Tag: valentine

Project & Pressed Flowers – Valentine Tag Tree

On By TimelessladyIn Pressed Flowers, Projects4 Comments

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Ask most people what comes to mind when they hear the word, “February,” and they will answer, “Valentine’s Day, Love and Flowers.” I’ve combined these three themes into one, and created a Valentine Tag Tree. This project was very economical. The only item I purchased was the pack of tags. I had pressed flowers on hand, and the twigs were free, gathered during a Winter walk.

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I created the hearts out of maple keys. A few years ago I collected hundreds, small and large, in colors of green, beige, pink and red. I cut away the seed and pressed them within the pages of books. I love finding new ways to use the keys.

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I chose Winsor & Newton’s Iridescent Medium to add a bit of sparkle to the keys.

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The medium didn’t cover evenly, but I liked the rivulets and blots it created…they added more interest and sassiness.

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The maple keys were easily trimmed into half a heart shape, and glued together, creating beautiful and unique Valentine hearts.

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I glued on a few pressed flowers. Hydrangeas, while not as vivid as the day they were picked and pressed, still added a hint of blue or a green hue.

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I used a fine-tipped permanent marker in brown and added words of love and a few swirls on each tag.

Valentine Sampler

I enjoyed creating a Valentine Sampler with the finished tags. I was tempted to glue these down and frame them, but decided to stick with my original idea…a Valentine Tag Tree.

The base was easily constructed, a piece of floral foam, a bit of hot glue, and a ceramic urn. Spanish moss hid the mechanics of the container. A substitution for floral foam would be a grid of tape across the top of the container. Aluminum foil could also be used to wedge the twigs securely in place.

If you don’t have pressed flowers you can use bits and pieces of magazines, seashells, twigs, moss, heart shapes…there are so many choices for these tags. Most of all enjoy yourself.

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Pots & Pans – Valentine Goodies

On By TimelessladyIn Pots and PansLeave a comment

heart tarts

I found a terrific idea for Valentine Tarts in Sunday’s Parade Magazine. For those who aren’t familiar with Parade, the magazine is an insert in many papers in the U.S.A. I doubled the recipe and used four sheets of pie dough. Do not double the filling recipe below as it makes a large amount.

You can find the recipe here: Parade Magazine Homemade Valentine Heart Tarts

The basic instructions and recipe are on this site, along with some filling ideas. I searched around the Internet and found a cream cheese and raspberry filling recipe that I adapted for my tarts. A step by step photo tutorial is pictured below that will show you how I put my tarts together. I also added any little quirks or tips I thought might be helpful.

Filling:

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Beat these ingredients together.

Heat jam on stovetop until smooth. A wire whisk works well.
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

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I was able to get eight to nine tarts out of two pie sheets.

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Just a little filling, less than a tablespoon, was plenty. I realized I had made WAY  too much filling early on.

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If possible leave some wiggle room around each heart, especially near the edges of the pan, my crimping with a fork was very cramped!

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The egg wash did add a nice finish to the top of the tarts.

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Oh my! I definitely overfilled. The filling bubbled out. The raspberry baked like glue onto the pan. I had to soak them and work at the burnt areas with a teflon safe spatula.

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The burnt raspberry jam turns rock hard in moments. Remove the tarts to a cooling rack immediately upon completion of baking.

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Let the tarts completely cool before frosting. I should have made a double batch of the frosting. I forgot I had doubled the amount of tarts I had baked.

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I had so much filling left over, I crushed some vanilla shortbread, added some butter, and made some small cheesecakes. They turned out terrific.

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Although it is a bit expensive to make this special dessert. I will definitely make them again. The tarts are a departure from the normal cookies, large pies, and cakes.

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Project – Children’s Valentine Ornament

On By TimelessladyIn Projects2 Comments

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I keep a small four foot pine tree on a washstand throughout the year. I call it my “Round the Year Tree.” This past week my grandsons had a good time creating decorations for February to place on the tree.

Most of our materials were purchased at the dollar store. The wire I had on hand from other projects.

Materials:

1 package foam Valentine heart stickers

1 package small Valentine Stickers

Several strands of wrapped floral wire cut in four inch pieces (pipe cleaners, string or yarn, opened paper clips, or other types wire can also be used.

 

Directions: You will need two matching foam hearts for each ornament. Leave the backing on the foam hearts. Apply small stickers to the front of the foam hearts. Remove backing paper on one foam heart. Place a piece of wire in center of heart with about three inches extending from the top. Remove the backing paper from the second heart and apply sticky side to sticky side on wire topped heart. Match edges as closely as possible. Bend top of wire into a hook shape. These Valentine Ornaments are light and will hang on just about anything. Fun, inexpensive and easy to craft with primary-aged children.