Do you give little Valentine keepsakes to friends and family members? I have in the past and everyone was so surprised. Some of my prior gifts were knitted scarves using a red novelty yarn, bookmarks made from Aida cloth with cross-stitch designs, little paper mache' gift boxes covered in hand painted rice paper and filled with little candies and those chalky hearts with saying on them, socks with lace trim, knitted slippers, scrunchies (I know they are so past but I admit to wearing them when cleaning and sleeping, so laugh at me!) more bookmarks (for Bibles or other books where multiple pages need to be marked) from grosgrain ribbon, multiple colors, key chains from pretty craft store beads, etc. you get the idea. Little things. I pick up little white bags at the party store and use a heart stamp or some other theme-ish stamp and colored inks and tie with a red ribbon.
On another sewing message board, in the 1990's, we did an annual gift exchange at Valentines Day. We embroidered tea towels with redwork embroideries. They still grace my kitchen. Ahhh, the good old days.................... OK, I'm back.
Thinking about all this brought me to "what will I do this year?" I saw this little craft and think it might work for a tea dyed brooch, maybe with some bead accents?
Blossoming Brooch
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Martha Stewart Living, February 2009
This flower pin makes a pretty gift for Mom.
1. Machine-baste 1 yard of lace trim (see the Guide) 1/4 inch from its unfinished edge. Knot at one end.
2. Gently pull unknotted end of thread while pushing trim, a few inches at a time, in the opposite direction, until trim bunches at knotted end.
3. Coil along sewn edge, brushing on craft glue periodically to secure, until entire trim resembles a carnation. Tie thread end; trim excess.
4. Cut a 1 1/2-inch circle from felt. Using a hot-glue gun, affix felt to back of coil; then glue a pin to the felt.
1. Machine-baste 1 yard of lace trim (see the Guide) 1/4 inch from its unfinished edge. Knot at one end.
2. Gently pull unknotted end of thread while pushing trim, a few inches at a time, in the opposite direction, until trim bunches at knotted end.
3. Coil along sewn edge, brushing on craft glue periodically to secure, until entire trim resembles a carnation. Tie thread end; trim excess.
4. Cut a 1 1/2-inch circle from felt. Using a hot-glue gun, affix felt to back of coil; then glue a pin to the felt.
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