Happy Valentines Day! and the flu stinks

If ever there was an oxymoron of a post title, that has got to be it!  Unfortunately, I have been laid flat by the flu since Friday and I'm still battling a monumental headache.  I solemnly swear that I will never again let a year go by without my flu shot.  WOW!

BUT, it is Valentine's Day.  That wonderful day of love and romance and kids bringing home shoe boxes decorated like mail boxes full of the latest/greatest Disney characters and so many M&Ms.  Needless to say, there are alternatives.  Adorable alternatives that are not only easier on the budget but also bring the added bonus of special time and memories made with our little ones.  

Since I wasn't able to stand upright for the last several days, I decided to surf the stampin' blogosphere and see what other wonderfully creative minds have come up with.  

Q-Tips Gone Wilds (how stinkin' cute is that name) was created by Lena over at Scrap Butterfly.  Go ahead and click the link.  I'll wait. . . I don't think there's a kid out there who wouldn't rather open their shoe box to find this instead of Buzz Lightyear M&M's.   Very cute, Lena!

These are what my Peanut gave away this afternoon.  Well, these are samples of what my friend Amber came up with.  Peanut didn't put dog biscuits in hers, I promise.  Although, I bet there's a certain dog in our home that wouldn't have minded.

Cute stuff! Now I've got an idea kicking around my brain to re-purpose this big ol' Whitman's Sampler box from my husband.  I'll let you know what I come up with.