| At one time, I would have never wanted to | | | | that you love about that person or couple.RUN |
| share my frugal ideas for showing love to | | | | THROUGH A MAZE: If you have a gift for |
| those around you. My reason for keeping it to | | | | someone in your home, make them go through a |
| myself? At one time I thought that no one | | | | maze of clues to get to their surprise. At |
| would be interested. After all, we were the | | | | the first "stop" (which should be a place in |
| only couple not buying each other expensive | | | | your home that this person is likely to go |
| gifts, jewelry, roses, and more, right? | | | | to), you should have a little poem of sorts |
| Reality check! I have grown up a lot over | | | | which will tell them to go to the next spot |
| these last 10 years and I have learned that | | | | in your home, and so on. At each point in |
| I am not the only one clipping coupons and | | | | your home have something telling your loved |
| cutting my children's hair myself. There are | | | | one where to go next until the end which of |
| lots of other families out there just like my | | | | course will end up being their gift. I had a |
| husband and I, who have to watch our | | | | friend who did this for her husbands |
| spending.Without the necessary money to buy | | | | birthday. She placed his first note on the |
| costly gifts for anniversaries, birthdays, | | | | toilet since that was the first place he |
| holidays, or other special occasions, we have | | | | went to when he got home from work, and each |
| been very committed to doing things that | | | | note she cleverly told him where to go next |
| were wonderful, yet inexpensive. Over the | | | | in his home. After going from room to room, |
| years, I have learned that these creative | | | | he came to the end which was a CD that he |
| ideas are what truly matters and they have | | | | had wanted.HEART SHAPED CAKE: If you don't |
| made our years together, lots of fun.Here I | | | | have a heart shaped cake pans, don't despair. |
| have compiled my ideas here to share them | | | | Create your own heart-shaped cake by baking |
| with you:PILL BOTTLE: This is a cute idea for | | | | one layer in an 8-in round pan, and one |
| your spouse or other adult. Take an empty | | | | layer in an 8-in square pan. Cut the circle |
| pain reliever or prescription bottle and soak | | | | in half and place the cut side of the halves |
| it in hot water to remove the label. After | | | | against two adjoining side of the square to |
| you remove the label, design your own label | | | | form a heart. Frost and decorate at |
| on paper, with something like the following: | | | | desired.HEART SHAPED COOKIE POPS: Bake up |
| "Love Pills" - take one as needed. Then take | | | | some heart shaped sugar cookies, but insert |
| strips of paper and write down the things you | | | | a popsicle stick near the point of the stick |
| are willing to do for your loved one. Some | | | | and bake as usual. Decorate.FLOWERPOTS: Take |
| ideas are: foot massage, back massage, your | | | | flat bottomed ice cream cups and place them |
| favorite pie, your favorite cookies, you | | | | on a cookie sheet or in a muffin tin (you |
| choose the movie we see, etc... Take each | | | | can wrap bottoms of cones with crumbled up |
| strip and wad it into a little ball and | | | | foil to make them more sturdy). Fill cones |
| place them in the bottle.Copyright Brandie | | | | with 1/3 cup brownie batter and bake 35-40 |
| ValenzuelaLOVE SONGS: This next idea I did | | | | minutes or until tops are puffed up and |
| before we had internet access, so today it | | | | cracked. After brownie cones are cooled |
| would be even easier to do this. Frame the | | | | insert a fake rose in the center. You can |
| lyrics to your wedding song or other love | | | | also create a flower out of construction |
| song. The internet has several sites that | | | | paper and secured it on a popsicle stick, and |
| list song lyrics, so just type "song lyrics" | | | | then insert this into the center of the |
| into a search engine. Print up the lyrics in | | | | puffed up brownie.HEART SHAPED CUPCAKES: |
| a nice font, and frame.CANDLELIGHT DINNER: | | | | Prepare you favorite cake mix according to |
| When you are not able to go out to an | | | | the directions on the box. Line your muffin |
| expensive restaurant for dinner, have it at | | | | pans with paper baking cups and fill each |
| home. Wait to eat until after the children | | | | cup 1/2 full of batter. Place a marble in |
| are in bed, set your dining room table nicely | | | | each muffin cup....between the paper liner |
| with a tablecloth, candles and play soft | | | | and the pan, which will create the heart |
| music. Enjoy a nice dinner...preferably one | | | | shape. Add additional batter as needed so |
| that you don't usually have, and one that | | | | that cups are about 2/3 full. Bake as |
| you and your spouse consider to be | | | | directed.GIFT COUPONS: We have all heard of |
| special.SWAP CHILD CARE: If you do want | | | | the idea of creating coupons which give of |
| prefer to go out for your special day, but | | | | ourselves, but have you ever given your kids |
| find yourself having a hard time paying for | | | | some? Why not create a coupon book for your |
| dinner *and* childcare, ask a friend to swap | | | | child that has coupons such as: your choice |
| child care with you.CREATE A LOVE TREE: Find | | | | of dessert, kids video rental, lunch out |
| a branch outside that has several smaller | | | | with mom (or dad), etc.PLANT A TREE: Give a |
| branches coming off of it and place the | | | | gift that will grow! Without your loved one |
| branch standing up in a pot of soil, or even | | | | knowing, plant a tree in your yard. You may |
| a coffee can filled with dirt would work. | | | | also want to make a small yard sign that |
| Cut out an assortment of hearts from | | | | will sit near the tree and that says who the |
| different colored cardstock or construction | | | | tree was planted for, and the |
| paper and string each one with ribbon. Then | | | | date.PROGRESSIVE DINNER: Call up two other |
| have each member of your family write the | | | | couples and arrange a progressive dinner. |
| things that they love on the hearts (one | | | | Everyone will go to the first couple's home |
| "love" per heart) and hang them on the tree. | | | | and enjoy some appetizers, at the next home |
| You can name just about anything you love: a | | | | you will go for the dinner, and at the last |
| beloved pet, grandma, sunsets, or even ice | | | | home, you will enjoy dessert. After your |
| cream! If you want to create this tree as a | | | | progressive dinner, you may want to go out |
| gift for someone, write things on the hearts | | | | together to a movie or some dancing. |