"A Vintage Valentine" This Fridays Shopping Theme

Dear Sweet Friends,

Valentine’s Day evokes thoughts of nostalgia and romance. Memories tied together with faded ribbons and trimmed with antique laces, telling of first romances long ago past, loving grandparents holding hands, and loves that have endured across long years and distances.Romantic memories stirred by your great-grandmother’s secret love letters, bound carefully by silk ribbons and bows, and tucked into a hat box stored in the back of a closet shelf. Stacks of vintage postcards, with words of love gracefully written across the back and faded images of another time. They speak of long-ago romance and promises that would be kept for many years to come.

A vintage handkerchief, hand-embroidered with tiny hearts and delicate flowers, tucked into the corner of a handbag or decorating the top of a night stand, adds a touch of romance to your everyday life. You were never sure where it come from, except that it belonged to someone who treasured this delicate souvenir of her love. Lifting the lid of an antique dresser box, a silver locket, still hanging from its antique chain, which once kept those loved dearest, close to heart.

Faded photographs placed in vintage frames upon an antique bookshelf, that tell of romance and happy times. The stories of lives built together fill the pages of a vintage photo album, now gracing your coffee table. You pick it up and slowly flip through, remembering the faces you used to know, and imagining stories about the ones you don’t recognize.

Beautiful vintage boxes for candy and romantic treasures, decorated with old-fashioned fabrics, handmade lace and satin ribbons, perfect for storing your favorite Valentine memories that your children and grandchildren will treasure for years to come.

Add a touch of romance to your home or gift giving this Valentines Day.
I thought I would post this early, so you all can put it on your Calendars. It is going to be a Great Shopping Day here at Coeur d'Alene and with all the other Boutiques at Make Mine Pink.

Have a Great week Friends!!
Huggs, Nancy
www.coeurdalenegifts.com

"Amour Valentine Swap"

I am really all jazzed up about 2010 and this fresh New decade we are in, how about you??
To start things off for me I entered a "Amour Valentine Swap" that Cathy from Treasured-heirlooms and Elegance & Whimsy is hosting. If you are interested, please visit Cathy's blog at www.treasured-heirlooms.blogspot.com
Here are the Details:
Here's how the swap will work. Easy, Peezy, Fun

1. Grab the "Amour Valentine Swap" image and place it on your blog sidebar linking it back to my blog (treasured-heirlooms.blogspot.com).

2. Post on your blog about the swap and encourage friends to join in.

3. If you would like to participate, email me at this email address: atreasuredheirloom@comcast.net ~
Subject line: Valentine Swap ~ with the following information.

a. Your name and home address
b. Your Email address (where I can contact you with your swap partner)
c. Your blog URL
d. Your choice of what color you would like your "Amour" swap box.
e. Choose one of the following:
*Shades of Pink
*Shades of Red
*Pastels
*Shades of White
*Any color is fine

4. Would you mind shipping outside of U.S. if necessary?

HERE ARE THE SWAP RULES:

1. You will need to purchase a LARGE (appx. 8"wx6"h±), heart-shaped, cardboard box from your local craft store (Michaels, A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby.) I heard from Cathy today(01~02~2010) and a Round or Square box with these dimensions would be OK too.

2. Be sure your box has plenty of room to fill up with "Love Treasures".

3. Email and introduce yourself to your blog partner.

4. Create your "Amour box" with your imagination and your own particular style. It doesn't necessarily have to be a Valentine theme, but it has to be pretty and it has to be made with the color choice of your partner.

5. GENEROUSLY fill your "Amour Box" with lots of treasures from your heart. Most of you have participated in many swaps over the years so you already know what to put in the box. If this is your first time, email me for suggestions on filling up your "Amour Box". If you have something that doesn't fit in the box, wrap it pretty and send it along with your package.

6. Beautifully wrap your creation before packing so your Partner will be able to take lots of pretty photos once she opens the outside box.

7. Take lots and lots of photos for our reveal day, Sunday, February 14th.

8. You have three weeks to create and mail your "Amour" box. Make sure your package arrives to your swap partner NO LATER THAN, February 5th so she can enjoy it for awhile before Valentine's Day arrives.

On Sunday, February 14th, Valentine's Day, post all your photos and the name of your swap partner.

I will have a list here of all the participating blogs.

ARE YOU IN?
GREAT...
SPREAD THE WORD
AND LET'S GET SWAPPING KIDS!

I will be filling up Coeur d'Alene this week with Romantic treasures so please stop by!
TTFN, Nancy
www.coeurdalenegifts.com

It's All About Christmas at Make Mine Pink! Join Us

Please join us for It's all about Christmas
at the Make Mine Pink Friday Shopping Event.

Please join us for shopping with a twist on Friday December 4, 2009 as we present "It's all about Christmas"
http://www.makeminepink.com/pink-friday

Christmas is all about family, friends, church and community. Seeing loved ones who live far away and reconnecting with those who are nearby, but we don't see as often as we wish we could. It's about caring for those who are alone at this time of year and inviting them to be part of our families too. Working with our communities to bring Christmas cheer to those in need, is such a special part of our Christmas tradition.

Christmas is about time spent sitting around the fire, enjoying the warmth of the season. It is hot cocoa or our favorite tea, sipped from our favorite vintage holiday cups. Working on new stitching projects for someone we love, while telling stories from the past year and our hopes for the year to come. We're thankful for those we will share it with.

It's about planning cookie swaps and holiday menus. Yankee swaps and prizes that bring a little extra element of excitement to young and old alike. Christmas is about searching for gifts that we're sure everyone on our Christmas list will love. We're filled with excitement when we find that perfect item for someone on our list, and we feel a little giddy at the thought of them opening our gift on Christmas morning. The Ultimate gift for someone special is no longer elusive. With a love of repurposed and well loved gifts from the past, our choices become easier and more personal; our treasure hunt memorable.

Under the sparkling lights of the Christmas tree shines gift wrap that's almost as pretty as the gifts inside. Some gifts are wrapped in vintage linens and held closed by a vintage rhinestone brooch. Others are tied with velvet ribbons and big bows. Each gift bears a handmade gift tag, twinkling with glitter and the name of someone you love. The sense of anticipation we feel looking at those Christmas treasures is almost as exciting as watching the gifts being opened.

Christmas is all about sharing the blessings of the season with family and friends and believing that everything about the Christmas season is magical.

Looking forward to seeing all of you there!!
Huggs,
Nancy www.coeurdalenegifts.com

We are back from our trip to China and all set to go ~ Please Join us this Friday for our weekly Make Mine Pink Shopping Event! This week we celebrate 'All About Family'!

When our family gathers for the holidays, Grandma’s dishes always come out of the china cabinet. From favorite serving dishes that held many a turkey, to silverware passed down through generations. Crisp, starched tablecloths, reminiscent of many holidays past, grace the family dining table. These simple pieces are as much a part of the annual celebration as is the family gathered around the table. Each of us thankful for those memories and for each other.

After dinner is done, and the pumpkin pie is gone, the children are anxious to leave the table and play in Grandma’s bedroom. They gather on her chenille covered bed, anxious to start the treasure hunt through her jewelry box. The boys quickly tire of this game and head off to meet the men in the living room, while the girls play dress up with the old pearl necklaces and rhinestone pins kept inside the box of treasures. They try on Grandma’s cameo necklace and the hand crocheted shawl she keeps on her boudoir chair. They and imagine they are elegant ladies, from what they imagine to be Grandma’s past. It’s always such fun to explore the treasures and keepsakes, looking for something new since their last adventure.

The women sit around the table long after dinner is over and the dishes are cleared, sipping tea from favorite vintage cups. Their fingers trace over the cross stitching on the antique tablecloth, and they marvel at the long hours someone put into the intricate design. They talk about their own stitching projects and their favorite collections of antiques and heirlooms.

Talk turns to plans for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Always hoping for a handmade Christmas, they share their favorite sewing and decorating plans. A holiday-themed quilt that must be finished in time, a Christmas stocking for a baby’s first Christmas and maybe even a stylish sweater knit from a teenager’s favorite colors. They reminisce over past holiday traditions and plan which new ones to start this year, jotting down suggestions and writing lists of memory-making ideas for the family this year. They may even draw names for gift giving.

When our family gathers for the holidays, our home is filled with love, laughter and many memories of the past gatherings just like this one. A glance around the room provokes a feeling of deep gratitude for the family and friends in our lives.

See you There,
Nancy, www.coeurdalenegifts.com

Have you Registered Yet?

We are getting ready for some "Christmas in July" Shop Hop FUN!! only here with the Members of MakeMinePink.com Contest, Raffles, Neat Gifts, Give ~ Aways, will be here at Coeur d'Alene.
And we will also be a Guest with a Giveaway over at http://creativehomeexpressions.blogspot.com, Kathy is always doing great things for others on her blog. And when she's not, you can always find creative home decor finds and fun. Visit Kathy, her blog image is on my left sidebar!
Ok, so what are you waiting for Register Now!


Huggs, Nancy