VSM and Church of Craft co-hosted a Valentine Making Workshop for adults on Saturday at Lotta Jansdotter’s Work+Space and it was fantastic! Making stuff in the company of excellent people is what I love to do.

And while I have been extremely valentine focused for the past few weeks, February is not just the month of paper love tokens criss-crossing the nation by mail.

Its also Black History Month. I wish we Americans of all ethnic backgrounds were more aware of the lives of African Americans every day of the year. But until that awareness manifests itself, this month is a reminder of the vast range of African American citizens’ experiences. And the experiences recounted by Jourdon Anderson is his 1865 letter to his former slave master took my breath away. What a letter! Please read the whole thing as it takes some fascinating turns from start to finish. It is posted by Letters of Note, which is a site worth bookmarking.

Anderson’s letter is further proof of the importance of letters as historical source material. First person accounts add so much detail and heart.

And we’re back to hearts.