The Things We Do For Love: Valentine Gift Ideas

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, I thought I’d share with you some memories and gift ideas.

I found these keepsakes while unpacking boxes in the garage (yes, I’m still unpacking. Apparently…. we’re hoarders)
The sweetest things we do in love.

Pictures of our First Valentine’s Day, we attended a Murder Mystery weekend at The Haunted Stone Lion Inn in Guthrie Oklahoma.  The Stone Lion Inn has a 112 yr history of being a family home, a one time mortuary and today, an Inn.  There are many tales from guest over the years concerning unexplained happenings, one of which is hearing a music box playing from somewhere in the home.  I too must admit that Clay an I had arrived earlier than the other guests and as I left the parlor to freshen up, i curiously heard a music box playing beneath my feet where I assumed was the basement.  I would not become aware of that being an unexplained phenomenon until the next morning and I kept it to myself.

The mystery was set in the roaring 20’s and we had as much fun putting our costumes together as the mystery itself.  Clay’s role was a physician and mine was a vivacious party girl! We pilfered boxes in the attic, thrift stores and party warehouses as if on a treasure hunt.  Clay wore his fathers hat and I, an old lace & beaded fan tail gown that I had kept from 20 years before.  His wool long coat was purchased for a steal at the local thrift and my boa, cigarette hold and short bob wig, from the party store.

While we were dating, after watching the movie “Message In A Bottle”, together, I gave Clay a personalized compass with his name and on the back, engraved with the declaration,  “When you feel lost, without bearing or compass…
You can always steer for home,
For I will be your home.
I will be your true north”

Because Clay had been in the military, we each had engraved dog tags that said if we were found, please return us to each other.

An early Valentine’s day in our marriage, I bought a plain, brown cardboard heart.  You can purchase these either online or at Hobby Lobby.

I painted it, then used a rubber stamp to emboss it with a gold design. Embossing powder comes in many colors.  Once stamped, apply heat, (I used a craft heat gun), to raise the design.  Around the outer edge of the lid, I stamped the word ” Cherish”.

I folded construction paper and on the fold, I drew hearts and cut them out to make small heart shaped cards.   I sponge painted, embossed and punched a design into them.  In each heart I wrote something I love, made me happy or made me laugh about him and filled the box with these.

The one that says “I like the shape of your head”, made me laugh out loud!  I made two heart cards to attach as a gift tag. On the heart tag, I wrote “My heart is always filled with thoughts of you.”

I used the paper heart as a template to cut one from white paper, embossed the edges, wrote a love letter and glued it in the bottom.  Once he’d read each one, on the bottom he’d find a special note.

I ended up making one for my mother as well. She cherishes it.  Not only is this a great idea for your significant other, but for your parents, children or dear friends.  It’s a gift your kids can give a teacher, something that can be introduced at a wedding reception where guests may write wishes or even a gift for an expectant mother to write her wishes for baby or set out for a baby shower.

A gift that keeps  giving….From year to year,  simply make and fill out new heart cards for the box to let your loved ones know how special and loved they are to you.
Valentine’s day is coming! Get creative!