Geeky Garters from Uniquely Yours Bridal Add a Touch of Nerd to Any Wedding

Um...can I get married now?

Since finding this Etsy shop, Uniquely Yours Bridal, through Pinterest, all I seem to want to do is begin amassing nerdy wedding accessories to eventually haphazardly combine when (if?) I ever get married.

Needless to say, with Valentine's day so close and ooey-gooey hearts emblazoned on everything...wedding fever is stirring up.

But just look at these beauties!  How could you NOT want to get married... remarried... have a fake wedding with your latest fan obsession?

By far this Harley Quinn themed garter is my favorite.

Of course, though, there are plenty of other comic book characters to choose from, and options for Whovians and other fandoms too!

Whether for cosplay, Valentine's day, or the big wedding, I encourage you to check out this unique Etsy shop!

Deceptively Cruel Valentine's Cards (Read Between The Lines)

Although I am not big on Valentine's Day, with the pseudo-holiday in just a month, it's impossible to miss pink- and red-hearted merchandise.
These Valentine's cards are a snarky refreshment from the abundance of corniness and gushy romance.

Read between the lines!

From the etsy shop YesUMaystationary. She calls them "FUnny Valentines"...aptly named!

They sell for $13.50 for a pack of 6.  Could just be the break from the Valentine norm you were searching for!

100 Reasons I Love You - The Geek Version - DIY Gift for Someone You Love!

Struggling to find the perfect gift for that special someone?  I decided to share what I gave to my boy for Christmas last year:  a Magic:  The Gathering EDH deck (which totals 100 cards), each that had a reason I loved him on it.

Basically, it's a geeky version of [this], which I had found through Pinterest before Christmas 2011.  I thought using Magic cards fit my boyfriend's personality better, and decided to up the ante of a typical deck of cards by coming up with 100 reasons I loved him and using a playable deck.

However, this could easily be done with a deck of cards like the original idea, or anything else to fit your loved one's personality!  A specially-designed deck, Pokemon cards, Yu-Gi-Oh cards, etc.  The possibilities are endless.  And trust me, this is one gift he truly appreciated and enjoyed.

Honestly, this DIY gift is very simple.

First thing's first:  Think of Your Reasons.  It's helpful to decide how many reasons you'll need first.  All Magic: The Gathering EDH decks have 100 cards, and I figured that was a good even number.  If you are using a normal deck of cards, your number is 52.  This is the hardest part of this craft.  Seriously.  But, to give you a few ideas of what I included:

I personally think that the best things to pick are things exclusive to your relationship.  Anyone can put generic things on a card... this requires thought and effort.  But it's worth it to think of all the reasons he/she gives you that warm fuzzy feeling.

Yes, I did put things like "Your smile" because it was so damn hard to think of 100 reasons, especially because we had only been dating about 6 months... but I had plenty of things exclusive to us.

#2:  Assemble Your Cards.  This part is optional, if you want to use a "playable" deck like I did.

#3:  Mod Podge That Shit!  All I did was print off a big page of "reasons", cut them up to fit on the cards, and mod podged them on.  It's that easy!  I did put a little effort into some cards, trying to make the "reason" ironically match up with something from this zombie EDH deck...but that's not necessary at all (and I don't even know if he got it).

#4:  Putting it All Together.  There are different ways to do this.  I put mine in a deck box for full effect.  I've seen other versions of people using a hole punch with a deck of cards and using binder rings to make it a "book".  Just get creative!  There are tons of possibilities.

That's it! Now just await the time he/she opens it.

I was so nervous when I sent this to my boy...we were long distance at the time, since he was in the Army, and he isn't very sentimental.  He called me right after he read them all, though, and said it was the most thoughtful thing anyone had ever given him.  Now to outdo that present this year....

Like it?  Let me know in the comments!

What kind of gifts do you like giving your significant other?

A Geek Girl's Reflections on Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is in a few days.  Even if I wasn't grimly aware, looking at my stats page for this blog is enough of a reminder.

Why? Because every semi-romantic post I've ever put up suddenly has more hits than every other page.  Apparently you nerdy boys really need help picking out ways to propose to your gal, whether through Harry Potter or Pokemon or even Munchkin.  Who couldn't resist giving that special someone rainbow roses?

Let's not forget the "5 Gift Ideas for Your Geek Girl" post I wrote up last year (although, I think, some of the shops I talked about are temporarily closed, I think...

So, I thought about writing up another gift idea post to replace last year's.  Or at least expand on it.  After all, there are plenty of other places to get perfectly fantastic gifts for a nerdy woman like myself.

But, I didn't have the heart for it.  Then, I randomly came across a blog post where a woman gushed about all the wonderful Valentine's Days she's had.  And I realized why I didn't have the heart for throwing out gift ideas this year.

I've never had a memorable Valentine's Day.

Honestly.  I dated a guy for three years, and I couldn't tell you one thing he got me for V-day.  I don't know if he ever got me anything.  I guess he must have, but it was never more memorable than a rose and a tiny box of chocolates.  Because for all the work and thought I put into my gifts to him, there was no way that feeling was ever reciprocated back.  Should have been my first hint that relationship wasn't going to work.

No, despite recanting a poem for my lover, writing out a letter describing exactly how I felt about him (in my own handwriting; who does that anymore?) that was bound with ribbon, writing out the lyrics to our song as the background to a framed picture I drew for him, making his favorite dessert just perfectly as a surprise, wearing his favorite outfit just to attract a lingering gaze for that much longer...yeah, I got nothing.

You can call me bitter.  I guess what it boils down to is that I've simply put too much work into Valentine's Day to really expect that day to be worth it. 

Yeah, I get all the talk about it being a commercial holiday, blah blah blah...I just used to like acknowledging it as a day where it was socially acceptable to openly adore the guy I was head over heels for.

So, I'll be dully flipping Valentine's Day the bird as it passes on my calendar.  On the bright side, there will be many more February 14ths in my future...one of them is bound to burn into my memory, right?


(still wouldn't mind some chocolate bullets, though)

5 Gift Ideas for Your Geek Girl This Valentines Day

Welcome to my Valentines Gift Guide for Geek Chicks!  Like many people, I tend to agree that V-day is a commercialized “holiday” urging us to spend our money.  However, I think the idea of a day you can spend with your significant other and/or express just how much you love them through material things is awesome.  For those of you that are single—sorry, not my problem.  But maybe buying one of these things for your favorite geeky girl might change your relationship status.
1. Nerdy Jewelry

Sure, diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but there are other, more affordable, original, and nerdy options.  While there are thousands of Etsy sellers who hand-make geeky jewelry, I have to admit that one of my faves is The Lady Herself Etsy Shop.  Case in point:

Beautiful.  There are many other similarly heart-shaped necklaces and earrings in the shop, and other styles like D10 earrings.  The shop owner also does gorgeous custom work.  Oh, and you can read the review I did of her work, if you’d like.
This is my favorite Etsy geeky jewelry shop, but obviously there are many more options. Quite simply, search “geeky jewelry” and you’re bound to find something that fits your sweetheart’s tastes.

2. DIY – I Love You Bean

Yes, give her a plant.  Not only does the container proudly display “I Love You” on the side, but the bean sprout itself will once it bursts through the soil.

Of course, this little gem is sold by none other than ThinkGeek.com.  You can pick it up from them for only $4.99, too!

3.  8-Bit Dynamic Life Shirt

Another cute item available from ThinkGeek (because I <3 that site).  I absolutely adore these shirts; I keep telling myself that I’ll the set for myself and Ryan (BigJones) one of these days.

It’s pretty simple.  When you’re away from each other, the shirts display only 2 1/2 hearts.  But as you get close to each other, you slowly gain life force…until you’re a few feet away from each other and you’re at full health!  Such a cute concept.   I really want these shirts!  Oh, and considering this is a gift guide…I bet your geek girl wants them too.

4. Icon Pillows

What better way to instigate some cuddling time with your geek girl than to get her a geeky pillow as a Valentine’s Day present?

Cute and functional, these handmade pillows are as awesome as they come…and they range from Twitter to Gmail to Facebook!  You can get them from Crafstsquatch on Etsy (note, though, that each pillow is handmade, so you might not get your pillow before Valentine’s Day!).

5. Chocolate Weapons

Yes, you read correctly…show your geek gal how much you care by preparing her for the zombie apocalypse.  Oh, did I mention that the gun, grenades, and bullets are all made of chocolate?

The fact that a chocolate gun will do nothing against real zombies will seem totally moot.  As far as geeky chocolate goes, this is my favorite find on the web.  My friends always joke about beginning an arsenal for the impending zombie apocalypse, and now I really think we should get it started with “The Ultimate “Near Death” (By Chocolate) Experience”.

Well, there you go.  Not a huge list by any means, but perhaps this will get some ideas going.  Even if you/your geeky girlfriend hates Valentines Day, remember that any girl loves a present now and then, and none of my suggestions are limited to February 14th. 

Technorati Tags: Geeky,Valentines Day Gift Ideas,Geeky Gift Ideas,Valentines Day,V-Day,Gifts