ALT-1 Valentines Day Gifts you can Make yourself
Nothing says "I Love You" better than sentiments crafted by ones own heart and hands, and on Valentine's Day, this seems all the more relevant. Having always been a little on the non-conformist side, from a young age I was lovingly referred to by family members as the "Queen of Creation". Valentine's Day has always been my favorite time of year to put my creativity to the test.
Most will agree that Hallmark has the market cornered when it comes to the overly sweet and generically romantic Valentine's Day card, but there is nothing more rewarding than sitting down and creating a card that is completely unique and speaks the truth of your heart...except for, maybe, seeing the look on your loved one's face when you present them with it! Whether you choose to hand write and hand decorate your card, or prefer to use your trusty computer, the part that makes this special is the personalization. Last year for Valentine's Day, my husband made his own card to give to me, complete with drawings and a sweet little sentiment that shot straight in to my heart...even though we've spent many Valentine's Days together, I still have THAT card in my night-stand drawer.
Valentine's Day is all about the commemoration of love, and what better way to commemorate your love affair than with a picture? Some years ago, I took my favorite picture of me and my husband and had it enlarged to a 5x7 print. I then purchased a simple frame in 8x10 and a nice matting. I decorated the matting with phrases describing all of the things that I love about my husband in bright red print. I then put on my most red lipstick and proceeded to cover the matting in kisses. My husband still has this picture in his home office and tells me at least once a month how much he loves it!
It's said that the "way to a man's heart is through his stomach", and I think that most women will agree that their own hearts are opened a little wider when their husbands cook them a delicious meal as well! Valentine's Day is the perfect time to put your culinary skills to the test, as there is nothing more romantic than the gift of a special meal. Set the stage with candle-light and a nice bottle of wine, and then create a romantic meal (perhaps one that incorporates an aphrodisiac like oysters) and top it off with a home-made Valentine's Day dessert; it's easy to make a heart shaped cake, cheesecake, cookies, etc., or you could go the simple route and melt some chocolate for the dipping of fresh strawberries.
Valentine's Day is traditionally a very "sweet" celebration, but it's also the perfect time to show the one you love how much you care through a more "sexy" display. It has become somewhat of a Valentine's Day tradition for me to create a "sexy" gift for my husband...last year while my husband was at work, I decorated our bedroom with flowers and candles, covered the bed in rose-petals, and put on one of my more suggestive pieces of lingerie. When he walked through the door I was waiting on the bed for him with a plate of fresh chocolate covered strawberries and two glasses of champagne. I think that my husband would admit that this was his favorite Valentine's Day gift!
