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DCL
The day of love of quickly approaching, and row upon row of gaudy, sparkle-encrusted cards and boxes of cartoon characters professing friendship and love are littered around stores everywhere. I may sound cynical, but I actually love Valentine's Day—I've just come to loathe paying $6 for a card or $100 for [url='http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/should_you_buy.php']flowers that would cost $50 any other day. Consumerism is rampant but I for one say no more! I am taking Valentine's Day into my own hands.
Most people will automatically think of making dinner for their sweetheart or crafting Valentine's cards like the ones we all made in grade school. But the glitter we apply to doilies and construction paper (or, if you're more refined, scrapbooking paper) make it non-recyclable, not to mention the sheer amount of paper used.
So instead of buying or making a bunch of cards this year do something more creative and personal for the one(s) you love. Not sure where to start? NaturallySavvy has some great suggestions...
1. Cookie Cuteness
This one has been done for years, and there are entire companies that exist to send cookie-grams, but why not do it yourself? Whip up a batch of organic chocolate chip cookies, leaving the chips out of the batter for the moment. Shape the cookies into large hearts (about 3-inches wide), then take the chocolate chips and press them lightly into the dough, spelling out a message?we like the tried and true "I {heart} U". You can also make this with ginger cookies, with the royal icing professing your love.
Perfect for: Kids and the Young at Heart
2. That's Amore Pizza
If your Pooh Bear has a love of pizza, make one for him or her for Valentine's Day. If you want to go all-out DIY, this is a great recipe for pizza dough and here's a gluten-free option; otherwise, you can usually get fresh or frozen dough from your local supermarket. Roll out the dough and apply sauce and cheese. Now comes the fun. Apply toppings to create hearts and messages on the pizza. Two sweet red pepper slices make a lovely heart, but you can use just about anything to create an outline of a heart or write messages. If you're feeling ambitious you can also shape the dough into a heart shape when you're rolling it out.
Perfect for: A special stay-at-home Valentine's treat, or to stick in your sweetheart's freezer for the next time he or she gets a pizza craving.
3. Desktop Romance
Use Photoshop or Flash to create a personal desktop for your sweetheart to show how much you care. Include pictures of the two of you together, or images that are near and dear to your sweetie's heart. And you can always go for something a little silly. If you're not tech-savvy, make a collage and have a friend scan it.
Perfect for: Tech junkies who use their computer all the time.
4. Music of the Heart
Most people love music, so what better way to say "I Love You" than to create a personalized playlist?the high tech version of a mix tape. (Of course, a mix tape would be pretty thoughtful considering the effort it takes these days...) Spend some time finding songs that have special meaning to your relationship, tunes your BF or GF can't find anywhere and the odd funny medley to shake things up. Then borrow the media player and load the playlist. If you're familiar with music editing software, make a few custom mash-ups.
Perfect for: Anyone who won't leave the house without a media player.
5. Wear Your Love On Your Sleeve
Make a personalized organic cotton or bamboo t-shirt or hoodie with a t-shirt press. Ok, I know what you're thinking—you're terrified of getting a t-shirt with hearts and "I Love You" written all over it. This is not that kind of gift! The image should be something your significant other is obsessed with, or it can be an inside joke. Someone I know had a hoodie printed with a stick-man drawing her and her boyfriend had made together, and he loved it.
Perfect for: Hipsters and anyone with a big sense of humor.
