Marilyn Gossett Designs: LOVE & VALENTINES!

Hello friends! Welcome to 2013! I realized that I have not put up a post in a while and low and behold...one of my favorite Holidays is on the horizon!
I love Valentine's Day! Over the years I have realized that unless I start thinking about it about a month before it is here, I miss out on a lot of the fun and creative activities that come with it!

Do you remember making homemade Valentines' when you were a kid? Or, picking out a special box of Valentines to share at school and maybe adding a little conversation heart with a special message for a special friend? Many of us have carried this tradition into our adult years, and one of those would be me! I love handmade gifts and cards and get that warm, cozy feeling the memories bring from childhood when I make them. Of course giving them is the cherry on the cake! I have a few ideas I would like to share with you!

The above project is one I created a couple of years ago and made several versions of. Each day for one week has a yummy chocolate and a relaxing activity suggestion for the recipient to pamper themselves. You can personalize it for whoever you are giving it to. The heart is about 8" wide and you can make it whatever size you like. Below is another version.

Maybe the above projects will inspire you a little to create some of your own. These patterns were all drawn and cut-out by me! Now days most of us have personal die-cut machines to do this part for us. But, this is a reminder that you can still create your own and use some paper punches for embellishing. Perfection is not a necessity when sharing the Love!

Below are some photos of the projects I am featuring in a Valentine's Creative Hearts Workshop coming up. It is a pictorial showing the die-cut I found to create some little baskets with a lid. The box & lid are both cut from the same pattern. The cards and a mini journal will be included in the workshop. I enjoy finding patterns that make things other than that which was originally intended. These designs are both traditional and a little vintage.