Scoutie Girl

kiss by adam holz

it’s almost valentine’s day. i’m not real sappy… don’t put too much value on this one particular day. a girl gets her expectations up and then realizes that no man (or woman or any such thing) can read your mind to know exactly what kind of romance you’d like on this one special day. not to say that i don’t believe in true love, just not the kind of true love that culminates in a 24 hour love fest.

but kelly diels, who writes a blog – cleavage – i think you should all check out when you’re feeling sassy, gave a challenge to write a secret, or not-so-secret, valentine. i thought, maybe at this particular point in my life, this particular valentine’s day, that’s exactly what i need to do.

kiss by flyingboots!

dear scoutie boy:

things have been rough. we love our daughter madly but it has been hard to love each other. my heart has been tried to the point of breaking many, many times in the last 19 months. but we press on. i just want you to know that i have hope and a lot of love left to give.

and i know that you do to.

i’m not going to expect a knight in shining armor anymore and i hope you can lower your expectations a bit too, and we can just expect to communicate & be friends. with friendly kisses and laughter and love.

we can learn a new set of expectations together and grow as husband & wife, mom & dad. together.

love always,
your scoutie girl

love is actually all around by catbagan

do you need to write a secret valentine this year? think about what your heart most needs to say. and maybe write it down. or create it.

it’s valentine’s day! you know what that means! i’ll be in my room crying. by neat things.

ghostacademy – This doesn’t mean that I don’t think Valentine’s Day is lame. — But it does mean that I love you.

kingpopcorn – You two deserve each other.

owlyshadowpuppets – You had me at health insurance.

modernemotive – Love is like the weather – you can’t ignore it.

vintage-inspired, handmade silk lingerie by hopeless

screen-printed men’s boxers by recession

camisole and briefs by sandmaiden sleepwear

flat valentines from stephanie fizer

i can’t say i have any fond memories of a specific valentine’s day. no loverly surprises, no over-the-top gifts, no declarations of undying affection.

but i do have fond memories of boxes of school valentines. there’s something about the way they slosh about in the package. small, flat, neatly cut. so much promise… always ruined by my too-quick, sloppy handwriting. super heroes, cartoon characters, puppies, disney princesses, nothing too original – but then, who puts a lot of thought into a card they’re slapping their name on and depositing in 28 classmates’ obligatory mailboxes.

oh wait, these fabulous indie designers put a lot of thought into it! you may not get the same slosh-in-a-box satisfaction that i got from my late 80s valentines – but you will get the satisfaction of having the coolest kid in school.

by the way, these aren’t just for adults. i’m totally getting in touch with the child in me and sending grade school valentines to friends & family!

printable valentines from three wheels design

“we were made for each other” valentines by mew paper arts

vintage-inspired valentines by buttonhead

for more great grade school valentine’s, check out the charlotte’s fancy blog!

post sponsored by

by sevenply

ladies, it’s time to leave the room. i need to speak with the dudes. alone.

okay, dudes, all clear?

great. ya know, valentine’s day is a less than a month away. i know you want to get that special lady (or kidlet, or mama, or boyfriend, or anyone else special) a fantastic, original, knock out gift. right?

right. handmade is the way to go. you’ll be the talk of the town, the most romantic, most thoughtful gift giving dude you know.

but how do you navigate the perilous sea of rough craft waters? my friend, i’m here to help.

by
pragyaK

first off, get yourself an account on a site like etsy, supermarket, or folksy. and then get yourself a paypal account if you don’t have one.

next, with great stealth, find out your love’s account name, if they have one. if they do, search the site for their account name and check out their favorites – pick one. pick two or three. don’t skimp

by studiotto

if you’re not lucky enough or stealthy enough to find out their account name, it’s time to browse a bit. try searching for items with keywords your giftee likes: chocolate, jewelry, diamonds, woodland creatures, skulls with tutus… you get the idea. if you’re completely lost, check out the blogosphere for great gift ideas. i’ve got plenty here. you can also try my girls at try handmade, modish, & kind over matter.

find something beautiful. something you love. don’t put a lot of stress on yourself to find something very original – your effort will speak for itself. relax and go with your gut.

by inkling prints

when you’ve settled on that perfect something or three (remember, i said don’t skimp!), check out the seller’s shop policies and shipping information. many times goods are packed up and shipped the very next morning… other times, goods are made to order and could take 2-4 weeks to ship. of course, keep your time frame in mind whilst perusing this info.

next, click “add to cart” and check out. make sure you address information is correct and that you leave any notes to the seller that are required – size, color, design, etc… and if no notes are needed, it’s a great idea to say “thanks” and maybe point out that this is a gift. often the seller will package everything up for you so that no “official” gift wrap is needed! bonus!

check out is incredibly fast and easy if you already have your paypal account set up as i mentioned earlier.

that’s it. you’re set! you’ve done something good for yourself (you’re now the coolest gift giver you know), good for your giftee (s/he’ll love you forever!), and good for society (you’ve supported a micro business). congratulations.

psst. you can tell the ladies to come back now!