2014 Christmas gift round-up

"It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air."
-W.T. Ellis

This year wasn't a super crafty Christmas, but I did put together a few gifts that I was really excited about giving. Here's a round-up of my favorite creative gifts that I gave this year:

For my good friend who was dreading her first divorced Christmas
A "Christmas Afternoon" box filled with fun goodies to create new Christmas traditions, including a jigsaw puzzle, a dvd movie, a hot cocoa and tea gift set, Handmade Charlotte ornament craft kits, a candle, a cute ornament, and a chocolate lollipop.

For my sister-in-law's family
Knowing that my nephews (age 5 and 11) would receive gobs of toys for Christmas, I opted for a "Strikes and 'Staches adventure" package that included a gift card to the local bowling alley, fake mustaches, and a pair of fun socks for each person.

For my Sunday School friends
Last year I surprised my friends by leaving a roll of wrapping paper at each of their doors, and I was then surprised by how much it meant to some of them. I found this cute idea from Kristen Duke on Pinterest and thought it would be great for this year. I wrapped up a set of paper plates and napkins from IKEA, stuck my own tags on, and gave them out as combination Christmas/baby shower hostess gifts.

Christmas wrapping for everyone
Even in a year when I tried to scale back my Christmas planning, I was still eager to coordinate my wrapping. It's a tradition that I enjoy so much that it really doesn't feel like work to me. I was inspired by this One Fine Dae packaging that I ran across on Pinterest, but I jazzed up my zigzag-stitched kraft paper envelopes a bit by including red and lime green masking tape and my own graphic tags. Download the printable tags here.

Here's hoping that the recipients enjoyed the gifts as much as I enjoyed giving them!

Kicking off Elise's Kickstarter campaign...

"Life engenders life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich."
-Sarah Bernhardt

 
Although I've been intrigued by the idea of Kickstarter, I've never actually supported a campaign until this week. I'm thrilled to put my money and my support behind a close friend of mine, Elise Erikson Barrett, who is raising money for her "first full-length album rich in folk and classical influences."

In the two short years that I have known her, Elise has made a great impact on my life. She volunteered to help me lead VBS, and she serves as my worship leader and pastor's wife (although she herself is a pastor, too). But more importantly, she has been a confidante, a teacher, and a close friend who always asks "how is your heart?" and then really listens to the answer.

I know she's got something good to share with the world. I'm so thrilled to have a chance to help her dream come true.

Don't you want to be a part of this project? She's halfway to her goal, and the month has just begun!! Donate here. (If you're unfamiliar with Kickstarter, the project will only funded... you will only pay... if she reaches her goal by the deadline.)

 __

**After exploring the Kickstarter site, the designer/creative in me sees how supporting these projects could be a little addicting.

**Interesting article about why there are so many wallet concepts being explored on Kickstarter.

Happy hearts...

"Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction."
-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Valentine's Day around here was low-key. The great snowstorm of South Carolina cancelled our dinner reservations for Thursday night. So on Friday, we treated ourselves to Mexican food and curled up on the couch to watch the Olympics. My kind of celebration!

Although this holiday usually seems all about the girl, I wanted to make sure that I celebrated my own valentine. I gathered a couple of random, but totally Rob gifts.

Not necessarily the traditional Valentine's Day gifts, but he loved all of them.

• LOVE YOU... this perfectly honest card from Emily McDowell
• The Recipe for Love = YOU + ME... plastic cereal bowls with measurements... we went back to Target this weekend to buy another set
• How can I MEASURE my Love... a bamboo digital food scale... Rob's been weighing food all weekend
• We are PERFECT for Each Other... Pitch Perfect on Blu-Ray... we've watched it twice already this weekend

I'd say it was a hit!

DIY Hiking first aid kit

"Precaution is better than cure."
-Edward Coke

One of my goals for the summer (especially before our trip to Denver in August that we just booked!) was to put together a comprehensive first aid kit for our day hike adventures. I married Mr. SafetyMan, so we've always carried a little bag along. But, after our "adventure" in Yosemite last summer when we needed several of our supplies at the top of the mountain, we will NEVER AGAIN go on a hike without a full first aid kit!

And, with Rob's birthday right around the corner, it was a perfect excuse to pull this together. 

I printed this first aid checklist from REI as a guide and headed towards Walgreen's to pick up the couple of things that we didn't already have on hand.

FYI: Right now Walgreen's has a promotion for a free zippered first aid bag, if you purchase two products from participating brands. And, it's hard to build a first aid kit without purchasing Band-Aid, Neosporin, or Cortaid, so it's win-win! However, I wish I had reached inside the bag and pulled out the coupons first!

I can't wait for Rob to see our new and improved first aid kit. And, more importantly, I can't wait until we throw it in our daypack as we trudge up a fourteener in Colorado. Although my fingers are crossed that we won't need it!

A neighborhood of cookies...

“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?"
-William A. Ward

One of the few blessings of the home sale process (besides finally closing that chapter of our lives!) was meeting and getting to know our real estate agent. His name is Robert Delay, if anyone in the Atlanta area is in need! To thank him for his awesome work (he basically sold our house three times before it was all over!), I put a box of sweet treats in the mail to him today.

I had an idea for sugar cookies in my head, and I spent the last couple of days making it happen... after watching several videos (here's a good one from JoyofBaking.com!) about cookie decorating and making a trip to Hobby Lobby for icing tips.

Of course, a good blogger stops along the way to snap some Instagram shots!

I carefully stacked the cookies in an empty (and decorated!) Pringles can, and then stuffed a bunch of bubble wrap and tissue paper so the tube wouldn't wiggle. Topped it off with a personalized card, and sent it off on its journey. Hopefully Bob enjoys the small token of our appreciation!

If you, too, want to show some gratitude to someone in your life, feel free to use this thank you printable. You can cut out the graphic itself and adhere to kraft paper card like I did, or just cut out on the outer lines and fold in half.

To download the printable, right-click the image below, and click "Save Image As."

What's in that Package?

"The nice thing about doing a crossword puzzle is, you know there is a solution."

-Stephen Sondheim

Let's play guess what's in that package... 

[BTW... if you happen to know the recipient in person, you're sworn to secrecy!!]

Inspired by this awesome Box of Teacher Goodies from the super creative eighteen25 blog, I couldn't wait to adapt the idea for my own Christmas gifts.

After watching my sister and brother-in-law huddle around a crossword puzzle book while on vacation this summer, I decided to whip up a "Crossword Kit" for Jordan, full of lots of goodies that would come in handy while working puzzles.

 Here is what's inside:

• Pages of a crossword puzzle book rolled up and tied with string
• Needs no explanation : golf pencils
• Keep it sharp : pencil sharpener
• For those occasional mistakes : pink pearl eraser
• When you're feeling confident : pocket pens
• Mark your page : decoupaged magnetic bookmarks
• Relieve the stress : brain-shaped stress ball
• Nourish your mind : black and white M&Ms
• Boost your brainpower : mini Rubik's cube
• Finished the puzzle... give yourself a hand : plastic clapper toy

You could also pair this with a great puzzle book, an electronic crossword game, a daily crossword calender, a crossword puzzle dictionary, the movie Wordplay, a set of mystery novels about crosswords, or the World's Largest Crossword puzzle. You'll just have to guess which one I chose...

Felt letters how-to...

"Wanted: a needle swift enough to sew this poem into a blanket."

-Charles Simic

My youngest nephew turns two next week. With his birthday so close to Christmas, I knew I wanted to make something special for him.

At first I was inspired by the many different ABC projects that I saw on Pinterest:

1. Fabric letters, 2. Applique beanbags, 3. Lettered beanbags, 4. Felt letters

Then I remembered I'm a commitment-phobe, and I could never commit to 26 individual letters. But, what about numbers? There's only ten of them!

Look how cute they turned out!

If you want to make a set of your own, you will need:

• Plenty of felt : I bought one mini-sheet of each color.
• Plenty of thick embroidery thread
• Needle
• Stuffing : I actually used quilt batting because I could cut it into strips.

Steps:

1. Print outlines of the big numbers on cardstock; I fit four to a page.
2. Trace each number on the felt with a sharpie.
3. Stack/fold your felt and cut two of each numbers.
4. Use the blanket stitch to sew around the exterior of each number. I had to reacquaint myself via a tutorial at Futuregirl Craft Blog.
5. Use a pencil/pen/chopstick/etc. to stuff the numbers as you go. Stitch up the final hole.
6. Throw the number to the side, and start the next one. Thank goodness that you have only 10 to do!

Find a small totebag or make a little drawstring bag to hold all of the numbers. And, of course don't forget to attach the cute tag!

What's under my tree...

"You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving."

-Author Unknown

Take a guess... what do you think is inside? 

Only one of my favorite gifts that I'm giving this year. One that I've been working on for a couple of months.

Remember when my nephews came to stay with me for a week this summer? Here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Needless to say, I took a lot of photos of all the fun things we did... with hopes of turning it into a photobook for them.

And, then a couple of weeks ago, I took advantage of a free 8x8" photobook offer from Smilebooks--you can get one for yourself here!-- and all I had to pay for was shipping!

I hope the boys will always look back on our week together with fond memories!

Holiday (in)sanity...

"Christmas is for children. But it is for grown-ups too. Even if it is a headache, a chore, and nightmare, it is a period of necessary defrosting of chill and hide-bound hearts."

-Lenora Mattingly Weber

The #1 thing that keeps me sane throughout the Christmas season... the Better Christmas List app on my iPhone. 

I've used it for three years straight, and I love it. I'm a total believer in picking up gifts throughout the year. (Come December, I'm always thrilled to discover that I can avoid the crowds at the mall and still stick to my budget.) But once a gift is hidden away in my secret gift stash, it's easy to forget that it's there. However, with a quick tap of my fingers, this app keeps track of my ever-growing gift list.

While I'm pretty sure that this app has some functions that I still haven't utilized the fullest, I love the fact that I can

• Archive the data from each year, so that I can see what gifts I gave last year and prevent any repeats.
• Attach a photo of the gift after I buy it, so that I can match something else to it later, and I don't have to dig in the secret stash to remember exactly what it is.
• Organize the list both by recipient and by what step I'm on (need to purchase, bought, wrapped, or delivered)-- the latter comes in handy especially during the month of December when I'm trying to pull it all together.
• Add notes about each gift, so that I can compare prices and/or continue brainstorming.
• Keep track of my budget, although I have to admit, I'm not very good at setting initial budget limits, so I always set them so that I'm way under-budget!
• Match each recipient with their address and other contact info through my phonebook, so that I don't get stuck at the post office without my address book.
• Be confident that I always have the list with me, so I don't have to keep up with a physical notebook (I'm always leaving those at home or even in the car anyway)!

The gift wrapping awards...

"Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, Love Divine; Love was born at Christmas; Star and angels gave the sign." 

-Christina Rossetti

I package up each gift with wrapping paper, ribbon, and a whole bunch of love. I hope the people on my Christmas list feel that love as they untie the bow and pull off the paper. 

I have to admit though, some gifts are easier to wrap than others. Here are the winners of the 2011 Gift Wrapping Superlatives:

Tied up with bows...

"A joy that is shared is a joy made double."

-John Roy

I also have picked up a great ribbon-tying strategy that lets the gift box sit evenly on the table, although I can't seem to remember where I first saw it. (Previously I used a criss-cross ribbon method that left a twist on the bottom of the package that just didn't look as crisp as I desired.) I've since converted 100%.

Here's how:

1. Cross. Run ribbon under the back of the package. Bring the two ends up, so that one end is be significantly longer than the other-- in my example, the length of ribbon on the right side is about three longer than the left. Cross the ribbon end over the front of the package, so they run parallel to one another... the longer end should be on above the shorted end.
2. Twist. Twist the ends of ribbon around each other, so that the longer ribbon (from the top) is now pointing down, the shorter ribbon (from the bottom) is now pointing up, and the intersection point is in the middle of the package.
3. Wrap. Bring the longer ribbon around the back of the package and around to the front.
4. Knot. Back at the original intersection point, tie a double knot between the two ends.
5. Bow. Tie a pretty bow at the intersection point. Trim the ends so that they are equal in length.

It takes a little practice, but your presents will look so polished!!

All wrapped up...

"As long as we know in our hearts what Christmas ought to be, Christmas is."

-Eric Sevareid

With the exception of a few handmade gifts that I need to finish, I have all of our Christmas presents bought and wrapped. I'm no expert gift wrapper by all means, but I have picked up a few tips over the last couple of years that make all of the difference for me.

First off, wrapping paper quality is key. There is nothing more frustrating than that cheap drugstore giftwrap that tears in a million and one directions except for the way you want it to. I've tried many alternatives over the years, including brown kraft paper and matte paper, but I think I landed on my favorite.

Last year during a half-off sale, I purchased two rolls of glossy-finish paper from Hobby Lobby (Brother Sister Design Studios). Not only are they fun coordinating patterns, but they even have a grid pattern printed on the reverse to help you cut in straight lines. They're surprisingly thick, allowing my scissors to glide right through. And, you can't even see through the white paper! I think I'm in love.

Next, tags. I always like to find a clever way to address the presents for the recipients. Sometimes that means making my own tags, sometimes that means finding cute printables online, and once in awhile, it means printing customized tags for each person!  

Some quick tag inspiration for you: Printable Gift Tag Roundup from Creature Comforts, Circle Snowflake Tags from Winnie0917, Printable Gift Tags from Skip To My Lou, and Fun with Fonts from Bugs and Fishes

Last, ribbons. On a tip from Jordan Ferney on Oh Happy Day years ago, I purchased several rolls of 7/8" single face satin ribbon from PaperMart. She raves about this ribbon, and I agree. It's gorgeous! Unfortunately after several years with the same stash, I need to remember to order more before next year's holiday season.

Tutorial on my awesome ribbon tying method coming up next!!

A fruitful anniversary...

"Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand."
-Mother Teresa

Rob and I happily celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary this past week. I think the traditional wedding gift ideas are kind of neat to follow (Year One: Paper, Year Two: Cotton, Year Three: Leather), so I was anxious to find something to fit this year's "Fruit/Flowers" theme.

I waited until the last minute, hoping I would have a job and could justify spending money on one of these cool fruit bowls: Made of Clay Ceramics or Polka Dot Stationery or Museware Pottery. But, in the end was most inspired by this etched glass bowl that I pinned from Create Studio.

Glass etching has always been one of my favorite crafts. It's so amazing how easy it is, and how awesome it looks when you're done.

So, hence the thrift store trips the other day... I need to find a glass fruit bowl. But no luck... Ended up at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, where I used a 20% off coupon and $3.00 left on a gift card (probably left from our wedding gifts!) to pick up a trifle bowl (I also learned that's the name of these type of bowls with vertical sides!) for just over $5 out-of-pocket.

Then I set to work. You pretty much follow the directions on the Armour Etch glass etching cream bottle, but in case you're unsure of the process, I created a mini tutorial for you to follow.

And, voila!

But, I wasn't done until I added fruit and some cute cards with metaphors explaining the significance of each fruit choice.

Here's the text if you care to read:

• Banana : Year One : Although we’d been together for awhile, our first year of marriage ushered in a new way of relating to each other. We had new names, new identities; we became our own “bunch.” Our futures were “ripe” with possibilities. I remember a conversation early on when we agreed, “After we get in an argument, it’s such a comfort to know, that we’ll still be together in the morning.”
• Apple : Year Two : Just like an apple, year two also started out a bit crunchy (putting a down payment on a house, Poppy’s death, and looking for a teaching job), but we took on these things, knowing that they were steps to reach the sweet fruit of our labor. At the core, we were looking to fulfill our dreams. (Not to mention... this was the year we bought Apple iPhones!)
• Peach : Year Three : With two nine-to-five jobs (ok, maybe they were more like seven-to-sixes!), two incomes, two cars, and a mortgage, we were in a warm “fuzzy” routine. We worked long hours, but we came home to curl up on the couch with each other. We wondered how anyone our age could possibly still enjoy partying and staying out late. How could they trade all that we had?
• Grapes : Year Four : Just as this bunch is made of lots of little individual grapes, this past year has been full of so many life-changing events. Some sweet, and some sour. But what I will remember most about this year is that we took a risk to follow our dreams. A year ago we hoped that we would be brave enough to move across the country. And, look at us, in a new state, with our house almost sold, looking toward our next adventure...

Just waiting on baby...

"The sewing machine joins what the scissors have cut asunder, plus whatever else comes in its path."

-Mason Cooley

This past weekend my (very pregnant!) friend Ashley, who I mentioned last week, and her husband celebrated the upcoming arrival of their first baby. I was so thrilled that I was able to travel up to North Carolina for the baby shower. But I certainly couldn't attend empty-handed...

Inspired by the Taggies blankets and this quilt that I pinned on Pinterest, I set out to create a soft, tactile blanket. After a not-so-quick trip to Joann (it took me awhile to find a collection of fabrics that I liked together), I settled in for a Friday afternoon to sew a "not-quite" quilt.

This was my blueprint when I started...

 

I tried to take photos of the process... however, towards the end, when I could see the finished product coming to life, I got too excited to stop and snap pictures. You'll have to imagine 10) turning it right-side out and 11) top-stitching around the edge to close the hole.

A daily journal...

"After the writer's death, reading his journal is like receiving a long letter."

-Jean Cocteau

I've always liked the idea of journaling, telling the everyday story... but besides this blog (which is anything but daily!), I've always had a difficult time sustaining the relationship with a journal. As a kid I had quite a few "dear diaries" with only one or two entries apiece.

However, this Christmas my mom gave me a perpetual journal made of notecards and timestamps that she had seen over at Design*Sponge, and I have been super diligent about adding a couple of sentences about each day (maybe not ON that day, but within a few days!). Sometimes with mundane notes... "Made mango chicken for dinner tonight." Some notes that expressed frustration... "Cannot seem to get a grip on this classroom management situation." Some notes that reflect highlights from my year like... "Rob got the job! We're moving to Spartanburg!" From January 1-September 20, every single card has been written on.

Thinking of my friend Ashley who is due with her first child in just a few short weeks, I thought about how perfect this system is for an exhausted, yet enthusiastic new mom. I wanted to make her one and to have it arrive in time to record some of the last few pregnancy memories as well. I carefully searched all around town to find color-coordinated papers and a cute little box/basket/tin to store in. And, the finished product was darling! So cute that I decided to make another one... I guess someone else from my list will be getting it for Christmas... just have to decide who will be the lucky one!!

Gift giving woes...

"We should give as we would receive, cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers."

-Seneca

September... the month that I realize Christmas is approaching (and dread it a little bit). "What brings this on this insight?" you ask. Every year my mother-in-law's birthday (Sept 16th) makes me realize that in the next few months, I must come up with not one, but two gifts for her. She is not an easy person to shop for. Our tastes could not be more different, and she basically buys whatever she wants. I've almost given up on finding the perfect gift that she'll ooh and aah over, but I still want to find something that she'll like. Needless to say, it's been a headache.

However, this year, inspired by the whole "in-a-box" concept that's a popular topic on Craftster.org, I put together a "mountain getaway-in-a-bag." (She wanted us all to meet up in the Great Smokies this weekend to celebrate, but realized it was too late to make reservations. Still sounds like something interesting for a later date, though.)

So here's a breakdown of what's inside:

• "To research a mountain getaway" : Great Smokies/Blue Ridge Mtns guidebook
• "To make plans and to record memories" : two small journals from Target
• "To mark must-see sights" : Post-It note flags
• "To snack on the trail" : a bag of trail mix from Target
• "To pamper and relax" : a manicure set and a bath fizz ball from Michael's
• "To bring the outside in" : an Autumn Leaves scented candle from Target (not pictured, because I had forgotten about it... had to reopen the package to add it)

One birthday present down... one Christmas present left to go. Fingers crossed she likes it!

Back to School projects...

"It’s art if can’t be explained. It’s fashion if no one asks for an explanation. It’s design if it doesn’t need explanation." -Wouter Stokke

Wanted to share another design project that I've been working on. Callie was in the market for some notecards that she could send to her youth group students/volunteers throughout the year. She needed a 1) birthday card, 2) a thank you card, 3) a card to welcome guests, 4) a thinking of you card, and I threw in an 5) anytime notecard in for free.

Each can be printed on her own printer, stuffed into an envelope, and then sent along its merry way to brighten the spirits and faces of each recipient. 

We've decided that we should make a new set for each school year! Which is totally awesome!

All wrapped up...

"The manner of giving is worth more than the gift."

-Pierre Corneille

 

The wedding we're going to this weekend is for Rob's cousin. Although he and his cousin are close in age, they've never been close in distance, and therefore, haven't been close personally either. I've been with Rob for eight and a half years, and I've only met this cousin once. And, unfortunately, the couple's wedding registries were a bit lacking.

I was left scratching my head with what gift to give. While Rob was ok with just giving a Visa giftcard, I wanted to add a little more pizazz. And, without spending an arm and a leg... I mean, we're already traveling up there.

I'm pretty pleased with what I came up with (thanks Mom for the inspiration!). And, when I saw this tutorial on Jordan Ferney's Oh Happy Day blog, I thought a bright paper poppy would make such a cute package topper.

Gratitude, Week 4...

"Who does not thank for little will not thank for much."

-Estonian Proverb

Looking back, I noticed that there are several repeats this week. But, I'm grateful for good repeats. It kinda feels like I've been a zombie this week anyway. Wake, drive, school, drive, dinner, sleep, repeat.

March 22: A published book of memories. Came home to find a package on my doorstep. Last week I took advantage of a big sale at MyPublisher.com and finally had my first digital scrapbook pages (circa 2003-04) printed as a book. Rob and I loved flipping through and remarking about how young (and skinny) we were back then. I also find it interesting to watch my progression of digital scrapping skills, even though they were all created in the same summer.

March 23: A much-needed good laugh. Wednesday night we put all work away and turned the computers off early (always a good thing!), and curled up to watch the Netflix movie Due Date. Now this is totally a guy's guy funny movie, but I've lived with a guy long enough that I get all of the jokes. I have not laughed so hard in a long time. It's so random and crazy.

March 24: Good quiz scores (and a quiet day!). The kids worked hard to complete the quiz (and quietly!), and it paid off because most of them did really well. That's good, considering we're all exhausted and disgustedly tired of being at school. [Wooden KIT of PINS from STUDIO FLUDD's Etsy shop]

March 25: Another reason to laugh. Today one of the kids in my 2nd period class said something really random (and rather inappropriate), but really funny. It was refreshing just to have a second to stop and laugh with my students. And, it was even better when a kid said, "well, now you've got a story to tell the other teachers at the lunch table." ["Live Laugh Love" print above from MeganRene's Etsy shop]

March 26: Officially springtime. I finally changed out the wreath on the front door--from gold Christmas decor to pastel spring flowers. Makes me smile every time I drive into the driveway.

March 27: A sweet, sweet breakfast. Rob promised me doughnuts for breakfast this morning, so we hit up the local Krispy Kreme, and waited for a dozen of the warm, melt-in-your-mouth treats. I only ate four. You can do the math to figure out Rob's share. That is, if you can stomach it!

March 28: Another package on the front step. This time was a baby gift for my friends Collin and Julia. These canvas growth charts are my new go-to baby gift. They're a beautiful and personalized heirloom. You, too, can buy one from GrowthCharts Galore. But be forewarned, don't buy one if I also know the person!

The Perfect Pair...

"Oh, if it be to choose and call thee mine, love, thou art every day my Valentine!" 

-Thomas Hood

Inspired by Twig and Thistle's "Naturally Sweet DIY Valentines," I decided to design Rob's Valentine's gift around the theme of "We Make a Great Pair!" I know that V-day is kind of a girly holiday, but I don't want to leave Rob out. [Previous years: here, here, and last year I did something like this.]

Here's what I came up with this year:

• WE MAKE THE PERFECT SET: the Set card game. Rob's never played, but given his interest in MindTrap, Bananagrams, etc., I think he will like it. We've been playing in my Accelerated Math class lately, and the kids love it!!
• WE MAKE THE PERFECT PEAR: a bag of oatmeal pear cookies that I fully described over at Iron Chef Sisters. He's already tasted them, so they won't be much of a surprise.
• WE MAKE THE PERFECT PAIR: a "coupon" good for one new pair of sunglasses. Rob's had his eye on a pair of nice (I mean, expensive) sunglasses at REI, and if he's still interested, I'd like to treat him to them. I almost bought them myself, but who knows if he's found a pair he likes better.
• WE MAKE THE PERFECT PAIR: a new pair of cycling socks. I actually don't know if he even has a pair of dedicated socks for cycling... well, now he does.

It will be at his breakfast table in the morning. 

Happy Valentine's Day!