Valentine's Day and Love Spoons

Yes, it's that time of year again when people start preparing for Valentine's Day. I'm sure you've already noticed the shift in the shops from Christmas cards and gifts to Valentine's Day cards and gifts being on sale. Do you like Valentine's Day or do you find it irritating? Are you planning on doing anything for it? Well to get you in the mood (and hopefully not annoy you if you don't like it) I thought I'd share my Reloved Spoon Collection.

 

 

 

My Reloved Spoon Collection is a collection of pendants inspired by Welsh love spoons. Welsh love spoons are a symbol of love, traditionally carved from wood. "The lovespoon was given to a young woman by her suitor. It was important for the girl's father to see that the young man was capable of providing for the family and woodworking."* There are a variety of things that were carved into the spoon, which symbolised specific meanings. Here are a few examples:




Bell - Weddings, anniversary or together in harmony
Chain - A wish to be together forever or a number of children
Heart - Love
Horseshoe - Good Luck
Lock - Security
Twisted Stem - Two lives become one, or togetherness

 

I wanted to take to make my love spoons designs a bit different, so I decided to incorporate the idea of recycling and upcycling. All of my love spoons are made from unwanted spoons, most of which I have bought from charity shop. As well as combining the design ideas, I decided to combine them for the name too, hence the name of the collection; Reloved Spoon Collection. I thought the name fitted quite well because they are spoons that are now wanted instead of unwanted, recycled and reused for something new. They are re-loved.

For those of you who already know about my collection you will see there is a new addition (the second picture in the blog). I'm hoping to get another new one out before Valentines Day, so keep your eye out.

Why not visit the Reloved section in my shop for more details of those on sale:
http://folksy.com/shops/SilverChestnut?shop_section=reloved_spoons

Research Links:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovespoon
http://www.welsh-lovespoons.co.uk/meanings.html