These Valentine printables are simple, easy, and cute!

Materials:
Color Printer
Paper Trimmer or scissors
Stapler
Clear treat bags 3" wide by however long you'd like (I used 3"x4" Wilton bags)
Pretzels of choice (regular-sized pretzels or sticks, fancied up however you'd like)
Plastic food glove

Step 1:
Choose your printable and print it out, and trim/cut along dotted gray lines. 

• Option 1: Let's "knot" ever stop being friends! (use with knot-style pretzels)
  
• Option 2: Let's "stick" together, friend! (use with stick-style pretzels)
  

Step 2: 
Have/help your child write his/her name in the from section

Step 3:
Put on the plastic glove, fill up the treat bags and staple! Mine are for 3-year-olds who get hyper off of air, so I only put in three regular-sized pretzels. I stapled the label down lower, but you could definitely fit many more and staple it higher. 

Since I'm all about killing two birds with one stone, and I'm always TRYING to finish Christmas shopping before Christmas Eve, a great way to shop is to shop philanthropically and online. We've all heard of and probably own a pair of TOMS by now, but here are a few places that are near and dear to my heart that you can check out for the holidays:

Designers Care – Stamped Cards for a Cause
Beautifully designed stationery for an even better cause: Hurricane Sandy Relief Aid. Thank you cards, Note Cards, Inspirational art prints, and gift tags are available, and all the profits aside from shipping and transaction fees go to the American Red Cross.

If you love baking or cooking with butter, check out the gifts tags I designed for a great finishing touch to homemade holiday gifts or even lunch box notes:

Krochet Kids – "buy a hat, change a life"
I used to work at the Apple Store with Stewart Ramsey, one of the co-founders of Krochet Kids, and I'm not surprised at what an amazing company this is because he was such a likable fellow. This company was started by GUYS who crocheted and wanted to empower people to rise above poverty, so they started by passing on these skills to a group of women ... and now, over 150 people in Uganda and Peru are working, receiving education, and being mentored toward a brighter future. You can buy a hand-crocheted item and then personally thank the woman who crocheted it (the label on the inside shows who made it).

Beloved International – Belong. Build. Believe

It's been a privilege for me to occasionally help out Beloved when they need some graphic design work done. Two of the founders attend my church, and this non-profit Christian organization is currently working to create a self-sustaining home for orphans where the orphans are actually adopted into the home by two loving parents. The Beloved Rehoboth Children's Home in Kenya is currently in need of a kitchen and dining hall for the family, and it's their goal to raise enough money by Christmas. Make a donation on behalf of a friend, or visit their small shop to buy t-shirts or a hand-crafted "beloved" bracelet.

Beginning today through August 26th, you can enter for the chance to WIN $250 in credit towards Minted's Baby + Kids Collection. This includes everything from luxe birth announcements, to customizable journals for the whole family to the new limited edition art prints. The winner will be notified by email. 

Check out what Frooted Design has to offer on minted.com: 
www.frooteddesign.minted.com

Children's personalizable art prints, men's and women's journals, and women's stationery now available exclusively at minted.com! An updated website and branding for Frooted Design is in the works, along with a new line of paper goods "Peng & Paper" and an Etsy shop I'm launching with my good friend Denise. For now, though, I'm enjoying a beautiful sunny day in Manhattan (I'm in town for the National Stationery Show).