Swap LOVE!

Over the weekend, I hosted my bi-monthly, homemade food & craft swap. I've written about food swaps a lot (here, here, here, and here too, in case you've missed it)... so I won't go on about what an amazing way it is to build and nourish community around a shared set of values. Or how it enriches my world by filling my home & kitchen with homemade foods and handcrafted items that are grown, cooked, and created with love, in the spirit of community.

But, I do want to share with you some of the super-creative goodies that were up for swapping this month! There was an unofficial Valentine's Day theme going on, with love potions (both to wear and to drink - pictured above), sweet treats, and cute crafts all up for grabs. So, I'm sharing a bit more "swap love" with you, full of heart-day inspiration!

There was lots of chocolate flowing, including Gluten Free Double Chocolate Walnut Cookie Dough and two chocolate sauces: a chocolate body paint...

...and homemade chocolate syrup.

Bath and body products this month included a rose water astringent for the face, peppermint kissing balm, sparkly pixie dust gel (made by yours truly using this recipe)....

...and rose-scented bath salts, colored naturally with beet and lemon juice!

Sweet and simple crafts included little Valentine mermaid toys...

and a felt rose wreath.

Strawberry season is in full swing here in the south, so berry-sweet goodies were also popular this month, including this Gluten Free Strawberry Vanilla Granola...

...and my Strawberry Dream Ice Cream, made with balsamic vinegar, strawberries, and goat cheese! (Recipe from Ashley English's Home Dairy book, also found reprinted here.)

Oh, and these beautiful Valentine cards and magnets, created by my sister. I LOVE this card idea!

 

What are YOU crafting or cooking up for Valentine's Day? Share the love with links to your projects in the comments!