Feb. 14th - St. Valentine's Day = Love

Vintage Valentine's Day Card

             February 14th - St. Valentine's Day = Love

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~ Last Week at Meadow Sweet Grove ~
"The first few days of February mark the beginning of the end of Winter ... and the beginning of the beginning of Spring!  But it's not over yet.  While we continue to carry that torch of hope for Springtime and the new growth it will bring; it's a good time to remember that we still need to make it through the rest of winter ... and get the most out of the food we buy and never, ever throw out food ... except as a last resort!" ​

Starting with the Roman Festival of Lupercalia, moving on to the Greek mythology of Venus, Cupid & Psyche and culminating with the Christian story of St. Valentine ... it's always been about Love!  Winter is ending, Spring is beginning ... love is in the air. The Meadow Sweet Grove fairies love cheeky vintage Valentines ... like the one above!  With their playful play on words - they really reflect the essence of Valentine's Day with flirtatiousness, fun and comradery.  Of course, the industrious fairies also like to turn the scraps, trimmings and clippings that they have lovingly saved throughout the year into a one of the kind home-made card creation!

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A fairy's primer to making a home-made Valentine's Day card:

The Victorians were famous for their industriousness and their fancy work.  Many, many of their craft projects would today be labeled as "re-purposing", "upcycling" or "environmentally-conscious", but this is no new trend.  Rather making do with what you have, and being a bit creative, is actually a return to tried and tested ways.  So many people throw out things ----only to buy them back in a different form!  Here's a simple card how-to:

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~ Save your scraps ~

Set aside a shoe box or large envelope and collect scraps throughout the year.  Cut out beautiful pictures from magazines, cards, advertisements, tags, packaging, wrapping paper, stickers from address labels - you get the idea!  Save little bits of ribbon from chocolate and nut packages, cut buttons off clothes too worn to donate and anything else you fancy.  Once you get going, and truly look at everything in your hand before you drop it in the trash or recycling bin - you will be amazed at what you have available to you - for free!!  Keep the scissors in the kitchen and go to it!​

~ Making the card ~  ​

There are countless ways to make your card - and absolutely the sky is the limit!  Here's one option:

• Use a piece of thin cardboard or an old card.  Cover it up entirely with a piece of tissue or wrapping paper, folding and gluing or scotch taping where needed;
• Fold a separate piece of paper in half and trace a heart.  Unfold and, on the other side, paste a collage of pretty pictures from magazines (rubber cement works best).  Allow to dry.  Fold in half gently and cut the heart out;
• Glue your heart collage in the centre of the front of the card;
• Now you may embellish it as you wish with stickers, glitter, ribbon, buttons - anything you like;
• The inside or back of the card is now ready for your own special message - "I love you" - is always good! ​

Front of Card

Et voilà!  Instant, pretty, unique and free Valentine's Day card!  The littlest fairies, of course, love making cards themselves ... and some of the not-so-little do too.  And for those who do want to spoil their loved ones with a store-bought gift - you now have more money to spend on that perfect prezzie.....

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​​Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2017