A genealogist's reflection on Valentine's day

Love is in the air...
This morning my boys went to school all happy because they were going to exchange their valentines with their friends at school.
Due to some health problems we have not been able to do anything fancy this year, so they just wrote on some hand trimmed card stock hearts I made for them.
While I do not enjoy the consumist aspect of Valentine's day, I do like having an extra excuse to do something nice for someone I love.
The tradition I have started a few months ago to have a different family tree background for our magnetic family tree has come in handy in a period in which all that we are really focusing on is recovering from our health issues.

I just had to change the back ground to the heart shaped tree, and then I picked the books we had made a couple years ago about the reasons we love each other.

We are thinking  to read them tonight, after the kids go to bed, or even better, we will read them to our children as their night night story.
What better way to tell your children that you love them than to show them that you love your spouse, and why? I feel so blessed for the Love in my life...

Sometimes I find myself thinking twice before posting a happy Valentine's day wish on somebody's facebook  wall, or just uttering those words to anyone whose story I don't completely know. I am always worried about possibly hurting somebody's feelings.
I know that not everyone has a Valentine, and I know that some are really hurting about it, maybe they lost their loved one, maybe they haven't found the one yet, maybe they are just coming out of a bad experience, and this is possibly the worst day of the year for them.

If any of you is reading this post, I would love to share this thought that came to my mind while I was looking at my Valentine family tree.

We are all the fruit of Love, and as such we are all entitled to celebrate Love today, and everyday.

We come from an Heritage of Love. Because 2 people fell in love, we were born.
Even if you grew up in a orphanage, and think that you are a mistake for your parents, even if you think there was no love there, let me tell you, you are still the fruit of love.
It might have skipped a generation, you might find it in your grandparents, even if you will never know them in this life, you are still the fruit of their love.
Because they fell in love, and their child gave birth to you, you are the fruit of their love.

As  you can see, you can choose to be hurt on Valentine's day, or you can choose to celebrate.
I am thankful for the Love that brought each and everyone of my ancestors together, and  I hope and pray to continue this heritage of Love through my children, grandchildren and all of my descendants.

So, if you think you have nobody to celebrate Valentine's day with, how about you spend it with the ones that came before you?

You can call your parents, your aunt, or anybody that could tell you a little more about someone in your family line, and make today the day that you add one more person to love in your family tree, or one more reason to love that family member you want to know more about.

You can look for a blog or facebook group for your family surname, or you can create it, if you don't find it.

You can follow my example and tell the story of your Love to your children tonight.

You can write your story, because remember, LOVE is in your DNA.


The choice is yours!
Happy Valentine's day!

Another cool idea: Home decor tiles

Looking for an extra something for the bookshelf in the living room, for the counter in the bathroom, for the credenza in the dining room? Home décor tiles make perfect display pieces for any room of the house. Plus, the tiles are simple to make and the materials easy to find. You can add a little something extra to your home with little more than a snap. Here’s how to get started.

Materials needed

• Tile template from the Template Gallery. Just type in “tiles” in the keyword search to find beautiful 12×12 scrap pages made into tile templates. (Four this project, choose a template that comes with four squares to go on 6×6 tiles)
• Mod Podge
• Sponge brush
• Four 6×6 tiles (can find these at Home Depot, Lowes, or other home improvement store.)

Get started:

1. Find the template you want to work with in Heritage Makers Template Gallery and modify it to fit your style in Studio editor.
   
   
   
   
   1. To replace papers and photos, keep the element you want to replace locked in place, click it so it is highlighted, and drag the replacement paper or photo over the “drop here to swap” window that will appear.
   2. Delete and replace other embellishments to design the template just the way you want it.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Publish and order your project. You can continue with the rest of the steps when you project arrives.
3. Cut out the tile square from your finished 12×12 scrap page so each measures as a 6×6 paper.
4. Using a sponge brush, apply Mod Podge over the top surface of one 6×6 tile.
5. Place one 6×6 square paper over the Mod Podge area of the 6×6 tile so it is centered and aligned with the edges.
6. Apply more Mod Podge over the top of the 6×6 square page. Make sure the corners of the paper glue securely to the tile.
7. Repeat steps 4 – 6 with the remaining square papers and tiles.
8. Let tiles dry.
9. When the tiles are finished, you can embellish each with a simple ribbon or let stand as is.
10. Use a display stand to show off your tile pieces in any room.

(from the Heritage Makers blog)

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You can get a free Publishing account by signing up at http://www.preservemyheritage.com/ and start creating unlimited projects at once!

Want more? Check out our incredible host rewards and fantastic package deals!!
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Creating home decor

I must say, I am really starting enjoying creating my own home decor!
Using a template for a 12x12 page, I had my quotes printed and shipped to my house.
When my husband bought the 2x4 used to create the Heritage blocks, it was enough to create 2 sets of those and at least two sets of these FAMILY~FRIENDS~FAITH value ones and something else!
Once he had sanded the blocks, I started painting them

While the paint was drying, I cut the various quotes:

The simplify and amore one are for a later project.

 

Finally I used modge podge to stick  a quote on each block, let it dry and then applied a layer of modge podge over the whole block.

Pretty cool, eh? And so inexpensive!!!

This can be another great Christmas gift, or house warming gift, or just because gift, to have ready and prepared so that you know, should you forget a special occasion....;)

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You can get a free Publishing account by signing up at http://www.preservemyheritage.com/ and start creating unlimited projects at once!

Want more? Check out our incredible host rewards and fantastic package deals!!
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Fill your home with inspiration.

I have been having some fun creating some home decor using scrap pages and cards filled with inspirational words and phrases that can be framed, modge podged on tiles or wooden blocks or any other thing you can think of!
Here you can see a few examples:

Let me know if you would like to get started on your own home decor or also create home decor to give as a gift for Christmas or even a house warming gift.

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You can get a free Publishing account by signing up at http://www.preservemyheritage.com and start creating unlimited projects at once!

Want more? Check out our incredible host rewards and fantastic package deals!!

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An inspiring video...