With the weather (slowly) warming up, it is a perfect time to grab your honey and go out on a date. Whether it’s a favorite vineyard or window shopping through an open-air market, spring is the perfect time to embrace renewed love.
After the birth of our son, Nicholas, my husband and I recruited a very proud grandma to babysit once a week so that we could get some one-on-one time together. (I know we are very lucky! If you have little ones at home and no relatives nearby, try joining a mommy/playdate club and creating a babysitting cooperative.) Now, after seeing so many “date jars” on Pinterest and a few made by friends, I had to give it a go myself. It’s a simple concept but so important to keep that spark in your relationship, especially if you are married or have children. It gets you out of your routine and makes you explore!
SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED:
► Jar (I used a pretty apothacary jar from Michael’s – thanks to their 40% of one item coupon)
► Popsicle sticks (I used large ones to ensure room for writing)
► Paint
► Paintbrush
► Fine Sharpie
► Embellishments (optional)
First, you will need to brainstorm some ideas for your hot dates. A full list of dates I included is at the end of the post. Keep in mind whether you will want most of your dates to be frugal, extravagant, etc. I wanted to make sure my husband, and I had plenty of low-cost options. (College tuition is rising and we only have 17 years to save!)
Next, you want to choose or mix a few paint colors to distinguish the kind of date on each stick (I went with four different colors).
CATEGORIES:
► Cheap (little to no money needed)
► Mid-range (about $25)
► Expensive ($50+)
► Outdoor/Daytime Activities
Now, you can of course edit these any way you choose. Just be sure to categorize your dates before painting the popsicle sticks so you know how many of each color you will need. Paint about 1-1.5” of each popsicle stick and let dry.
For the writing (where the “calligraphy” kicks in), I chose a fine Sharpie and a playful font that could be mastered without the aide of a calligraphy pen. I thought this font looked good even without the typical thick-thin strokes of calligraphy. It has no slant and I was able to keep it mostly straight using the grains of the wood as a guideline. Practice on paper and remember to keep it interesting with little flourishes in the ascenders (letters that rise above like d, k, l) and descenders (those that go below the
line such as f, g, j). You don’t have much room, but have fun with it. I also added little descriptions for some in a font that used mostly majuscules (capital letters).
Finally, place your dates in the jar and embellish with a ribbon, charms or anything that strikes your fancy. Your date jar is ready to use so have a wonderful time and remember to keep it exciting!
DATE IDEAS:
Enjoy browsing the date ideas I included in my jar! Hopefully they’ll inspire you.
outdoor dates, mostly low-cost…
► Memory Lane: Relax at King Family Vineyard (where we were married)
► Fore! Visit the driving range
► Go for a picnic
► Play some frisbee golf
► Take a hike
► Go to the shooting range
► Volunteer -walk dogs, soup kitchen, or pack a meal for the homeless-
► Memory Lane -take a walk at Darden Towe Park-
► Love All! Play some tennis
low-cost dates…
► Games of the Heart -play a board/card game-
► Play pool or ping pong at the clubhouse
► Bingo with a Twist -print out “Walmart Bingo” from the internet-
► Go to the Bookstore -just browse around-
► Take a stroll on the Corner (this is one “hangout” in our town)
► Graffiti -make cards for one another-
► Take your date for coffee
► Discover your family tree
► Oh, Sweet Thing -go to a restaurant and just order dessert-
► Thrift Store -while there pick a book and write a love note by underlining words-
► Play a Tune -go to a music store and browse around-
► Go for a walk downtown
► YouTube It! Take turns picking out funny videos
► The Newlywed Game -print out some questions and have fun
► “Donut” want to be without you -grab a coffee and donut-
► Take the Scenic Route -just go for a drive-
► Test Drive -go to a dealership and go for a spin-
► Water Fight! Pick up some water guns and have fun
► Go window shopping
► The Vow -watch the movie, write your vows and play “chocolate roulette”-
► The Observatory -go stargazing-
mid-range dates…
► Play Mini Golf
► Go to an Arcade
► Fiesta! Go south of the border with margaritas and guacamole
► Oooh, oui oui! French night with wine and cheese
► History Lesson: Visit a local landmark
► Movie Night (her choice)
► Movie Night (his choice)
► Bella Notte: Italian night with wine and cheese
► Take a Dip: go for a swim (indoor or out)
► Listen Up: find some live music
► Memory Lane: Go to X-Lounge (where we met) and follow with Paradox Pastry (bakery
that made our wedding cake)
► Go Bowling!
► Scavenger Hunt (planned by him)
► Scavenger Hunt (planned by her)
► Get Moving! Take an exercise class
more expensive dates…
► See a show -music, comedy, whatever-
► See a sports game
► Around the World -three courses at different restaurants-
► Dine at a fancy restaurant
Do you have any unique date ideas?
Please share in a comment below!
limefish studio - We love doing drink & appetizer hopping! You have one drink and one appetizer at a restaurant, then go to another and do the same thing… and then another…. and so forth!May 12, 2013 – 10:15 am