Whether you want to send a Valentine's Day card to your honey, favorite teacher, best friend or family member, there's just something special about one that's straight from the 

heart and made by hand. Of course, time is often that obstacle that prevents most of us from going the handmade route: no time to acquire materials, no time to put it all together. Add to that the self-doubt factor; plenty of folks just don't believe they have the talent or ability to pull it off. 

 

But we are convinced that The I.D.E.A. Store shoppers are some of the most talented, creative folks on the planet. So, check that excuse off your list! We know you don't mind making time to visit the store, so next time you're in, stretch your imagination and focus on some of the endless Valentine possibilities throughout the store.

  

 

Also, consider this: Your expression of love or friendship doesn't have to be limited to a card. Just about anything in the store can be molded, bent, shaped or generally reworked into a unique sculptural or 3-D gift! 

 

 

If the ideas still aren't coming to you, check out some of the web links below for added inspiration:

 

 

* Check out these creative artist-made valentines.

 

* Find bunches of family-friendly ideas for cards, gifts and more here.

 

* Who needs a dozen roses? Pick from a dozen handmade gift ideas instead!

 

* Need still more prompting? 101 Handmade Valentine's Day Ideas!

 

Choose from a variety of environmentally friendly deicers on the market to stay bottoms-up this season.

While the weather in Central Illinois has been unseasonably mild this winter, snow and ice have indeed made cameo appearances. And it's likely they'll darken our doorsteps again. When they do, there are several choices to help us move and melt them, give us traction and keep our backs, pets, and environment safer. 

 

Avoiding or reducing commercial snow and ice melters like rock salt or calcium-, magnesium-or potassium chloride is desirable because they can "burn" your landscaping and garden plants; corrode vehicle undersides and damage new concrete; raise salt levels in streams and lakes, and harm organisms that live there; cause your pets' paws to dry out and crack; and cause gastrointestinal problems in children if they ingest it. Caution youngsters to avoid not just yellow snow (courtesy of pets), but the blue and pink stuff, too, since several melters are tinted those colors.   

 

If you do choose to use salt-based melters, follow application directions carefully. Use those products sparingly - just enough to get the job done - and apply them only in temperatures in which they are effective. Sweep up remaining chunks - indoors and out - instead of letting them wash down storm drains, which carry them to local waterways. Keep store melters away from children and pets. There are less harmful alternative products like "Safe Paws" (from PetSmart) and "Superior Snow-N-Ice Melter," which also are marketed as "Premium Pro."

 

Manual removal of snow and ice is the most eco-friendly, except for the melting power of nature. Snow blowers are easy, but burn fossil fuels either at the site of use or at a power plant that provides your electricity. There are shovels for people of all ages, heights, and abilities, including those with fragile backs. The Snow Wolf (featured on The News-Gazette's front page on Jan. 13) uses leverage so you don't have to lift heavy snow. Ice choppers help break up the stubborn stuff for shoveling. 

           

Instead of melting ice and snow, you can strive for traction using natural materials. Shovel first, then scatter playground sand or sawdust where it won't run off into drains. As melting occurs due to rising temps or sun exposure, sweep the natural melters into grassy areas. To avoid slipping while walking the dog, try "boot grips," which are now made to fit over all types of footwear, even high heels!

 

You can take preventive measures instead of using toxic products like windshield deicers, which bear the skull and crossbones on their labels. Simply cover your vehicle's glass with a bedsheet or large towel and close the tails inside the car doors, or secure a piece of cardboard under the windshield wipers. Carry a good windshield scraper and brush in your car to remove surprise precipitation.

   

The I.D.E.A. Store has fabrics you can use to make dog booties to protect your pet's paws from salts on sidewalks and roadways in your neighborhood. You'll find wonderful patterns online, with advice for sizing and securing them. 

The Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation saw a need in the community to accomplish several things: 1.  Support the arts and arts education, 2.  Support environmental education in our communities, 3. Impact the environment by reducing the rate of waste disposal, 4. create a place for everyone to have access to quality materials and 5. Support itself in light of the difficult economic times.  So donate your discards and shop re-use.  Its about making a difference!

 www.cuSchoolsFoundation.org