Country Crafts
Celebration of the Heart

Valentine Postal Suggestion:

• Postmaster
  ATTN: Valentines
  Cupid's Mailbox,
  P.O.Box 201,
  Valentine, NE
  69201.
• Postmaster
  ATTN: Valentines
  Saint-Valentin Post Office
  SAINT-VALENTIN QC
  J0J 2E0
  
• Postmaster
  ATTN: Valentines
  Valentine Post Office
  Valentine, Texas 79854-9998
  
• If you or someone you know has a 50th Wedding Anniversary and would like a card Signed by the President Contact: Presidential Correspondence
  White House
  1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
  Washington, DC 20500
  202-456-1111
  The requests should be received at least one month before the event.

The Legend Of The Valentine

And on the violets' leaves
He pierced these lines divine
That simply said, "I Love You"
And "I'm your Valentine"
So through the years that followed
From that day unto this
Folks still send messages of love
And seal them with a kiss.

Because a Saint in prison
Reached through prison bars one day
And picked a bunch of violets
And sent them out to say
That faith and love can triumph
No matter where you are
For faith and love are greater
Than the strongest prison bar.

Author Unknown

Craft Ideas

• Sew up this Annie and Heart tie-on.
• Paint this Pennsylvania Dutch Valentine
• Make a card that only you can send. Create your own love story with a card from Kodak Gallery
• Make a Cupid doll
• Create a Create beautiful Photo Book with your pictures at Kodak EasyShare Gallery. A Classic 9 x 10-1/4 Photo Book with front window, hardbound cover, with up to 9 photos per page. Write your own captions and make it a valentine to remember.
• Try this Paper Cast Valentine
• Paint a Valentine Bouquet
• Make a woven heart out of red and white paper to send your valentine or attach a handle and use as a basket.
  
• Add a Rusty Tin Heart for a rustic valentine.
• Make a Valentines wreath out of wire and chocolates in the shape of a heart
• Make a music CD of favorite romantic songs.
• Add some dried beans to a 6 inch pot and plant a bouquet of Rose pens.
• Red heart placemats made of paper embellished with more hearts and flowers
• Fanfold red paper to cut hearts in a paperdoll fashion to form a garland
• Paint these Paper Mache Boxes to hold a special gift or momento.
• Use a heart shaped cookie cutter or Cake Pan to make heart shaped food.
• Hot glue Candy Hearts to a fabric covered styrofoam wreath
• Romantic Sachets
  Materials for 1 sachet:
  Scissors
  Fabric scraps
  Pins
  Needle and thread or sewing machine
  1/4 cup dried potpourri such as chamomile lavender or rose
  Ribbon for hanging
  Stuffing

  Instructions:
  1. Cut 2 identical hearts out of fabric. An option would be to also cut 2 identical hearts out of lace and sew the 4 together sandwiching the lace over the fabric.
  2. Pin right sides together and sew, leaving an opening at the top.
  3. Turn right side out. Fill with chamomile, lavender or rose, and stuffing.
  4. Insert Ribbon for hanging and hand stitch the opening closed.
  Further embellish as desired with pearls, embroidery or ribbon roses.
  

• Not-So-Sweet
  Wrap some cinnamon hearts in a square of plastic wrap and attach the following with a red ribbon:
  I couldn't send you flowers
  Chocolates wouldn't do
  And Hallmark cards don't say
  The things I wanted to.

  I got you something special -
  Here's the inside scoop
  I found you something rare
  Authentic Cupid Poop!
  

• Origami heart
• Crayon Hearts
• Pick one of these Valentine projects from Michaels

Decorating Ideas

• Make a Valentine Wreath
• Decorate your kitchen with these Potholders.
• Add Floating Heart Candles to your centerpiece.
• Heart Candle Holder Jar
• Make a meat loaf shaped into a heart with celery sticks stuck into it for the arrow
• The Art of Romance
• Say it with Magnetic Valentine Kiss Hearts
• Valentine Deluxe Party Kit

For Kids

• Print and color this Valentine Mailbox
• Color this Valentine
• Activities to print out from Crayola
• Heart Bingo
• Valentine's Kids Crafts
• Valentines for Kids

Sign Ideas

• The measure of love is to love without measure
• The bigger the heart, the more love it can hold
• The best gift is from the heart
• A Mother is the heart of the family
• A sprinkle of love makes your heart grow
• Friendship warms the heart
• Dear to my heart
• Hugs can tame the wildest heart
• Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be

Cards

• Snap Up Card
• Clip Art
• Tuck in a Woodworking Gift Card for an extra special valentine.
• Woven Ribbon Card
• Make your own Origami Pop Up Valentine
• When mailing a Valentine crumple it first then smooth it out - write a PS, "I'm sorry this card is so crumpled but I hugged it before I mailed it"
• Cards that will Amaze and Inspire
• Heart Pop Up Card to Print

Wedding Crafts

I've set up a Wedding Timetable with links to crafts for your wedding. And a page of party and shower ideas. If you need a Gift ideas, I have a page of them as well.

Recipes

• Heart Shaped Cake:
  Bake half your batter (your flavor choice) in a round pan and the other half in a square pan. Cut the round cake in half. Place one cut edge against one side of the square cake, place the other round cake half, against the next side of the square cake to resemble a heart. Frost with your favorite frosting, covering the "seams" as you work.
• Valentine Treats: Recipes and Crafts for the Whole Family
• Another fun way to serve dessert is with heart shaped cookies with love messages you've written in frosting.
• Romantic Dinner - Serves 5

Gift Ideas

• Kissing teddy bear couple in custom love seat with roses, candles, champagne & more.
• Engrave this mini picture frame silver key chain or silver flask key chain with your names and wedding date.
• Personalize this cocktail shaker
• Luxury chocolate gifts for Valentine's Day
• A Gift Card for the woodworker in your life.

Links

• What Keeps a Man Crazy in Love

How to Say I Love You