Welcome to my blog!
My name is Melody M. Nuñez - I’m an artist, a writer, and an art teacher. To learn more about me and the book I published - An Altered Existence: Fictitious Stories About Faces from the Past - please view the “About” & "Book" pages…-
Recent Posts
Archives
IMAGES FROM MY BOOK: An Altered Existence
SUBSCRIBE
Tag Archives: Valentine’s Day
Crocheted Valentine’s Wreath
Hi, y’all!
Remember when I shared that Vintage Crocheted Wreath back in December? The one I hung for Christmas? Well, in that post I mentioned that it would be easy for me to modify the wreath for different holidays or themes throughout the year. By pinning my doilies and potholders on instead of gluing, it was super easy to take some of the pieces off and add new pieces to create a Valentine’s Day wreath. This version is all red, white, and cream, and I think it’s darling.
I’ll likely make a new version of the wreath for the spring, and will share that new wreath with you in a month or two. In the meantime, do you have questions, comments, feedback? I’d love to hear from you…
Warm regards,
Melody
Posted in crafts, DIY, holidays, vintage
Also tagged Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day wreath, vintage crocheted wreath
2 Comments
A Chocolate Box Transformed (Your Heart’s Desire)
Melody the Magpie?
*
In case you haven’t noticed by now, I’m a bit of a scavenger. Whether I’m up-cycling metal food cans or using cardboard packaging to make mobiles, I’ve always got an eye out for cast-offs that can be used in a new way. I enjoy making something wonderful from something simple. Today’s “something wonderful” is essentially a box to hold your hopes and dreams – your goals. How does that relate to chocolate box transformation? Please read on…
Confession
*
I’m a sucker for heart-shaped Valentine’s chocolate boxes. Bubble gum pink, lace, and silk roses aren’t in my usual rotation, but something gets me when it comes to those heart-shaped candy boxes. Whether the box is a relatively plain gold or red, or is fully decked out with saccharine Valentine’s trim, I love them all. Today’s project is how to turn one of these heart-shaped boxes into something that you can treasure – and put to good use – all year round. So, if you (or a friend) are gifted with a heart-shaped box this year, don’t throw it away when it’s empty! (You can do this same project with a rectangular or square shaped box as well.) Oh, and hopefully you can save the box’s liner, too. It makes a great template!
A Look Inside Your Heart…
*
This project is called My Heart’s Desire because the outer box is intended to hold visual representations of your hopes, dreams, and goals. Whether you gather small 3-D objects that represent what you hope to bring to fruition, or create paper “pages” that you embellish – like I have – I suggest you identify 5 to 10 things you’d like to work on in your life and include them in your box. Here’s how I made my pages, including the materials I used.
Materials
Watercolor paper
Gesso
Paintbrushes
Glue Stick
Liquid Acrylic Inks or paint
Rubber Stamps
Black Ink Pad
Sticker & Seed Packet
Alphabet Stamps
Metallic Gel Pen
Rhinestones
Pen
Decorative Paper
Scissors
Walnut Ink
Double-Stick Tape
Heart Shaped Candy Box*
How to Visually “Spell Out” Your Heart’s Desire
* *
1. Cut out one “page” for each of your heart’s desires. Make your page by tracing the liner of your candy box, or by tracing the bottom of the box lid and then cutting just inside those lines. If you’d like, you can add color to your page at this stage. I brushed a mixture of acrylic inks and walnut ink onto watercolor paper. Alternately, you can use colored card stock instead.
2. Note one desire on each “page”. (I chose “garden”, “travel”, “art program”, “nourish”, “get book published” and “run” and stamped the words on with alphabet stamps) It’s best to be as specific as possible when it comes to verbalizing goals though, so include as many details as you can. You can write on the back of your pages, too.
3. Add to these “pages” by drawing, painting, stamping, collaging, or otherwise embellishing your “pages”. I’ve listed the materials I used, but you can use whatever materials or methods you’re partial to – there’s no wrong way to do it. The pages can be a simple or as elaborate as you’d like them to be.
Decorating Your Box’s Exterior
*
There are a million ways you can decorate your box, if you choose to change it at all. Whether you keep the box’s original look, or customize it to make it more “you”, is entirely up to you.
Here are a few décor ideas:
- Paint your box
- Decoupage your box
- Cover your box with duct tape
- Use some of the same materials you used on the “pages” to decorate the box’s exterior (which is what I did)
I opted to cover the red foil look of my box with a few coats of white gesso. Next, I used some of the decorative metallic paper on the cover. I stamped “My Heart’s Desire” on the box’s liner, stamped three flowers in the upper right, and glued a layer of tissue paper over the top to soften the text. I accented the edge of the liner heart with metallic rub-ons and glued three rhinestones in the flower centers in the upper right of the heart. Finally, I attached the letter-stamped liner piece to the box’s lid with a strong double-stick tape.
Hurray! It’s Done! NOW What?
*
The purpose of this box is threefold. One, to identify what you really want in life and to spell it out in a tangible way. Two, to have fun creating that tangible, visual representation of what you want. Three, to regularly refer back to the contents of your box to remind yourself of your goals and to verify you’re taking steps, however small they may be, towards those goals. So keep this creation within arm’s reach, and let it be your guide…
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments, dear readers. I’m always happy to hear from you!
Warm regards,
Melody
Posted in art, art supplies, crafts, DIY, holidays, inspiration
Also tagged box of chocolates, re-use, up-cycle, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day crafts
12 Comments
Dresses with Sashes project & Valentine’s Day Treat Ideas!
I recently created a new Design Team project for crescendoh.com, and am happy to share it with you, dear readers. This time I used the Dresses with Sashes Stamps, and created place cards that could double as gift tags or triple as the image on the front of a handmade greeting card. I have to confess: I’m not much of a stamper. I generally stick to using alphabet stamp sets in my work, but the Dresses with Sashes set made it super easy to create a lovely project.
By embellishing each dress differently I was able to use bits and pieces of trim from my existing art supply stash, and didn’t have to buy a thing. This is the perfect project for making use of the five inches of lace you couldn’t bear to throw away, the tiny fabric flower that needs a home, or the half dozen rhinestones that are lingering. To see the project posted at crescendoh.com and to read the complete directions, please click here.
Valentine’s Day Approaches – A Sweet Treat Compilation
Not sure what to give your beloved? Need some delicious treats for a Valentine’s Day party or potluck? Here are recipes I’ve posted on this blog thus far – consider making one (or some) of these recipes to add some sweetness to the lives of those you hold dear. Just click on the name of the treat to link to the original post and recipe…
Sugar-Dusted Lemon & Almond Cookies
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
I hope you find this recipe compilation helpful and delicious!
Warm regards,
Melody

Posted in art, art supplies, baking, DIY, holidays, inspiration, life in general, recipes
Also tagged edible Valentine's Day gift, gift tags, place cards, Valentine's Day
2 Comments