Valentine's Day Ideas: Loved Up

It's just under a week now until Valentine's Day and I have so many ideas for inexpensive and wonderful ways to spend it with your loved one I just had to share. I don't buy into the whole thing of spending money to make someone feel special. I prefer memories and little momentos of an occasion as opposed to a big fancy gift.

These are my favourite ways to treat your Valentine without spending ridiculous amounts of money.

A card is priceless. There are so many designs and content to pick from you'll be spoilt for choice. I love cards as you can keep them forever and they mean so much because it was picked by your loved one for you. My boyfriend is a gem and always takes great care choosing cards for me because he knows how much I love to receive them.

Next up is sweet treats. There is no end of goodies to choose from. I even saw a giant gingerbread bear in Greggs today with a pink iced heart, so cute! If you have time you could bake your own treats such as heart shaped biscuits or pink iced buns/cupcakes. The shops are full of treats particularly bakery sections. 

 I found the chocolate heart lollipop in Marks and Spencers for £1. They also have little bags of love themed sweets such as jelly hearts or pink white chocolates. The heart of Cadburys chocolate were £1 in Asda and Love Hearts are around 50p a packet. My boyfriend gave me a 'Dream Girl' love heart when we first went out as friends (I didn't realise he liked me ha) so they're special to me now and I'll be putting these into a bowl for our evening in :)

Going for a meal out is always nice but on Valentine's I prefer a quiet meal for two in the comfort of my own home. Plus it'll cost less to eat in whether you cook a meal from scratch, buy ready made food or order in. Marks and Spencer are doing their "Dine in for 2 for £10" deal again and most supermarkets do multi buy offers on their selection of ready meals. Me and my boyfriend are getting a chinese takeaway like we did last year as that's what we both fancy but the options are endless. For afters I'll be getting my fondue kit out. All you need is chocolate (Cadburys Dairy Milk or Galaxy is nicest) with marshmallows, fruit, biscuits and wafers.

Another alternative for food although this is more appropriate for lunchtime because of the weather and time of year is a picnic in a park or on the beach. Now February can be rather cold so it would need to be a mild day with no rain or snow forecast which could be a lot to ask of England! I've never done one but an indoors picnic sounds romantic. All you'll need is a space to lay out your rug and then you can have whatever food you like. 

If you get home from work before your loved one you could run them a candlelit bubble bath, leave a trail of rose petals to the dining room where you've laid the table or to their card/present. 

My boyfriend surprised me with a bunch of roses last year which was my favourite part of Valentine's apart from him obviously! There'll be no end of flowers available and every girl loves flowers right?!

On the Wednesday night I'll be laying my dining room table ready for our romantic meal as we're getting our takeaway together from work so I won't have time when we get home on Thursday, I'll be using the following

 rose petals £1 poundland, love single red rose 99p card factory 

 glitter hearts on sticks £1 poundland, heart doilies £1 asda

 heart napkins asda (last years) red felt coasters asda (last years)

red heart confetti £1.50 m&s, heart crystals (christmas present, but suspect it was the range), red heart ballons asda (last years)

 This was my table last year. The candles in the holder were lit and we had the chinese on the middle mats. I scattered the confetti I had and put some chocolate ladybugs out too. Theres no right or wrong way of laying a table, just place what you need where you need it and then place the extra around. Candles would usually sit in the middle but because the chinese cartons were going there and our arms would be moving over it I didn't want any burns. 

So that's it. Valentine's Day doesn't have to cost much but you can still have a romantic time. All I want to do is be with my boyfriend so it doesn't matter what we do. Most people will be at work so will be limited for their evening options like us. Hopefully this will give you some ideas :)

Hope you have a lovely Valentine's!

*images with purple background, and bottom two, are my own, all others are from weheartit

Valentine's Day Single Ideas

I've only had one wonderful Valentine's Day (last year) so I know all about how it can feel as the day approaches and arrives. I'd always wish I had someone special to pick a card for and seeing the red and pink aisles of love and little gifts for a loved one made me envious.

I don't fully buy into the day as I think love should be an every moment thing not once a year effort. I really enjoyed my single years but couldn't resist the excitement of romance, red roses and doing something on the day. If anything Valentine's Day excites me less now that I'm with my boyfriend which is rather odd but probably down to the fact we are very loved up and aren't going out of our way for a special day. 

When I was thinking up a post about inexpensive but wonderful ideas for those in love I thought of all my single Valentine's Days and thought I would share some ideas of what to do. 

Some of my favourite Valentine's have been spent with my friends. A memorable one was spent with my favourite people: two girls and three boys. We were inseparable in sixth form and it made perfect sense to go on a friends triple date. The boys all got us a rose each too and it was at Pizza Hut. It doesn't matter where you eat, you'll have a great time with your best friends. 

A more recent Valentine's was spent with my friend having a girlie sleepover, a pamper session, a DVD with pizza and nibbles and then hours of girlie duvet talk and laughter. Nothing can beat a night in with your bestest. 

Another alternative with friends could be drinks at your favourite pub, a night at the cinema or ordering a takeaway and watching a film on the sofa. 

And if you're looking for love you could arrange a night out with friends to meet new people or find a speed dating night.

I spent my last single Valentine's Day at work and then in the evening, watching tv and tidying my room. The boy I called boyfriend at the time didn't bother to see me, letting me down at the last minute. So the only other option is to ignore the whole thing altogether and certainly don't waste your time on someone who isn't worth yours. 

*images from weheartit.com

Sunday Summary #5

Another quiet week. Time is speeding by so fast. Not done much except Valentine's. Had the loveliest night, the best Valentine's ever. The snow has finally all gone thanks to rain during the week and the temperature has finally risen so I'm not moaning about it being like Moscow outside. At one point I was wearing 5 layers into work and still feeling cold with the heating on. Still had no luck finding the Kit Kat Chunky Champions, might just vote for the white chocolate one anyway haha then I might get one! 

 My Valentine's card. LE Love Hearts tin, I had to get one as they are my favourite sweets and remind me of my boy. Easter chocolates, the last bag of mini Love Hearts in the shop and M&S cashews nuts <3 I always wish graze would just send me cashews, chocolate & honeycomb flapjack and the herb garden haha. Panda pjs and knickers. Valentine's red roses <3. Skinny chinos addiction, the pink colour look amazing in real life! Dolls hosue necklace. My two babies. 


Scheduled this post on Friday as today is the joint birthday party of one of my little brothers and my brothers girlfriend. Me and the boy will be helping my Mum set up and do all the food etc. By this time I expect to be stuffed full of buffet food, face ache from smiling for dozens of photos and feeling grateful for my amazing family and boyfriend. Hope you've all had good weeks. 


Em x