$1.00 Valentine's Day Gift

Jimmy and I really don't do gifts....like ever.

That is not our love language; quality time and words of affirmation are.

With that being said, we live by the moto that if you really want something and it's not going to push us out of the budget, then buy it for yourself.

We're going skiing this weekend with my family and leaving tomorrow.  Last night while we were sitting in church, Jimmy leans over and whispers in my ear that he'll just buy me a lift ticket for Valentine's day, and really, that is fine with me.  Our money is combined, so the lift ticket would be bought anyway, but the fact that he knew he didn't have to go out and scour the aisles of department stores trying to find "the gift," just gives me one more reason to buy that watch I've been eyeing for a year :)

Valentine's Day is tomorrow and to us, that's just another stupid holiday to drain the bank account in an effort to keep up with the Jones,' but in this post you'll see that I utilized The Dollar Tree to create a unique gift that can be given, and re-given almost anytime of the year.  

Even though gift giving is not the norm for us, I had a plan and I waited all week for Thursday to roll around so I could go forward with my early Valentine's Day surprise.  My grand plan involved 75% execution outside and when I wok up to this gorgeous scene, I just had to shrugged off the disappointment and realize I could execute that part of my plan in better weather another time!

Even though we don't do gifts, I was walking down the candy aisle at our local Dollar Tree and a Valentine's Day gift idea was born!   I wanted to surprise Jimmy at work on Thursday by doing a little outdoor decorating and then deliver his gift inside.  The plan that was formulating gave me the perfect reason to head over and see him at work where he wouldn't suspect me at all!

Jimmy and I are self-proclaimed geeks and are always laughing at stupid things.  

We have inside jokes for days and can look at something, laugh, and know what the other one is thinking, look at them in the eye, replay the thought, and laugh again.  We're weird, we know.    

Below you'll see how you can create a really unique gift for $1.00 an item!

Find pieces that you can create a saying with, that serve as in inside joke, or a compliment you want to make.  

Print the sayings and find some card stock, or durable paper to back your saying/lines with.  

You'll also need tape and scissors - fancy and regular.

For this project I had a helper [Zeeker the Cat.]  He felt slighted.  I could tell.  

Take your sayings and glue them down on to your chosen color of card stock, or thick backing paper with a glue stick.  

This is not in the "instructions," but you know when you need something thick and sturdy to write on, hold something up, etc. you just grab what's on your coffee table or desk.  

This book was my material.

True.  Farm.  Wife.  Here.

[He's already studying up for his next year cattle herd plan]

I digress.  

I chose to cut out my sayings with regular scissors and then cut the backing paper/card stock with 'fancy cutters.'  These were purchased at The Dollar Tree years ago, or even at Target in their $1.00 front bins.

Zeekey Boy has a mustache too if you look  real close :)

After I was finished with my sayings, gluing them on to the backing, and then taping them onto the corresponding item, I was finished!  

This project took all of 10 minutes, excluding the shopping.  

This one's my favorite and it's the truth....I am BAZOOKA over Jimmy!

Now, to place it in a box for delivery.

You can use a box, a bag, a basket, whatever you choose!

The sayings I chose.  

Now a few of these - well, most probably - are pretty corny, but they're us!  

As I said before, this was going to be a surprise.  

I had today off and I traveled over to Pomeroy where Jimmy works to surprise him with this gift and my visit.

This was his excited and surprised face when he came into the patient room where I was waiting.  

Our visit lasted a total of 2 whole minutes, but it was the thought that counted!

It's the little things....

And from this famous Jimmy-camera-selfie, I think he was rather pleased!

Note:  This gift idea cost $13.00 (+ .06% sales tax), probably $3.00 in gas, and $0.00 in other supplies.  I just used what I had laying around my office.  And no, The Dollar Tree is not paying me to do this blog advertisement for them, but if they would like to (or strike up a partnership) then I'm all for it!  I shop there all the time!