Some non-conventional Valentine's Day ideas

With only a week to go til' Valentine's Day... (AKA as a superficial holiday Hallmark basically made up to make stores and businesses lots of money) who really cares anyway right?! We should show our loved ones how much we care EVERY day of the year.. not just February 14th. It is a good time to just give a little reminder though, if you forget to every day, just to make someone else feel special. Whether it be a special someone, your best friend, your mom... it doesn't matter but let's just try to show the love here. If you want to give a gift, I have always felt that DIY is the way to go. If you're single this year, well just remember that you won't be wasting your time waiting in line for a fancy restaurant or blowing all your money on overpriced flowers and specialty chocolates and useless stuffed animals like a majority of frantic people do, but instead you can focus the day and night on yourself and those you care about.



If you do choose to celebrate though, and are looking for some non-conventional gift or activity ideas  to do with your sweetheart or friends (since if you know me, I tend to follow the beat of my own drum, not the ways of most of society anyway).  Most of these fun ideas are things I've already done in the past. Hope you find something fun to take with you from this post, and remember, V-day isn't about feeling lonely or unloved if you don't have anyone special in your life right now... but to feel grateful for the things that YOU love! Think of your friends, your family, your pets, the things you love to do, movies and shows you like to watch, foods you like to eat.... get all these great things together and spread the LOVE this Valentine's Day.. even if it isn't with an official "date". Enjoy!

Some non-conventional Valentine's Day Ideas:

Gifts for him OR her:


1.

"52 Reasons I Love You" playing card book. This is a thoughtful one, and something to be cherished for years to come. I made this one for Josh last year, but the problem was that I ran out of cards and had to go buy about 3 or 4 more decks! Don't feel pressured to do that though... 52 reasons is plenty. You can find an inexpensive deck of cards or find ones lying around, and write a reason you love your significant other on each card. Punch holes in the cards and use key rings or string to hold together. If you want to be more crafty you can glue pictures onto the cards too. Get creative!

2.

Chocolate. Does your lady or man like chocolate? Now I'm not talking about Reese's or Kit Kat bars, or your crappy filled with processed sugars and fat chocolates. Sometimes some rich, good quality chocolate is all he or she may need to be completely satisfied. I'm lucky that Josh is a huge fan of dark chocolate and the darker for him, the better. Forget your cheap and horrible for you junk food candy and filled chocolates in overpriced boxes- let's go with something that's better for you, sustainable for the environment, has some vegan options if you wish, contains some health and superfood ingredients, is pretty affordable and even donates a portion to help the conservation of endangered species! Endangered species chocolate is my go-to gift always, and if your friend or lover likes animals and cares about the environment they will certainly appreciate the extra thought put into this one. There are literally tons of flavors (white, milk and dark chocolate) with many combinations to choose from with some of the simplest and complicated ingredient variations.

3.

Is your love a guitar player or a fan of music? Going with the chocolate and edible theme, you can get a little creative and make him/her something like this but include snacks and treats that THEY love (yes, I'm not personally a fan of the overly processed junk foods, however if they are a fan, I would make an exception for this cool gift) Opt for dark chocolates and different treats for a vegan alternative:

4.

Duct Tape Roses. I actually used to make and sell these when I was in college, and donate half the portions I made to animal shelters and the others I put towards the cost of surgery for one of my pets at the time. They are pretty easy, fun to make, and will show your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife, friend, mom... anyone really, how much you care with a rose (or a bouquet of them) that will never die! This is also a fun group craft to make to donate to a local nursing home or for those who could use some fun flowers to brighten their days! We did this in a student government organization when I was in college as well, and I led a little tutorial on how to make them for those who wanted to help us out! We brought them to the local nursing home and really brightened the day of many people :) Who wouldn't like a duct tape rose?

5.

Fun DIY I love you dish. Show someone you love them with a DIY decorative dish, plate, or mug. I made this for my mom last year for Valentine's Day and she loves it! You can use sharpie to decorate any oven safe dishware, and then bake it to make it permanent.

6.

Hand-painted sea shells. I make and sell custom hand-painted clam shells as part of my art business, but for something simple and thoughtful, this is an easy enough craft to do at home if you're artistic. Get a couple of shells if you live near the beach (flat and smooth rocks work too if you don't!) and get crafty! Here are a pair of sea turtles I made on tiny clam shells for Josh last year:

(Check out my website and Facebook page 

to see more of my art and even order 

your own if you like these!)

Activities! 

1.

Date night IN! Get some take out, rent a few movies or pick out some good finds on netflix, and just enjoy each other's company. Make some popcorn (try popping natural dried kernels in a paper bag in the microwave instead of the regular easy popcorn packs that sometimes can have additives, added butter, and even chemicals in the package). Save the money and your time to opt out of NOT going to a fancy restaurant. Get in your PJ's instead of dressing up and just have fun! If you don't have a date, just spend the time doing the same thing with friends. If you're not big on movies, pull out the boardgames or a complicated puzzle and have a game night!

2.

Cook and bake together! Enjoy making something special like this amazing red velvet flourless chocolate cake I made last year, or these amazing looking heart shaped calzones I plan on making this year (with vegan cheese and no meat of course!). The best part about making a special Valentine's treat is doing it together (and then enjoying it together!) :)

3.

Get active. How about going for a hike or a nice long walk just talking for a couple hours while enjoying the fresh air and learning about each other? This date is good for you, free, and will be one to always remember. Even when it's cold out, there's nothing more special than a long walk on a deserted beach while being bundled up in layers, or a walk through the woods. Bring a picnic blanket & cooler and share a meal together. Try finding a nice romantic place clear of light pollution and just watch the stars. This is a fun surprise to plan out too!

4.

Get a group together for an entertaining themed "pet photoshoot". You can do these for any holiday really. What all you need are some pets, some props, and a camera. If your pets are cooperative you can get some pretty humorous and adorable pictures for Valentine's day and you can make your own cute Valentines and cards for your friends. I love doing a few of these every year for all occasions.. my pets already know the drill and as you can see because of them being used to it they are all very photogenic! Just be patient and don't ever force a pet into anything they don't want to. This is a good pre-Valentine's Day activity if you plan on using the pictures for anything on the actual day!

(Click here for more of these fun photos)