Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching, and I am wracking my brain to think of something sweet and meaningful for Handsome Hubby. And it has to be better, more original and more creative than the things he does for me. Yes, competition is one of the cornerstones of our marriage… why do you ask?
We do not go for the traditional box of chocolates and roses (although I wouldn’t turn them down)… instead, we try to “one-up” each other. (Yes, we’re mature.) I think his goal is to make me get all weepy and verklempt.
Here’s a great example of one of the things HH did for me. (Even though it was a Christmas gift** one year, it would totally work for Valentine’s Day.) He took an image that held significance for us and then hand-wrote a “mat” of memories, inside jokes and meaningful words all the way around it.
Here’s the brief back story: Once upon a time, before we were married, Handsome Hubby flew up from CA to visit me in WA for a long weekend. It was a great couple of days and I was sad to drop him off at the airport on the last morning. We said our goodbyes and I sadly started to drive home, missing him already. About 20 minutes after I left, he called me to say that he had made a mistake when he was booking his flight and was scheduled to leave at 9:00 pm, not 9:00 am… So we got a bonus 12 hours together.
Years later, we saw a Jack Vettriano painting called Back Where You Belong and we were both reminded of the 12 hour gift we were given.
HH took the image, cropped it so that only the two lovers are showing, and hand-wrote all that sweetness around the mat.
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| The “Cherry Pits” that are referred to in the upper right corner? We were eating fresh cherries and ended up spitting the pits at each other and also to see who could spit them the farthest. I told you… we’re super mature and not competitive at all. |
I believe he has plans in the works to build a custom frame one of these days too.
It’s hanging in my little corner of the kitchen breakfast bar where I work and blog, etc. and is one of the things that I would grab first if there was a fire or some disaster. I cherish it.
It never fails to brighten my day. (**The Christmas that he gave this to me, we each had a $25 spending cap and were trying to out-do the other and stay in budget. He came in at under $25 and made me cry. He totally won.)
But I need ideas, people! I must do something great and creative! Help!
Duck tape wallet.
Whew, that was hard work. I’m spent!
Seriously, I got nothin’ to top that shiz. He has awesome handwriting, btw.
What an absolutely beautiful gift from your hubby!
Love! He needs to hang out with my hubs and rub off a little *wink wink* No ideas for you though… sorry…
For my birthday one year, before we were married, my husband gave me an adventure. He gave me just enough information beforehand and created a detective alter ego for the both of us, then, sent me a silly birthday code with a code inside which I had to decipher, which led to me finding an envelope with another code inside, which led to a computer program he had written, text adventure style, which led to . . . well, you get the idea. I was running around three different towns for a month, looking for clues (and a blacklight bulb to read invisible ink). I eventually found my present, carefully hidden in a box disguised as a cinder block. I created a similar gift a year or so later, using the same detective agency alter egos. Everyone thinks we’re insane, but we have fun!
Where have you always wanted to go but can’t afford? Decorate a room like that in the house and take a mini-vacation together. Drink like you were there, play like you were there, eat like you were there, music as if you were there (you get the idea). Stamp his homemade passport (if needed) before he enters the room and hand pick his clothes for the trip. It will take a lot of homework on your part but well worth the effort. Oh by the way, for best results ship the kids somewhere else:)Good Luck
That picture is quite a score. Beautiful. Lucky woman…..lucky man.
That is so very sweet. I would cherish that too. Ummmm, I am the wrong person to be commenting here. My husband does all the very sweet and surprising things, and he really goes outside the box for the surprises. I stink at this. I will put my thinking cap on though because maybe this year for Vday I will be the one surprising my husband with someone original.
Can’t you carve one of your 5000 pumpkins into a heart?
I love that you do this, I love even more that HE does it. Remember I’m married to the “we’ll take it” guy.
Well I’m impressed! Can your husband give lessons to my husband? Seriously. 🙂
I got nothing! Since I live with a man who never wants anything or really doesn’t care to celebrate anything!! See? I told you I need help!! Ha!
Mine is traditional in that he does cards or candy or both! Yours totally rocks it out! Love the pic!
What can you do? Hmmmmm! Dress up like the girl in the painting and have your picture taken in that very same pose?>
Hugs
SueAnn
Wow! That picture and text is really sweet!
Ideas? I’ve made hubby an action figure. Bought a Star Wars little boy Anakin Skywalker figure, painted it to look like I wanted, printed out a card backing and glued the original plastic bubble back onto the new background. I’m considering doing a tutorial on my doll blog, because Valentines for men are HARD. (Me? I really love the chocolates and flowers! It’s retro! It’s chocolate!)
Other ideas? Get a photo of him and make a dress-up paper doll? Imagine your life together as a chick flick, decide on the sound track and burn it onto some CDs with printed overs?
I love this idea! Mr. W & I make handmade cards and a nice meal together!
What a SWEET idea!! I wish my husband would google romantic ideas and throw them out every now and then…. I would accept them at any holiday!! What a great gift!! You are very blessed!! 🙂 He def WON!!
How romantic!! Handsome hubby is a real special specimen of a man lol!!! I think its serendipitous thought becuz I was looking at your blog and my friend Vivienne just called me haha what are the odds?