Vintage Valentine Gift Guide : Meaningful Personal Gifts to Win Major Points

It's that time of year again, that holiest of holy holidays that is both loved and hated alike...Valentine's day. Sure, it can be a lot of pressure. Sure, you can join the anti-Vday movement and protest. Sure, you should let your special someone know how you feel all year long. But you don't, do you. Well, don't feel bad, neither do the rest of us. While we wish we lived in a romantic movie world where flowers, champagne, chocolate, and sweet nothings abound, the reality is we have to deal with life. And life can really take it out of ya! So, this Valentines, take this day to focus on that person that loves you all the year round, even while you're sick, angry, or when you tried that juicing diet and made them join in.

What's in a gift? When it comes to gifts, especially Valentines gifts, you can spend a lot of money but meaningful gifts are where it's at. Just looking out for you. I'd hate to see you waste your hard earned dollars. This is your chance to show you've been listening, you get them, you care enough to find that perfect unique gift.

And vintage offers some pretty unique gifts. Everyone loves a special gift that no one else has. From the odd to the one of a kind to the impossible to find to the nostalgic, vintage can be the perfect meaningful gift for your love.

For Him : Oh him, you are seemingly so hard to shop for. Here are some ideas...

For your stylish guy : 

Dress him up in vintage style! You won't find these at the mall.

For your child at heart: 

These nostalgic gifts appeal to your fun guy!

Style his space:

Surprise him with vintage guy style for his pad or man cave!

Sleek Mad Men Bar or Rowdy Pub:

Create the perfect bar area for him!

For her : Valentine's day is easy for guys, right? Some flowers, some jewelry, a little chocolate, what could go wrong. Take an extra step this year. I promise you'll be happy with the results.

Kitchen Gifts: 

If she knows all the cast members of 

the Food Network, you're golden.

Crafty Gal: 

Does she like to make stuff? Get her some unique supplies!

Operation Organization:

Get her some stuff to organize that craft space!

Dark Girl:

Does she like things that are a little bit different?

Gifts for everyone : Whether you are a girl or a guy or just showing a friend or family member how special they are, these gifts work for everyone!

Office Organization & Decor:

Nothing feels better than an organized office, except maybe an office organized & decorated with really cool items!

Original Art:

Original art can be so personal! Not only are you giving the item, you are giving everything that goes into it. (see earlier post on what goes into an art piece.)

Whatever you decide on, don't forget to include a special message in a vintage bottle! They are the price of a greeting card but you get a cool vintage bottle to keep forever. They arrive personalized and I even give you a cheat sheet of sweet nothings to put inside!

Whether you celebrate or not, no matter what you give or receive, I hope you take the time to think about the ones you love this Valentine's Day!

Find these items and more at www.maliasmark.etsy.com

What I Wouldn't Sell : My Special Favorites

I sell stuff. It's what I do. I think my family thinks I would sell my own grandmother if I could. But everything is not just an object to be sold. Each piece has a personality, a story, a history. I get attached to almost every item, even the ones I sell. I'm sad when they leave me but happy to pass them along to someone that will love them. 

Sure, some stuff is just...stuff but some stuff is special and I wonder why these items weren't special to someone else. 

Here are some items that I will never sell. Some I just love, some have sentimental value, some are just super cool and I want to show them off. 

• Needlepoint Art made by my Grandma, with my Grandpa's signature beer tab hangers on the back. Love these. There is a lot of history and their personalities in these pieces. Since neither of them are still with me, even more special.

• Postcards that my great Grandmother received dating back to 1901. My grandmother just gave me these. I think she thought I would sell them but there is no way. I do love them and will be looking for some that I am not attached to for resale. :)

• Jewelry Box that was my Grandmas. The ballerina is missing. The music doesn't play. But every time I open this jewelry box it smells like my grandma.

• Antique Seltzer Bottle. No sentimental value. Just love the green glass, rusty metal around it, and who knows what the mystery fluid is inside.

• Enamel Gas Station Sign Letter M. A couple years ago I bought a pile of enamel gas station sign letters that spelled out "happy" and "m". How perfect is that? As you can see, I do not clean off my vintage dust. :) 

• Antique Mirror. Bought this at a junk store. The framing in the back makes me think it's old and possibly handmade. No stamps or identifying marks. I don't usually like traditionally antique things but I love the decoration on this and my favorite is how the mirror is fading and chipping away at the bottom. I would never find anything like this again.

• It is downright weird how much I love these corbels. They don't match, the paint chips off daily, they were in a fire and the backs are half burned off but I think that's why I love them.

• Super cool surveyors tripod which my brother turned into a floor lamp. Love the height, the spindly legs, the different metals and that my super analytical brother did something creative for me. This year I hope to learn more about rewiring fixtures. So many cool things to do with lighting!

So there you have it. I do have a soul.

I would love to hear about your favorite vintage items! Feel free to share in the comments section.