Celebrate Your Love!

I used to hate Valentines Day -- and Mother's Day -- and my birthday, and I didn't even particularly enjoy Christmas. Why? Let me tell you!

When I met my now husband of almost 40 years, he was an amazing gift giver! He wooed me -- not just with the usual flowers and candy, but with love poems he penned and fun things like sending me on a hunt with notes to discover little gifts "just because." He even had his friends write notes (his wording) in their own handwriting on postcards to tell me "be watching," "something is coming," "you have a secret admirer," and more. He was a very creative guy in the romance department -- and a hunk, too!

After we got married, things changed. Life happened.  During our third year of marriage, my husband started down a path of higher education as a perpetual student (over eleven years of higher education and now two masters and a doctorate). Of course, that meant I was the "support person" -- and more so because we had six boys to raise.

I tried not to be disappointed when I got a humorous card for a birthday with a squished piece of gum in it (because he sat on it while it was in his pocket on his way to the party). I tried not to cry when Valentine's Day came and went and he forgot. I tried really hard not be be angry when Mother's Day came and went and he didn't take the boys to find some little card for me. I was well on the way to becoming bitter because my expectations were never met -- and I felt like I had been set up -- wooed and then duped. Until. . . . .

. . .Until the year I realized I had become so wrapped up in my own expectations, I was the one setting myself up for hurt! That year, I decided I would not leave hints for Valentine's Day or watch with expectation for what I hoped to get. Instead, I decided I would think of ways I could show my own love not just for my husband, but my sons as well. I decided I would not just celebrate Valentine's Day in a special way, but I would celebrate the "14 Days of Valentines -- starting with February 1st!"

I went to the store and bought kid valentines, construction paper, sidewalk chalk, conversation hearts, ribbon, doilies, chocolate hearts, heart stickers and more. Then, each day I carefully showed my love to each one of my sons and my husband -- tucking little notes or a conversation heart in a lunch, taping construction paper hearts onto items with fun thoughts. Onto a light switch you might have found, "You light up my life." On the bathroom mirror I taped, "That's the face I love," and more. I wrote notes in sidewalk chalk where I knew my husband or the boys would be walking home from school. Every day I gave a small gift -- and my own anticipation and excitement grew. I knew they would be looking for what else I was going to come up with in the spirit of 14 days of my celebration of love for them.

I discovered something amazing in the process of celebrating my love that year -- that it truly is more blessed to give than to receive! I am celebrating the 14 Days of Valentines again this year. My husband and I have been in a very difficult financial place -- and it could be a holiday of feeling down -- if I let it. Instead, I have been looking at things I can make and do to make this a very special time of year -- ways to celebrate my love in spite of the circumstances.

My challenge to you is to look for someone who needs love and get creative in ways to show them you care -- it could be your spouse, a significant other, a son or daughter -- or even a co-worker or neighbor. Celebrate the 14 Days of Valentines with me -- starting today, February 1st!

If you want some ideas of things to give, I found some terrific items in BBest shops to get your creative juices flowing.

Tuck a secret message into this very special valentine box -- perhaps a message a day? by Chris1

Send a quilted postcard through the mail along with your special message. Attackofthevintage has lots in her shop!

Sprinkle a few of these delightful confetti heart shapes by circleinthesand around the place settings at breakfast or on a co-worker's desk before they arrive at work!

 

Tuck a tiny bouquet of flowers or some favorite candy into this fun little stoneware tumbler with hearts by fehustoneware. It would be a fun gift with the pens shown, too!

 

Bring a cup of coffee in to waken that someone special with this adorable Valentine Mug Rug by blazingneedles to rest it on!

 

 This little set of "raining hearts" silhouette cards by MisterPenQuin will provide you with several days worth of notes to share your love!

These "Scottish Love" sweet pinbacks by JoonBeam would be a great addition to your little love note message, giving you a way to tack them up in a special spot!

 

Lovingly wrap this "Broken Hearts" hand knit scarf by bytheby around your honey's neck as he leaves, telling him to stay warm and keep safe and come back home soon!

When your sweetheart comes home, share some wine along with chocolate covered strawberries using these lovely hand painted wine goblets by GlitznGlass!

Hang this Sweet Heart Dream Catcher by jstinson above the bed to whisper your love.

 

Last -- but not least, light this  Hearts A Glow Tealight by CBBasement on the nightstand to speak softly of your love through the flicker of candlelight.

I hope these ideas get the creative juices flowing -- and that you too will enjoy celebrating your love by giving it away this year!

Thanks for having me...

Well, friends, here we are with the year winding down and I am feeling more than a little nostalgic when it comes to BBEST. I first posted on the Famous Boomer Forum thread on New Year's Day, 2008. I joined the next morning. I never dreamed I would be here today posting a feature on our team blog. I took a little journey back through time. The first day of that thread was 12 pages long. Today's first 12 pages took us to 7:30 AM. In my search for this Joony Toons guessing game, I was getting a bit weepy. Luckily, I hit pay dirt and the smiles settled in. Are you ready? Here we go on a wild little ride through...

2008: The Thread Revisited

"welcome to the most talkative group on etsy!" {Barb/Blazing}

" I'm kinda happy the holidays are over. Does anyone else feel like they ate their way through the last 10 days? " {Chauncey}

"it's great to have kids when your mind starts to go" {Pam/Mags}

"What did they use prior to glue? (curious minds)" {Van/Brett}

"I see we all had misspent youths!" {Pat/PQ/Ona}

"I LOVE POP ROCKS!!!!" {Pearl/fehu}

"Ooo - cake! Let me know when its ready!" {Barb/Blazing}

"I hate ironing. yuck." {figments/Kat}

"I love to iron." {joon}

"The only kind of ironing I like to do is with wax!!" {Pat/PQ/Ona}

"I really hate to iron LOL " {Junky}

"DH usually gets something or other on his shirts from my ironing exploits but I don't admit it and he doesn't seem to notice:)" {LizPlummer}

"ok really for real this time.. do not say one more funny thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" {Pearl}

"That's the advantage to all the leaves being off the trees. A good view." {Chauncey}

"...is everyone eating chocolate and crab legs but me???" {filigree/Liv}

"Okay, this is very strange....where did everyone go? Six hours since the last post???? " {Kimbuktu}

"Hey gals!!!! No more chatting on this thread, its dead to us." {Chauncey}

"Joonbeam, this is a great group, we'll be glad to have you. It is always positive, encouraging and supportive. Go Boomers!" {JeanHood}


Here's to 2008. It will always hold a special place in my heart. Here's to 2009.
I'm ready.

PS. Leave your best quote ID guesses in the comments section. This should be fun!

Top Ten Reasons To Chat on The BBEST Weekly Thread

Our Wonderful Etsy Team encourages active participation. Our philosophy is to seek out and form new friendships and provide encouragement and support to our peers. We have a Message Board (MB), two weekly etsy chat room times, this Blog, Monthly Challenge Activities, a weekly promo thread where you can share all your business news, a Yahoo group and a Flickr Pool. These are all easy and effective ways to get involved in our team at your leisure and in your own style. But, and I think I speak for most of our members, the BBEST Weekly Chat Thread, found in the etsy Teams & Events Forum Section, is the liveliest, most entertaining and ~ full disclosure time ~ addicting BBEST Team feature. It has the unique ability to guide you to all things BBEST, while encompassing the ups and downs of our members' daily lives, covering every imaginable topic ~ and more ~ with a heartwarming blend of tears and laughter.

In the spirit of fun, which is an important thread element, I pay homage to David Letterman, and submit to you now this tongue-in-cheek list. I invite and encourage you to join in. See you there. joon

Top Ten Reasons To Join in the Weekly BBEST Chat Thread

10. All the thrill of a freight train ride without the fuss.
9. Get hip to Exciting New Acronyms like: BBIAB :::TY:::LOL::: YW:::DH:::DS:::DD:::NSDH:::GMTA:::PPF:::BF:::IMHO:::BIA
8. Chocolate. Chocolate. Chocolate. We like to chat about chocolate.
7. Harken back to your Soap Opera Days with Medical Diagnoses that will have you reconsidering that long overdue plunge into medical school.
6. Type chocolate and people pop out of the ionosphere like daisies.
5. The Friday Night Three Ring Circus.
4. Expand your vocabulary with groovy terms like: lutrador+dorkens+haggis+chutneywalla+copacetic+Johnny Depp+TA DA!
3. You absolutely positively cannot kill the thread ... just occasionally lull it into a chocolate stupor.
2. Ask any question and you'll get some kind of answer after only 15 follow-up questions.
1. We {and chocolate} are here for you.

Clockwise from Top Left: Chocolate Peach Delight Focal, Neopolitan Bag, Dark Chocolate and Teal Sticks, Delicious Chocolate Caramel Beaded Glass Set.

To find dozens more luscious BBEST Riches, simply search "bbest chocolate".

*Special THANKS to my BBEST friend, Liv, of The Filigree Garden, for her gracious assistance composing my dream photo for this post.