Valentines, Galentines 2016

Happy early Valentine's Day! Right out of the gate, let me show you what I received this week for the alternative holiday of Galentine's Day. Scroll down to see the cards I got for my husband this year.

A few days ago, I went to the post office and was excited to find one of those keys that meant I had received something that wouldn't fit in my PO box. I practically ran to it, and yay!! One of my pen pals, known online as Fairy Art Mother, has a craft night every year with some girlfriends and they make Valentines. I was a lucky recipient of one of her Galentines!!

When I got the package home, I opened it to find an embellished cigar box. So fun!!

Inside was a smaller gift-wrapped package, and under that was a festive Mona Lisa, slyly smiling back up at me.

When I opened the present, I howled with delight. The little frame is sitting to my right as I type this. I might need to find it a safer home, because my desk is chaos, but I loved it all: the concept, the package, the decorations and the present. It's made me want to send Valentines (or Galentines), but I have a little too much happening right now to track down materials. Next year, though, watch out!!

Gabrielle d'Estrées et une de ses sœurs (Gabriella d'Estrées and one of her sisters), artist unknown, circa 1594

Valentine's Day has never been my favorite holiday, as I'm sure is the case with anyone who was not popular in school. There were the obligatory cards in the years when each student who wanted to pass out cards had to give one to every classmate. I got cards then. But once it was voluntary, they were scarce. Like a lot of people, I just shunned the whole thing, (instead of turning it into something fun, like I could have).

My first Valentine's Day with my husband is probably my favorite. Not because he got me jewelry or flowers. Oh, no. He got me a stack of Hellboy comics, volume 1-5 (I had loved the movie, but never read the comics). There's not really a faster way to a geek's heart than something from a favorite fandom.

I have not had the same success (getting perfect gifts for him), but I think this year I've done pretty well. I need to find something to go along with them, but check out the cards I got for him! They arrived last night and I don't think I'm going to make it - I'll probably give them both to him early.

They're both from my talented pen pal Amy, and you can find her amazing cards at her Etsy shop, in addition to all kinds of other great things. These cards are under the Valentine category, but she also has a Cthulhu and Friends category that is really worth a visit! (All of the categories are, but a shop that has an entire Cthulhu section? Come on!)

The left card is Cthulhu Pickup Lines (blank inside) & the right card... well, Cthulhu has a bouquet of cultists. On the inside is a tentacled heart. I'm kicking myself for missing the third Chtulhu valentine, but these cards don't say "Happy Valentine's Day," so I will get it later and hand it over at an appropriate time.

Cheers!!