Homemade Valentines

I have a bunch of really great girlfriends. We talk by email every day, we IM, and whenever we have a chance we get together, either traveling to each others cities, or all getting together someplace in between. I can honestly say that these ladies are my best friends, so much so that all but one of my bridesmaids was from this group:


This year, they had the idea that we should all send each other valentines...and that all the valentines should be handmade.

Now, contrary to what my obsession with sewing might indicate, I am NOT a crafty person. I can't draw. Glitter is just an invitation for me to make a gigantic mess. I don't do needlework, because I have no patience. Knitting...let's not even start. I made a scarf once. Even my mother...who thinks that everything I do is fantastic...won't wear it.

So, I needed to find a way to make SEWN valentines. I looked around online and found this tea wallet tutorial. I decided that I would use heart-motif fabric, and fill it with whatever kind of tea came in pink packages!

Here are the finished products:


Each one has the heart fabric on the outside:


And solid pink on the inside:


I used a pink ribbon and pearly plastic button for the closure:


Each one got loaded up with 4 flavors of tea, including English breakfast, white tea, raspberry, and cinnamon:


Here it is, loaded up and ready to go:


I figured that if they were tea drinkers, the could make sure that they always had their favorite flavors with them. Or, they can use it for their metro card or as a tiny wallet for those events that require a tiny, sparkly purse.

In other news, I finished the shell for my jacket:


Now the lining is done, the shell is done, and I need to finish the collar and insert the lining. The sleeves are going to have a HUGE hem in them. They are super-long, as well as wide. Plenty of room for my chubby little arms in this jacket! Right now, the shell is feeling really "sweatery," but I hope that once the collar goes on that it will give it a more formal look.

I hope to get some more work done on it this weekend!