Thursday 3 February 2011

Valentine's display

Well, I had more or less given up on the idea of a heart-shaped wreath for Valentine's Day. It seems that just about the only place you can get them is funeral parlours. I was making new (and slightly desperate) plans for a heart-shaped chair. However, I came down one morning (late again - although I was working hard the night before) and found that my mother had made the wreath!

It is made (I think) out of vines, with raffea strung in a sort of lattice-pattern across the inside, so the bears can be propped between the strings.

This is Byron, with his new jacket...

Shelley, sadly still stark naked...

Casanova and Valentino...

I linked up on Facebook with another lady who has a unit at the Art & Craft Centre. She sells jewellery - including gorgeous turquoise and silver jewellery from Israel, and some beautiful, colourful beaded pieces which she makes herself. Have a look at her website, here.

She is always fantastic with the marketing ideas, and she suggested that I make some labels with different Valentine's messages that people could choose to go with the bear they buy.

After scouring the Internet for Valentine's messages, I confess I'm feeling slightly sick, so I decided to go with the very simple ones (or perhaps just the uninspired ones).

They're actually a little more involved than they look there - the writing is printed onto a piece of transparent acetate, and then backed by a piece of thick, watercolour paper. It's the red satin ribbon which really makes them though.

And the final display...

With tags in a sweet little gingham basket...

It's a little rough round the edges, but I'm actually really pleased with this display. I have always been put off doing things like this - thinking, if the bears don't sell, I'm going to have to remove all the valentine's trappings. It's not a disaster if they sell after Valentine's Day though - bears and hearts go together quite well at any time of year.

And it's a good thing too, because I am actually getting into the spirit of it a bit now, and I'm working on another heart-themed item. For once, I am actually ahead of myself!

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