Valentine’s Day Printables – lucky in love

I glanced across the table and all I could see was his dazzling smile and sparkling eyes. It was 1996. Shoulder pads and pumps were still the done thing. Though I didn’t quite fit in any more. I had traveled through Europe on my own and had somehow moved on. Matured. We were catching up as friends. Old friends with lots or travel stories to tell. As a result, I was quite unprepared when I was struck with the compelling chemistry that flung itself across the room.

With a failed marriage behind me and a series of unsuccessful attempts at trying again, it seemed I was the one who was forever ‘unlucky in love’. It seemed I didn’t have what it took to make a long term relationship work. I had conceded defeat and was prepared to throw myself into my career on my return to Oz and forget about love. I had decided to shut my heart down.

But, something happened while I was overseas. My senses opened up. They were overwhelmed with the beauty and history our world had to offer. Then an even stranger thing happened. My heart re-opened. Perhaps my decision to give up on love was a little premature? So I traveled and thought. All the time pondering my future. I searched for answers and in the end made peace with myself.

On my return to Oz, you can imagine my surprise when on the very first night I decided to catch up with friends, I was overwhelmed with this strange sense of chemistry. I mean it had always just been platonic up until then. Quite quickly it became exceedingly obvious that this relationship was not going to remain that way. We were married a couple of years later.

Fifteen years on and the dazzling smile and sparkling eyes are not always what I see. It takes effort. It takes commitment. It takes a decisions to love even when you don’t feel like loving. We used to give each other love notes. We used to set up little surprises. But somewhere in between one mortgage, two houses and three kids those special little ‘somethings’ have disappeared.

We’ve never really celebrated Valentine’s day as it’s “too commercial and goes against our thinking.” But what happens if the dates nights aren’t enough? What if you still want to experience that little something? I think some people might even call it “romance”…

We all have opportunities so show that special someone in our lives that we love them. Unfortunately a lot of us stop doing this when family and responsibilities take over. Coming up with something special on one day of the year might seem like a cop out to some people. Good on them for being so perpetually romantic that they don’t need a reminder. However if that’s the only day of the year that we take the opportunity to treat our loved ones specially, then I say, “Good on you Hallmark. What a lovely tradition that you started!”

Hallmark has profited well from us over the years and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, this year I’m designing up a little something for my darling dearest. I won’t share all of it, as some things are just meant to remain private. Funny thing is, I just kept on designing. I really got into the moment! So I’ve made my own Valentine’s Day card for him (geez I hope this isn’t the one blog post that he reads, I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise) as well as a few others for you. All here. (You’ll need to scroll down the page to get to them.) FREE of course and straight from my designer’s heart where all the lubly jubly bits are.

You should never be too young or too old, too cool or too hip, too busy or too proud to tell someone how special you think they are. Go on, click on the links below to download your FREE Valentine’s Day cards and notes. There are NO EXCUSES now! (NB. There are different sizes within the one PDF.)

 Love Birds                                 Hoo hoo loves you?

So come Thursday when you’re reminded about this special time of the year, don’t be a Valentine’s scrooge like I have been for so long. Take a risk. Be silly. Be romantic. Be in the moment! And the next day when you’re feeling all swoony and in love again… remember, you make your own luck. Be lucky in love!

What will you be doing this Valentine’s Day?