THE VERY BEST VALENTINE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20233, 17 February 1934, Page 18 (Supplement)

THE VERY BEST VALENTINE.

Quaintest and Cutest.

Little lavender-scented trifles are littering the table as I write, each a gem of perfect and ingenious workmanship. Which is to be my valentine for all the year? I thought I gave you quite a hard picture to paint, but the number of different ideas is amazing. Here ire ladies and gentlemen with golden wigs, silver locks, and some with graceful powdered coiffures. Some have all the figure-head gold and silver, others remain black in gold or silver settings. One has a beautifully shaded background running from deep rose up to pale lemon like a very beautiful sunset. Shall I tell you of some of the best? There were dozens and dozens of good ones, but these are the very best: Lydia Laraman (Rakaia) chose a ciel-blue background with the heads in pure gold; the little hearts at the border golden also, with a bright applegreen ribbon threading through. The card was backed by a lavender filled silk cushion of pale sky blue, and hangs by a pale blue ribbon. Kathleen Turner (Merivale) made a silver background, the figures black, red, blue and gold hearts at the edge, threaded with golden ribbon, a background mounting of fawn edged with silver and green. A very artistic card. Muriel Collison (Papanui), whose work has improved wonderfully this last year, painted the heart itself deep rose-pink, the figures black with beautifully powdered hair; the lady with a scarlet collar, her lover with blue Red and yellow hearts threaded with royal blue ribbon ran round the edge on a background of apple-green. On the back was a beautiful lavender sachet in rose, edged with rosebud trimming, and the two hearts shot with the arrow cut from the page and painted to match. Very, very beautiful. Of course, we all expected Brenda Payne (Woolston) to do something artistic. On a large dull green mount sat the scarlet heart; black figures lightly outlined in gold, and golden hearts hung on green ribbon for the border. Rosebud trimming in pastel shades outlined the mount, and a mauve tucked organdi heart, rosebud edged and filled with lavender, hung from the bottom of the card. Daphne Pepper (Papanui) had a beautiful colour scheme, but lacked mounting, and Doreen Banks (Hornby) also sent a specially good effort. Ray and Shirley Baker (Linwood) mounted theirs on one-ply wood stained a lovely chestnut brown. Ray cut a heart out of the middle of his and placed the card in it. Shirley cut the wood heart-shaped. Really original and very striking. I have chosen the card sent by Lydia Laraman in pale blue and gold as the aamtfert and the most appropriate for the occasion, and she will be my valentine all the year and receive a box of sweets in token ! Simplicity was the keynote of her u° rt we ave to remember that the paler colours represent finer emotions. Red is the colour of force and passion, but for delicate sentiment such as St -Valentine’s Dav, the pastel | shades are much more appealing, pale skv blue, sunset pinks and lemons and 1 the palest, green of the waves of the sea and of newlv ripe apples. Thank >ou all for really very beautiful work. Une mark to each of the Starlets mentioned for specially good work. A.H.