Tokens of the heart

The art and craft of valentines as revealed by Blue Tulip.

By: Jillian Kalonick
   We could choose to blame the modern Valentine’s Day frenzy on Charles, Duke of Orleans, the author of the oldest known valentine still in existence — a poem for his wife written in 1415, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. It is believed that a few years later, King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine to Catherine of Valois.
   Esther A. Howland is also a culprit. After receiving her first English valentine, she imported paper lace and floral decorations from England and began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in the United States in the 1840s.
   According to the Greeting Card Association, approximately 85 percent of valentines are purchased by women, but Valentine’s Day is often viewed as a test for male significant others — who might choose to be as thoughtful as Charles, or, like Henry, hire someone to do the work for them.
   Blue Tulip, an upscale gift and paper store in West Windsor, is catering to the full range of Valentine’s Day shoppers with a combination of personalized items and pre-packaged gift sets.
   For those who would like to make their own cards, the store offers a workshop for adults on Saturday, and one for kids on Sunday. Instructor Judy Lass Tobie will lead participants in making artistic valentines. Children will choose base paper for their valentines, then create multi-colored cards by sprinkling paper with embossing powder. Blue Tulip staff will heat the paper to form shapes and figures, then children will color in the shapes and decorate their cards with stamps and collages.
   For customers who need helpful guidance, the Blue Tulip staff has selected nine love poems, including some by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Emily Brontë, Aristotle and Robert Browning. Customers can choose a poem and Blue Tulip will etch it in calligraphy on a 5 by 7-inch card, or a 16 by 20-inch scroll. Valentines are comprised of three layers of handmade papers, including marbled momis and garden papers made with bougainvillea and marigold from Thailand, and zina floral inclusion papers with delphinium petals, handmade in the United States.
   "It’s personalized, it’s beautiful poetry on handmade papers, it’s something someone would keep," explains Blue Tulip CEO David Cully. "It’s high touch and high tech, rolled into one."
   "We had a lot of fun with scrolls, picking out poetry and paper and matching typefaces with papers. We’ve got things for people with different backgrounds, tastes, and lifestyles."
   Within three days, the staff will also personalize the scrolls with a greeting or personal words, and framing is available to create a keepsake gift.
   Blue Tulip is also offering "gifts-to-go" — themed gift baskets including "You’re My Jewel" with a red candle, red silk journal and red jewel pen, and "Ohm Sweet Ohm," with a Zen sketchbook. The idea is to combine thoughtful gifts with convenience, and avoid last-minute panic gifts.
   Packages for men include a martini set, with a bullseye glass and chrome martini shaker, two martini glasses, and napkins inscribed with "Shaken Not Stirred," and a spa kit with a massage roller and loofah.
   The store’s workshops have encouraged card makers and crafters young and old to tap into their creativity. "We have activities for lots of ages, the sophisticated or novices," explains Mr. Cully. "We’re trying to introduce a lot of people to the promise of paper, and democratize what has been an area appreciated only by few."
Blue Tulip will hold a Handmade Valentines workshop for adults on Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. and a Magic Valentine Workshop for kids on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. Both workshops are free. Blue Tulip is located on Nassau Park Boulevard, West Windsor. For more information, visit call (609) 720-1005.