I ran into CB2 the other day and was stopped short by these cute little porcelain knives they carry. As I stood there, a poem my grandmother used to write me at Valentine’s Day popped into my head. Knife + poem = a sweet little valentine for less than the price of a card! Colorful mini tassels add a bit of color. Tie it all up, put it in a rigid mailer, and mail it to your valentines near and far, or hand out as favors at a Valentine’s party.

Materials needed: porcelain knives, embroidery floss, scissors, 6 ½” x 3 ¼” manilla tags, alphabet stamps, ink pad

Step 1: Holding two fingers a few centimeters apart, wind the embroidery floss around and around, about 20 times.
Step 2: Gently take the floss and lay in on the table. Insert a 8” piece of floss through the circle, and tie a tight knot.
Step 3: Smooth the floss together, and begin wrapping more floss 1/2” down from the knot you just tied. Wrap about 15-20 times, then tie tightly and snip the ends.
Step 4: Using sharp scissors, snip the bottom of the loop. Trim the edge straight if necessary.
Step 5: Stamp the following poem on the tag: If you love me like I love you, no knife can cut our love in two. Stamping will go a lot faster if you do a few at the same time.
Step 6: Attach tassels and poem to the knife. Wrap it in tissue, put it in a rigid mailer or a small box and send off. Up to you if you want to be a secret admirer or let them know who it’s from!

Photography by Tim Gibson