Remember the time when Valentine’s Day was all about sharing a sweetheart with your friends? When you didn’t have to worry if Glen Coco was going to have more valentines than you? When the hardest decision you’d have to make on that day was what valentines to hand out: Disney princesses or Looney Toons with lollipops? Well, Collegiettes and last minute boyfriends, here’s a list of the top 4 gifts that are just enough personal, just enough crafty, and oh so cheap that will satisfy any friend who needs some Valentine’s Day lovin’. Don’t worry if you were the kid in kindergarten who didn’t have the prettiest valentine day box, we’ve got you covered….
A Designed Valentine…
For the trendy friend:
Know someone whose room is impeccably decorated and whose only white wall is there to accent their gorgeous armoire? Well, if you know that girl, we’ve got the perfect gift for you. Check out Sam Fox student senior Jami Ambler’s Valentine’s Day cards. These intricate and whimsical valentines do more than make you feel good; they brighten up any desk space (or if you’re like me these days 3rd floor library cubicle). For just $1, Jami will personalize the card and add any special message you’d like; this way your Valentine’s Day card stands more of chance on staying up on your friend’s desk then the generic greeting card. For more information email Jami at jamiambler@gmail.com.
Roses are Red …
For the eco-friendly romantic:
This year go green and stay green by creating your own paper roses to hand out to your sweethearts. All you need is three sheets 8 ½ x 11 (2 sheets either pink or red and 1 sheet of green), pair of scissors and some clear tape. Cut three paper hearts of the same size. Tape the edge of one heart to middle of one heart and tape the third heart to the edge of the second heart then join the first and third heart together at the bottom creating a vase shape. You can add more hearts in varying sizes to create more bloom in your bud! Then for the stem, cut a strip of green paper about 1 in. thick, fold in half, tape the edges closed, add two petals and the rose. Make as many as you want and you can create a bouquet. Don’t forget to personalize the petals and spray some sweet perfume before you send them off!
Guilt Free –Vegan Brownies
For the health nut :
I think we can all agree that it’s not Valentine’s Day without chocolate and what better way to enjoy the day something sweet you can share with everyone you love. Here’s a recipe from my good friend Jill. She’s not only a vegetarian, but she’s a big foodie too, so I can always trust her picks for a good bite that’s good for you.
Chocolate Brownies
Makes 6 large brownies
1 cup soft or medium tofu
1 cup dry sweetener
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons oil
4 tablespoons cocoa or carob powder
1 1/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup carob chills or chopped pecans
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a blender or food processor, blend the tofu, sweetener, vanilla, oil, and cocoa powder until smooth and creamy.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the carob chips or nuts and tofu mixture, and mix together gently until “just mixed.” If the batter is too dry, add a splash of water.
4. Spoon the batter into a lightly oiled 8×8 cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Test with a knife to see if done. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before cutting into squares.
As she puts it, “These brownies are more mild, but really tasty. Perhaps garnish with fruit or drizzle with chocolate sauce.”You know what that means… warm up the jar of fudge….
YOU CAN HAZ VALENTINEZ TOO!
For the funny friend:
Don’t have the time to make a grand gesture but would like to? Well nothing says grand like CAPITILAZATION! Memes have been around for quite some time, but it’s only been this semester that they’ve started to get personal (check out the Washu Memes Facebook page). Memegenerator.net is a site that allows you to upload and Google search images right from their site so you can caption it and create your very own meme. In my opinion, Valentine’s Day is also about personal humiliation so why not spread some cheer along with it? Thanks for being a good sport, Steph!
There you have it HCers, the list of the best ideas for bringing back the fun to February 14th. Whatever you choose, have fun with it and make sure to upload your creations to WashU’s HerCampus Facebook page. Happy crafting!