Dyed pistachios -- and the telltale red lips and fingers you get from eating them -- went out of fashion in the seventies. Now they're back, this time as part of a valentine wreath.
Begin by making a pattern: Cut a symmetrical heart from paper (this one is about 8 inches tall), then cut out the middle, leaving a heart-shaped ring with inch-wide edges.
Trace pattern onto thick cardboard for the wreath form and onto red felt for the backing:
Cut shapes out, and use household glue to attach the felt to the form. Color the edges of the cardboard with a red felt-tip pen.
Next, heat up a glue gun, and glue pistachios to the cardboard as shown, beginning at the V-shaped top of the heart and pointing the open ends of the shells outward.
Cover the entire cardboard surface. In crevices between the rows of pistachios, dab hot glue to secure pink peppercorns (available at specialty food stores).
Glue a picture hanger on the back, and loop ribbon through.
Scented Beeswax Heart
Scent a room with this decorative accent. Use a cookie cutter to cut a heart shape from a sheet of natural beeswax. Wrap the heart in cheesecloth and infuse it with a few drops of your favorite essential oil or blend. Place the wrapped heart in a plastic bag for a week. Remove and discard
the cloth and glue a ribbon hanger to the back of the heart. You can even decorate it with dried flowers and a bow.
Hang it in the kitchen or even the bath
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Love Crafts for February
February is the month of Love, well at least for the floral and greeting card
industries! But there's no reason why we can't home craft some love magick of our own
without buying into the holidaze, and here are a few easy magickal blends...
Love Incense can be easily made with a base of sandalwood chips or dragon's
blood resin, simply add several drops of rose oil, bergamot oil and lavender
oil.(you may substitute dried lavender flowers or dried rose petals in place of
the oils)
Love Potion #9, well not really but you can brew this blend up to
enhance your favorite herbal tea for a love ritual or just to enjoy....place
the following items into a tea ball or cheesecloth:
3 tsp. rose petals, 2 tsp. lavender flowers, 7 whole cloves,
3 pieces of orange peel and a pinch of nutmeg and ginger
Love Sachets can be made simply enough...gather some dried ingredients and
stitch them up inside of a pink (for love) swatch of fabric.
Herbs that are nice for sachets include: lavender, rose petals, carnation,
jasmine,
baby;s breath, orange peel, basil
To embellish your sachet, why not embroider a simple heart on it and then
send it inside a valentine to someone dear to you!
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