A sailor’s valentine is a small, shell-decorated keepsake that sailors brought home as a gift of love and remembrance. Most were made in the 1800s, when American ships regularly sailed to the Caribbean. In ports such as Barbados, local craftspeople assembled intricate designs from tiny seashells and set them inside hinged wooden boxes, often in an octagonal shape. The patterns were carefully arranged into stars, flowers, and geometric mosaics, and many included short messages like “Home Again,” “Love,” or “Forget Me Not.”

For sailors who could be away for months, even years, a sailor’s valentine carried a simple promise: I thought of you while I was gone. It was portable, durable, and personal. Each one is a miniature map of the sea, built from materials gathered along the shoreline and shaped by patient hands. Today, sailor’s valentines offer a glimpse into the human side of maritime history: the relationships, hopes, and homecomings that traveled with every voyage.

In our workshop, you’ll create your own version of this historic art form, using a symmetrical design and nautical-inspired motifs. Whether you make yours as a gift or a keepsake, you’ll be participating in a tradition rooted in seafaring life and the enduring desire to stay connected across distance.