Happy St. Valentine’s Day

Love and Peace to you all from Mary and Dermot. We did a lovely couple of workshops this week, making St.Brigid’s crosses and Valentines’ decorations. The crosses are made from fresh rushes gathered from the fields – in Northern Ireland, rushes are plentiful and like nothing better than a damp field in the hills. I got mine from Slievenacloy nature reserve, where there’s no shortage of rushes.

St. Brigid’s crosses.

The 4- legged one is the more traditional cross that is made, but the 3-legged one is thought to be used by Brigid to teach the concept of the Trinity. That’s what they say anyway, and who am I to contradict that?!

The heart was made from twigs of birch, willow and dogwood. They are dead easy to make, just needing tied with a bit of string or wool, and they can be decorated with whatever is to hand. We love making these in our workshops, as each one is totally individual and often reflects the personality of the maker. Obviously, mine is the mark of a hopeless romantic who likes trees.

Heart shaped from birch, willow and dogwood