LAS CRUCES – Festive, colorful little hearts festooned with
images of saints and Our Lady of Guadalupe. Cupidos y corazons (cupids and
hearts) on bright red papel picado banners. Punched tin valentines, Navajo
silversmiths’ sterling heart jewelry, and skeletal brides and grooms cavorting
on romantic cards.
Valentine’s Day in the Borderland can inspire unique,
artistic celebrations of our culture.
“I collect things all year long and find things that are
perfect for Valentine’s Day. I look for things with heart shapes, little metal
heart jewelry and other things that fit it with the theme,” said Kirstie
Robles, owner of San Pasqual Market/A Hair & Body Shop,
2488 Calle de Guadalupe in Mesilla.
Some of her inspirations come from the
Backyard Bones Coalition, a colorful outdoor market with regional artists that
she hosts every year during Día de los Muertos celebrations in Mesilla, in the
courtyard outside her shop, across from the Fountain Theatre.
Many symbols of death-defying, eternal love,
like traditional Day of the Dead skeletons dancing, or in bridal finery, “are
just perfect,” she feels, for Valentine’s Day celebrations here.
Robles also orders and commissions special
arts and crafts to encourage one-of-a-kind romantic messages, including some
original mixed media works from her sister, artist Stephanie Felix, a former
Las Crucen who now lives in Gilbert, Ariz. Works by Felix include a framed
heart sculpture made from pieces of driftwood and a corazon collage that
features metal and paper.
“This year, I started looking around at
Christmas time and found things like a sacred heart tray and other things from
Mexico,” Robles said.
Holiday sales and leftover décor can be great
sources for valentines, gifts and romantic décor, according to Beverly Chávez-Floyd,
of Patina Home, 300 N. Main St. in Las Cruces.
“Just look for anything in valentine colors:
red, pink and white. There are some terrific after-Christmas sales and you can
get some wonderful things for very little,” said Chávez-Floyd, showing a row of
red and white polka-dotted metal tins, tied with coordinated ribbons and filled
with vintage teacup-and-saucer sets.
Chávez-Floyd’s shop is filled with romantic
Victorian and Borderland table settings and vignettes, many spiced up with
valentines she made herself from her stock of collectible ephemera that
includes old papers and eclectic motifs like birds, flowers and even colorful
Mexican oilcloth designs. Her entryway welcomes visitors with large heart
shapes she sewed from white fabric with bright red chile peppers.
The owners of both artistic emporiums welcome
those looking for one-of-a-kind valentines for their loved ones and say they
are happy to consult and help come up with ideas to please significant others.
San Pasqual Market is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and is closed Monday and
Wednesday. For information call 575-527-1910.
Patina Home is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. For information, call 575-642-2207.
More custom, creative gifts for your
valentine are available Wednesday and Saturday mornings at the Las Cruces
Farmers’ and Crafts Market on Main Street Downtown, where you’ll find
everything from heart-shaped red chile ristras to fiery homemade salsas, heart-shaped
cookies and pastries, flower arrangements, jewelry and wearable art, including
colorful bandanas for your four-legged valentines. Couples who show up wearing
red at the Feb. 13 market will have a chance to win romantic dinners for two at
Main Street Bistro.
Find one-of-a kind arts and crafts, poetry
readings and special performances throughout the Mesilla Valley during February
For the Love of Art Month, or take your sweetheart on FLAM Artists Studio Tours
to find special mementos together. For information and schedules, visit
artformsnm.org or pick up a FLAM Event Guide at galleries, museums and other
sites around Las Cruces.
If you’d like to try your hand at making your
own special tributes, children of all ages are invited to create their own valentine
crafts at a workshop from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping
Springs Road. Regular admission is required
for all family members: $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens, $3 for children
4 to 17, and free admission for kids 3 and under. For information, call
575-522-4100.
The Las Cruces Museum of Nature
& Science, 411 N. Main St., will also have some valentine activities as
part of their weekly SNAP! program from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday Feb. 13.
S. Derrickson Moore may be
reached at 575-5450, dmoore@lcsun-news.com or @derricksonmoore on Twitter.
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Find unique, artistic
valentines
• Las Cruces Farmers’ and
Crafts Market
When: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Wednesday and Saturday
Where: Main Street, Downtown
Las Cruces
•San Pasqual Market
When: 10 a.m -4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday,
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Where: 2488 Calle de Guadalupe in Mesilla.
•.Patina Home
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through
Friday, 9 a,m.- 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: 300 N. Main St., Las Cruces
VIDEOS
SAN PASQUAL
Market Valentines
LAS CRUCES
FARMERS & CRAFTS MARKET VALENTINES
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