This is what I made for my Valentine!

Happy Valentine's Day!

With so much commercialism around this day and many expensive, lavish ideas on how to declare your love I wanted to do something more personal. Not a high value item but a gift of love!

As you will see, not an original idea, nor very different from mainstream Valentines gift but the one thing money cannot buy is time so that is what went into my gift. The intention being to show that OH is worth taking time over rather than just getting a token box of chocolates.

So this is how it all went............................
I bought a plain cardboard heart shaped box


and proceeded to decorate it.
In keeping with the Valentine Theme I used the traditional colours but went for Anita's Acrylic Spice Red and Sand instead of bright red and white.

I first painted the inside with Sand acrylic and once dry painted over it with watered down glue to seal the paint (less stinky than varnish)

and then cut out a heart from handmade paper with silver threads in it (not handmade by me)

I went around the inside edges with silver and then wiped it off to leave a thick, shiny, translucent outline


















I traced round the edge of the paper heart with 3D silver paint and then distressed it to give a hammered 'metal' finish,

added 3 mirror silver heart cut outs and a silver stamp saying 'may all your dreams come true',

stamped this lightly so it was just visible on the handmade paper

then used the silver stamp to finish off the edge of the box in silver (easier than trying to paint a straight edge)

Next the outside was painted Spice Red and once dry painted over with watered down glue.

I punched hearts from the same silver threaded paper on the inside and glued those around the

edge in 2's.
















I did some smaller mirror heart shapes on top of the paper hearts and painted cream dots on between the hearts.

On the lid I cut out another large heart from handmade paper to which I added a 'Love' transfer and a silver, metal teddy with a heart.
Around the edge I stuck silver cord and followed the shaped of the cut out heart with silver glitter glue. After much drying time I added cream dots and silver cutout stickers around the edge with 2 red diamond shape flat back rhinestones.
I bought some plain chocolate hearts in red foil, made some yummy whisky truffles and covered some with white chocolate, some milk chocolate and some with vanilla sugar.
It was tricky to make these close to the day and finding a place to hide them that was cold enough so they wouldn't melt but not be seen. If you are making truffles the fridge is an ideal place to keep them but not if they are going to be a surprise!

Late on Saturday night I folded some bright pink tissue paper for the base of the box and arranged the truffles and then placed box and card in a prominent place (hoping this was also cold enough not to leave a messy puddle of chocolate as we have such a lovely warm house.)
I also bought a small wooden heart to which I added a message.

Hope you liked this project.

Love is in the air - Valentine's Day is on it's way!

I love hearts, they are my favourite shape and I include them where ever I can.
My cat is called Valentine although he is round and fluffy and not heart shaped at all! He was my 2008 Valentine gift and I adore him, much preferred to an expensive bunch of roses that wilt in a week.

Below were commissions. It was the first time I have done anything like that and writing with liquid glass is tricky but I had fun working on them.
Anyway, I was thinking they would be a lovely way to declare your love for that special someone at any time of the year. But for those who avoid schmaltzy red hearts they are still very romantic.

Colours and initials to suit, presented in a gift box.

For her



For him


I captured a shot of this couple in our garden. Unfortunately my lens was focussed on him when she came into sight so her face is a bit blurred. Such a pity as she is really nervous and was only there for a second. I only ever see her late at night.
I am hoping they will bring their babies to visit in due course.

I know not everyone likes foxes but I love all wildlife and these two are beautiful and happily mange free so I am hoping healthy cubs will follow.

One World One Heart

I am so excited to be part of an idea that grew from humble beginnings to reach out to people all over the world!
A word from the organiser....
This event began in 2007. The original idea behind this giveaway event was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way. This is more than wanting to win something.......that is only the means.......in the end it's about finding kindred spirits. Someone who may be fairly new to blogging, not sure how to navigate, find others and have others find them....Some are long time bloggers and in some cases well known in the art community. Whatever the case it brings all of them together. It transcends geographical location, socio economics, political affiliation, religious beliefs......it's a coming together like the giant community we are on this planet. You don't need to be an artist to participate each year, this is open to everyone. The aim is for the event post itself to be about welcoming and showing what each visitor has a chance to win by stopping by.....AND giving the visitor a chance to read and learn more about each person along the way.

The winner will receive the Love Heart Necklace and matching Earrings pictured below. This was made especially for this initiative and is the only one if it's kind!

To enter all you need to do is leave a comment on this post. Please be sure to include your email address. The final day for leaving a comment is Feb 11th, as the draw will be made and announced on February 12th!

To find out more and see a list of the participating blogs and their links, please click the One World One Heart logo in the side bar.
Good Luck xxx

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

I wish you all a very HAPPY NEW YEAR.
May you enjoy happiness, health, prosperity
and love in 2009

Happy Hanukkah!!!

To all my Jewish friends and everyone in Israel

Shalom - Peace to you at Hanukkah and always

As you celebrate the Festival of Lights,
may your home be bright with happiness and love.
Best Wishes at Hanukkah
xxxxxxxxxxx