A “little” Valentines Ta-Dah....

My journey with this Valentines mantle 

was like so many of my other creative projects a little flawed. 

Have you ever got these moments....
You have a “little creative idea“.... a very simple nothing fancy idea.
You can see the finished “thing” in front of you. 

So far so good!  

Your mind is working in overdrive.... you play around with your “little idea”, 

just a little.... then a little more ....and a little more. 

Your “little idea” becomes an all “new bigger little idea”. 

You start and half way through the making you look at your “ little idea” 

doubting the choices you have made.  

That happens to me rather too often, only different with this “little idea” is 

that at the very beginning there wasn't even a “little idea”. 

I have never specifically decorated for Valentines day in the past 

and I hadn't planned to this year. 

I just crochet a few hearts just for fun before I noticed, I had made 80 or so hearts. 

What to do with a basket full of little hearts?  

A heart bunting for the mantle piece was my choice.  

Such a pretty splash of colour, cherry-blossom petals come to mind, 

I Love the way it looked.  

That was my beginnings of a “little idea” that has evolved & changed .

I LoOoOoOoVe LoOoOoOoVe really LoOoOoOoVe
the finished mantle.
let me say it again, just in case you didn't quite catch that,
I
LoOoOoOvE
the finished look!!!

I love the shade of blush I ended up with after much mixing around.

The detail of the frame is so pretty 

the curving makes it the perfect vintage L shape.

I applied the gold leaf very sparingly at first, 

applying it perfectly to the carving of the frame  

....less is more and all that.

 I didn't like it, in this case more & shabby is the better finish. 

Adding more gold leaf to the L 

I felt the rest of the letters had to be very simple in their style 

....so less is more after all.

The little mother of perl button makes a lovely finish to Love. 

I adore the red thread, 

it’s always these kinda little things that make my heart jump with joy.  

A mantle like this wouldn't be complete with out a bit of kitsch, 

perfect place for a souvenir Eiffel tower....

It was missing something until I added the heart pins. 

I love them that much they will stay on there beyond Valentines. 

 Of course my little red VW Beetle couldn't be missed out. 

Yes I’m a sucker for whimsy and happy to admit.

Have a super Friday!

XXXX

P.s.I know there is a lot of littles in this little post