When I was a child I always loved Valentine's Day. I relished picking out which paper valentines and candy hearts I would give to each of my classmates and I loved making valentines out of construction paper, paper doilies, and lots of glitter. Best of all, my dad always bought me a heart shaped box of See's Candy!

As I got older, I grew less in love with Valentine's Day. It seemed complicated by expectations and less like a great excuse to pull out my craft supplies. But last year I really enjoyed making and giving a bunch of handmade valentines. I realized that I didn't need to fret about the parts of Valentine's Day I didn't enjoy, and that it could be the perfect occasion to do something creative and fun.  It is in this spirit that I approached these latest projects,  Sewn Paper Valentines and Valentine Pins.

The Sewn Paper Valentines are so satisfying, quick and easy to make. Its really fun to sew into paper with a sewing machine and adds a special accent to the cards. For me, Nancy Gere's Pink Chocolate collection is the perfect Valentine's Day fabric, its romantic and pretty without being cloying. I used a a few of these for the heart shapes as well as some lovely little scraps I had been saving for a special occasion. These cards are also a great way to use up some of the half spools of brightly colored thread you might have lying around.

The Valentine Pins are also very quick and easy to make. I think they are a wonderful project to do with kids for their class valentine exchange. The wool felt they are made with doesn't need to be hemmed and it comes in the the richest most saturated colors. They are so little and cute I just wanted to eat them when saw them all together! 

If you'd like to make some of these valentines yourself, you can find complete instructions here:

• Sewn Paper Valentines Project Journal
• Valentine Pins Project Journal
  

Happy Valentine's Day! --Molly