5 Delicious Recipes to try on Valentine's Day!

It's almost Valentine's Day, and for those who love to give sweets or just like to make them for themselves, I found some absolutely drool-worthy recipes! I might have to try the Valentine's Day Chocolate Chip cookies. Who doesn't love a chocolate chip cookie?

If you see a (K), know that it's also a kid-friendly recipe that little ones can help with!

(Credit Source)

1. Easiest Ever Valentine's Day Chocolate Chip Cookies from See Mom Click

(Credit Source)

2. Oreo Truffles Valentine's Hearts from Oh My God Chocolate Desserts

(Credit Source)

3. Valentine's Day Vanilla Cake Heart Pops from Celeb Baby Laundry (K)

(Credit Source)

4. Valentine's Day Cherry Heart Pies from Frugal Coupon Living

(Credit Source)

5. Heart Shaped Raspberry Rolls from Imperial Sugar

Have fun, and if you try any of these, let me know how they turn out!

read more "5 Delicious Recipes to try on Valentine's Day!"

Valentine's Day DIY Nail Inspiration from #Julep

*This post contains affiliate links.

Are you feeling the winter blues? Brighten up your day with one of these super-cute nail looks from Julep. These looks are perfect for Valentine’s Day and will be sure sweeten your week. The nail designs below all use the same three Julep polishes and the Julep Plie Wand Creativity Kit. Save 20% off at Julep.com and score this nail art kit and any of these polishes with code LETSGET20. Remember to extend the life of your lovely new manicure with top coat!

1. Mini hearts: Use two coats of Florence, a classic camel crème polish. Let dry, then use a toothpick or the dotting tool in the Creativity Kit to make the heart with Shawn, a poppy pink polish. First make two dots, then add the bottom triangle of the heart.

2. Dots with Naked Nail: Start with a clear base coat. Create the naked naked look by cutting out a V-shape out of scotch tape and sticking it on your nail. Use Shawn, our poppy polish, to fill in around the nail around the tape. Let dry, then use the Creativity Kit dotting tool or a toothpick to make white dots using Brigitte.

3. French Stripes: Apply two coats of Brigitte, a white crème polish, to all nails and let dry. Then, using the striping tool in the Creativity Kit or a toothpick to add your stripes. I always use scotch tape to help make guidelines for my lines, or else they often get squiggly!

4. Heart Accent Nail: On four nails, use two coats of Shawn, a poppy crème polish. Apply two coats of Brigitte, a white crème polish, to your accent nail. Let dry. Then, with a tooth pick or Creativity Kit add the heart on white nail, starting with two dots and then filling in the rest of the heart.

Are you a polish lover? Then you should try the Julep beauty box! You can get a box of gorgeous and good-for-you beauty, skin, or nail products delivered to your door every month. Get your Valentine’s Day beauty box today, featuring the poppy polish used in these nail looks, for 50% off! Join today! Use code XOXOXO to get 50% off your first box.

read more "Valentine's Day DIY Nail Inspiration from #Julep"

Valentine's Day Decor Ideas!

Now that Valentine's Day is just around the corner, it's time to start sprucing up the home in time for the big day! While I like to make some of the decorations, sometimes you just want that extra flair that some decorations have that can only be bought.

If you're looking to find things to make the love be felt in your home, we came up with some ideas!

1. Display Your Devotion Frame from ModCloth - $14.99

This is a simple rustic picture frame that fits into any decor, and doesn't have to be just for Valentine's Day. The wire can be used to hang the frame on the wall or twisted to sit it up on a table/shelf. It is from their Sweetheart Shop!

2. Personalized Birch Candle Holder from Etsy - $20.70

This is yet another great rustic touch to any Valentine's Day decor. You can have it customized with any initials you want, and the tealights are included! There are even other great personalized birch candle holders available, if you want to choose a different style.

3. LED Valentine's Day Candles from Big Lots - $6 each

This is an inexpensive way to have the romantic feel without a real flame - and they're cheap to boot! They are available only in store, and styles may differ from what you see on the website. But they're super cute! I may have to pick up a few.

4. Peel & Stick Hearts from Wayfair - $13.99

If you want something a little more unique and colorful, Wayfair has this cute set of 12 Peel & Stick hearts! The smallest is less than 3" and the largest is a whopping 14"! They are repositionable. (By the way, does anyone else get sticker shock when they look at the prices at Wayfair? Wow!)

read more "Valentine's Day Decor Ideas!"

Give the gift of Minted for Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day might be 22 days away, but it's never too early to start planning - especially if you set a budget for Valentine's Day. Right now thru Monday (1/26), save 20% off foil-pressed Valentine's Day cards, foil-pressed Classroom Valentine's Day cards, and foil-pressed art! 

Minted also has plenty of other Valentine's Day cards and gifts if you don't want foil-pressed! I have to say, that I still wish I was in school so I can hand out these Cupid Classroom Valentine's Day Cards! They are so cute!

Water Color Heart print

If you want to give a gift that is really special, the Water Color Heart print would really make that special someone feel, well, special! You just use your favorite picture - and you have it framed or unframed. You can even decide which colors you want - you have 4 to choose from including Rose, Stone, Peach, and Mint. I wish I was in a relationship just so I could get this - it's so pretty!

If you're not into the lovey-dovey gifts, you can create your own calendars or stationery for just about anyone - your favorite teacher, friend, or blogger. :)

Valentine's Day doesn't have to be just about teddy bears, roses, or chocolate (though those are all great gifts!). You can create something a little more personal and Minted is a great place to start!

Now if I could convince someone to get me the Texas Map Filled foil-stamped print - I must have!

read more "Give the gift of Minted for Valentine's Day!"

What LOVE Means to Me...

Our family really doesn't celebrate Valentine's Day like a lot of families (that have activities and other fun stuff planned), except with chocolate candy and thoughtful cards. We do it because we love each other, but now that Valentine's Day is upon us, it made me think about what the word "love" meant to me.

As you know, I am single. But the time I did have a boyfriend during Valentine's Day, he had gotten me a box of chocolates and a red teddy bear. Of course it made me gushy and warm inside to think that this man loved me enough to buy me my favorite indulgence and something fluffy. Now I know that fleeting love and real love are two different things.

You don't have to have a significant other to know what love is or how it affects your life. The love I have for my family impacts my life in a big way. I love everyone in a different way. I love the way Twin can make me laugh when I am down. I love the way my mom listens to me when I talk, even if it's about my blog (which I am sure they are getting tired of hearing about). I love the way my dad rambles on and on about something that makes no sense to me. I love how we can play a card or board game for hours, never getting angry that someone landed on Boardwalk. I love that we can support each other in our decisions and ideas without being judgmental. If someone is hurt, sick, or just downright sad, we are always there to lift each other up. We may get on each other's nerves, but that's normal for any relationship- family or otherwise.

This might seem a bit mushy, and maybe it is, but love to me is knowing that someone is always there for you. It means that some accepts you- imperfections and all.

This Valentine's Day, I hope you tell those who mean the most to you that you love them. Even if you don't say it every day (though you should), tell them as often as you can.

read more "What LOVE Means to Me..."

Mike & Ike makes Valentine's Day sweeter!

I was NOT compensated for this review. I received FREE Mike & Ike candy to review. All thoughts/opinions are my own. Your experience may differ.

When you think of Valentine's Day, you envision chocolate and roses being bought along with cards that have written sentiment. But some people can't have chocolate or just don't like chocolate. A unique way to make Valentine's day just a little sweeter is with Mike and Ike's Valentine's variety!

Share the passion of Valentine's Day by surprising special loved ones in your life this Valentine's Day with limited edition varieties from Mike and Ike and Hot Tamales candy. Mike and Ike Passion Mix is hitting the shelves just in time for Valentine's Day! Your favorite "hottie" will love to receive special edition Hot Tamales Cinnamon candy with special HOTTIE Valentine's Day graphic. Go the extra mile for your Valentine this year and create some tasty recipes featuring Mike and Ike and Hot Tamales candy! 

Mike and Ike Bejeweled Cookies

Prep time: 15 min.
Cook time: 10 min.
Total time: 25 min.
Yield: 36 cookies
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 boxes Mike and Ike Passion Mix, chopped
• 2/3 cup margarine, cold
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Cooking Directions

1. Pre-heat over to 350*F.
2. In a mixer bowl, put 2/3 cup of margarine, 1 cup of sugar, 1 egg, and 1 teapsoon of vanilla.
3. Mix until well creamed.
4. Add in 2 cups of flour and 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
5. Add in chopped Mike and Ike Passion Mix. Min into a dough. (Will be slightly sticky.)
6. Roll into 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheets lined with baking paper.
7. Bake for about 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Centers will be slightly soft.
8. Let cool.

Whether you are celebrating Valentine's Day with your family or that special someone, be sure to make it unique by giving them Mike and Ike Passion Mix or Hot Tamale HOTTIE candy!

read more "Mike & Ike makes Valentine's Day sweeter! "

Create personalized #ValentinesDay cards from #Treat!

I was NOT compensated for this review. I received 5 FREE Valentine's Day cards from Treat to review. All thoughts/opinions are my own. Your experience may differ.

Did you know that Valentine's Day is the second largest card-buying occasion, next to Christmas? Over a million cards and valentines are bought and given on February 14th. But most of the time, these are not personalized just the way you want them.

Treat is an online service where customers can create one-of-a-kind personalized greeting cards from your PC or iPhone and we’ll print and mail it for you.No more missed birthdays, long checkout lines or last-minute drugstore dashes. Their cards are highly personalized so people will want to keep them forever. You can add a photo or edit text!

Treat offers a wide variety of Valentine's Day cards and gifts, including personalized mugs with Ghiradelli Chocolate- which makes the perfect companion gift to your personalized Valentine's Day card!

I wouldn't say that our family doesn't celebrate Valentine's Day, but in a way, we don't. We don't buy teddy bears and roses for each other. We each get some candy and sometimes, if we think about it, a card. In fact, I didn't plan on giving cards since I couldn't afford it. Plus, I couldn't find a website with personalized cards that accepted Paypal. But when I was asked to review 5 personalized Valentine's Day cards from Treat, I was excited that I would be able to give out Valentine's Day cards!

It was really easy to personalize the cards I had chosen with the text I wanted. I didn't add any pictures, since we already have tons of cards with pictures on them. Not to mention that I couldn't find the USB thumb drive with most of our pictures on it. The only hard part was choosing a card for each person!

I chose a funny card for Twin (upper left-hand corner). It definitely suits her taste! The card in the top middle is a card I had chosen for my dear friend, Linda, who has been there for us for years. It's not funny nor sentimental, but it does show that I value her friendship. I chose a sentimental (and probably tear-producing) card for mom (upper right-hand corner). I have no intention of making her cry, but I wanted a card that showed how much she means to me. The "Happy Hearts Day" card in the front is for my Aunt Sue. She has been so helpful these past few months that I wanted to tell her how much I appreciate everything she has done so far. The red card that says, "I love you more than chocolate" is for dad. Inside it says, "And you know how much I love chocolate!". He knows how much I love chocolate, and I think he might get a kick out of it!

The only problem I had was choosing a card for everyone... Sort of. When I saw Twin's card, I knew EXACTLY that was the card she would be receiving. Same thing with mom's card. Since my dad isn't particular about anything except what kind of chips he likes, I wanted something that wouldn't offend but maybe get a chuckle out of him. For my friend and aunt, I wanted something that wasn't too personal but still showed my gratitude.

I can't wait to see their expressions when they get their cards!

Order today and you can receive 3 personalized cards for only $6! Just enter the code TREATLUV upon checkout. (New customers only.) Order your cards by 2/10 so you can receive them in time for Valentine's Day.

read more "Create personalized #ValentinesDay cards from #Treat! "

FREE Printable Star Wars Valentines! (Roundup)

Would you believe me if I told you that there are hardly any Star Wars Valentines in the stores? And if there, they aren't very good. Since Twin is a major Star Wars fan, I decided to go on a hunt for some FREE printable Star Wars Valentines!

Star Wars Valentines via StarWars.com

Star Wars Printable via MeckMom

Lightsaber Valentine via Brassy Apple

Which one do you like best?

read more "FREE Printable Star Wars Valentines! (Roundup)"

FREE Valentine's Day ideas!

Celebrating Valentine's Day does not have to cost you anything! There are a lot of ways you can make the day special without spending a penny.

For Couples

• Have a date night at home- Don't spend money on overpriced movie tickets and tips when you can create a gourmet dinner (within your skills, of course) at home and watch a movie on Netflix! To make it even more romantic, have your husband/boyfriend/etc. help in the kitchen!
• Create your own gifts- If you're a crafter, this should be easy for you! Even for non-crafters, finding a Valentine's Day craft is just as easy as using Google to search for "Valentine's Day craft gifts". Homemade gifts are the best and if you already have all the supplies, it didn't cost you anything and it comes from the heart!
• Talk under the stars- I know some couples who are more focused on each other than the actual gifts they receive on February 14th. If you want to connect more with your sweetie, have a picnic under the stars and spend the night just talking to each other. If you'd rather get active, take an evening stroll together and talk. Maybe you'll learn something about each other you never knew!
• Valentine Vouchers- Print Valentine's Day coupons and write in stuff like "Free back massage", "Free diaper change for a week", "One week of me making dinner", etc. Present them at dinner with a card for a nice surprise!
• Go dancing- Many cities offer FREE dancing lessons! If you've always wanted to learn to dance, call your local dance theater or newspaper a few days before to check if your local area offers free dance lessons.
• Massage away- After dinner, give each other massages to help relax. It's a great way to bond.

For Families

Nowadays, couples aren't the only ones getting into Valentine's Day. Families are finding ways to celebrate the day that are kid-friendly!

• Picnic in the park- Weather permitting, have an early dinner in the park (before the sun goes down) and just have fun exploring! It's a great way for kids to learn and it's great exercise.
• Crafting- Spend the afternoon making Valentine's Day crafts. You can even print out some Valentine's coloring pages and let the children be creative in their coloring!
• Special Breakfast- Before everyone wakes up, create a special breakfast that you wouldn't normally have and place printed Valentine's place cards at each setting so they are surprised when they wake up!
• Make it a movie night- Let the children choose at least 2 movies they all love and spend time watching them as a family. Serve popcorn (or healthy snacks) along with drinks. Turn off the lights and put blankets/pillows on the floor so that everyone is super comfortable.
• Banner away- Take some sheets of construction paper/printer paper, markers, and tape to create a Valentine's Day banner to put in the living room! 
• "I Love You"- Even if you never remember them, spending an hour or so learning to say "I Love You" in different languages! It'll be fun trying to pronounce them all! (FYI: Some of these might be a doozy!)

What are some ways you celebrate Valentine's Day without spending any money?

read more "FREE Valentine's Day ideas!"

Cheap Valentine's Day Gift Ideas!

Instead of running to the store and spending hundreds of dollars on Valentine's Day gifts, we have some cheap (but memorable) gift ideas for your sweetheart(s)!

Guys

• iPhone case- Find one with his favorite team on it or personalize your own at Shutterfly.
• Gadgets for his gadgets- Solar power phone chargers, iPad keyboard, or even cool earbuds for his gadgets (along with a love note) are bound to make any man happy! You can find comparable prices at Buy.com.
• Anything sports-related- I have yet to come across a guy that doesn't love sports. Even if his team didn't make it to the Super Bowl, odds are is that he is still a big fan. So getting him a huge mug or slippers that represent his favorite team will make him happy. 
• Cologne- Getting him cologne won't make him think that you think he smells bad. If you get his favorite scent, he'll start wondering if you love the way he smells. Walmart offers plenty of cologne for all prices. 
• Chocolate- Men, like women, love chocolate. Maybe not as much as us women, but I always find Dad sneaking chocolate when we have it around. Get him a big bar of chocolate 
• Favorite movie- Make it a "date night" in with your guy's favorite movie! He'll appreciate that you are willing to watch it with him.

Gals

Okay guys, if you want to make the woman in your life happy, this list will help you!

• Chocolate- Yes, chocolate. Even if the lucky lady is allergic to chocolate, there are alternatives to chocolate like carob. If she doesn't have a chocolate allergy, don't get a heart of chocolates. We want a solid heart of chocolate. That way we have it handy when we need that fix!
• Flowers- Roses are a good choice, though some women don't care for roses. Ask what they're favorite flower is before buying. Nothing worse than showing up white roses and she loves lilies.
• Framed picture- Nothing is more sweet than unwrapping a gift and finding a framed picture of the two of you. Try to choose a picture that has meaning to you, or even the both of you (like during a favorite trip).
• Card & teddy bear-  It may seem juvenile to give a teddy bear with a card, but even the most independent women still love the fuzzy feeling we get when we receive an adorable teddy bear with a sentimental card. Just make sure that the card has meaning to you and the teddy bear is at least consistent with the Holiday. No brown teddies.
• Lingerie- It's not tacky if you want to buy us underwear. It makes us feeling sexy and attractive. Just don't buy anything too small or too big for our sizes. 
• Personalized- I don't mean buy something with our names on it. We love it when guys try their hand at crafts or making a special video or slideshow. Even if it doesn't turn out how you visioned, we appreciate the effort.

Kids

Children love to be part of this fun day. Here are a couple of ways to make them feel special!

• Card & teddy bear- There are plenty of Valentine's Day cards out there created especially for children. Even if you don't find any in the stores, you can order them through Tiny Prints or Cardstore. Get them a cute Valentine stuffed animal to complete the gift!
• Coloring books- Many stores sell Valentine's coloring books. Coupled with a new pack of Crayons, it should keep them busy and in the Valentine's Day spirit!
• Candy & Balloons- Kids love candy and kids love balloons. If your children don't have candy, there are different alternatives to the candy part, like their favorite healthy snacks or even a snack they rarely have. For balloons, you can choose between the Mylar shaped balloons or even just a red and pink balloon!
• Cup full of treats-  You've probably seen these gift sets that have mugs full of candy and a hefty price. Instead of spending a lot of money on a gift set, make your own using store-bought candy (or healthy snacks) and a cute mug or cup you find at Dollar General or Dollar Tree. Top it off with red & pink ribbon for instant flair!
• Games/toys- If you'd rather not focus on the "love" aspect of Valentine's Day, toys and games will expand their minds and keep them busy while you're working on dinner! Of course, you could always wrap it in Valentine's Day tissue or wrapping paper!

What cheap, but perfect, gifts have you given or received for Valentine's Day?

read more "Cheap Valentine's Day Gift Ideas!"

FREE Valentine's Day printables!

Valentine's Day is coming up and if you're like me, you're wondering how you can make that special day fantastic without spending tons of money.

Color By Number

If you want to give your sweetie an night off from cooking or a back massage, you can print these cute Valentine's Day coupons from Love vs. Design! Once you print them, you can write down your ideas right on the coupons.

Instead of handing out candy at classroom parties, hand out coloring sheets or activity! You can find plenty of free printable Valentine's Day coloring sheets or activity sheets at Raising Our Kids. They even offer kid-friendly Valentine's craft ideas!

If you're having a Valentine's Day party and don't want to spend tons of time on crafts, at Yesterday on Tuesday, you can print a MEGA Valentine's Day printable set that includes cupcake toppers, gift tags, note cards, and even a full-size "BE MINE" banner!

Don't buy over-priced Valentine's Day cards! At Greetings Island, you can create and print your own Valentine's Day cards- for FREE! You can even add your favorite photo(s)! These are great for classroom Valentine's or parties.

Need inspiration? Consider finding more printables at Pinterest or CraftGawker.

read more "FREE Valentine's Day printables!"

Save 20% on Tiny Prints Valentine's cards!

Valentine's Day is almost here! 

If you have children in elementary school, you need to check out Tiny Prints' Classroom Valentines. 



If you are not familiar with Tiny Prints, these are the best cards you can buy. And you can completely customize with your child's pictures, your own text, and text and fonts that you choose.

If your kids are too young, too old, or non-existent, Tiny Prints also has great customized photo gifts and Valentine's Day party invitations, and their sister company, Treat has some awesome personalized greeeting cards. 

Here are the most popular cards. If you order by 11:59pm PT January 29 and use the promo code 20JANSW you can save 20% on your entire order! 

read more "Save 20% on Tiny Prints Valentine's cards!"