by Jessica Wall
It’s that time of year again, and love is definitely in the air! Whether you’re taken or single, there is no doubt that you are being bombarded with advertisements trying to sell you (or your significant other, rather) flowers, jewelry, and chocolate (amongst other things). Everywhere you look; happy couples are gazing into each other’s eyes- professing their undying love and devotion. Those geniuses in marketing can make this time of year overwhelming sometimes, but it helps to remember that this is actually a time to acknowledge and reflect on the beauty in the relationships we choose to hold dear to our hearts.
For me, Valentine’s Day is not so much a day to worry about what I have bought (or even made) my husband, but rather to reflect on the things we have done together over the years. I love to think of all the places we have gone and all the sites we have seen in our travels. I have such fond memories of the kisses we shared under the Eiffel Tower, as well as being young and walking hand in hand through the jungles of Belize looking for lost Mayan ruins. Even though I was covered in bugs and sweat, I had never been so happy in my life. I think about when we took our daughter to Montana and she got to see snow for the first time, or even when she got to see her first real-life dinosaur skeletons at the Smithsonian. I can still see that smile on his face, as he held my hand while I was pushing out my son during his birth. I think back to our wedding day, and how we both wrote our vows literally within hours of walking down the aisle. Eight years later, I can still remember the look on his face as I walked towards him- I can still feel those butterflies in my stomach, as if it happened only yesterday.
Love isn’t always a magical walk through ruins though, or even the most revealing to us when we’re happy. I remember when my husband and I got in an awful car accident and I spent so many days in the hospital with him lying next to me in my bed- refusing to leave my side. Even while I was in so much pain, I knew I was truly blessed. Sometimes love is the feeling of your husband squeezing your hand as you mourn at the funeral of your loved ones who have passed on. Just to know that person is there for you always, and is willing to share in all of the happiness- and sadness of life… this is what love is all about. It’s amazing to me when I think about what my husband and I have shared over the years, as well as all the l memories we have yet to create. Sure there can be pressure to buy the right thing, or go to the perfect restaurant for dinner- but in the end, true love isn’t about doing… it’s about feeling. It’s about knowing yourself, and what you value in yourself as well as others.
Although I don’t particularly care about receiving anything for Valentine’s Day, of course my husband wouldn’t dream of letting the day slip by empty handed. Thus, my favorite thing to receive for Valentine’s Day is flowers. They’re a symbol of our enduring commitment to each other, without going overboard. Samantha Green of ProFlowers says that, “The history of giving your loved one Valentine’s Day flowers comes from the old-fashioned custom of sending floral bouquets to pass on non-verbal messages. Introduced in the 18th century by Charles II of Sweden, each flower had a specific meaning attached to it, making it possible to have an entire conversation using only flowers,” (http://www.proflowers.com/guide/the-history-of-valentines-day). I can just imagine conversing with my husband solely in flowers- The house would smell amazing!
With that being said, I have received many bouquets of beautiful flowers throughout the years. As a self-admitted craft junkie, I have to say I have a wide array of vases and jars sitting in the garage as I always think I am going to get around to doing something with them (sometimes I do, and sometimes they go to new homes). So, I present to you a solution to your everyday basic (and boring) florist vases. This craft is a way to de-clutter your garage if you’re like me, as well as a way to breathe fresh life into something you already have- making those future bouquets even prettier. As you do this craft, try to think about what love means to you. Think about the life you have created with your significant other- concentrating not only on the beautiful happy moments, but also the moments that have truly brought you together- and made you even stronger than before.
Necessary Supplies:
- old jars and vases, (or any other containers you’d like to hold flowers in)
- fabric, beads, wood scraps, embellishments, paints, ribbon/string, glue, any other creative materials you may have lying around
For this project, I chose to decorate a few different flower containers: an old paint bucket, a few jars (not pictured), and yes, even vases.
I wanted to do a collection in the same general color family, so I chose a palette of greens, purples, pinks, cream, and white. I used fabric squares (purchased in bulk at Wal-Mart), a hot glue gun, glass container filler, chalkboard and acrylic paints, burlap scraps, hemp string, and a leftover Christmas tree clip ornaments from last year. If you’re anything like me, you probably have most of this stuff already in your craft area- but if not, it’s all readily available at any craft store.
Now they’re fresh for spring, and look especially pretty together on my table!
I used the back of a spoon to cover the inside of the jar with acrylic paint. I then glued a square of fabric onto the front and tied hemp string around the top. For the other jar, I wrapped it in green glittery fabric (gluing it in the back) and wrapped hemp around the top.
To transform the paint can, I simply wrapped burlap around it (gluing it in the back) and hot glued a Christmas tree ornament I had left over to the front.
For the large vase, I wrapped a piece of fabric around it (gluing it in the back), added a strip of burlap at the bottom, and glued a piece of mdf board I had (which I painted in chalkboard paint) onto it. I hot glued the top of the fabric down into the vase so that it was tucked away neatly. With flowers in the vase, you can’t see any scrap fabric.
For this project, I painted white and dark pink stripes onto a light pink vase and glued clear glass baubles onto it. These are typically sold as vase filler, and can be found anywhere that sells craft or home decorating supplies.
Enjoy this fun, easy craft and have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
