Valentine's Day is just around the corner here in the US. With today being February 1st, you officially have 13 days to buy goodies for your loved one.

I'm a huge fan of Valentine's Day. I love everything about the holiday. I love that it is a day designated for love, even if we should be showing love every day. I love that people dress up in red on that day. That people do their best to be compassionate and kind. These things are more real to me than boxes of chocolates and expensive dinners. Don't get me wrong, those have their place, but I think Valentine's Day is so much more than spending money. It's about holding doors and saying "hi" or "I like your shoes" to a stranger. It's about giving $.50 to a homeless person on the street. It's about calling your Mom, grandparents, sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews, boyfriends/girlfriends, regular friends and saying, "I love you."

In the spirit of keeping things simple this Valentine's Day, I've put together one of my favorite handmade craft projects in a video and am sharing it with EtsyNY readers and followers - heart shaped pop-up cards. They take about three to five minutes a piece and can be embellished as you like. Really these are a winning card!

Supplies:

Scissors
8.5x11 sheet(s) of paper - be creative!
Confidence in your cutting and folding skills

Instruction Video:

As a stationer, I always think the more important element of any holiday is the way we communicate our feelings and emotions to the people we care the most about in our lives. I hope you find many uses for this card, not just the holiday of love.

If you make one or two or even a few, share pictures in the comments!

Happy Valentine's Day! Happy Love Day! Happy Heart Crafting!

Sara

When February arrives, we think of chocolate! Maybe it’s because of Valentine’s Day? Actually…it’s probably because we’re always thinking of chocolate. But not just any type of chocolate. Dark chocolate!

Milk and white chocolate are higher in sugar and fillers, while dark chocolate typically has a higher cacao (cocoa) content that has been touted for its health benefits.

So, how can something that tastes so good be good for us? It’s all in the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant power of flavonoids. Dark chocolate with higher cacao content has been shown to have various health benefits that include the following:

reduce stress
enhance mood
lower cholesterol
increase cardiovascular blood flow

The higher cacao content does lend to a more bitter taste. Despite that, we still prefer dark chocolate with 65% to 90% cacao. The higher the better for our tastes. While tempting to start loading up on dark chocolate for its health benefits, remember to consult your medical practitioner to address any specific medical needs.

For us, we’ll continue to toast to our health with more dark chocolate. Cheers!

published by Susan Ng | www.NaturallySusans.com | www.NaturallySusans.etsy.com

Valentine's Day Tutorial: Make a Heart Pop-up Card for your Loved One(s)!

HEALTH & BEAUTY: The Benefits of Dark Chocolate