Little Love Locket

My daughters each host an intimate annual Valentine's Day party. Grandpa and I have been invited to them, but so far we have declined to attend. So few celebrations on the calendar are exclusive to immediate family. I recall enjoying most that "just-the-five-of-us" feeling at our own candlelit dinner love fests - the girls animatedly sharing details of candy-overloaded classroom parties, counting and comparing cards received. The focus was on them alone....the loves of our lives. Once dinner was picked at long enough, tradition demanded daddy present each of his four (me too!) sweeties with a heart shaped box of chocolates. Love was in the air, and there it stayed until junior high after-school sports practices came along to pre-empt it - all the more reason to make the best of what is at hand now!

Just because we won't be there in person doesn't mean that grandma and grandpa don't send gifts, prizes, and Valentine cards to the parties. That we do, in generous abundance! But I like to contribute something hand made, too. Last year it was a personalized Family Bingo Game with prizes for everybody - inside a big, old Love Bug Party Bag. This year it's a gift for each mommy alone. Something meaningful and pretty for her to wear to the party. A Valentine on a string, if you will. A tidy collection of the cute little faces that make not just February 14th, but each one of her days a celebration of endless fun and love!

I relied heavily on craft punches to make the work quick and easy. It's pretty self explanatory by looking at the photos. Print individual faces in 1" x 1.5" contact sheet size. Accordion fold a strip of paper long enough to glue them all on. Attach first picture to center back of the "locket," fold everything together, and clip to hold with a tiny painted and decorated wooden craft store clothespin. Thread ribbon through a punched hole at top center back. Secure with beads.