A Tiny Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day, dear friends! May your day be special.

I love Valentines and Valentine's Day! Often I am blessed with cards or flowers from my kids or friends. But this year---Just*In*Case, I treated myself to a tiny Valentine quilt project/ kit from Temecula Quilt Company. The little quilt is called Box of Chocolates and is a free pattern on their website, or it can be purchased as a kit for not much more than a store bought card!

Oh I was thrilled.

I love the fabrics they used, none of which I've ever seen to buy. What a treat! Each calico would be perfect for a dress for my china doll! How would I chose even? [I don't think they do yardage online.]

The picture to the far right is their version, with ''frosting" on the heart. I chose to make mine emphasizing the hearts and was pleased they included plenty of fabric to make that change.

My quilting friends won't be impressed, but look how tiny the pieces are.. 3/4" finished, I think.

The pattern was so easy and well written! What a change from some of our recent prim projects lately, much as we love them. Look how perfectly they went together.

Really fun mini quilt! It took me about 4 hours to complete. I think it's adorable.  Approximately 6" x 9".

Love the inclusion of the plaid, too.

My only regret is that there was not enough border fabric to fussy cut the side borders so the sweet calico motif was centered.

This year I didn't do lots of Valentine decorating. I put my Valentine inspired strawberries in my old Sandwich Glass candy jar [instead of chocolates, too bad.].

Some were sold so I switched back to to my heart shaped tin cheese and candy molds and cooky cutters that usually reside in this jar. . I enjoy my red transferware for Valentine's Day too.

Speaking of tiny Valentines...

This is media star Doug the Pug, not my Mo.

[Poor Doug, always looks exhausted! ]
Mo is ensconced in the bin of plaids and refuses to dress up.

Inspired by Lori tidying up her homespuns, I had emptied this bin out, washed and refolded all the plaid shirting bits and pieces. Mo was NOT pleased! He spent a good ten minutes making everything messy and comfy again. sigh...

Later I might make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for my kids' Valentines.
( Mo later in his bow tie!)

Happy Valentine's Day!

love

lizzy 

gone to the beach...

Box of Chocolates tiny quilt pattern, Temecula Quilt Company : HERE

a Sailor's Valentine

Hello! "Hot enough for ya?" It's 97 in the city, only 80 here, but there's a crazy gale wind blowing from the south today. Hot wind, about 40 mph sustained! At 4 o'clock Mo and I tried to go out to sew on the deck. The wind captured my Watermelon-block pieces and hurled them off into the air. Mo gave chase, I hobbled after and together we rescued the prepped pieces. But didn't last long, just too windy.

The other day when I showed you all the tiny shells found on my early summer beach, Mel and I talked about making sailors' valentines with the shells. Briefly these were a supposed craft made by whaling ship sailors to bring home to their sweethearts as gifts. Truth is, they were an island craft and sold in places like Barbados. Tacky souvenirs were just as popular in 1840 as in 2016! This way the men could drink their rum and sleep off-shift and still have something to show for their time at sea. Now this shell art is very prized and costly, both antique examples and new versions.

For awhile I made some Sailors' Valentines. This is the only one I still have.

I loved making the Valentines but at that time the hexagonal/ octagonal boxes were not available to buy [and my dad totally refused to make me some!] and I had no outlet like etsy to sell them. Instead most were given as gifts or simply discarded and I stopped making them.

The box is decoupaged and distressed,

...the inside holds two Valentines. I used a faux scrimshaw carving and an old faded sepia photo, added tiny shells.

I especially love the little rosettes, a motif often seen in the old Valentines.

This is the companion box, a small Shaker-style oval box, also distressed and decoupaged. It contains only memories.

Just a peek, my Whalies! For P2. They too got frazzled by the wind earlier....

Have great weekend!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

PS Look who is visiting! This is the Twins, so I am hopeful the other friendly but much tinier visitor is my Kitty, their mom. They are all part of our local neuter and return program. The neighbors finally realized that the small colony of feral cats cuts down on rats, raccoons, possums, etc. The cats are good neighbors.

More sailors' Valentine's, here.

Sailors' Valentines History, here