Friday, February 5, 2016

Valentine Crafts Reviewed

Valentine Crafts Reviewed
My loyal readers will not be the least bit surprised to hear me say, I love crafts!  Not only do I enjoy creating things myself, but I love to look at tutorials.  Even if I don't end up making a particular craft, I often take away really valuable advice and tips when watching or reading tutorials.

Some of my personal favorite gifts have been handmade crafts.  My mom quilted a throw for me several years ago.  My grandmother made a huge stuffed mouse for me when I was little.  I have ornaments on my Christmas tree that friends and family have made for me.  Year after year, I loving place them in their "spot" on the tree.  

Some of my best childhood memories were opening my gifts and discovering that Mom had made me a new dress, blouse, or rayon* overalls.  Yes, I expect I was the only person ever to have silky overalls, but I loved them!  They suited my feminine tomboy image.  Although, I admit it.  I did not climb trees in those overalls, but I do believe I wore them fishing.  

By the way, did I mention that those rayon overalls were a Valentine's Day gift?  If memory serves me correctly, I do believe they were.  They were certainly lovingly sewn and made just for me.  Isn't that really the best kind of Valentine's Day gift?

Now, let's explore some really wonderful Valentine's Day crafts that would make fabulous gifts!

  *For those who may not know, rayon is a material that looks like silk or satin, but is actually more durable than either.


Valentine's Day Crafts Make Great Gifts


The Keepsake Box


Valentine Crafts for Seniors
Here is a great Valentine's Day craft!  One of our very own contributors, Mary Beth, shared how to decorate a heart shaped keepsake box in her article, Crafts for Seniors.  This is such a perfect craft for parents to make with their young children.  It requires very little, if any, crafting experience and gives a child a real sense of accomplishment.  

But the really cool thing about this craft is that it is not limited to little children.  Anyone could make a beautiful keepsake box for their sweetheart, mom, dad, friend, sibling, or child.  In Mary Beth's case, she helped her own mother make a beautiful box.  These types of memories, and times spent with the people we love, are a big part of what makes me love crafting so much.  Both the memory and the box are true cherished keepsakes.



The Sailor's Valentine


Sailor's Valentine by Sylvestermouse
The Sailor's Valentines that I made for our children is one of my own personal favorite crafts.  It is a simple technique that has stunning results.

A sailor's valentine is made with a variety of seashells.  The art of creating a sailors valentine is simply laying the shells out in a pattern that is visually appealing.  As my grandmother used to say, "how can you fail when you are using such beautiful things to begin with?"  She was absolutely right, of course.  Seashells are quite beautiful individually.   Placed in a pattern or design, seashells are spectacular!

You can learn the history of this craft as well as how to make an easy Sailor's Valentine in this tutorial:  Sailor's Valentine



Heart shaped Puzzles

The Heart Shaped Puzzle


If you want to give, or send, a secret message to your sweetheart, you will love the idea of creating a Heart Shaped Puzzle.

There are a couple of ways to craft a puzzle.  You can either purchase a puzzle kit, print your own design and completely make the puzzle yourself.  Or, you can simply craft your design with a message and allow the online company to print your image on the puzzle and send it to you to give completely ready to assemble.


I absolutely love the idea of making a one of a kind puzzle for your sweetheart with a private message or photo.  The question is, will you help put the puzzle together or simply watch the process in anticipation of the moment you sweetheart figures it out.


Handmade that is Ready-Made for You to Purchase

If the holiday has sneaked up on you, as holidays are apt to do, then I have a suggestion for you too!   You can still give a handmade gift.  Our own Elf has you covered.  In her Etsy shop, Wednesday Elf offers these really fabulous Valentine Heart Coasters.  Now, I shall forewarn you, there is only one set left, so you will want to act quickly.  I heard tell of a certain mouse that had her eye on these lovelies.  She might sneak right in there and snatch these coasters for her sweetheart.

Handmade Valentine Heart Coasters
  


Your Turn!


I have shared some ideas, but I would love to hear from you too!  Please leave your Valentine's Day Craft link in the guestbook below.  I know I am not alone!  We would all love to discover more Valentine's Day crafts that would make great gifts.

 
 
Valentine's Day Crafts Review by:
House of Sylvestermouse





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


7 comments:

  1. These are beautiful craft ideas for Valentine's Day! How very special are the Sailors Valentines that you made for your children! I'm very thankful for talented people like Wednesday Elf who offer the fruit of their talents for sale to those who, like me, have fallen out of the crafting habit or just can no longer do their crafts. She has some other wonderful gifts in her store, too. Thanks for sharing, Cynthia! Happy Valentine's Day to you!

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  2. These are beautiful craft ideas for Valentine's Day! How very special are the Sailors Valentines that you made for your children! I'm very thankful for talented people like Wednesday Elf who offer the fruit of their talents for sale to those who, like me, have fallen out of the crafting habit or just can no longer do their crafts. She has some other wonderful gifts in her store, too. Thanks for sharing, Cynthia! Happy Valentine's Day to you!

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  3. Oh, oh,oh... love these Valentine craft suggestions (you know I like to craft and love anything handmade). Terrific to see the Sailor's Valentine featured because I remember how interesting I found that story the first time I read it. Thanks so much for featuring my handmade Valentine theme heart coasters in my Etsy Shop, Mouse. And an extra thank you to Susan Deppner for the very sweet words about my crafts. Happy Valentine's Day to all my friends (and a friendly mouse) here at Review This!

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  4. A gift from the heart and hands is priceless. Wonderful and beautiful ideas from wonderful and beautiful individuals.

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  5. Lots of great ideas! Pinned and Shared.

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  6. I really like the puzzle idea. It's something that will last beyond candy ... but that doesn't mean we still don't want it.

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  7. I love the puzzle idea. I think it would be fun to make a keepsake box with someone I loved so we could remember the experience together. I wish I'd had the idea to do this with me mom. Than she would have had a place to store all those cards my brother and I had sent her. So far I've never found any of the ones my dad sent her. Maybe I need to keep digging.

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