Card Swap. Heather has hosted a couple other card swaps and it's a great way to get some original artwork greeting cards instead of buying store bought cards.
This was a 6 for 6 card swap - you make six and you get 6 back. Here are the creators of the cards I received: Heather Bluhm, Ellen Mueller, Geralyn Gray, Deanna Huggard, Jessica Rodarte and Liane. Hugs to all you gals for playing along!

Quick and Simple Valentine

Here's an idea for making a quick, but cute Valentine Card for those of you who are into last minute projects either by choice or necessity!

Gather the Following Supplies:

2 Different Sized Heart Punches

1 blank folded greeting card

2 small pieces of card stock in coordinating colors/patterns

1 medium size sheet of decorative paper

Glue Stick

Fine-Tip Marker

Chalk Ink Pad

Typewriter, alphabet stamps, or computer

1. Punch 6 hearts from decorative paper using the smaller heart punch.

2. Fold paper hearts in half vertically.

3. Glue the back, right half of one heart to the back, left half of a second heart.

4. Repeat step #3 and continue until you attach all 6 hearts together.

5. Punch a heart out of patterned card stock using large heart punch. Glue the ends of the 3D heart to the larger flat heart, as shown above.

6. Type the work LOVE on a scrap piece of card stock using typewriter, alphabet stamps or computer. I used my trusty vintage Olivetti.

7. Distress the edges of all the papers by inking with a Chalk stamp pad.

8. Draw "stitches" (or another design of your choice) around the perimeter of the folded card using a fine-tip marker. You could also sew real stiches using a sewing machine if you prefer, but the faux stiches are faster.
And "ta-da!" Your card is complete and ready to give - easy peasy!