Wednesday 13 February 2008

Valentine Hearts and Flowers

I was looking around the house this week for hearts to photograph for Valentine's day and discovered that I don't actually have that many. So it was an ideal excuse for some hearty crafting. I'd been running a bit low on creative inspiration recently, but when I received my beautiful Giveaway heart from Lilly Cottage I just knew I wanted to try something similar.

I bought these two tin hearts originally to hang in my kitchen, at the time I had planned a duck-egg colour scheme, but subsequently decided it needs some warmer colours, so the hearts were consigned to a drawer. Now I had an idea for them - first a coat of paint in deeper tones.

Then flowers, lace, buttons, jewels and a very pleasant hour spent arranging and glueing transformed them into this...

and this...

I really enjoyed making these, I wish I had some more of the tin hearts, I'd like to make some in other colours, but they were bought on holiday last year, I haven't seen any around here.

On my trip to the craft shop last week I bought a pack of foam hearts thinking I could surely do something pretty with them. First, I made this hanging heart pocket. Backed in one of my favourite rose fabrics with the pocket from vintage lace, finished with more lace, ribbon and mother-of-pearl buttons.

It can be filled with whatever trinkets take my fancy and I can change them around, for now I have tucked in a couple of cards and a pink fabric rose. I'm so pleased with the result, I think I'm going to be making a few more of these.

This pink and red heart was made up as a picture frame.

I used a scrapbooking paper with a lovely rose design, plus some pink flowers to decorate and red and pink ribbons to finish. A vintage postcard provided the picture (I photocopied it as I couldn't bear to cut it up).

Lastly I made this smaller heart by shaping a length of paper-covered wire, more flowers, lace and buttons.

Now whilst I do a fair bit of crafting, mainly it's items for sale and sometimes it can become a bit of a chore making the same things over and over again. These were made for no other reason than the pure pleasure of crafting.

I often find that if I sit down with the intention of crafting, I find myself lacking inspiration, but when I'm busy doing something else, all sorts of ideas keep popping into my head, as did these whilst I was at work this week. Most of the time I jot them down in a notebook and they go no further, but I'm so glad I made the time this week to carry them through.

Posted with love...from me...to you.

24 comments:

  1. How seriously creative of you! the hearts are just super. lovely ideas.

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  2. Happy Valentines Lucy and I love all of yours beautiful hearts.
    Have a lovely day,
    Carol x

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  3. Happy Valentines to you Lucy! Love your hearts, they are all beautiful. I have recently seen some tin hearts for sale and am racking my brains to remember where Will email you if I remember! Have a lovely day
    Kimx

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  4. I think those tin hearts are truly inspired.. lovely idea.
    They would sell like hot cakes (or hearts) on your stall...
    Have a lovely Valentine's Day Lucy.

    Love
    Michelex

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  5. Gorgeous, just gorgeous. On the last pic are those flowers your bedcover?

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  6. Hi Lucy, oh your hearts are just beautiful!! I am glad our little heart inspired you, they are stunning and isn't it delightful to craft just for you sometimes. I also made some little hearts with pockets out of fabric and stuffed them with stuffing and wrote little love notes on tiny tags and put them in the pocket and left them out for the children this morning. They loved them and wore them to school on a lanyard this morning, goodness knows what the teachers thought!lol Look forward to seeing your next creations, kiss noises Linda Lilly Cottage.

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  7. Beautiful creations - love the colours you have used.
    Sandi x

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  8. Oooooh I love that big pale pink heart with the huge pink bloom ~ it's gorgeous!!

    You've been busy with your hearts ~ I've been making loads too but I'm all hearted out now and need to move on to something else before I start dreaming of hearts :0)

    Happy Valentines Day

    best wishes Ginny

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  9. Hi Lucy,
    Happy Valentine's Day!
    Your hearts are gorgeous - I love them all - And so nice that you have made them for yourself. (I know how you feel about always making to sell - you can feel a little like a factory worker sometimes and loose your creative enjoyment.)

    I'm sure I've seen some tin hearts for sale somewhere - if I see them again, I shall let you know.
    I think those are my favourites that you have created - you should make more!

    Have a lovely day,
    Niki x

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  10. All of those hearts are gorgeous!
    Your blog is lovely.

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  11. How clever you are, I love the red one with the photo of the lady in the middle very chic indeed, well done there is always something pretty to look at on your blog

    jules x

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  12. Hi Lucy, we love this post, full of your stunning hearts, each one truly gorgeous! Happy Valentines day Lucy, we hope you have a lovely day :) Jenn and Jacqui

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  13. What a beautiful blog this is..I love the hearts;-)Sal

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  14. I'm sitting here "oohing" and "ahhing" with every picture!
    You have an awesome "heart" talent!

    I would like to wish you and yours a Happy Valentine's Day!

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  15. Happy Valentines Day Lucy. I love your hearts. x

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  16. Hi Lucy Happy Valentines Day with love. Those hearts you made are fabulous! I love evry one of them!
    Rhondi xo

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  17. Hi Lucy,
    Happy Valentines Day to you and Mr.Bloom....This post is just so beautiful..you are really talented Lucy each and every heart is lovely!
    Keep on jotting down at work Lucy.
    Love Kristina XxX

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  18. Your hearts are so charming - so pretty & feminine!

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  19. Many thanks Lucy , I look forward to the post now!. I love the hearts you have made they are lovely . I have a few of these tin hearts but they were painted on with flowers etc. Thanks again

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  20. Very pretty hearts...I bet you really enjoyed making them!
    Margaret and Noreen

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  21. What absolutely lovely hearts, Lucy...they are just precious!
    I am not a craft person but you have inspired me to try making a fabric heart.....if I get one done half decent, I will send you a pic!lol
    hugs, bj

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  22. Lucy! Those hearts are incredible! My favorite is the dark red one...it screams Valentine! But seriously, I want to come to your house...it's so beautiful! :) Thank you for sharing! :)

    Mere

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  23. Wow! You went from what you thought were not many hearts to a lot of Fabulous hearts! You are a crafting machine...love your passion. Wish I could find it! I think I'm hooked on hunting for vintage "things." Maybe some day...

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  24. your blog is awesomeness! i love vintage items!

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Thank you for your comments - I am not always able to reply but they are always appreciated.
Lucy x