Valentine's crafts

Dispatch from the blizzard: we survived, with nary a power loss! Others in Rhode Island were not so lucky, and I'm thinking of those wrapped up in blankets or staying in emergency shelters. It's going to be chilly tonight.

We stayed indoors most of the time, watching the snow fall and catching up on shows or reading. After the worst of the snow had stopped Saturday morning, we joined our apartment neighbors in shoveling the two feet of snow out of our shared driveway. Someone turned on a car radio, and someone else made a Game of Thrones joke ("Winter is coming." "Dude, winter came."), and all in all it was actually kind of fun. But today, man, my arms are sore. Also, we have twin pillars of snow on either side of the driveway, which makes getting in and out an adventure. Josh thinks it looks like the entrance to Mordor.


I took advantage of the quiet weekend to make some Valentine's crafts. My sister and I have this funny tradition: every Valentine's Day we mail each other fake cards from celebrities. So in the days leading up to the holiday, I haul out my pretty papers and rubber cement and troll the Internet for a handsome photo of Lissa's latest celebrity love. (Or of someone who could pass for a celebrity love. Sometimes we have to get creative.)

It started when I was in college, when we were both bemoaning our single fates and she was still suffering through high school Valentine's Day frenzies. (There is little that can make you more aware of your singledom than watching other girls at your all-girls school receive flowers from their boyfriends at the front office.) I made Lissa a card from our favorite Norwegian singer, and thus a tradition was born. I have a pile of the cards she's sent me over the years--James Dean, spymaster George Smiley, Rooster Cogburn (sometimes these are more tongue-in-cheek)--and they make me laugh.

This year's card I'm keeping a surprise, but it was great fun cutting out paper and writing silly messages in beautiful ink. No offense, Josh, but this might be my favorite part of Valentine's Day.

If you were stuck inside during the snowstorm, how did you keep yourself busy? Do you have any Valentine's crafts to share?