I want to keep highlighting amazing makers in the US, and I feel like my Etsy links can get caught in the more mainstream shuffle. So starting a series to focus on the greatest stuff we have found. 

Unblushing

Knotty Cards 

SimplyHandmade

On Valentine's Day, we always eat in, and this year will be no different. Now, when you think of a romantic meal, you probably picture a steak or scallop or some other meaty thing. This week, I am just out to show romantic meals can be totally meatless. 

from Lauren Caris Cooks

First, you could go for a romantic breakfast (or brinner) instead of a fancy dinner. This vegan recipe for french toast from Lauren Caris Cooks is beautiful and inspirational. You wouldn't even have to make it vegan, just a vegetarian meal would still have protein from the eggs and lots of yummy berries.

from Making Thyme for Health

from Vanilla and Bean

This orzo from Vanilla and Bean looks just gorgeous and romantic as well. Maybe a little heavy? But the colors, the lemon, and the warmth seems like a homey date night to me.

Next week is Valentine's Day (what? Your grocery store hadn't told you?). This is the first year I've really noticed how much "Valentine's Gifts for Children" is a real thing. I keep seeing "gift idea" lists and suggestions of buying toys, stuffed animals, balloons (screw balloons, friends) etc for this holiday celebrating love? Romantic love?

On the one hand, it makes me roll my eyes (I mean, does your kid really need any new stuff? they definitely don't need a balloon), but on the other, I get it. It's a holiday, and once you have kids, celebrating with them can be really fun. I love holidays, and I don't want to leave my kids out.

Still, if I love them I don't want them to equate happiness and love with getting new stuff. It's kind of like setting them up to need comfort food at every negative emotion- it might help now, but am I setting them up for real happiness?

 Secondly, I hope deeply that they have happy lives, and to me, that means clean water and air, not too many environmental disasters. We don't think of it this way, but overconsumption adds to pollution, waste, and climate change, so this is just another opportunity to cut back and do some good.

You don't need to buy anything for your favorite kids this Valentine's Day. Seriously. They only expect it if you teach them to expect it. 

That doesn't mean you don't celebrate. I have tons of really fun and memorable ideas for Valentine's celebrations with little ones. Let's do this.

1. What I Love About You

Every year, give everyone paper hearts. They can write with a marker (and some help) what they love about each other on the hearts. Everyone writes one heart for each of their family members, and they end up with a little pile of what's lovable about them. Doesn't this seem like a perfect way to encourage kids? Plus it would be fun to see what they come up with as they are growing up.

In future years, you can use the hearts to decorate the house AND to reminisce about the funniest/ sweetest ones.

My aunt did this with her kids growing up, and I love the idea so much that I am completely stealing it, but I thought I should throw it out there so you could steal it too. You don't even have to feel bad- I did it first! We are totally starting this tradition this year.

2. Make Valentines!

I know a lot of people give store bought ones, and it's hard to fight with the Paw Patrol, but making your kids' valentine's cards with them

Here are some of my favorite ideas that are zero or low-waste. If you see something you can't pull off this year, write yourself a note and save up supplies through the year!

- draw faces and cute notes on clementines (kids freaking love those tiny oranges!) these ones might make great inspiration.

- buy seed bombs and decorate a little label for them. You can also find seed paper, which you could write the kids' names on?

- reuse coloring books, scrap doodles, and more for eco-friendly cards. You already have materials! Go through those endless piles of construction paper and coloring books and see if you feel inspired.

from evermine

- fortune cookie valentines (do it with scrap doodle paper from the year?)- this one is from a printable from evermine, but once you see how it works, you could do it with any paper you wanted.

from hello, wonderful

- recycled paper tube crowns- I am so in love with this idea from hello, wonderful. Please, please, someone use this idea so there is a whole room of adorable crown-wearing kiddos.

- paper tube pig valentines- No tiny plastic bags of treats, please. This is cuter.

- recycled cd owls- Couldn't be cuter from Glued to my Crafts! And you could probably make them sturdy enough to keep too.

- painted rocks. I saw one family that did stones with hearts on one side and the simple message You Rock! on the other. Now those kids can throw that happy little rock in their yard or hide it for someone else to find. Makes me happy.

from momluck

-love bugs. Look them up on Pinterest. They are their own thing, and they are adorable. You could come up with your own idea with all sorts of reused materials. Just skip the fruit cups. So annoying.

The ideas are as endless as pinterest, but just sitting around with paper, scissors, and crayons can make for a really fun day. Pick a handful of materials (and just limit the colors) and you can end up with something amazing. You can pick a new project every year or just follow your kid's creative whims. But the tradition of making them all together will be really fun and will even be good for the environment!

from weddingbee

3. Decorate Your Mailbox

Some classes at school have their kids bring in boxes for the Valentine's party. I think this is a great opportunity to reuse things you already have AND start a fun tradition together!

Instead of just buying a box for a Valentine's party, why not make it a really fun project to do together? Even if you aren't regularly arts and craftsy, you could still do something that you find fun?

I have an idea for this that I am really excited about. What if your kid's Valentine's mailbox was an ACTUAL mailbox? You could repaint it every year (be sure to take pictures!) so it always reflects what your kiddo is excited about. Once they grow up, they could use it at his or her house or to hold the cards at his or her wedding.

There are more than 600 already used mailboxes on Ebay, and you can find them at regular consignment stores and construction reuse stores. This cuts out a bunch of waste and makes the holiday really fun.

4. I Heart Food

No matter our background, we generally associate holidays with food. We eat scrapple at my Dad's on Christmas morning. We have ham on Easter. Why not have a fun family food tradition around this holiday?

It turns out, you can make any food in the shape of hearts. I found tons of great ideas- check them out on my Valentine's pinterest board. Here are some of my favorites:

Quesadillas
Pizzas (even really little ones can top a pizza)
Carrots
Caprese Salad
Pretzels/ Garlic Knots
Watermelon
Cupcakes/ Brownies
Cinnamon Rolls
Sandwiches

And the one I really want to try... Ravioli!

A heart-shaped meal is so simple, but I bet your kiddo would remember it. So many options available!

from The Rock Father

5. Do a Heart Scavenger Hunt

This idea is brazenly stolen from Daniel Tiger, but I think it is GENIUS. Kids love games like these, and you could hide hearts all over the house (or yard if you are lucky). These don't have to be anything fancy- just construction paper cut up would be perfect. Your little people will love searching.

If you want to make it a little more sentimental, you could combine this with the first idea and write things you love about them on the hearts. If you have more than one kiddo, you could each do their hearts in one color. You could also paint rock hearts and hide them outside if the weather isn't miserable where you are. So many variations on this simple idea, but you know the kids will have fun.

6. Go Spread the Love

A few months ago, we went to a park and handed out daisies to strangers. I will be honest with you, it was a mixed bag. Some people were obviously touched by the gesture, but others seemed to be slightly concerned a beefy toddler was wielding a flower like an ax and chasing them down the bike trail. Overall, I am glad we did it, but I think I wouldn't pick an exercise track again.

You could steal our idea, and go make someone's day on this day of love. Life can be sad and lonely, most of all on a day where so many are celebrating love. Rather than focusing on the love your kid receives, talk about fun ways to go love on others and do that. That's a huge gift to give them, because nothing feels better than really making someone's day.

Still need more ideas? Check out what's in your neighborhood! Our city's zoo has valentine events for the animals and I just saw a party where you can make Valentines to send to people fighting for the environment! Stuff is out there.

So Valentine's Day is coming up, and for a lot of us, we are figuring out some love tokens and such. I know there are lots of people who find the holiday to be stupid, and I even buy into their points. But, I also think the world could use a lot of love, so I think celebrating the love in your life is a big, important deal!

You may say "But Barbara, I can do this without shopping" and I 100% agree with you! The world would be better with more celebrating and less shopping!

That said, gifting is my love language, and if it is yours too, you should still gift! Make some cards! Write them a sweet note! Just hang some white lights (romance, like life, is 90% lighting)! So many ways to show you care and some of the best won't be found online shopping or in a store! But if you are the type to buy a Valentine's Day Gift, you have so many options other than the holiday aisle at your pharmacy (see if you can find one thing in that aisle made in America or out of eco-friendly materials. Just one. Often the quickest, so-called easiest option comes at the highest cost).

Instead, think outside that heart-shaped box. 

If you are going to buy a gift for your significant other, nothing boring, obligatory, or thoughtless. The world is already filled with well-meaning but obligatory stuff that no one really needs, and it is starting to cause environmental problems. Plastic and other waste are filling our waters. Fossil fuels are burned just to move those pointless boxes of candy around. We can do better.

Make your Valentine's Day gift better for the environment. Just as important, make it amazing, make it useful, make it meaningful. A good way to judge is if it is a gift any person could give to anyone, you haven't had your lightning bolt moment yet. So this is my inspiration for you, I will throw out a couple of traditional ideas (chocolate, jewelry, etc) and a few ideas I think are just cool.

1. A New Memory Together

My best advice for this holiday especially is to think about experiences instead of objects. Most of what we traditionally buy for this holiday- flowers and candy- is ephemeral, but they come wrapped in plastic waste that will outlast us all.

Why not make a memory that will last your whole life that creates no waste?

You can read this post for some of my best ideas- tickets, classes, camping at a national park, or a seedy afternoon in a hotel (no really). But you know your loved one- what is something they like to do? What would be a treat? How could you surprise them with time together instead of more stuff? 

2. Name a Roach

No joke, the Bronx Zoo is selling the naming rights to one of their roaches as a Valentine's Day gift. Perfect gift if your significant other is awesome. This whole thing is hilarious, genius, and has to lead itself into some sort of "our love can survive the apocalypse" theme, right? Romantic.

If you love an animal lover, the World Wildlife Fund has a collection of small gifts that would go well with a donation. I love donations as a gift. It is so powerful to show your loved one that you care about what they care about. Not like a fleeting, slightly distracted interest. But an interest you invest in. That is romantic.

from SophiasIllustration

3. Personalized Art

 This may be too much for some people, but I think it could make for an especially memorable gift ONCE. Once, friend. Do not take this path more than once. The line between fun and creepy is really clear here.

Etsy offers tons of cool option, so you can find something that fits your style from mountain climbing to embroidery. SophiasIllustration makes my favorite portraits, just because they seem less cutesy, more true to the subject, while still being really joyful. These portraits are sweet and whimsical, fighting gravity and floating away. I love these ones from ElettraArts- they are from Italy, but they are digital files, so you don't have to worry about shipping. 

Maybe best of all? Personalized return address stamps with your face on them from lilimandrill. Am I the only one dorky enough to think this is awesome??

Want something you can personalize as you go? I bought The Boy one of these scratch off maps for our first anniversary. Not only does he love it (and scratching off new places), but it is almost always the first piece people ask about when they come in our house. And it is printed on 100% recycled paper! Who knew? Make it into a "taking adventures together" kind of gift, maybe?

from EastPine

4. Planters

Flowers are pretty and a lovely gesture. They also die pretty fast. Why not buy a living plant instead? It will make life better (plants in the house encourage optimism, decrease depression, etc) and still inject some fresh liveliness into your house or yard. This can work for any home, you don't have to be outside.

Want to take it to another level? Gift it in a planter. I have seen a lot of pretty planters out there this year, and it might be a nice substitute to flowers. Most areas in the US aren't really flower-filled in February, so I would save the flower-buying for when you can get something local, and try buying a planter instead. My favorite ones are these minimalist but warm planters from East Pine. Also great for the occasion is this "LOVE" succulent planter from Succulent Wonderland- how pretty is that? And I bet it would look pretty cool on a patio table or in a backyard. They even hang, from what I can read. Have a nerd you love in your life? Pokemon planters exist.

from Fly Trap on E

5. A Year of Romance

 I love The Boy, and he is a wonderful man, but if you ask him to come up with a date, he makes a face like you have just threatened to kill his whole family if he can't name the schools of Baroque painting. Just pure fear. Once, when he tried to come up with something on the fly, we panic drove up and down the same street (Aurora, no less) for an hour, and then ended up eating Ihop. Not the worst date in theory, but he still had that agonized face days later.

 To avoid future trauma, I bought him these Date Night cards from Fly Trap on E. They made us laugh and I think we will actually use the ideas, so it might be a great gift (and life vest) if you are also partnered with someone who would rather rip out his or her own teeth than plan something. If you are an excellent planner (or just LOVE looking at pinterest lists), buy a pack of cards at a thrift shop and write your own ideas on it. Or write meals. Or sexy stuff. Whatever you think your partner would be into. It's cheap (or free), thoughtful, and might make the whole year all around better!

Want to be foodies together? TwoTmbleweeds sells these super cute foodie dice that could support a year of cooking and dinners at home. Maybe get them with a CSA box subscription for the summer?

from Hippie House Co

6. Phone Holder/ Charging Station

 We all use our phones for everything now, and I know The Boy likes to find recipes on the internet and then reads off the phone while he cooks. I love the ones from Hippie House Co, Most of the designs are understated and simple AND they are made of reclaimed wood! Double waste-avoiding win! Etsy has tons of great ones- check out STAKCERAMICS, WittyNovelty, and ReclamationConsign.

Want to go a different direction? This solar-powered charger and light seems like a cool option for a techie. If he uses actual cookbooks, this might be his jam.

7. Throw Blanket and a Movie Night

 I love these throw blankets from American companies like Faribault Woolen Mills and Eighth Generation but I can never think of a good opportunity to get someone one. I feel like people always have a lot of blankets. But Valentine's Day might be a perfect time to introduce a beautiful new blanket into your house with an indoor picnic or a movie night. Romantic, thoughtful, and cozy? Faribault even offers recycled blankets! Win.

8. Photography Prints

If nothing is really popping in your mind as a perfect gift, why not get a nice picture from the last year printed? It doesn't have to be too fussy or huge (it doesn't even have to be a picture of you), but a simple print that is meaningful to both of you with a really thoughtful note makes a gift they will treasure.

I get my prints for the wall from Artifact Uprising. They look and feel like treasures, without being over the top. I also love that they are made from recycled paper!

The best part of Valentine's Day is the license to eat chocolate, way past the point of sexiness.Too much chocolate to be cute.

Beyond the obvious benefits of chocolate, it turns out that candy offers fantastic opportunities to support businesses near you! Don't settle for the boxes from the drug store- candy made cheaply comes at a big environmental price and ones made in Mexico (where Hershey's sent much of their manufacturing) has been showing traces of mercury. So unless you really hate your Valentine...

More importantly, how often are those boxes actually good? How many chocolates from those plastic-wrapped boxes get thrown away? No chocolate deserves that fate! It's chocolate, for goodness sake!

This isn't about eco-friendliness, it is chocolate friendliness. Could there be anything more important?

So this is the list I have so far of chocolate and other candy companies that still manufacture locally. Some of my favorites, like Daffin's in Western Pennsylvania really don't reach nationally, so I know there are tons of treasures I am missing. Please tell me what should make an appearance, and I will keep updating the list.

The main point is that you have so many options, and the good old internet makes them very simple to discover and access. Also, even small towns have candy stores. Shop there.

Buying from companies like these supports the community where you live, cuts down on shipping and packaging, and can make for a fun challenge. Can you find something just as romantic as those drug store candies? Let's hope so! Focus on buying smaller quantities of better product, so it can both be good and do good.

Now, let's get to the list. It's epic and incomplete.

Alabama
Birmingham Chocolates- Birmingham

Alaska
The Alaska Fudge Company- Juneau
Alaska Gold Mine Candy Company- Talkeetna
Alaska Wild Berry Products- Anchorage
Ketchicandies- Ketchikan

Arizona
The Arizona Chocolate Company- Flagstaff
Cerreta Candy Company- Glendale

Arkansas
Izard Chocolates- Little Rock
Juanita's Candy Kitchen- Arkadelphia
Kopper Kettle Candies- Van Buren
Kyya Chocolate- Elm Springs
Lambrecht Gourmet- Heder Springs
Martin Greer's Candies- Gateway

California
Chuau Chocolate- San Diego
Dagoba Chocolate- San Francisco
Guittard Chocolate- San Francisco
Mother Fudger- Los Angles
Richard Donnelly- Santa Cruz
Rosebud Chocolates- Oxnard
Scharffen Berger- Berkeley
See's Candies- Los Angeles and San Francisco
TCHO- San Francisco (Previously Berkeley)
XOX Truffles- San Francisco

Colorado
Chocolove- Boulder
Elbrus Fine Chocolates- Parker
Enstrum Chocolates- Grand Junction
Hammond's- Denver
Justin's- Boulder

Conneticut
This state has its own chocolate trail. That's how many chocolate choices there are. What a wonderful world.
Bridgewater Chocolate- Bridgewater
Munson's Chocolate- Bolton

Delaware
Govatos Chocolates- Wilmington

Florida
Norman Love Chocolates- Fort Myers

Georgia
Cacao- Atlanta
Chocolate Ooh La Las- Marietta

Hawaii
Aloha Candy Company- Volcano Village, Big Island

Idaho
The Chocolat Bar- Boise
Idaho Candy Company- Boise
Sandpoint Chocolate Bear- Sandpoint

Illinois
Ferrarra- Lemonheads, Red Hots- Oakbrook Terrace
Illinois Nut and Candy- Skokie
Vosges-Haut Chocolate- Chicago

Indiana
DeBrand Fine Chocolates- Fort Wayne
Ghyslain Chocolates- Union City
Schrimpff's Confectionary- Jeffersonville
The South Bend Chocolate Company- South Bend

Iowa
The Sugar Barn- Polk City

Kentucky
Ruth Hunt Candy Company- Sterling

Louisiana
Bayou Chocolate- Monroe

Maine
Dean's Sweets- Portland
Ella's Chocolates- Lewiston
The Harbor Candy Shop- Ogunquit
Haven's Candies-Westbrook
Monica's Chocolates- Lubec
R and R Chocolates- Wells
Wilbur's of Maine- Freeport

Maryland
Glarus Chocolatier- Baltimore
Goetze Candy- Cow Tales and Caramels- Baltimore
Wockenfuss Candies- Baltimore

Massachusets
EH Chocolatier- Boston
Herbert Candies- Shrewsbury
Necco- Revere
Unreal- Boston (this looks kind of awesome)

Michigan
Chocolates by Grimaldi- Grand Haven
The Chocolate Garden- Coloma
Gilbert Chocolates- Jackson
Hanover's Michigan Mints- St. John's
Schakolad- Birmingham

Minnesota
Pearson's- St. Paul

Mississippi
Margaretes Fine Chocolates- Tupelo

Missouri
Chocolate Chocolate Company- St. Louis
Christopher Elbow- Kansas City
Bissinger's- St Louis
Kakao- St Louis

Montana
Big Sky Candy- Hamilton
Martinson's Ranch Chocolates- Huntley
Montana Chocolate Company- Missoula
Posh Chocolat- Missoula

Nebraska
Baker's Candies- Greenwood

Nevada
Kimmie Candy- Reno
Sierra Nevada Chocolate- Reno

New Hampshire
Bryne and Carlson- Portsmouth
LA Burdick- Walpole

New Jersey
2 Chicks with Chocolate- East Brunswick
Brummer's- Westfield
Chocodiem- Clinton
Enjou- Morristown
Lepore's- Hoboken
Matisse Chocolatier- Engelwood
Mrs Hanna Krause Candy- Paramus
The Nut Shop- Woodbury

New Mexico
Kakawa Chocolate House- Santa Fe

New York
Garrison Confections- New York City
Jaques Torres- New York City
Whimsy and Spice- Brooklyn
Xocolatti- New York City

North Carolina
Azurelise Chocolate- Raleigh
Carolina Chocolate Company- Charlotte
Dillsboro Chocolate Company- Dillsboro

North Dakota
Carol Widman's Candy Company- Fargo
Mikey's Country Candy- Burlington
Widman's Candy Company- Grand Forks

Ohio
Buckeye Chocolate Company- Canton
Spangler- Dum Dum's (NOT their candy canes)- Bryan

Oklahoma
Bedre Fine Chocolate- Ada

Oregon
The Candy Apothecary- Tigard
Caramels for Karson- Eugene
Creek House Patisserie- Ashland

Pennsylvania
Daffin's Chocolate- Sharon
Just Born Candy- Peeps, Hot Tamales, Mike and Ike- Bethlehem
Palmer Candy- Multiple Pennsylvania factories
Wolfgang Candy- York

Rhode Island
Hauser Chocolates- Westerly
Sweenor's Chocolates- Wakefield

South Carolina
Chocolate Tree- Beaufort

South Dakota
Mostly Chocolates- Rapid City
Watertown Confectionary- Watertown

Tennessee
Colt's Chocolates- Nashville
Dinstuhl's- Memphis
Nashville Chocolate and Nuts- Nashville
Olive and Sinclair- Nashvillle
Sugar and Spice Truck- Nashville

Texas
Aunt Aggie De's Pralines- Sinton

Utah
Bella Rose Chocolates- Saratoga Springs
Drunken Chocolates- Saratoga Springs
Farmhouse Fudge- Moab
Sweets Candy Company- Salt Lake City

Vermont
Lake Champlain Chocolates- Burlington
Mount Mansfield Maple- Winooski

Virginia
Potomac Chocolate- Woodbridge
Royal Chocolate- Virginia Beach

Washington
Frans Chocolate- Seattle
Northwest Fudge and Confections- Port Angeles
Spokandy- Spokane
Seattle Chocolates- Seattle
Theo Chocolates- Seattle

West Viriginia
Holls- Charleston

Wisconsin
Candinas Chocolates- Verona

Wyoming
Donell's Candies- Casper
Perr Bear Chocolates- Cheyenne
Petit Secret- Jackson Hole

In the words of one of these wonderful stores- Save the Planet- It's the Only Place with Chocolate! If you have been looking for a place to make a switch, this is a perfect opportunity to change your approach from quick and easy to local, special, and doing all sorts of good!And there are so many more! So please comment with your suggestions!

If you are more interested in fair-trade chocolate (and for good reason, chocolate can have major environmental AND labor problems, and child labor is NOT romantic), I have a few options for that too- Equal Exchange (they have chocolate chips and more on their website), Divine (this store has a great selection), Green and Black's, and my favorite Endangered Species (which donates 10% of your purchase to protect wildlife and habitats- romantic for your animal lover? This is the best list I could find- there is so much out there, no excuse to get crappy chocolate anymore.

Be sure to research what you have nearby, they might surprise you- Theo Chocolate, and Chocolove are fair trade too.



Now you know better than I do- what candy stores or chocolatiers are around your neighborhood? It may be time to try them. More expensive? Try something small! Bigger doesn't mean better, and it might be fun to have a taste of something new.

Valentine's Day is sneaking up, and if you are like me, you have done nothing. But we still have time! And we can still avoid doing the same old thing.

This holiday has a particularly bad reputation in regards to materialism. At this point, flowers, candy, and a card (maybe a stuffed animal too) are so prescribed that getting them feels more like a requirement than a gift.

And nothing says romance like an obligation.

I am not trying to say skip the holiday. You hear me, husband? No skipping. I love holidays and I think lots of people out there could use being loved on a little this time of year. But, maybe it's time to give each other permission to step out of the heart-shaped box and do something a little more interesting.