signed, sealed, delivered: valentine's gifts...

I always manage to find the cutest things in the Target dollar center. A few weeks ago I saw these darling mini-mailboxes and knew they'd be perfect for Valentine's Day. 

I got one for my hubby, mom, dad and sister, and packed them with chocolates and a personal Valentine's note. 

You could fill it with all kinds of things:

• A bunch of love notes to be opened each day for the month
• Mementos from past dates
• Pictures through the years
• Jewelry, etc.  

They are cute little gifts that don't cost a lot but can be packed with meaning. 

Happy Valentine's Day to you and the ones you love! 

what's your flava?: homemade infused olive oil...

A little while ago, I was trying to come up with a unique housewarming gift for a friend. While perusing the aisles of HomeGoods, I found some glass bottles and got an idea... infused olive oil. The gift turned out to a be a hit so I decided to try a few different flavors to use at home. 

I decided to make rosemary olive oil and citrus olive oil. Making the rosemary oil was simple. I just clipped some rosemary from my garden, rinsed it off, put it in the bottle and then poured olive oil over it. For the citrus blend oil, I zested half an orange and half a lemon then combined the zest with the olive oil. 

It's such a simple idea for a gift or for use at home if you want to add a new kick to your cooking. Any herb or spice will work, it all depends on your taste. I'm looking forward to using the citrus blend with fish and the rosemary on a pork loin I have in the freezer. And both would be delicious for dipping. 

The best gift to give...

to me, giving gifts is more than just buying something expensive for the people I love. I want the gift to mean something. Right before my wedding this year, while searching for a meaningful gift for my parents, I discovered Kind Notes. 

Kind Notes are jars filled with 31 decorative mini-envelopes that include personalized messages. You can either choose from pre-written messages or receive blank papers and create your own messages. Then the recipient opens one note each day for 31 days. 

I always choose to write the notes myself for a more personal touch. There are so many approaches you can take to the jars – inspirational messages, love notes, memories, notes of thanks. I like to do a combination so the message is a surprise each day. You can also choose from a wide variety of jar and envelope designs that best suit your loved one. 

Kind Notes are a great gift for everyone:

1. Teachers: Kids and parents can fill it with things they like/appreciate about their teacher. Or all of the classroom parents can get together and have each child in the class write one note to their teacher. 

2. Spouses: It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life that you forget to tell your spouse how much you appreciate them. With Kind Notes, they can open one each day and be reminded how much they mean to you. 

3. Kids: Especially for teens or kids who are away at college, it's a great way to tell your kids how much you love them. 

4. Grandparents: Grandma and grandpa love sentimental gifts and this is a great way for all of the grandkids to fill out a few envelopes with memories or notes of thanks. They will have personalized messages from their beloved little ones for an entire month. 

Kind Notes are also perfect for: 

Relatives who live far away

Military members stationed overseas

Notes of encouragement for parents-to-be

And many other creative uses

And it's the gift that keeps on giving. You can re-order note cards and envelopes to continue to show your appreciation to the ones you love. Best of all, they are only around $40 with shipping and handling. 

There is still time to order your Kind Notes before Christmas. Hurry – it's a gift everyone will love!