Monday, February 6, 2017

LOVE and WAR Valentine blog hop prizes galore

valtentineshop

 During World War One (1914-1918), wounded soldiers, recovering in hospitals made Sweetheart Pincushions. It was a way to pass the time while recuperating from war wounds, and worked as occupational therapy.These little treasures were sent home across the miles, especially for Valentine's Day, to wives, mothers, and loved ones letting them know that they were thinking of them, and no doubt with hopes that someone out there was thinking of them.

"Forget Me Not" and "Remember Me" were favorite phrases, and even more elaborate verse was used to express the feelings of the soldiers far away. Now these wonderful homespun objects of art have become pieces of history.   

When the golden sun is sinking,
  And your mind from care is free.
  When of others you are thinking,
  Will you sometimes think of me.


   Some British soldiers stationed in India even made quilts, and throughout history sailors of all kinds often extended their sail-making efforts to recreational handiwork including putting needle and thread to work. 
Some were purchased as kits containing printed fabric, threads and beads – all the materials a soldier would need to handcraft a memento for his loved ones . Some were made from whatever fabric and doodads could be scrounged up or bartered for, even feed sacks and reused thread. 
So lovingly made in the midst of the horror, tragedy, and chaos of war, they are truly a symbol of the human spirit and resolve. What hope and love must have gone into each stitch. 

Two chances to win a 
$50 AMAZON GIFT CARD
Just leave a comment at Rafflecopter!


go here for Rafflecopter giveaway


To WIN prizes, collect freebies, and meet awesome authors simply visit each page below

1.The Perfect Time For Love ~ Casi McLean2.Spunk & Hunks ~ Anna Durand
3.Love in the Month of February ~ Mary Morgan4.Love Potions and Charms ~ Sorchia Dubois
5.He said he wasn't the romantic kind of guy, but... ~ Peggy Jaeger6.Love and War ~ Gini Rifkin
7.Sexy Chocolate Cakes ~ Kayden Claremont8.50 Great Date Ideas ~ Devon Mckay
9.Hearts Abound ~ Tena Stetler10.Love Every Day ~ Darlene Fredette
11.Importance of Valentines Day ~ Maureen Bonatch12.Souls Forever Bound ~ Judith Sterling
13.Mysterious Origins of Valentine's Day ~ Barbara Bettis14.A Romantic Valentine Dinner ~ Jana Richards
15.Steamy Romance Meets Spooky Suspense ~ Kathryn Knight16.Book Bling ~ Elizabeth Alsobrooks
17.Sweet Romances ~ Katherine McDermott18.Historical Heartbeats ~ Brenda B. Taylor
19.An Awesome Bewitching Author Valentines Day ~ Lisa Voisin20.Idea City ~ Kitsy Clare/Catherine Stine
21.Welcome to the ABA Valentine Hop ~ Linda Nightingale22.Bridie Hall YA Author ~ Bridie Hall
23.A Time For Love Valentine Blog Hop ~ Amber Daulton24.'Out Of This World' Romance ~ Hywela Lyn
25.Time Travel For Love ~ Karen Michelle Nutt26.Valentine's Day - A Family Tradition ~ Holland Rae
27.Historical Heartbeats
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19 comments:

  1. UnknownFebruary 7, 2017 at 1:36 AM

    Wow! I didn't know about this. That is very cool. I can just imagine a bunch of soldiers sitting around in a hospital sewing little hearts together. How cool!

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    Replies
    1. GiniRifkinFebruary 13, 2017 at 4:20 PM

      Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment. These touched my heart too.

      Delete
  2. DarleneLFFebruary 7, 2017 at 7:28 AM

    Lovely post, Gini! The pin cushions are beautiful and crafted with such love.

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  3. UnknownFebruary 8, 2017 at 1:56 AM

    Wow! These are so beautiful, I bet they were treasured by the family that received them!

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    Replies
    1. GiniRifkinFebruary 13, 2017 at 4:21 PM

      Yes, wouldn't it be great to have one that was passed down through the family.

      Delete
  4. Kathy DavisFebruary 8, 2017 at 5:36 PM

    Thanks for sharing this. It's so interesting.

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    Replies
    1. GiniRifkinFebruary 13, 2017 at 4:21 PM

      Thank you for stopping by, hope you're enjoying the blog-hop.

      Delete
  5. DMSFebruary 10, 2017 at 8:04 AM

    Sweetheart Pincushions are so sweet and what a good way to work on OT while making something nice for a loved one. I had never heard of these! Thanks for sharing. :)
    ~Jess

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    Replies
    1. GiniRifkinFebruary 13, 2017 at 4:22 PM

      Thank you for stopping by, such a sweet bit of history.

      Delete
  6. Karen Michelle NuttFebruary 10, 2017 at 11:31 PM

    Just hopping over to say hi. Loved the tidbit about the pincushions. So very sweet. Tweeted about your post. :)

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    1. GiniRifkinFebruary 13, 2017 at 4:23 PM

      Thank you for stopping by and thank you for the tweet!

      Delete
  7. Audrey StewartFebruary 12, 2017 at 5:02 PM

    Those hearts are so pretty. I would love to have that for a pincushion.

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    1. GiniRifkinFebruary 13, 2017 at 4:23 PM

      HI thank you for stopping by, good luck on the blog-hop.

      Delete
  8. Betul E.February 13, 2017 at 6:01 AM

    The pincushions are beautiful. I love them!!

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    1. GiniRifkinFebruary 13, 2017 at 4:24 PM

      Hi, they are so sweet, and each one different.

      Delete
  9. Brandon SparksFebruary 13, 2017 at 1:44 PM

    Just so amazing. Thank you so much for this.

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    Replies
    1. GiniRifkinFebruary 13, 2017 at 4:24 PM

      Thank you for reading my blog, good luck on the contest.

      Delete
  10. BunnyClemFebruary 14, 2017 at 1:08 AM

    Thanks for the giveaway! :)

    ReplyDelete

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