What About Love...

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Let me just say...I don't really hate Valentine's Day. I just find it slightly annoying. If you love someone, you should let them know all year round....not just on Valentine's day! The day is completely jammed down our throats, I barely had time to take down my Christmas lights. As soon as the new year began...hearts and candy began to choke the aisles of my neighborhood convenience store. And I might just throw up if I see another Jared commercial!

Ok, so my mini rant is over...I feel better getting that off my chest! Anyway, I thought it might be interesting to highlight a few etsy artists that have some "anti-valentine's day" items. The one thing that I love about etsy is that you will probably find something cool, interesting, and definately one of a kind!

ArtByLupeFlores

Until next time....happy crafting!

Nordea nordeasoaperie

What was the best holiday gift you have received?

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When we’re kids the gifts we ask for are largely influenced by television. I can still recite all the words to My Buddy and feel the sense of loss at never having had one despite the fact that, thinking back, I always thought he was kind of creepy. It sure was a catchy tune though! Aside from the occasional She-Ra Cloud Castle or Popple that we dragged around everywhere (much to our parents dismay) a lot of the gifts from those early years are forgettable.

As time goes on we stop seeing our parents as bringers of stuff and things and begin to see them more the way we see Grandma…as a dispenser of cash. It’s not because we’re greedy. It’s because that’s what we need most at that time in our lives. How will you get through college if you can’t buy coffee and burritos?

This is generally followed by a brief, well-meaning, but delusional stage when we inform our friends and family that all we want for the holidays is their Love. This is a confusing time for many and, while you do mean it, you’re not doing anyone any favors. Your loved ones are going to get you something regardless and now they have no idea where to start. While you run the risk that everyone will take you seriously and you’ll get nothing but Love. That’s great and all but, let’s face it people, Love doesn’t keep the snow from getting under your coat collar and trickling freezing torture liquid down to the small of your back. That’s SCARVES! Scarves do that.

Now that I’m an adult I think I finally get how this whole thing works and, after interviewing some of the awesome vendors from the upcoming Holiday Cavalcade I think I can safely say that all great gifts fit into one of three catagories…

1. Gifts that help us find our way - Jean of Fiber Dance Weaving Studio tells us about the 35mm camera she got in high school, "Having such a great camera allowed me to explore my creativity in a way I never had before. I went on to make photography my career. (...) Eventually, I found my way to weaving, a craft which I believe has many similarities to photography.  Not only is weaving a wonderful collaboration between man and machine (looms do have a mind and a personality of their own) but also, because I never really know what I've got until I pull a woven piece off the loom, there's a good bit of mystery and anticipation involved, as well. So now, instead of envisioning things in black and white and using different papers and chemical processes to achieve my objective, I am working with colors and fibers, and adding a whole new dimension (literally) to my creative process, while continuing a way of life that all started with the gift of a camera."

2. Gifts that make our lives easier - Karina makes tons of cool toys and coloring books for kids in her shop Windows Of Agate, but with all the work she puts into her creations it's got to be hard to find time for anything else. That's why this gift was so spot on, "When I received a standing mixer from my husband the Christmas after my second child was born, I was elated! I was sleep-deprived and overwhelmed, and getting the standing mixer did wonders to my lofty goal of baking cookies for all my neighbors." 

Besides being incredibly thoughtful, and making the lives of the recipients better in some way these gifts share one more thing in common. The third and, what I consider to be, the most important category...

3. Gifts that show us we are loved - Sayo from Sarustar Jewelry says, "my favorite holiday gift to date is a marshmallow robot from my boyfriend. He presented it to me at dinner on our second date, a few days before Christmas and a few days after I had mentioned in passing that I would like to own a marshmallow robot. (I don't remember why I wanted one) Anyway, my marshmallow robot has red eyes that light up while he spins around and around... and he is made out of a marshmallow, and he is awesome."

Find your special holiday gift at the upcoming Holiday Handmade Cavalcade.

Jessica Alpern

How To: Crafty Wedding Favor Bags Filled with Sweets

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So you want to have a crafty wedding? Taking on the entire task of making and planning everything yourself can often be too much to bear. Instead, why not pick just a few things to make for your special day? Favors are a great place to start: they're simple and can be adapted to suit your tastes and colors.

These sewn favor bags are perfect for filling with any kind of candy or sweet you desire. I filled mine with my favorite handmade candies from Papa Bubble. Aren't those little hearts just adorable? If you are making cookies or little cakes simply make the bag a bit bigger.

What you need:
(these instructions are for making one bag, so multiply it for the amount of guests you have)

4" x 12" piece of wax paper
Paper and scallop edge scissors
Sewing machine and thread
Hole punch
Scrap of wallpaper or wrapping paper
Scrap of colored cardstock
5" string or thread
One shank button

1. Fold your piece of wax paper in half to make a 4" x 6" rectangle. Fold the top down 1 1/2".

2. Sew down both long sides of the folded wax paper, backstitching at the beginning and end. Trim the threads. Tip: Use a leather sewing needle to sew through paper and make sure to change the needle before you go back to sewing fabric.

3. Use the scalloped edge scissors to trim the top part of the wax paper bag.

4. Cut a simple flower shape out of the decorative paper and punch a hole in the center. Type, write or print out your message on cardstock, punch a hole in one end and trim with scalloped edge scissors. Also, gather your button and string.

5. With the top of the bag folded over, punch a hole through the top of the bag in the center. Fill the bag with candy or other sweets.

6. Insert one end of the string through the hole from the back of the bag. String the written tag on first, then the flower and finally the button. Bring the other end of the string over the top of the bag, wrap around the back of the button and tie in a knot behind the button to hide it. Trim the string.
And there you have it! Simple and sweet favor bags for your special day!

Kayte
loveforever.etsy.com

Champagne Hearts

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Continue your celebrations of love well past February with this simple and delicious champagne cocktail. Perfect for a late night rendezvous or breakfast in bed, nothing keeps the heart aflutter like a few well placed bubbles in a little liquid love...


Pink Hearts Champagne Cocktail

There are two requirements for making this recipe. First, is a heart-shaped ice cube tray which you should be able to find fairly easily online. The second thing is a willingness to get a little tipsy.

1 oz of Ice Wine
1 oz of lychee juice
3 oz of dry champagne
2 pomegranate hearts

The night before, make a tray of pomegranate juice ice hearts. I like pomegranate cause the color is gorgeous and it's not too sweet. Alternatively, you could use any pink or red juice, or try mashed fruit -- raspberries and strawberries blended with a little sugar work especially well.

If you have a small shot glass handy, use that to measure out an ounce of Ice Wine. Ice Wine is a dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine. It adds a nice depth of flavor to the champagne and is also perfumey. If your shot glass is bigger, fill it up 3/4 full to approximate an ounce.

Or you can skip measurements all together and go by taste. Fill your flute halfway with champagne, add juice/wine mixture till it tastes the way you want and leave enough room to drop in your two ice hearts.


The beauty of this recipe is that it's completely adaptable to your individual tastes. Love mimosas? Substitute 2 oz of OJ for the wine/juice mix and raspberry ice hearts for the pomegranate. Love the tropics? Use 2 oz of mango juice or a tropical blend instead.

For a little extra zip, skip the fruit juice all together and mix 1 oz of fruit-flavored liqueur or brandy and 1 oz of vodka with the champagne and float a single ice heart on top. Delish.

And the easiest version of all? Fill your flute with red hearts, pour the champagne over and let the magic unfold....

This recipe is so lovely, you can use it even if you don't drink. Substitute ginger ale for champagne, pop in your favorite red fruit ice hearts and voila!

Two important things to remember about this recipe:
1. Alcohol doesn't freeze, so don't try to make your ice hearts with alcohol.
2. You're only limited by your taste buds and imagination.

Enjoy!






-- Susan
persuede.etsy.com