what's LOVE got to do with it?

What does LOVE got to do with it?

The upcoming Valentine's Day has had me thinking this past week.
Is it about the price we pay for a gift that equates to the depth of our love?
I'd like to think that it goes back to the nostalgic days of old...and the true intent of the heart behind the gift that is given.
The pair of little Italian Lover Bunnies captured above were a surprise gift I picked up at a consignment store recently for my Beloved. When I recently took a trip without him, I left them by his bedside with a bracelet that said in French, "I love you" Je t'aime

This book jacket above protects my favorite gift from him of all time that he blessed me with this past Christmas. How can one add words to what is written above to express love any better?

The book is called "Love Letters, an Anthology of Passion" and it literally has dozens of love letters (actual copies in pockets within the book) from past centuries from people in love.
The story behind him giving me this book is even more precious to me. Last year was a sacrificial year financially, as we invested in our youngest son that went back to school at the age of 25. It was a one year program and we wanted to do whatever we could to contribute in helping him achieve his dream. When Christmas came along, we were strapped...and so we decided that our gifts would be humble ones, the kind we used to give to each other in our early marriage.

He found the Love Letter book at the Goodwill one day when we were thrifting...and he purchased it. He then went through the book and read it - adding his own words of love here and there. For the very thought that he'd take so much time to share this book of love in such an intimate way - reading it, adding to it, blessed my spirit - and so this truly is HIS book of Love to me, for always... I so enjoy reading the love letters of years gone by..words of passion and even at times love lost because it never took a chance... It's the BEST gift a girl could want from her man...

Then I recently picked up the book above called Perfect Pairs - again at the Goodwill - and decided the photos were too lovely to stay within this book. They needed to be shared...and so I made these for my friends and will be mailing them out this week to celebrate friendship!

The card above goes to my best friend, my mother...she adores Rock Hudson & Doris Day films...one of my own heartbeats... :)

Cary Grant & Grace Kelly, another great pair that made the screen light up! This card goes to ??? you'll soon find out! :)

Now, this one is tough, because I have "two" friends that are fans of Audrey, but Claudie would kill me if I sent it to anyone but her. So, I want to live... Claudie it goes too, and proudly so! ;)

What would love be without "Gone with the Wind"? Clark Gable & Vivian Leigh - well, my girlfriend of 25+ years, Kathleen Ellis has always been a double in my eyes for Vivian Leigh! ;) She has to get this card!

Spencer Tracey & Katherine Hepburn ~ This one goes to a friend that loves anything nostalgic, like I do. Can you guess who you are? :)

And who can forget one of my favorite movie classics "The Philadelphia Story" with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn? What did love have to do with it? They'd been divorced and he enters back into her life to cover the story of her impending marriage, which was to be the season's premier event. I'm sure he never expected to fall back in love with Kate, but he did...and the rest is history as they say. Great movie from start to finish...

My book on famous pairs helped me to create dozens of greeting cards, not just the few I shared above...and I had so much fun making them last night. It's not always the price on the back of the card, or attached to the gift that means the most to me. But, it's the intent of the heart...

And so, I leave you all with this today...
When you are laboring over what gift to give, take something and reinvent it, repurpose it...as it will mean so much more to the person receiving it, and will make you so happy as you create it and give it your own personal touch! Great things come out of life when one is squeezed financially, and many times it's the gifts we create out of need that are celebrated the most!

Happy Early Valentine's Day my precious Friends!

I found this little rhyme in a vintage personalized autograph book I have...and it seems so fitting for today and it will leave you with a giggle or two.

It's written on 8/22/1924 by someone named, Mary Painter

"They sat on the porch at midnight...
Their lips were tightly pressed,
The old man gave the signal,
The Bulldog did the rest"


Love to All,
~CC