Valentine's ideas

Flowers, chocolates, diamonds... They'd all be appreciated, but for a really special Valentine's Day gift why not look a little off the beaten track?

To start with the more traditional gifts, there are plenty of finds on Folksy incorporating hearts. This cute felt brooch is an inexpensive gift, perfect if you are in the early stages of your relationship and want to show your affection without going over the top. In fact, at just £3, why wait until Valentine's Day? You can buy it here.

For a more serious gift, jewellery is always the best option. This silver heart necklace by Ali Bali Jewellery is contemporary and stylish:

Or for a more vintage style, this resin heart incorporating an original print of tree branches and a vintage button is the perfect gift. You can buy it here.

Of course, my jewellery also incorporates real vintage bits and bobs. I suggest this Fly Away With Me necklace, which is made from pink freshwater pearls, a brass swallow from New York, a gorgeously sparkling vintage chandelier drop and a satin bow:

I'm hoping that I receive these earrings by Aeris Designs, which were inspired by the recent snow. They feature freshwater pearls wrapped in wire, and are only £10:

I also love this hand dyed rosette brooch from American seller FriendlyBanter, available from her Etsy shop. The colours are perfectly romantic, and it would go with everything from my pinstripe jacket to cocktail dresses.

I love the idea of buying framed prints for people, although you have to be brave and know them really well - it's an incredibly intimate gift. These are two of my current favourites, for different reasons. The Girl and The Fox (buy it here) is charming and winsome, while Dance With Me (buy it here) has a spooky quality, I like the incongruity of the teapot and weird masks:

Finally, if you're looking for a really quirky gift, nothing says "I love you" more than a tiny owl in a tiny box, that's what Daisy Lily who made this gorgeous "Titch" believes anyway. He is available from her Folksy shop.

Opinions needed

I have a beautiful, really delicate vintage filigree brooch in the shape of a butterfly. The trouble is, I can't decide whether to make it into a necklace or a bracelet. What do you guys think? (Sorry about the blurry photo - that's what happend when I only have my phone, not the proper camera):

Explosion in a jewellery box

It took me ages to find a pretty way to store the jewellery for my Folksy shop . I didn't want it to get muddled up with my own jewellery, but at the same time I didn't just want to stick it all in a box. I also wanted something that I could take with me to craft shows. At first I used a French shabby-chic style mini jewellery mannequin, but it soon got full! Then I found a gorgeous bird-themed jewellery stand. Unfortunately I've been so busy making lovely new items recently that tha's got a bit stuffed too! Oh dear... (Sorry about the picture quality, I had to take them on my mobile) I think it's probably time to buy another jewellery stand. I want one that will complement my existing ones but not exactly the same. Any suggestions will be happily welcomed. And how do you all store your stock? Is it tucked away under a bed or proudly on display to make the most of any visitors?

Win a bracelet!

It's competition time! Would you like to win a one of a kind bracelet made from a vintage brooch, chunky amazonite nuggets, rock crystal, pretty pink Peruvian opal and Swarovski crystals? One that fastens with a cute heart-shaped toggle clasp? I thought so! Just to whet your appetite a bit more, here's a couple of pictures: Because it's nearly Valentine's Day I thought I'd have a bit of a soppy theme. So, to win all you have to do is follow me on Twitter here (if you're not already a follower, if you are you can get retweeting right away) and RT any of my tweets that mention the words "Valentine's", "love", "romance" or "romantic". For each RT you will be entered into the draw (no more than one an hour, though!). For two bonus entries, just blog about Made With Love or this competition. The competition runs until midnight on February 9th and I will be announcing the winner then via this blog. Good luck!

Made With Love by Kat

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