Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to to be a corporate holiday. Give your Valentine the gift of homemade this year and leave the mass-consumerism out of it.

While advertisers might have you believe that Valentine’s Day is all about commercialism, showing your love on Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to cost a thing. With a little creativity and planning, you can wow your Valentine with one (or all of these) low-cost or free ideas.

7 Wallet and Planet-Friendly Valentine Ideas

1. Handmade Caramels

Making homemade caramel is easier than you might think, but it’s super impressive. And if your love is vegan, here is a recipe–extra points if you dip them in vegan, free-trade dark chocolate.

2. Homemade Dinner

What’s better than having someone make you dinner? Show your loved one just how much you care by making a tasty dinner and serve it by candlelight. If you don’t have confidence in your cooking skills, consider signing up for one of those meal services that can help make cooking a snap.

3. Breakfast in Bed

By the same token, serving up breakfast in bed is a fantastic way to show just how much your partner means to you. Score bonus points for making homemade scones and brewing up some tasty fair-trade pour over coffee.

4. Heart Garland

Nothing says “Happy Valentine’s Day” than an arts and crafts project. With a little glue, yarn, paint, and junk mail you can make a festive heart garland for your special valentine.

5. Valentine Playlist

Back in the day, the kids would make mixtapes to send a love message to their main squeeze. Nowadays, streaming music makes that process a lot simpler, but the sentiment is just the same. Of course, if you still have a cassette tape around, knock yourself out.

6. Love Note Scavenger Note

Want to impress your Valentine? Plan a scavenger hunt complete with love note clues and the prize being a nice bottle of wine, a hot bath with flower petals, and/or some “Netflix and Chill.”

7. Homemade Bath & Body

And if you are planning on making a hot bath for your love, why not try your hand at making homemade bath bombs, shave gel, or body oil spray?

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The post 7 Ways to Show Your Valentine You Care Without Buying a Thing appeared first on EcoSalon.

Get started on your handmade holiday gifts with these free embroidery patterns and projects.

The holiday season is once again upon us (unless you pay attention to the Christmas music playing at every retailer, then it’s been Christmas since early September), and that means it’s way past time for you to start making your holiday gifts.

For the crafty among us, we don’t shop at the mall for holiday gifts. Instead, we craft our own handmade gifts. And whether you’ve taken a stab at it before or not, embroidery patterns and projects are perfect for handmade holiday gifts. Hand embroidery, cross-stitch, and needlecraft are an lovely evening pastime while catching with the latest episodes of “Empire” or “Scandal.” Embroidery patterns and projects can also be as complicated or as simple as your skills allow.

Take a look at these embroidery patterns and projects for everything from embroidered holiday tree ornaments to cup cozies to get started on your homemade holiday gift list–and don’t forget yourself too!

Embroidery Patterns and Projects Homemade Holiday Gifts

1. Snowflake Embroidered Hoop Ornaments – Turn embroidery floss, linen or muslin, and glitter into pretty snowflake ornaments with the basic backstitch. Make one of these up for everyone on your list or decorate the tree with them.
2. Easy Embroidered Table Runner – Repurpose a plain table runner into a thing of holiday cheer with this easy project using the backstitch and the French knot.
3. Free Christmas Embroidery Patterns – Choose from Santa, snowmen, the cutest chickadee in a hat ever, and other Christmas-themed patterns that you can embroider on everything from napkins, t-shirts, pillows and more.
4. Embroidered Wreath – Forego the real greenery this year for an embroidered version instead. Use floss, ribbon, and seed beads to make a gorgeous piece for you and your giftees. This one will take more time, so you better get started.
5. Felt and Embroidery Cup Cozies – This project is so super easy that you can make them for everyone on your list. Simply cut cup sleeves out of felt and embroidery with simple designs like a backstitched heart, French knots in a pattern or simple stitched X’s.
6. Hanukkah Coasters – Make a set of Hanukkah coasters for someone (or yourself) from thread and felt. Simple and practical!
7. Embroidered Holiday Gift Tags – To top off all your gifts make these easy embroidered holiday gift tags. Make monogrammed versions or general all-purpose tags decorated with a star, tree, snowman and more. Get creative!

Related on EcoSalon:

CreativeBug Workshop: Learn the Basics of Embroidery

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9 Homemade Hostess Gifts You Can Make this Holiday Season

Image: ThistleThreadDesign

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Make your own homemade hostess gifts to say “thank you” this holiday season.

Every holiday season you vow to make homemade gifts to gift to friends and family who open up their homes for all those holiday parties, dinners and get-togethers. You realize that because your family and friends hosting these get together means that you don’t have to! And that’s huge. You don’t have to clean your home in preparation, make tons of food, come up with a holiday cocktail to wow guests or clean up a huge mess after everyone leaves. You get to have fun instead. The hosts of all your holiday fun really do deserve a sweet thank you gift for all their trouble, don’t they?

To make your life easier, we have put together a roundup of easy ideas for homemade hostess gifts that you can make ahead of time for the hosts of your holiday parties. They can also double as gifts for all your regular giftees as well. And don’t forget your child’s teachers and coworkers!

9 Homemade Hostess Gifts for the Holiday Season

1. Cranberry Lime Infused Vodka – The perfect holiday hostess gift for those adult holiday parties. Crantinis, anyone?
2. DIY Terrarium Kit – A clever gift that keeps on giving throughout the year. Gift to a plant lover.
3. Teacup Candles – Use vintage thrift store teacups for a twist on homemade candle gifts.
4. Homemade Vanilla Extract – It’s actually pretty simple to make your own homemade extract, but it’s also pretty impressive. Don’t forget to gift it in a pretty jar.
5. Natural Branch Coasters – Everyone needs coasters and you need creative ways to use those branches you cut off this fall.
6. Infused Olive Oils – Make and gift your own lemon, garlic, chili and rosemary infused olive oils and make the day of your foodie friends.
7. Pumpkin Spice Bar Soap – Make your own pumpkin spice soap for gifts in under 10 minutes according to this how-to.
8. Photo Magnets – Use photos of family and friends to make meaningful photo magnets.
9. Homemade Heating Packs – Fill these homemade heating pads with lavender for a thoughtful and great-smelling gift. They can be used to warm sheets on a cold night.

Related on EcoSalon

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Top Image: myofficeaz.com

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