So apparently now that I am pregnant, I am sassier than normal. I thought I would take advantage of this extra pizazz and write a super fun blog post for my least favorite holiday of the year–Valentine’s Day.

We all know Valentine’s Day is a Hallmark holiday (I say this with love since my mother-in-law works at Hallmark) and yet some people, ahem women, put a lot of importance on what their significant other does on this day. Here are some of the things they expect, and what I think should be done instead.

1. You have to propose on Valentine’s! IT’S SO ROMANTIC!!!!
Yeah, no. It’s extremely unoriginal to propose on Valentine’s Day. If he proposes on Valentine’s Day, he took the easy way out. Everything is already set for him that day–the flowers, the candy, the date… come on people. I think if she is expecting a proposal on Valentine’s Day, you should do everything she would expect, except give her the ring. Take her out for a wonderful dinner, go dancing or whatever floats your boat, and then wait until the 15th when you are at home in your pjs to ask her to marry you. Trust me, that’s a better story.

2. She wants DIAMONDS!!!
That may be true, but if all she cares about is diamonds on Valentine’s Day, she’s shallow. I never think people should buy jewelry just because Kay’s told them to. Yes, buy her jewelry, when it means something. Save your money for one truly special piece, don’t buy the $99.99 crap that’s in all of the jewelry stores for Valentine’s Day. It will break and then you’re out $99.99 that you could have put toward something meaningful. What most women want on Valentine’s Day, and every other day during the year, is to be appreciated. Tell her she’s pretty. Tell her you love her. Let her pick the movie. And then do all that again tomorrow–I promise she’ll appreciate that more than crappy mall diamonds.

3. RED, PINK, PURPLE!!!
I have been there and picked all of those pink, red and purple heart shaped pieces of jewelry to put in a jewelry store catalog. Unless you are with someone who really loves that cheesy stuff, then again, save your money. If my husband bought me ANYTHING pink, heart shaped or not, I would be mad. I don’t like pink. I don’t care what holiday it is, I still don’t like pink. Buy me something yellow, or orange, or blue, just not pink. KNOW HER LIKES! Most women I know, don’t like pink and purple hearts so buy them something they will like. (I do also know some women who do like pink hearts but I know more that don’t.)

4. Hearts RULE!!!
Yeah, the only heart shaped jewelry I would wear, would look like a REAL heart, not an upside-down butt. Go to www.etsy.com and search for Anatomical Heart. Now there are some cool heart pendants.

5. Women want Lingerie.
I hope no one actually thinks this anymore. Lingerie is for MEN. Most of it is itchy and it never fits right and we just end up feeling gross and then it gets ripped off in 5 minutes. What’s the point? If you want to buy her pjs, make sure they are cotton and soft. Women like soft things, not lace.

This year I bought my husband marshmallows and Rice Krispies so I can make him Rice Krispie treats. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a big deal. Make sure if you have a special someone, that they know you love them, not that you know how to use your credit card. If you don’t have someone, get over it and eat CAKE!

This pendant is very simple heart with one flush set diamond to accent it.

Designs with two hearts seem to be very popular so here is my view on the idea.

This piece is really fun because it has a lot of diamonds and it’s three separate parts so it can be worn in an infinite number of ways (more than just what I’ve shown!)

Enjoy!

Valentine’s Day is coming faster than you think!! It is only 1 month and 3 days from today!

In the jewelry business Valentine’s Day is generally a very last minute holiday as far as shopping goes but if you want something custom you need to start NOW!! Custom jewelry (as least through me) takes about 3 weeks to manufacture if there are no problems but the design process can take anywhere from one day to months depending on the piece and how many changes have to be made. Make sure to allow for design time and not just manufacturing time!

Usually Valentine’s Day jewelry is inexpensive with hearts or pink, red, or purple stones. In recent years when gold has been so expensive, silver has been huge for Valentine’s Day because it allows for lower prices. If you want something simple, you can still hit lower price points with a unique custom piece that the receiver will wear for more than a few weeks.

Here are a few tips for buying custom even with a budget:
1. Don’t be TOO picky.
You should obviously be able to get something that you and the person you are giving to will truly love. The key is allowing for a little bit of lee-way from the picture in your head. If a piece can be made from existing pieces, this reduces cost by a lot.
2. Think simple.
The more stones, the more expensive the piece. Jewelers pay for setting by the stone so the more stones, the higher the price of the finished piece.
3. Use Silver.
Silver is a much less expensive option than gold or platinum. The problem with silver is how soft it is. Especially in rings, the softness of the metal can lead to a lot of scratching and loss of stones. I personally like to bezel set (where the metal goes all the way around the stone) stones in silver to prevent stone loss because of prongs that are too soft and get bent too easily.

Keep in mind that just because it is Valentine’s day, you don’t have to get something heart shaped or pink. If there is something else your significant other has been eying in the jewelry store, take advantage of this holiday where there isn’t a lot of other costs involved to get him or her what they really want!