Best Ever Valentine's Cookie Exchange!

This is the centerpiece of the event.  Love the chippy blue paint ... so with that said ....Let the cookie goodness begin!

As each guest arrived ladden with beautifully presented cookies, I was astonished at how pretty they all were. 

As always, Jenn had outdone herself in preparing her home for the event, everything was charming in a palate of French blue, red and pink.  She and her sister, who drove down from Idaho, were there to offer a warm greeting to make us feel welcome.

I loved this oversized 'happy' garland that was strung from corner to corner of the great room.

 

Other details, like giggling children hanging over the banister as the guests arrived, and a huge bouquet of sweet pink tulips made the whole scene so inviting!

 And the cookies were displayed around the room on cake plates, in baskets, sitting on primitive benches, or fun red children's school

 chairs.  They were all beautiful and promised to be tasty as well.

I was delighted with the care with which each

 choose their cookie displays.  Do you see the cake plate with a dome full of cookies on red children's chair in the background of this picture?  Just so fun!

And as if the promise of a plate full of beautiful cookies were not enough, Jennifer laid out a delicious brunch buffet.  I love the milk bottles with the striped straws, and the red velvet cake with the pennant banner across the top.  One word sums it all up, though, Yummy!

Jenn combined family, neighbors and friends for this event, so we all had a good time getting to know each other. 

And then with visiting and brunch behind us, its time for the main event .... exchanging cookies.  These gals have their containers and are ready to go!

...and its impossible to go on a cookie gathering foray without getting something sweet and sticky on your fingers, right?

 ... And then there were none .... OK, well, next to none. 

We all had a chance to make sweet Valentines gifts for someone we hold dear, but of course with Valentines day coming up, I would never ruin the surprise.

My good friend and fellow flea.o.logist, Cathie helps out with baby Linus, while his mother works on her secret project!!  Isn't she a natural?  Well, we all had a delightful time and now there is nothing to be done but to look forward to the annual event next year!!   Thanks Jenn

1930's Valentine Wreath

To make this wreath, I took a white wire coat hanger and bent it in a circle and snipped off the hanger.  Then I wrapped it in a Bethany Lowe pink tissue paper garland.  To this I added an antique silver Christmas foil garland and a strand of antique pink mercury glass beads.

Here are the copies of 30's Valentines I used, some with glittered edges, some without.  I found the sweet center one with the cottage scene at Graphics Fairy Blog.

I originally planned to use some of my actual vintage collection, and just clip them on with clothes pins I had painted pink.

But when I clipped them on, it bent the Valentines, and I had very little control over keeping them on the plane I thought they look good.

 So I used color copies instead and glued them on with a glue gun using a spatula to keep them flat and level until the glue cooled.

I was very pleased with how it turned out.  A friend of mine, who is very antique savvy even asked if it was an antique, which I loved. 

Trash to Treasure - Steampunk!

 We were putting together a Steampunk display at the antique mall, yes, we are that cool!!  ;-)  I wanted to put the section of Victorian iron fence over the sofa, another dealer wanted to put a mirror over it, though the mirror she wanted was just wrong ... 
Then I thought, if we had a rustic mirror we could hang the iron fence on top of the mirror, a third dealer said he had the perfect mirror .... and indeed he did.  Voila!!  I love this look!!  If you do too, its for sale at Treasures Antiques in Springville.