Victorian Valentines with Samantha

Samantha: Hi Felicity what are you doing?

Felicity: Whoa, Sam! How did you get here...in...in the future?

Samantha: I used your time traveling machine of course.

Felicity: I didn't know you knew how to use it!

Samantha: Eh, it wasn't that hard to figure out. Any ways looks like you were really focused on something. What are these?

Felicity: [Sigh] Oh yeah, these are my Valentines. I've been working on them for hours. There are so many students in my class this year, plus I'm making one for each of my teachers, and my family members. I've been drinking Mountain Dew all evening to keep me awake, but it's getting late and I really need to finish and go to bed. I still have so many to do before the Valentine's party at school! I'm kind of freaking out and I'm feeling really jittery from all the caffeine! 

Samantha: Yeah you probably shouldn't have drank all that soda, it's not good for you. I can help you if you want. These are really cute, I know how you love Hello Kitty! What's this on here?

Felicity: Oh that's a little tattoo.

Samantha: WHAT! A tattoo!?!

Felicity: No no they are temporary, pretend, just for fun Sam.

Samantha: I see, so kids wear them and parents are ok with that? Huh, I'm sure Grandmary would not approve! Valentines sure have changed since my time!

Felicity: I know I love Victorian Valentines, they are so beautiful!

Samantha: Well how about this; I'll help you finish these really quickly then we can time travel back to the beginning of the 20th century and we can make a Victorian Valentine.

Felicity: Great idea! Here we goooooo....

2012.2011.2010.2009.2008.2007.2006.2005.2004.2003.2002.2001.2000............

.......1950.1949.1948.1947.1946.1945.1944

"Hi Molly!"........

.....1920.1919.1918.1917.1916.1915.1914

"Hi Rebecca!"......

.....1910.1909.1908.1907.1906.1905.1904.

Samantha: Here we are, 1904, my time period! Now I can show you how to make a Victorian Valentine! 

Let's get started!

American girl use to make a Valentine kit in my collection. Lissy and I use to have a lot of fun with it. We made that little Valentine with the key pendant on it when she was little! 

We still have a few pieces left over. We keep them in this little red box with my paper dolls that came in the set. 

But you don't have to use my specific kit there are lots of other supplies you can use to make your Valentines look old fashioned. 

Here are a few things that girls in my time period would have used to make their Valentines... Lace, dried and pressed flowers, ribbons, and scrappies. We collected these scrappies and pasted them on all kinds of things to decorate since we didn't have stickers then.

When making your Valentine start by deciding on a motif, or theme, for it. You could make your motif be hearts, cupids, bows, doves, a specific color or pattern, flowers, and so on. When you pick a motif that doesn't mean it can only be that one thing. It's just the main object that ties it all together so that your Valentine has unity. Victorian women liked lots of elaborate fancy decorations and trimmings so we don't want the card to be too busy. A motif keeps it from looking over the top. I've chosen to make my card in a floral motif and use my pressed flowers.

I'm going to use these pressed flowers that I made during the Summer on my card. You can press flowers with an actual flower press or in a large heavy book such as the Bible to flatten them. Since pressing flowers is a long process you can use flower stickers, scrappies, or silk flowers instead. 

I've also chosen these extra embellishments: flowery lace and scrappies cut from an old calendar that feature cupids holding flowers.

It's a good idea to roughly decide on your arrangement before you begin pasting.

Now that I've decided on my arrangement I can begin assembling everything. I started by pasting lace on all four sides of the front of my card. The card I'm using is just a cream colored heavy weight card stock folded in half. 

Then I pasted on the rose petals in an attractive pattern.

Next I layered on the scrappies and a few more small flower petals.

Let it dry then begin on the inside.

On the inside I added more lace to the edges and also through the middle where my sentiment scrappie was pasted. Your sentiment is especially important. Before you chose it decide who you are making the Valentine for so that it will be appropriate for the receiver. You can write it by hand or do something like I did which was to cut it out from an old calendar.

Mine says "My Love is Thine" which is an old fashioned expression which basically means I love you. Victorians used fancy woulds like "thine" :) 

Be sure to leave some space for you to sign your Valentine and maybe even enough space to write a little personal note.

 Don't forget the back of your Valentine is just as important as the front because your receiver will look at both sides.

The lace on the inside wrapped around from the back and I added this pretty little floral scrappie in the center for an extra little touch of color.

Lastly, the most important step to any crafting is clean up! When there is a place for everything and everything is in its place it makes your next project more enjoyable :) 

Felicity: Wow Sam, that looks beautiful! Do you make something that elaborate for all of the students in your class at school?

Samantha: Not necessarily. This would be more something I would make for someone special like Uncle Gard or Aunt Cornelia. But actually I think Grandmary would really love the flowers on this Valentine so I will give it to her!

So whether you like your Valentines awesomely antique or marvelously modern we hope you are having fun making your Valentines this year.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! xo

BFF Adventures: Valentine's Day

"Happy Valentine's Day!"

"Molly's here!" belted out DeeDee as the other girls scurried to greet her.

"I brought you Valentines," said Molly, "there is one for each of you." 

"These look great Molly, thank you!" replied Emily.

"And look there is a sucker too!" exclaimed Caroline. 

"We got you something too!"

Emily and Caroline struggled to carry a large box of chocolates over to Molly. 

"Ugh! It's really heavy"

"Gee-willikers, this is one big box of chocolates! Thank you!"  

"We thought you could share it with the other girls too," said DeeDee.

"Shall we enjoy some treats and tea now?" asked Emily sweetly.  

The girls sipped their tea and enjoyed some girl talk.

"I don't really like Valentine's Day very much," said Caroline, "It's all romantic and mushy!" 

"Yeah boys are gross!" said DeeDee while sticking out her tongue. 

"Well that's one way of looking at it, but I like to think of Valentine's Day as a day to celebrate love of all kinds," said Molly. 

"That's right," agreed Emily, "You girls are my best friends and I love you very much. That type of love means more to me than any silly boy could."

"I guess you're right Molly and Emily, Valentine's Day is pretty neat when you are celebrating good friends."

"I have an idea," piped up Molly, "The BFF Adventures have been going on for about a year now so let's make Valentine's Day be like an anniversary of our friendship and every year on Valentine's Day we will celebrate us!"

"Great idea Molly!" the girls all cheered.

"And to add to that we should celebrate by looking back at when this all started," added Emily.

"Yes, remember the day Lissy brought us home, Emily?"

"Oh, that was the best day and I got to live with Grammy and she has taken such good care of me."

[To see more photos of that day click here]

"It wasn't but a few days later that Grammy brought DeeDee home."

"Awe, I was so excited to meet you guys and it was like we had been friends forever already... we just clicked right away!" 

[To see the day DeeDee arrived click here]

"And who could forget the day Caroline surprised us at the beginning of the school year!?"

Caroline giggled and blushed, "It was a big day because I got to meet you three but also all the other girls that live with Lissy all at once. You made me feel right at home." 

[To see photos of Caroline's surprise home coming click here]

"Wow, I love us!" said Molly.

"Me too," agreed Caroline.

"Me three!" giggled DeeDee.

"As do I. Happy Valentine's Day and happy anniversary to the BFFs!" said Emily wiping a tear of joy off her rosy cheek. 

And Happy Valentine's Day to you all as well.

Don't forget to tell your loved ones how much they truly mean to you this Valentine's Day.

...Speaking of which. I love you Mommy! Thank you for this fun year of the BFF Adventures, it's been so special for me to get to share my love of dolls with you. Thank you for all your help with the photo shoots. You are my Bestest Friend Forever!!!! Happy Valentine's Day! xoxo

BFF Adventures: Ice Skating

 Winter sure has been crazy this year with all kinds of ups and downs. It seems like my pond thaws and refreezes every week! However, it did freeze over long enough for the BFFs to get together for an ice skating adventure!

It was a perfect Winter day! The air was crisp and cool but the sun peeked through the clouds to warm your cheeks and beautifully reflect off the solid pond. Caroline was the first out on the ice showing off all her fancy tricks. She made it look so easy! DeeDee was a little more cautious. Aware of her clumsy nature she wanted a little support from her friends.

"Hold on the me Molly! The ice is slick!"

"Well DeeDee that is the point of skating on ice; it's slick so that you can glide across it. Just go slow like this."

"I've got an idea!" piped up Caroline, "Let's make a line holding hands. Come on DeeDee, I've gotcha."

"Yes, that's a brilliant idea!" chimed in Emily.

Emily and Molly paired up then skated over to DeeDee and Caroline.

They all joined together and skated about hand in hand. Caroline slowly pulled DeeDee as she started to get the hang of it and gained confidence.

"There now. Right then. Easy does it."

 "You've got it DeeDee!"

"You're doing it all on your own now!" The girls cheered her on as DeeDee beamed proudly.

Eventually DeeDee was able to swing one foot in front of the other and push off instead of keeping her feet grounded and just being dragged across the pond by her friends. DeeDee was actually a natural at it after all, she just needed a little push (or maybe a pull) from her friends.

After a while the girls were all skating gracefully over the ice.

"I've got an idea! Let's make a circle holding hands and spin about." suggested DeeDee.

The BFFs slowly eased their line into a small circle but DeeDee, being a little excitable, lost her footing and started to wobble.

"Whoa there... Steady now... Nooooooo!..."

And in a blink of an eye she had latched onto Caroline's coat and flung her across the pond, pushed Molly backwards, and whipped herself  straight on her bum in front of Emily almost taking her down with her too!

"DeeDee are you alright!?"

DeeDee staired into the Winter sky looking very dazed and a little shocked.

"Ice is slick AND HARD!!!!" DeeDee sighed with a little giggle.

Poor DeeDee, she sure does have a knack for creating the most dramatic of falls! 

The girls helped her on her feet and brushed her off.

"Here are your glasses DeeDee," said Caroline, "Are you hurting anywhere?"

"My bottom is a little sore but I'll be alright. I think I might just sit down for a little bit," DeeDee replied.

"My feet are aching anyways so I'll sit with you," Caroline said sweetly. 

 The girls plopped down on a rock by the side of the pond. Molly gazed into the beautiful clear ice and reflected on the fun adventures she has had with her friends.

"Ladies, how would you like to go inside for a nice hot cup of tea to warm ourselves?" inquired Emily.

"Or maybe some hot chocolate!" exclaimed Molly.

"And a soft pillow for my tushy!"  whimpered DeeDee with a smirk on her face.

The girls, including DeeDee herself, couldn't help but crack up at DeeDee's remark. :D

Saved by the Fruit Cake

 We finally took down our Christmas decorations. It's such a sad day when you pack it all up.

 



 The house seems so empty and plain without all the bright Christmas cheer.

 

 It's so hard to watch everything go back to normal.

 

 We said good bye until next year to all our little Christmas friends and we felt a little mournful.

I knew it was going to be a difficult day as it is every year. So I had a plan! I bought a fruit cake at the grocery store before Christmas and saved it for this day to cheer us up!

 

 

 I've never tried one of these because people never have very good things to say about fruit cake but I've always thought they sounded interesting.

 

When I showed the girls they instantly transformed from depressed to excited and happy!

"I want a piece!"

"Yes please, I'd love a slice!"

"I'll try some too!"

They girls were more than thrilled to have a little taste of Christmas all over again.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how good the cake actually is! The smell alone was an instant flash back to that indescribable Christmas feeling.

For a moment we all forgot about how empty the house looked and that Christmas was behind us.

Our house may look naked now and there may not be countless holiday events going on anymore but we can still feel the spirit of Christmas within us. Christmas is all about generosity, mercy, forgiveness, and love which is always in your heart as long as you keep it alive and you don't need garland and sparkly bows for that. :) 

It may almost be February but we still want to wish you a

Merry Christmas Spirit in your heart always!!