While recuperating from hip surgery, I made Valentines for a few people. I think they turned out really beautiful.  

I searched for inspiration on Pinterest and saw a video on making an origami dress. It was reasonably easy. See here to watch. And decided I was going to use these dresses somehow.

Week before surgery, I gathered every possible supply I thought I might need… and then some. And waited patiently until the day I felt like creating.

I practiced the dress with just regular paper but used old dress patterns. I tried several sizes and decided on 4″-5″ squares. I roughly cut them out.

At first I planned on using hearts playing cards as the base but decided to use some old Valentines postcards I had. I used velvet ribbon for a belt and embellished with vintage millinery flowers or bits and bobs I had about.

I tacked down a bit of lace on the back of the Valentine postcard in the center so the receiver could pull back to see the beautifully scripted old Valentine.

The postcard messages are quite sweet.

I wrapped a red thread around the card representing the red string that connects us.

“For the Japanese, who know so much and intuit more, human relations are predestined by a red string that the gods tie to the pinky fingers of those who find each other in life. Legend has it that the two people connected by this thread will have an important story, regardless of the time, place or circumstances. The red string might get tangled, contracted or stretched, as surely often happens, but it can never break.”

And typed the words “be mine” with my old typewriter on old paper and added this to the card. 

I love wrapping up gifts in an extra special way, just a little bit of attention will make the receiver feel the love.

I punched out some heart shapes for confetti. I wrapped the postcard up in sheet music and tucked in a doily and confetti and taped up with fabric tape.  I wrapped this with a larger doily. Touches of washi tape to close it up and on the envelope really tie it all together. 

Postage was 22 cents more to mail since they were raised a tad and required hand cancellation. 

I so enjoyed creating these. Each one was a little different as I used what I had on hand.

These have left 35803 and are crisscrossing the country to many zip codes and even one to England. My favorite thing is hearing from friends as they receive them.

Yeah, that’s the best part.

Hope you find time to make those you love feel loved.

Happy Valentines Day

Katey