February 1, 2010

February Give Away . . .

There's just something about the month of February! It's one step closer to the long gray days of winter being over and the first blooms of spring poking their heads through the ground. It's the month we celebrate love - and Oh! how I love to celebrate love. When you throw in a ground hog, two presidents and a birthday for a certain YOUNG lady {me}, this month is full to the gills with fun, frivolity and festivities.

In order to due justice to all that is February, I think a great give away is in order.

I've spent the last week crafting something special for one lucky reader. Last year I happened upon a severely clearanced plain Valentine's candy box from the Martha Stewart line at Michael's. After covering it with vintage dictionary pages and a good coat of Modge Podge, I took it over to the Queen's house to receive the royal Valentine's treatment. A touch or two of glitter, a helping of vintage crepe paper, a cherubic cupid and some appropriate holiday sentiments now don its lid.

I don't know about you, but I think it turned out pretty darn amazing! In fact, I'm really having to hold myself back from just calling this beauty MINE and scrapping the whole give away thing!
But since you are loyal readers I think you deserve to have a vintage boy in a blue loin cloth as part of your holiday decor. Trust me, he'll charm your pants off {just in case you were wondering what happened to his}.
And I predict that if you are the winner, the sweet words festooning this candy box's front will hold true for you . . . you won't forget me.  Ever.  Because oh, man, there's more . . .
Inside this pretty box are some goodies for you.  As in chocolate, of the dark variety.  And {yes, AND!}a selection of gorgeous handmade cards from the Queen herself.  Trust me when I say that a card crafted by the Queen is a keepsake for life. I've got an entire box of them in my room that I thumb through when I feel the need to reaffirm my mama's love for me.  And by golly, does she love me!

She must love you too, because she generously donated two cards to this month's give away.  So feel free to pen some heartfelt thoughts to your Valentine on one and then keep the other all to your little ol' self!
So, sweet readers, the sweets are yours for the taking.  All you have to do is leave a comment today or tomorrow telling me about the loveliest gift you've either given or received for Valentine's Day.  Don't forget to include some way for me to contact you. The give away closes at 5 pm EST on Tuesday and I'll announce the winner on Wednesday.

Happy Monday!
dragonfly signature

24 comments:

Aiketa said...

How I wish I could win this awesome giveaway!!

Well my best Valentine's present are two tickets for a concert two years ago.
I wanted so badly to go to that concert, but my boyfriend at that time wasn't sure... So for that reason we didn't buy the tickets and when he said it was OK to go, SOLD OUT! So you can imagine my fustration... I gave up, and thought maybe I could go to another concert that group performed somewhere else.
And when February 14th arrived, I received two tickets for the concert! I was so so so happy!
The thing that made me more happy was that he had done all that for me, because he wasn't really interested... but he did it.
And we went to the concert, and we had a great time!

So this is my story... hope I can win!

My email is: nonaar @ hotmail . com

Kasey said...

What a fun giveaway!!
My best Valentine's present is this year's. My husband got us tickets to see the local symphony perform a series of Queen songs!!! I'm so excited. We're celebrating a little early. This Friday!

Jennifer said...

My best Valentine's gift is something so, so simple. I don't remember how old I was, I am thinking maybe 8 or so. I woke up Valentine's Day morning to a single rose and a card from my daddy. It is something I will always remember.

The best gift my hubby has given was to our Miss C. He had been in Iraq for well over a year. On Valentine's Day a florist showed up at our door with flowers. Just for her. From her Daddy. She still talks about it!

You and your mom are so incredibly talented! And chocolate, of the dark variety, is my favorite kind. Remember. One piece a day keeps the prozac away!

wheelerfamily5 at gmail dot com

west wind said...

The best valentine’s gift I give and receive is renewing heartfelt love for my husband and close friends—every year on Valentine’s Day! Twenty years ago this February, my husband and I had our first formal date with a group of friends on Valentine’s Day. It was billed as a romantic dinner for twelve. The group has been getting together annually ever since, and next week will be the 20th time! The story that gets told every year is how in 1990 I mistakenly thought it was just a bunch of neighbors going out for fun, so I brought my two other grad school roommates. There was one seat at the table when I arrived….so my husband-to-be had three dates. Over the years, our dinner has been a great way to share news of babies and children, support each other during grief and health challenges, and to share fun gifts from cookies and cards to “big hair” and candied neckties. I’m really looking forward to this 20th anniversary dinner, wherever it is. We don’t actually celebrate our wedding anniversary, because this is our special day!

Sue said...

I've always been a sucker for a good love note. I love to have something I can look at when I'm having a hard day, something to remind me that I am loved and I am doing some good in the world.

Any suggestions on how to get Dan to write me one? ;)

Apis Melliflora said...

I think you've outdone yourself, Dragonfly! That giveaway will set every girl's heart a flutter.

KitKat said...

The best Valentines Day gift I ever received was the birth of my first two children! Since they were twins, they arrived a bit early and had to have an extended stay in the hospital. I remember feeling tired, overwhelmed, sore and definitely NOT attractive. But when I looked at them, I was reminded of the deep love shared between myself and my husband the awesomeness of God's creation!

p.s. if I win, Apis Melliflora can tell you who to get a hold of me! :)

Amy Jo said...

Valentine's Day wasn't a big celebration when I was in high school. I never had a boyfriend and it seemed a day to dread more than anything else. However, my science teacher always made a HUGE deal of the day. She made hundreds of heart shaped cookies so each of her students could have one. She decorated her science room and completely enjoyed the day. She was probably 40 and unmarried and seeing her celebrate a day of love really made an impression on me as a teenager. I was thrilled to find out that she was married recently.

mamahaas said...

I few years ago my son came to me to tell me he wanted to get married on Valentines day....2 weeks away. I tried to convince him it was very short notice but he insisted that it had to be that day whether I would help or not. Having the love for our children that we do and wishing only for their happiness, I directed all my efforts to that end. Her family was not interested in helping, so we got a dress, made arrangements for the building,I did the decorations and put together a meal for all who would attend. When I made the phone call about the flowers, I found my friend who I was asking for help had been the bride to be's Laurel teacher and insisted that she wanted to do the bride's bouquet as a gift for her. God bless those tender mercies. With a lot of effort and prayer, everything came together and the day was beautiful...and everything went smoothly. Now as Valentine's Day approaches and their 7th anniversary, I remember how appreciative they were, and how glad I am that I took the time to make it a special day for them to remember. This is one Valentine's Day I shall never forget.
Love mamahaas@gmail.comhamshet

Lori said...

What fantastic stories...Mine is kind of funny. I often tease my mom about a gentlemen who hit on her at a gas station while she was in the process of moving to a new town. He was a truck driver. The name of his company was Booker Transit. So I often joke with her about her boyfriend Booker T. A few years ago I sent flowers to her work with a little love note from her trucker boyfriend! We had a great laugh over that one when she figured out who really sent them!

Laura Waltz said...

How fun! The best gift I recieved was from my husband last year. It was a combined birthday gift/Valentine's Day gift for Feb. He picked out 14k white gold earrings for me (by himself) and roses! Does it get any better than that?

Vanessa said...

Dark chocolate? Count me in!

I guess maybe we are a little boring as far as valentines day goes. We are uni students with 2 small kids and another on the way. There isn't much money to buy gifts. My favorite thing to do is make him one of his favorite foods (like french toast for breakfast or his grandma's molasses cookies). I've always heard a way to man's heart is through his stomach...

vanniet@hotmail.com

chelsea said...

The best Valentine's gifts for me is just trying to make everything in that day about the other person. Usually starts out with me making breakfast and him making dinner. The last couple years we have gone out. It's always fun no matter what we are doing, just because we are together.

I love your give away! Each Valentine's I always make something "home made" and not just bought at the store. This definitely reminds me of something I would do myself.

sLOVE it!

♥ you :)

chelsea said...

ok I just LOVE it, not sLOVE it ;)

Tobi said...

When I was young whipper snapper in Junior High..aka serious awkward time, my mom sent me flowers and balloons to my school. She signed the card, "Love Your Secret Admirer." I could dine off of that moment forever. It wasn't until recently that my Mom admitted that she was the one who sent me those flowers.

Apis Melliflora said...

With my hubby before kids, the time he told me to pack warm and cold clothes for a little trip. We hopped in the car and he started driving. The original surprise plan was Niagara Falls (Canadian side), but, at the time, it was pretty seedy/cheesy. So, we kept going all the way to Toronto where we ate our way through town, stayed at a fancy downtown hotel, played an endless game of pool and swam in an indoor/outdoor swimming pool.

If I'm randomly selected, I'm giving the mother load to my dear friend, Tarra, a fabulous mother and mother-to-be.

Stacey Gerlach Moe said...

The Valentine's Day gift I cherish most is a napkin I got from my mom in my lunch one Valentine's Day in high school. I was having a rough time with something and I opened my lunch and there was my napkin with a big heart and handwritten note telling me how much she loved me and that everything would be okay. She was right...everything was okay. And given that she has been gone for three years, those simple things she did to express her love mean even that much more....I sure do miss her.

christy said...

We haven't ever done anything over-the-top for Valentine's Day. I always try and make the day fun for the kids starting out with heart-shaped pancakes, etc. I love it because it means a definite date night with the hubby even if it's somewhere simple like Panera, one of my favorite places. Sorry I don't have any fantastic story...:)

We are FAM-I-LEE said...

Dark chocolate is calling my name. :) We really don't do much on Valentine's Day, think the love should be showed every day of the year! But this year, we'll sneak some time together on Friday while the kids are still in school for a lunch & movie! So looking forward to it!

Linda Zenger said...

I remember my Father putting valentine's on a string, then climbing on the roof of the house..The Valentine's were on the front porch with one end of the string tied to them, Dad on the other had was on the roof with the other end of the string in hand... He stomped on the roof and when we opened the door... What was there but wonderful Valentines...However when we bent down to gather up our Valentine's treat.they disappeared! Dad was on the roof laughing...What a silly Father.. Must be one of the reasons we are all so crazy! We took after our Dad.

Linda Z said...

When I was young, my father use to love to play tricks on us kids..One I remember was on Valentine's Day. He use to tie string on one end of a Valentine and then he would climb on the roof and stomp his feet..We Kids would run to the door and find to our delight a Valentine.. However when we bent down to pick it up the Valentine disappeared..Dad, of coarse was on the roof laughing with Valentine's in had. Fond memories of life as a child...

LJB said...

What a cute give away! You always come up with the best ideas! I have two best Valentine gifts. The very top one was 3 years ago when my husband took me to Mexico's Riviera Maya for the week of Valentine's! Just us--no kids! We stayed at a beautiful resort that had all the bells & whistles, but best of all he arranged for one of my life long dreams to come true. I got to swim with the dolphins! It was magnificent! My second best Valentine's gifts was a simple silk rose my father gave me my freshman year at college. You may remember; it hung above my desk in our dorm room for months! My dad had flown from Germany to Utah for his father's funeral the week before Valentine's so just before he left to go home he gave me a big red heart made out of construction paper with a sweet note on it and rose. It's unusual for my dad to do things like this so it has always held a special place in my heart!

Burton's blog said...

I'm so excited for Brady's valentines gift this year. Its an automatic car starter for this truck. Doesn't sound very romantic at first, but every night when he climbs into a warm cozy truck after a long day at work, he will be reminded of the one who loves him and is eagerly waiting for him at home! Yea! Now if I can just figure out a sneaky way to have it installed without him knowing!!

TracyS. said...

Our Valentine's tradition is to set up our baby pink aluminum (christmas) tree and cover it with the Valentines received in the mail and from classmates, etc. The best Valentine I ever received is a card my husband made, where he traced the fingers of each of our babies on the inside.