Featured Product Goes Here

Scrappy ScareCrow Wreath

Wreath 12 inches

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Sweet Heart

Approximately 14 inches tall.

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Lucy

Approximately 14 inches tall.

$5.99

Cotton Candy

Approximately 14 inches tall.

$5.99

Kountry Kitty

Approximately 15-1/2 inches tall.

$5.99

Happy Valentine's everyone. My newsletters are designed to be delivered to you, the subscriber, a month ahead. In this way, if the free patterns are geared towards a holiday or special occasion, everyone will have a month to create them.

Lately though I've had some health issues arise and so unfortunately this newsletter comes to you a little late for Valentine's day...hopefully though not "too" late.

I've included a special "Valentine's Day" gift, from me to you, at the end of "Brenda's Valentine's Day Crafts" below.

Brenda's Valentine's Day Crafts

Here are some ideas for Valentine's day. Use them to primp before your "special Valentine's evening" or combine them in a basket and give as a gift to a favorite couple.

Bath Salts

Supplies:

Empty glass jar

Paints, ribbons, laces, etc. to decorate jar

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Epsom salts

Sea salt

Scent of your choice (perfume makes a great one)

Food coloring

Old bowls and utensils such as mixing spoons, etc., you will not want to use these for food after using them for this project.

Directions:

1. Mix together 3 cups of Epsom salts and 2 cups of Sea salt together.

2. Add 1 teaspoon fragrance (perfume, fragrance oil, essential oil, etc.). Mix. Take a whiff. If not strong enough add 1/8 teaspoon and mix again. Continue this process until you're satisfied. Only add 1/8 teaspoon at a time to prevent the scent from becoming too strong.

3. Add food coloring and mix. Remember, you're going to put this in glass jars so make sure it looks pretty.

4. Decorate jars. For a more personal touch, write a personal note to the recipient of each jar and attach with raffia.

NOTE: If you're making these for more than one person, you may not want the scent or color to be the same. In that case, divide the mixture up into separate bowls and give each one a different scent and different color.

Rose Petal Soap

I have been making these for years and absolutely love them. Remember though that this can be messy, be sure to wear oven gloves as this is HOT, and....it can take practice to make these perfect, but even the "imperfect" petals smell wonderful and look gorgeous.

Supplies:

Silk Rose Petals

Glycerine soap base (4-oz - available at Hobby Lobby, Joann Fabrics, and other craft shops)

Fragrance of your choice

Wax paper

Forks

Old cookie sheets, glass bowls, utensils, etc., remember though that you will not want to use these for food after using for this project.

Directions:

1. Cut up soap base and place in microwaveable safe glass bowl. Set time for 1 minute at a time until all melted. Be careful when removing as this will be HOT!

2. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.

3. Dip the petals, one by one, into the soap and with fork turn them until they are completely covered. Remove with the fork and place on the wax paper. Do this for all petals.

4. Leave on wax paper until completely set.

5. Store in air tight containers, i.e. decorate another glass jar or place in zip lock. With your best penmanship label with: Rose Petal Soap, grab one, lather, wash and toss. (This is to be sure they realize that the rose petal soap is to be used once and then the petal is to be thrown away.)

Lighted Valentine Rag Garland

Create a little "romance" with this lighted rag garland.

Supplies:

1. Small (10 to 25 lights) string of white Christmas lights.

2. Various material in pinks, reds, and whites.

Directions:

1. Tear various strips of material to measure 2 inches wide by 8 inches long.

2. Tie each material strip in a knot to your string of lights until it is full. You may make yours as "full" or as "sparse" as you like.

Here's a special gift, from me to you. Include it as a gift with the crafts above or for yourself. Either way...ENJOY!

These patterns and graphics will eventually be offered for sale to the general public, but were originally designed and created for the subscribers of this newsletter. They are the original designs and remain the property of Lillie Mae's Crafts and are copyrighted as such.

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection http://www.lilliemaescrafts.com/or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)

Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".


Crafting With Lillie Mae's		February 2010
	Pins & Needles Social Crafting Network Lillie Mae's Crafts is pleased to announce our new Social Crafting Network "Pins & Needles." A forum and crafting network for crafters of all kinds. So...please join in the fun. Make new friends who share your love of crafts. Hope to see you there!!!
	$2.50 Sale Check out the new items added to the Pattern Clearance page where everything is $2.50
	New at Lillie Mae's Crafts Lillie Mae's Crafts Pattern Mart Etsy Scrappy ScareCrow Wreath Wreath 12 inches $5.99 Sweet Heart Approximately 14 inches tall. $5.99 Lucy Approximately 14 inches tall. $5.99 Cotton Candy Approximately 14 inches tall. $5.99 Kountry Kitty Approximately 15-1/2 inches tall. $5.99
Tidings from Brenda.... Happy Valentine's everyone. My newsletters are designed to be delivered to you, the subscriber, a month ahead. In this way, if the free patterns are geared towards a holiday or special occasion, everyone will have a month to create them. Lately though I've had some health issues arise and so unfortunately this newsletter comes to you a little late for Valentine's day...hopefully though not "too" late. I've included a special "Valentine's Day" gift, from me to you, at the end of "Brenda's Valentine's Day Crafts" below. Brenda's Valentine's Day Crafts Here are some ideas for Valentine's day. Use them to primp before your "special Valentine's evening" or combine them in a basket and give as a gift to a favorite couple. Bath Salts Supplies: Empty glass jar Paints, ribbons, laces, etc. to decorate jar Hot glue gun and glue sticks Epsom salts Sea salt Scent of your choice (perfume makes a great one) Food coloring Old bowls and utensils such as mixing spoons, etc., you will not want to use these for food after using them for this project. Directions: 1. Mix together 3 cups of Epsom salts and 2 cups of Sea salt together. 2. Add 1 teaspoon fragrance (perfume, fragrance oil, essential oil, etc.). Mix. Take a whiff. If not strong enough add 1/8 teaspoon and mix again. Continue this process until you're satisfied. Only add 1/8 teaspoon at a time to prevent the scent from becoming too strong. 3. Add food coloring and mix. Remember, you're going to put this in glass jars so make sure it looks pretty. 4. Decorate jars. For a more personal touch, write a personal note to the recipient of each jar and attach with raffia. NOTE: If you're making these for more than one person, you may not want the scent or color to be the same. In that case, divide the mixture up into separate bowls and give each one a different scent and different color. Rose Petal Soap I have been making these for years and absolutely love them. Remember though that this can be messy, be sure to wear oven gloves as this is HOT, and....it can take practice to make these perfect, but even the "imperfect" petals smell wonderful and look gorgeous. Supplies: Silk Rose Petals Glycerine soap base (4-oz - available at Hobby Lobby, Joann Fabrics, and other craft shops) Fragrance of your choice Wax paper Forks Old cookie sheets, glass bowls, utensils, etc., remember though that you will not want to use these for food after using for this project. Directions: 1. Cut up soap base and place in microwaveable safe glass bowl. Set time for 1 minute at a time until all melted. Be careful when removing as this will be HOT! 2. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. 3. Dip the petals, one by one, into the soap and with fork turn them until they are completely covered. Remove with the fork and place on the wax paper. Do this for all petals. 4. Leave on wax paper until completely set. 5. Store in air tight containers, i.e. decorate another glass jar or place in zip lock. With your best penmanship label with: Rose Petal Soap, grab one, lather, wash and toss. (This is to be sure they realize that the rose petal soap is to be used once and then the petal is to be thrown away.) Lighted Valentine Rag Garland Create a little "romance" with this lighted rag garland. Supplies: 1. Small (10 to 25 lights) string of white Christmas lights. 2. Various material in pinks, reds, and whites. Directions: 1. Tear various strips of material to measure 2 inches wide by 8 inches long. 2. Tie each material strip in a knot to your string of lights until it is full. You may make yours as "full" or as "sparse" as you like. Here's a special gift, from me to you. Include it as a gift with the crafts above or for yourself. Either way...ENJOY! Happy Valentine's Everyone Brenda As always if you have a "Kudos", a prayer request, any crafting tricks or tips, or if you have a "Reader Submission" such as questions for any of us, a request, a craft tip or project you would like to share, etc., please send them to me at - lilliemaescrafts@yahoo.com "Birthday Club" To be included in the "Birthday Club" here are the requirements: The month before your birthday, you will need to send me a brief note about yourself. This can include just a little bit about yourself, what you hope this birthday brings, what crafts you enjoy, a note about your family, children, pets, etc., or anything you would like to share. If you would like to include a picture, that would be great too. This will be published in the newsletter during your birthday month and in return for this, you will receive a "free birthday gift." If you would like to join, just send your name, a brief note about yourself (as above) and date of birth to - lilliemaescrafts@yahoo.com *Warning* If you include the "year" of your birth, I WILL put your age in the newsletter...lol. Charming & Winsome Raggedy Annie Doll Patterns & Country, Whimsical, Folk Craft Designs Drop Me a Note Add us to your contact list in your e-mail to ensure this newsletter does not inadvertently go into your spam folder. If anyone would like a prayer request, just drop me a note at - lilliemaescrafts@yahoo.com**		Free Patterns in This Issue:
		My Hearts Delight Valentine Pocket A gorgeous Valentine's Day Pocket. Pattern includes the sugar roses & envelope template. So beautiful you'll want to display it every day. My Little Valentine This cute little Annie has a valentine heart in her hand ready to present to you. Part Shabby-Chic and part prim, you will just love her. Click on picture to download patterns. Surprise Here's a special Valentine's Day gift, for you, from me. These patterns and graphics will eventually be offered for sale to the general public, but were originally designed and created for the subscribers of this newsletter. They are the original designs and remain the property of Lillie Mae's Crafts and are copyrighted as such. The History of Valentine's Day http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France. While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois. In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection http://www.lilliemaescrafts.com/or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America. According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.) Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".
		Free Valentine's Day Crafts All Crafts.Net http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day Enchanted Learning http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/valentine/ About.Com: Family Crafts http://familycrafts.about.com/od/valentinesday/Valentines_Day_Family_Projects.htm Life in the Craft Lane with Mandie Free Valentine graphics, clipart, and backgrounds. http://lifeinthecraftlanewithmandie.blogspot.com/search/label/Valentine%27s PatternMart Valentine Coupon http://www.patternmart.com/pattern/9933/FREE+Primitive+Raggedy+Valentine+Coupon+Card+Printable+Project Valentine's Day Candy Bouquet http://rubyglen.com/holiday/valentinecandy.htm Homemade Hearts for Valentine's Day http://rubyglen.com/holiday/valentineheart2.htm Valentine's Day Garland http://rubyglen.com/holiday/valentinegarland.htm The Stitchery http://www.allfiberarts.com/cs/valentines.htm Craft Ideas.Info http://www.craftideas.info/ Valentine's Day Cupcake Craft http://www.countryliving.com/crafts/projects/valentines-crafts-0208 Gifts in a Jar http://www.allfreecrafts.com/giftinajar/index.shtml Valentine Country Heart http://www.allfreecrafts.com/valentine/salt-dough-heart.shtml
	VALENTINE'S WITH THOUGHT http://www.theromantic.com/stories/valentines/valentines1.htm If you are going to celebrate Valentine’s, I suggest you do it with a little forethought. I cringe every time I go to the grocery on February 13 or 14 and see dozens of men crowding around the greeting cards to buy their cards at the last possible moment. Buy your card now and mail it out to Loveland, Colorado for extra special treatment. Your card will be postmarked LOVEland, Colorado and it will also be hand-stamped with a unique four line poem. The Loveland Chamber of Commerce heads up this yearly romance project with cards going to all 50 states and over 100 foreign countries annually. It’s simple. Just enclose your pre-addressed, pre-stamped Valentine’s card in a larger envelope and mail to: Postmaster, Attn: Valentines, Loveland CO 80537 You can also send it to postmasters of these cities too: Valentine, Texas 79854 Valentine, Nebraska 69201 Kissimmee, Florida 32741 Loving, New Mexico 88256 Bridal Veil, Oregon 97010 Romance, Arkansas 72136 RENT A ROMANCE http://www.theromantic.com/stories/valentines/valentines5.htm Four years ago I wanted to come up with something totally unexpected and unusual for Valentine's Day. My husband is very easy to please and I knew that what ever I did he would be appreciative. I didn't want to just buy something for him to wear or to eat. So, I put my thinking cap on and this is what I came up with. I got out the yellow pages and looked for Hot Tub companies. I actually found a couple of them that rented out portable hot tubs! After calling a few of them I decided on one and then put my plan into action. It was being delivered while my husband was at work and they came early in the morning. I had to move all the dining room furniture out of the dining room to so the hot tub would fit! I moved all the furniture into the living room before they arrived. These guys rolled in a 4 person hot tub and set it up in my dining room! They started filling it and got it running for me before they left. Now my only concern was that it would be warm enough to go in by the time Steve got home from work! In the mean time I went to the store and bought some wine for later that evening. I kept calling Steve at work to be sure he wasn't making a surprise visit home! I made a card and in it I explained that his Valentine's gift was inside the house waiting for him and I put the card on our front door. You cannot imagine the surprised look on his face when he saw a hot tub in the dining room! And I was in it! Above the hot tub was our dining room light and I had the lights dimmed, candles in the background and soft music on the CD player. We had the best time and made lasting memories while that hot tub was there. The best part of renting the hot tub, the company that I rented it from was in a home and garden show and called to tell me that they couldn't pick it up for a few days! THE PICKLE PUCKER JAR http://www.theromantic.com/stories/valentines/valentines4.htm Last year at valentine's, I got a big glass pickle jar from a restaurant, scrubbed it clean, and painted the jar with flowers, hearts, sunshine, clouds, etc. Then I got a bunch of "fancy" doodle pads and began writing reasons & reminders of how & why I love my husband. It didn't stop there-- I began collecting little poems, quotes, and song lyrics to add to the pot. When my husband is having a rough day he can open the lid and reach in for a "boost". This jar was easy to make and VERY personal, and he enjoys it year around. I love to collect stuff for the jar as well! A DIFFERENT KIND OF PARK http://www.theromantic.com/stories/valentines/valentines6.htm My girlfriend used to get disinterested easily, so I had to keep finding new ways to keep her interested. One way was something out of character for me, was to take her to the Cemetery for a picnic. Before I got her, I purchased her favorite drink (diet coke) and her favorite food (pineapple pizza) and set up a picnic in the cemetery with two wine glasses set across from each other. Hers was the one with her favorite flower sitting inside of it (a rose) and beside that was a heart shaped box. When we got there she opened the box to find chocolates surrounding a heart made of barbed wire, after the laughing subsided, we had a wonderful afternoon of relaxing in the most quiet place I knew of. I chose the quiet place because we had earlier discussed that we did not have enough time for each other as our obligations to other people got in the way. You can chooses any spot and modify this accordingly. VALENTINES IN A BOX http://www.theromantic.com/stories/valentines/valentines14.htm Last year at this time my fiancé was in the Army, stationed in Germany. With us being so far apart it was impossible to spend Valentines together, but I still wanted to do something special for him. The only problem was I could not come up with anything original. Sending him flowers seemed too trite, but what do you do for someone when they are so far away. With Valentines fast approaching I was still out of ideas, so I went to the store hoping to come up with something to do for him. I kept thinking that things would be so much easier if he was here. Then it dawned on me that since he could not spend Valentines evening with me, I would send one to him. So, I decided to send him a Valentines evening in a box. The first thing in the box was a note and a balloon explaining how much I hated being apart on this special day and if we could spend Valentines together this is how our evening would go. Then the next thing he came to in the box was 2 candles and a box of macaroni and cheese (candle light dinner). The next item he came to was the movie "While you were Sleeping" with a note attached to it saying how we would spend the night cuddled in each others arms watching a movie. The last thing I placed in the box was the book Chicken Soup for the Couples Soul with a note explaining how we would end the evening cuddled up reminiscing over the "story" of how our love has grown. And of course I filled every empty space with Hershey Hugs & Kisses. He absolutely loved the package when he got it! NOT JUST FEBRUARY 14 http://www.theromantic.com/stories/valentines/valentines16.htm Two years ago I decided to stretch Valentine's Day out all year long. After cutting out 365 pink, red and white hearts from copy paper, I set out on the daunting yet loving task of placing a special message on each one. Some were scripture notes from the Bible to give encouragement or verses that were special to me and by wife. Some were date notes: movie of your choice, dinner out, dinner fixed by me, a drive to the beach, etc. Some were chore or help notes: I do the dishes for a week, I'll clean the bathrooms, I'll watch the baby this weekend, etc. And some were sweet nothings: back rub, take a long bath, take a nap while I take the baby, let's look at our wedding photos and reminisce... Once all the hearts had a message, each was folded and placed in a large jar decorated with appropriate Valentine's colors and shapes. I wrapped her special gift, which she opened and then placed on the counter where she could reach for each day's note, to be used at her discretion. It has been a simple yet wonderful way to keep us aware of each others needs. FROM WORST TO BEST http://www.theromantic.com/stories/valentines/valentines18.htm My boyfriend is the world's worst gift giver. He either always forgets and goes out at the last minute, buys wilted flowers, or the worst chocolate ever. He doesn't mean to he just can't seem to get good gifts. Finally, last Valentine's Day, I decided that I was going to force him to get me a quality gift. We made a pact to actually make each other's gifts. I spent two whole days on his gift and card. I was getting kinda' nervous when the day before Valentine's Day I saw him cutting out little red and pink hearts from construction paper when I wasn't looking. Once Valentine's Day rolled around and since my guy had to work I spent most of the day home alone. I was kinda' depressed all day long as I thought of the gift he was going to give me. I know its the thought that counts, and that he always meant well, but around noon a delivery guy stopped by with a wilted rose for me. I was so upset. Aaron called me later from work and asked did I want to go out to dinner. I said sure and went to take a shower. After I got out I found a card under the edge of the bathroom door. When I opened the door there was no one there. I opened the envelope and inside was a hand made card with the red and pink heart glued to it. The card read, "Love is big, love is tall, look for me in the hall." So I went to the hallway and there taped to the wall was a second envelope and a rose. This time I was lead to the kitchen. There in the refrigerator was a third letter and a box of my favorite chocolates. I was then led to the bedroom, and a bed covered with petals. Fresh ones might I add. I was getting so excited. I the center of the bed I found one final letter. This letter led me out my balcony where my boyfriend sat with the dinner he had made at his sister's house earlier that day (he had taken the day off) lit by candlelight. He even had my favorite song playing in the background. It was the most romantic night of my life and it totally made up for all the bad gifts I had ever gotten.
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