Valentine "Advent" Tree

Valentine Dreams

Do you remember these branches from the previous blog? Well, they have been patiently waiting for crocheted apple blossoms; these poor branches have become lonely.

Waiting, waiting, waiting...

In the interim, to keep them company, the branches have been turned into a "Valentine Advent Tree." Joyfully, all heart shaped ornaments from this last Christmas (Jul) have been placed upon it.

The red and white Norwegian heart baskets were made during a Christmas activity we had planned for the children (#3 and #6) and their significant others. We were to drink Glogg, watch both Grinch shows and make ornaments. The adult children, these days, apparently do not know what fun is, as they did not join us! We thought the glogg, at least, would tempt them to join our festivites, but, nah...what is the matter with kids theses days?

In any case, the NVO and I had a lovely time making the ornaments. He is such a good sport and it's a good thing he participated as he was the one that figured out how to weave the two colors together, when I could not. He did; however, reach his limit of the ornament making before I was ready for him to reach it.  ;-)

See the Gingerbread Snowflakes blog for instructions on making a three tab heart basket out of paper. Our baskets are four tabs and made from felt which are pretty simple to adjust from the three tab pattern.

14 heart baskets hang from the tree for the NVO to open each day of February as a Valentines' Day countdown. A treat and a love note for each day until a favorite holiday arrives.

The following beautiful little V-day tidbits fill the heart baskets: 

Inside these little heart envelopes hide chocolate sandwich mints.

The other heart baskets are filled with pink candy corn, truffles, non-pareil juju hearts, and get this...sugar-free red and white mints; these are many of the NVO's favorite candies. All but the sugar-free mints were purchased at my favorite local chocolate shop, C.K. Cummings Candies. Shopping there is a glorious experience in and of itself. Mmmmmmmmm... The <20 gms of carbs per day diet starts on 2/15/11. :-)

BTW...

The apple blossoms are coming along; however, it will be a while...
a few more weeks in "crocheting heaven" time.

More posts to come re: crocheted blossoms and our annual Valentines' Day ice fishing trip (I'm imagining crocheted neck warmers to match our Carhartts.)

~Astri