Valentine’s Day is sneaking up on us! 1 week from today, wouldn’t it be fun to have something a little unique and, dare I say, handmade to offer your sweetie? Or, if you’ve already planned ahead and have got it all under control, just send the link to this post to your chosen one just in case they aren’t as organized as you are!
Check out these sweet valentine’s day postcards from Jasonda at Dotty Logic – just download and print! You can spread a little love, too, by donating to one of her favourite causes, The Hearts on Noses Mini Pig Sanctuary in Maple Ridge, BC (details on her blog post!)
So CUTE!
Taking your honey out for Chinese food for dinner? Slip these little valentines across the table after the meal. These adorable felt fortune cookies are from Montreal’s Yummy Pocket.
"I love you more than my iPhone"
Drug store chocolates won’t do this holiday. Try the handmade chocolates from Vancouver’s Giggle Sweets (if they taste half as good as they look, it’s a total win-win). Of all things, I can’t believe I’ve never had salted caramels. Time to rectify that situation, I think!
Valetine's Day + Chocolate = match made in heaven
Original art is a very personal gift, and these pieces from Jellybeans are so lovely for Valentine’s Day.
"Hanging Heart" original watercolour
Jellybeans, based in the Toronto area, also does custom family tree paintings which would be a great gift to celebrate the love of your family this Valentine’s Day!
Family love!
If you’ve got a great Valentine’s Day gift idea, let us know in the comments! We’d be happy to “share the love”!
xoxo,
~Sarah
Okay, so I didn’t get to be at the beach this long weekend, but my sister does (*jealous*) and I’m going to pretend for a little while… that’s where Art by Daina comes in! I think Daina says it best when she describes her artwork on her Etsy profile page:
My latest series of round-themed surf art paintings pull together all the subjects I’ve loved painting over the years- flowers, landscapes, figures, textures- combined with my connection to the ocean and nature. They resonate a kind of nostalgic vintage art-nouveau twist on the classic pin-up girls and retro cars set against lazy summer beach days.
The bright summer and casual feel of her paintings makes me long for a hot day with nothing but sand between my toes, a good book to read and a bag of salt & vinegar chips by my side (I know that’s weird, but the only time I ever eat salt & vinegar chips is at the beach! Maybe they taste better combined with the smell of sunscreen and the grit of sand?!) The surfer themes, along with her beach blossoms and the beautiful rolling waves make me wish I lived in her daydreams.
"Summer Love" - part of the round surf series
Daina hails from Halifax, NS, so it’s easy to understand why her inspiration comes so much from nature and the ocean. My memories of holidays in Nova Scotia nearly all include some aspect of the ocean and being at the mercy of the constantly changing weather. The golden light in her pieces is so warm and comforting, I’d love to decorate a room around these colour themes! Her shop has many original paintings available, as well as a few prints and a variety of art cards. For a smaller space, a collection of framed art cards could be a lovely grouping and make for a sweet themed powder room or entry way.
This is the piece that originally caught my eye, now available as an art card!
You can find plenty more of her pieces at ArtbyDaina, as well as on her blog, Facebook page and Twitter feed. Now I just need to learn to swim so that I can then learn to surf!!
Cheers to the beach!
~Sarah
P.S. Daina is part of a very talented family – her sister has a shop, as do her parents!
Hunting online the other day for the perfect graduation card for my little brother, I stumbled upon Hug and Kiss. This shop out of Chilliwack, BC is run by Nikki Kelly and as she says on her site, it’s the “home of the sassy, sarcastic, slightly rude greeting cards”. Perfect for little brothers with a devilish sense of humour!
I particularly love this one:
Front: Congratulations on graduating. Inside: Nerd
There are plenty of other giggle inducing options but they aren’t all family-friendly. In fact, most of them aren’t at all. That’s why they’re perfect for your sarcasm-loving friends that can take a joke… sometimes at their own expense!
Front: Are you really leaving? Inside: Good. You were bugging me.
Hug and Kiss started in 2007 and now these fun cards can be found in more than 25 retail locations across the country as well as through the shop online. We liked Nikki (I met her a couple of weekends ago at the Make It Edmonton show!) and her fun, sassy cards so much that we decided to ask her if she wanted to be our first “Feature Friday Interview”!
Watch for her profile coming up later this week!
Cheers,
~Sarah
P.S. To find out more about Nikki and keep up with her travels to shows across the country, you can visit her Facebook group page, too!
