Heartwarming, gentle, kind, best cook ever — these are just a few of the many traits that many think of when they think of their mothers. Whether it’s after a breakup or falling down from practicing bike riding, mothers have always been there when we needed it, picking up the pieces and kissing away the pain. The importance of a mother role has earned itself a special holiday that comes once a year and, in celebration of this wonderful holiday, we’ve gathered Mother’s Day gifts from Etsy artisans! From experienced moms to new moms, mother-in-laws to friends who are mothers, moms are all around us and it’s a special day to show them the love they always show to their children. With gifts from sentimental to therapeutical, you can scour our list of Mother’s Day gifts to go with the fancy restaurant you’re taking your mother to or with the weekend cruise she’ll be relaxing at or just a simple picnic at the park!

	New Mom Survival Kit: Set of Heat Pads and Cold Packs By The Ferris Wheel Celebrate entering a new world of motherhood with this comforting set of heat pads and cold packs from The Ferris Wheel! With a pack for the back, belly, feet, and neck, this set has all sorts of therapeutic relief for every area. Perfect for a relaxing end-of-the-day ritual after a long day chasing toddlers around, new moms will be addicted to these relieving packs. Whether heated up in the microwave or stored in the freezer, these versatile packs can be used hot or cold. Find other fabric designs for The Ferris Wheel’s pads and packs in its main shop!
Flower Wreath By Elegant Holidays Flowers are a popular gift for mothers. Why not spice up the arrangement and, instead of a bouquet, present a beloved mother or mother-in-law with this breathtaking wreath from Elegant Holidays! Elegant Holidays uses a combination of coordinating colors to make these lovely wreaths pop in a stunning way. Elegant Holidays offers various tones of orange, purple, white, and other colors to help you customize the perfect wreath along with giving you a customizable ribbon. A personal message can also be added to these wreaths, perfect for gifts! Mothers will love that this vibrant and fresh wreath can be put on their front door to showcase a child’s love for her to the world rather than in a restricting vase.
	Spa Set By The Little Flower Soap Co. Give Mom a refreshing boost to her day with this loaded spa set from The Little Flower Soap Co.! In this spa set, you’ll find: customized lip balm, muscle relaxer, customized soap, grapefruit or lavender bath salt, and skin rescue balm. The Little Flower Soap Co. allows customers to choose their scents for selected items in the spa set. This lovely set is ready to ship and includes a dainty ribbon and personal message!
Customized Chalkboard Sign By Lily & Val Nothing can compare to mama’s home cooking! Highlight your mother’s mouthwatering and homely food delights with this decorative chalkboard sign from Lily & Val. Written with chalk and painted over, this sign is delicately made. The sign can be customized with a chosen first name or last name and maintains the same design as the picture shows. If you have a different design idea, request it to Lily & Val for a special quote! If this vintage-like and whimsy chalkboard sign is a gift, Lily & Val can gift wrap the sign and send it to the recipient directly.
	Engraved Wooden Cutting Board By AHeirloom Present mothers with their own cutting board from AHeirloom! This cutting board is engraved with a default message; however, AHeirloom accepts customized request for this excellent cutting board. Three different woods are available for this cutting board as well. Made with a handle, this chopping board can be hanged for convenience along with kitchen decor! Other cutting board styles are available at AHeirloom and can become the perfect gift for your mother.
Personalized Picture Tote Bag By Flash Bags Moms -love- to brag about their children, so give them a personalized photo tote bag so it can do the bragging for them! Made by Flash Bags, this personalized photo tote bag can be used for shopping (eco-friendly!), carrying baby necessities, and more. Send in a favorite family picture to Flash Bags and they do the rest! Flash Bags also creates photo collage totes and other designs and layouts in its shop.
	Carved Candle By Prima Candle Instead of a generic scented candle, introduce beloved mothers to this incredibly intricate and elaborate candle by Prima Candle! Carved into a ribbon-like design, this eye-catching candle makes for fabulous home decor as well as a gift. This mesmerizing candle is made with a 16th century technique, making Prima Candle’s candles elegant and old-fashioned. You can find various colors and color combinations in Prima Candle shop along with sizes.
Connected Hearts Map Chalkboard Sign By Everyday Atlas Even if you’re across the country or world, remind your mother that you’re always connected to her with this whimsical chalkboard map by Everyday Atlas. You can customized colors, quotes, heart colors, and more with this sign, making it a totally personal gift. Printed on quality photo paper and heat sealed on a matboard, this durable sign can be hanged anywhere at home. Although this particular item is in 11×14, you can upgrade it to 16×20!
	Organic Baking Spices Set By Craig’s Market Give your mom a special and aromatic spice set from Craig’s Market! Certified as organic, this baking spice set comes in six and the spices are allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and Vietnamese cinnamon. Each spice is sealed in solid tins and have ingredients of each spice on the underside. Whether for breads or cakes, this delicious and healthy set of spices can be added to anything for an extra dose of flavor. Plus, it can get your mother baking something scrumptious for you!
Family Birthstone Necklace By Just For Fun Jewelry Stylish jewelry and personalization are all in one in Just For Fun Jewelry’s sterling silver bar family necklace! Dotted with customized birthstones for each child and family member, this stunning necklace can shine in all sorts of colors and gives it more of a personal touch. Mothers love having their kids close to their hearts, so this is a great gift to give. Just For Fun Jewelry’s bar pendant necklace can have up to five birthstones. You can also request a custom necklace chain,  from 14’’ to 18’’.

Even though Mother’s Day is celebrated once a year, show mothers from all over the world love and gratitude everyday. Whether it’s a simple thank you card or a breathtaking diamond necklace, you can always shower mothers with lots of love in many ways, year round! Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers!

Written by Emily Nguyen, a freelance writer and core contributor to NerdWallet Shopping.

On April 22nd, a special, global day is honored to commemorate the environmental movement that started in the late 1960s to 1970 by Gaylord Nelson, Senator of Wisconsin. Seeing the damaging and colossal oil spill in Santa Barbara, California and inspired by the anti-war movement among students, Senator Nelson, along with Denis Hayes and Pete McCloskey, created this environmental movement that brought 20 million Americans together and protested against the soiled environment. In modern times, where health is more focused upon and caring for the Earth becomes more of an emphasized act and movement, there are many people who support this wonderful cause. Among these people are independent sellers and artisans who craft items from reclaimed materials, giving them another life as accessories, home decorations, and more. Perfect for Earth Day supporters, the environmentally conscious, or just because, these following items make for excellent gifts on this fabulous day!

	Queen Anne’s Lace Flower Resin Pendant By ScrappinCop What better way to thank Mother Nature on Earth Day than adorning a resin-set flower necklace from ScrappinCop! This specific necklace is made with breathtaking turquoise Queen Anne’s Lace blooms. Set in a sphere-shaped glass pendant and hanged from an antique 24’’ chain, this bulb of beauty also makes for an earth-friendly accessory piece for everyday wear. In ScrappinCop’s shop, there are more flower-pressed jewelry pieces to discover in ScrappinCop’s large collection.
Round Wooden Couple Keychain By Happy Cat Prints You can honor Earth Day and romance all in one with Happy Cat Prints’ wooden couple keychain! Constructed with reclaimed wood from dead tree branches, this adorable and charming keychain has an original print by Happy Cat Prints on one side and the names of the loving couple on the other side. Happy Cat Prints uses eco-friendly paper for application of the artworks. From happy kittens to darling porcupines, Happy Cat Prints has a variety of friendly critters that are applied to wooden keychains. Happy Cat Prints’ keychains can also be great gifts for graduates and more.
	Eggshell Candle By Less Candles Decorate a wedding reception area or baby shower with one of Less Candles’ eggshell candles! These eggshell candles make for a great Easter gift or party favors as well. Made with vegetable wax, this eco-friendly home or party decor item can be used to celebrate Earth Day as well. In Less Candles’ shop, you can find a wide variety of colors and eggshell candle sets for any occasion.
Recycled Jack Daniel’s Bottle Table Lamp By Brownie Gifts Party animals or the special guy in your life will be charmed with Brownie Gifts’ Jack Daniel’s bottle lamp! Besides the recycled bottle, Brownie Gifts uses reclaimed oak wood to create the base of this lamp and has a felt bottom to reduce sliding and scratching. Whether for a man cave decor item or an office desk ornament, this fun lamp illuminates any room with bright light and humor.
	Colored Pencil Stud Earrings By huiyitan Embellish simply yet vibrantly with colored pencil stud earrings from huiyitan! Inspired by a childhood hobby of collecting colored pencils, these stud earrings come in many color options, from royal blue to flirty pink. huiyitan also creates colored pencil necklaces and rings with small yet chunky pieces of colored pencils, similar to the shape of these earrings. You can also find quirky and quaint silver jewelry items at huiyitan!
Log Candle and Air Plant Holders By Deerwood Creek Gifts Give candles and air plants a new home with these log holders from Deerwood Creek Gifts! Materialized from whimsical oak wood, these log holders can be used for rustic and shabby chic weddings or events as well as home decor. At different heights, these log holders create dimension and style for any room. Perfect as gifts for family, friends, or teachers, these log holders come in a set of four. Deerwood Creek Gifts also creates other wood items, such as ring holders.
	Large Vintage Book Page Apples By Hi Butterfly Present an admired teacher or professor with a one-of-a-kind, recycled vintage book apple from Hi Butterfly! At 11 inches tall, this apple makes for a great desk decoration or looks fabulous on top of a file cabinet. Hi Butterfly uses vintage book pages to create these made-to-order apples. Hi Butterfly also handcrafts other apples for various sizes and other paper ornaments, from pumpkins to wreaths. Book lovers, vintage admirers, and librarians can also adore one of Hi Butterfly’s items.
Reclaimed Stiletto Succulent Holder By Giddy Spinster Amplify the super stylish fashionista in your life with one of Giddy Spinster’s stiletto cactus and succulent plant holders! This particular one holds a cactus plant in a sparkly, fire engine red stiletto. Using organic fertilizers, soil, and plants, Giddy Spinster’s plants are eco-friendly gifts and perfect for Earth Day celebrations. Giddy Spinster offers various colored heels to choose from to fit into home styles and more.
	Repurposed Rainbow-Colored, Heart-Shaped Mason Jar Chandelier By Boots ‘N Gus Illuminate a dining room or dark corner in a living room with Boots ‘N Gus’ mason jar chandelier! This heart-shaped chandelier makes for a unique Valentine’s Day or anniversary present for lovers. With different colored mason jars, this lovely and whimsy chandelier creates an appealing and dazzling lighting fixture. Boots ‘N Gus uses wood to create the ring to hold the mason jars. As a ready-to-hang fixture, Boots ‘N Gus provides hardware installation items and instructions. At Boots ‘N Gus’ shop, you can find other mason jar made chandeliers in a wide array of styles and colors.
Video Game Controller Wallet By 1UP Gallery Nerdy yet chic, this fun and repurposed video game controller wallet from 1UP Gallery is a fabulously imaginative gift for the geek or nerd in your life! 1UP Gallery’s video game controller wallets can hold many items, from cards to iPods. The lining of the video game controller wallet is crafted with recycled bottle made felt, and the outside is made with an old-school style Nintendo controller. 1UP Gallery provides a medley of color options for customers to choose from!

Whether you celebrate Earth Day all day long or not so much, you can find ways to give back to the Earth! From recycling that pile of plastic bottles to planting a tree, find some time on this day to bring a part of you into the environmental movement. Happy Earth Day and stay green!

Written by Emily Nguyen, a freelance writer and core contributor to NerdWallet Shopping.

In 2008, Andrew Mason pioneered a new trend in local commerce that begot one of the fastest growing companies in internet history. A mere five years later, Mason is out of a job and his company, Groupon, is left to find a new way to stay alive.

Groupon announced in a press release that Mason, the company’s founder and CEO, had been fired and that Executive Chairman Eric Lefkofsky and Vice Chairman Ted Leonsis will occupy the “Office of the Chief Executive” until a new permanent CEO is appointed.

While the firing did not come as a surprise to many who had followed the company’s financial progress over the past few years, with even Mason himself acknowledging it was inevitable, it does leave a question mark as to Groupon’s next move.

With the oversaturation of daily deals sites leading to decreased profits, Groupon is looking to shift its focus from small local business third party vendors and fledgling international markets to find long-term, sustainable profit for the first time in its history.

Not So Great Expectations

On February 27, the day before Groupon announced it had fired Mason, the company released its fourth quarter and yearly earnings reports from 2012.

Although it reported a 30% year-over-year revenue increase from the previous year, meeting Wall Street targets according to Chicago Business, its cash from operations figures fell from $169.1 million at the end of the 2011 fiscal year to $65.7 million.

It also predicted its first quarter revenue for 2013 to hit the $585 million mark, far below analysts’ prediction of $650 million. These two figures, along with an unstable performance record, led to its shares plummeting 26% in after-market trading immediately following the earnings report release.

Not meeting expectations has been an unfortunate trend in Groupon’s history.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported in January that Groupon’s stock price had dipped by more than 70% since its November 2011 IPO. Initially valued at $20 a share, the company’s stock price hit a low of $4.42 a share after last week’s earnings report. Though stocks surged briefly last Friday, they remained around the $5 mark this week.

A 2011 profit that turned out to be $22.6 million less than what Groupon initially reported also did little to engender trust in the company’s accounting practices among investors, according to TechCrunch.

Once thought to be worth around $6 billion (which is what Goggle offered to buy it for in 2010), the company is currently valued at $3.3 billion.

Fading Beauty

As the daily deals market became saturated at lightning speed over the past few years, consumers have stopped spending on coupons the way they did when the fad was fresh. With multiple companies barraging inboxes with similar offers, the mystique of scoring a great deal faded, and companies were either forced to bow out or get creative.

LivingSocial, one of Groupon’s main competitors, announced last November that it would be laying off 400 employees in an effort to turn sustainable profit. AllThingsD.com reports that the company suffered a $565 million operating loss on $124 million in revenue in the third quarter of 2012, with operating expenses of $193 million.

For Groupon, yet another blow came with the expansion into an international market proving to be less than profitable; the company reported slowed European sales in the second quarter of last year. What Mason and his company hoped would be a boon to business has so far failed to produce the numbers of Groupon’s initial success in the U.S.

At one time the prettiest girl on the room, inspiring copycat sites and brave expansions, Groupon has aged less than gracefully, and is now tasked with finding a new, more mature niche, sans Mason.

Changing Gears

Mason’s firing represents a need within the company to shift focus almost entirely, potentially scaling down the scope of operations while refining what it wants to achieve.

As Business Insider points out, Groupon has been in three businesses simultaneously for the past couple years, focusing on its foundation of daily deals and local commerce while also building an e-commerce presence.

Its Groupon Goods venture provides the company with its only business presence that does not involve a third party. Groupon offers discounts on its own selection of products that it sells directly to consumers.

The service offers discounts and convenience in the style of Amazon, but relies on a more carefully curated selection of goods to pique customers’ interest.

While profit margins are much lower for the goods than its merchant-facilitated deals, yielding 15% versus 35% respectively, Groupon Goods could prove to be a more sustainable business model, as the company is not dependent on the cooperation of third parties.

This third party cooperation is precisely why the company’s fortunes have been volatile. “If Groupon plans to survive, it will have to recognize that 1) taking 50% of the revenue an already generous deal generates is too high a price-point when there are so many Groupon clones; and 2) it must do a better job of working with merchants to convert redemptions into repeat business,” says Dwight Dunkley, a marketing consultant at Collaboration 360.

“As long as merchants feel burned by even the most successful deal on Groupon because they don’t get the promsied new repeat customers, then Groupon is doomed to eventual failure as the word gets out. The small business owner community tends to be small,” states Dunkley.

Business Insider suggests that the fact that the majority of Groupon’s remaining management team has worked at Amazon could signal a shift toward goods rather than local deals.

International business may also need to get trimmed significantly to reduce the number of markets the company operates in to only the most profitable. Cutting between 10 and 20% of the worst performing of Groupon’s 500 markets could result in a substantial increase in profits, according to Reuters. International division deals reportedly require twice as many people involved as domestic deals.

Other cuts Reuters cites may come from within Mason’s framework of fundamentals, starting with his signature, quirky editorial staff. Such a move would indicate a more serious path for a company known for its off-kilter style and sense of humor.

Not to be ignored, however, is Groupon’s wealth of information on local commerce. According to David Moore, CEO of City Rewards Network, a local coupon aggregator, “Groupon is in a unique position because of the vast consumer following they have. What they need to focus on is engaging in transactions with merchants that allow for long term relationships that benefit all parties.”

While many observers cite Groupon’s email list as a prized company attirbute, Moore points out that there’s more to Groupon analytics than just reach. “Groupon is probably sitting on massive amounts of consumer spending and transaction data,” states Moore. “They should focus on getting through the next few quarters by making solid paridigm changes. Groupon just hit the reset button and as long as they execute on new complimentary strategies, I believe the company still has a chance.”

CEO Candidates

The direction the board wants to move the company in will certainly dictate their choice for the company’s next CEO, and they are currently looking exclusively at candidates outside of the company.

Bloomberg reports that directors plan on hiring an executive recruiting firm to find a new permanent CEO with three to six months, and that interim executives Leonsis and Lefkofsky have been ruled out as candidates.

Current Amazon Senior Vice President of Seller Services Sebastian Gunningham is one potential candidate, noted by Business Insider, who could help with a move to make Groupon Goods a higher priority.

It may be a wait to see who eventually takes the reins, but Mason’s successor will immediately face the inherent challenges of not only setting the company on a more profitable course, but also of working closely with a co-founder, Lefkofsky, who may still be entrenched in old practices.

As Bloomberg points out, any candidate who takes over will have to stand firm to make the necessary changes and reverse Groupon’s currently tanking image. So far, the company has not announced any plans to change the current business model.

Annette Shaff / Shutterstock.com

Learning from user experience and feedback, Etsy does a wonderful job of delivering new features that sellers want to support the spirit of the handmade community. The Etsy community is a very loving and generous one where sellers often offer discounts as thank you gifts to their loyal customers for significant milestones like their 100th sale or shop anniversaries. Since Etsy launched their coupons feature in 2010, the only coupons that you could offer as a seller were Free Shipping coupons and Percent off coupons with limited attributes. This week, Etsy finally upgraded their coupons with new features! As sellers, you can now create coupons with a Fixed Discount amount and require a Minimum Purchase amount. Additionally, you can specify coupons to be Thank You Coupons that will be automatically emailed to your buyers after they purchase something from your shop to encourage repeat customers. A big upgrade from the old version, these new coupon features allow sellers more flexibility in offering discounts to customers while also gaining more sales.

Here’s a more in depth tutorial on how to offer coupons codes in your Etsy shop. Plus, you can promote your Etsy coupon codes and shops for free on the Indie Coupon Tool. Here’s what the new “Create New Coupon” screen looks like now showing the awesome new options:

New Coupon Features:

1. Thank You Coupon
   Check the “Thank You Coupon” checkbox to create a coupon that only gets sent to your customer once they buy something from your Shop. This is a fantastic way to reward your customers and thank them for shopping at your store while also encouraging them to shop with you again in the future. Your customers will be thrilled by the surprise coupon in their mailbox and will be happy with their positive shopping experience.<br/ ><br/ >
2. Fixed Discount Type
   There are three Discount Types now -Free Shipping, Percent Discount, and Fixed Discount. The new Fixed Discount is useful to offer a specific dollar amount discount instead of just a percentage discount so you know exactly how much of a discount your customers will receive. Plus, you can now specify Free Shipping coupons to be for US Addresses only since shipping Internationally almost always costs a lot more than shipping domestically.<br/ ><br/ >
3. Minimum Purchase Amount
   Now, you can require your customers to purchase a minimum amount before the coupon can be applied. This feature pairs perfectly with your discounts to ensure that you stay on top of your profit margin and don’t take a loss by offering sales.

If you were hesitant to offer coupons in the past, these new coupon options offer more ways to customize coupons for your Etsy shop. Not only do customers enjoy saving money, but you gain customer loyalty by sharing coupon codes to reward and keep track of repeat sales as a way of showing your appreciation for each sale. Offering coupons and especially Thank you coupons are excellent tools for fostering repeat business and earning loyal customers. Now’s a great time to check out these new coupon options in your Etsy shop and evaluate your current discount codes to add minimum purchase requirements and add fixed dollar discount coupons and thank you coupons.

Original image from Shutterstock

Last week’s announcement that two retail giants will soon become one has shed light on the dramatic changes in the retail landscape over the past two decades.

On Wednesday, Office Depot announced that it would be acquiring its smaller office supply rival OfficeMax in an effort to increase revenue and efficiency, as well as to better compete with market leader Staples.

The three stores have held the market for office supply superstores for more than 20 years, with Staples leading the way as the largest revenue monster. With both OfficeMax and Office Depot experiencing declining sales for the past six years in a row, however, the recent merger seems like a move made out of necessity.

USA Today reports that Office Depot experienced a drop of 6% in same-store sales from the fourth quarter of 2011 to the fourth quarter of 2012, while OfficeMax saw a decrease of 4.1% for the same time period.

Once the merger takes place, the combined company is expected to be worth $18 billion, leaving it in better standing but still trailing Staples, which had total sales of $25 billion for 2012, according to Investing Daily.

While some of Office Depot and OfficeMax’s sales have been lost to Staples, a number of other factors have led to a decrease in demand for office supply superstores in general, requiring restructuring that even Staples is not immune to.

Merging to Stay Competitive

One-stop office supply mega-retailers filled a need for convenience when they first opened stores around the country and abroad, offering huge time savings for office managers. Both Office Depot and Staples opened their doors in 1986, while OfficeMax evolved from a company that was created in 1931. Businesses and individuals alike were drawn to the idea of getting all their supplies in one place.

As other powerhouse retailers like Walmart and Target began incorporating more and more office supplies into their inventories, offering the convenience of picking up office needs while also fetching clothes and groceries, office supply stores lost a chunk of their market.

Amazon then changed the game even more dramatically, offering the convenience of shopping without ever leaving the office, not to mention delivery and prices that big box retailers could never afford to beat.

The accessibility that the Internet provided opened the door for an endless number of office supply retailers to become part of the game, gaining exposure and the ability to make business-to-business sales much more efficient.

With fewer customers opting to step inside actual brick-and-mortar stores, consolidation became crucial to the survival of the superstore, with a move toward increasing internet sales at the forefront of efforts.

Shifting focus toward internet sales could mean the closure of up to 600 stores for OfficeMax and Office Depot, according to Investing Daily.

Even Staples is being forced to restructure its retail system: the company has plans to close 30 stores in the U.S. and 45 in Europe while scaling back the size of 30 additional stores by 2015, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Technology’s impact on the industry goes beyond internet sales, however. The rise in paperless operations has cut out the need for much of office supply stores’ inventory. Many documents can be accessed through the cloud, offering consumers the ultimate convenience of accessing crucial information on the go through mobile devices.

Paper, ink cartridges and even printers have much lower demand than they once did. Combined with a weak economy, this lessened demand has been a serious blow to office supply sales.

Pressure from Hedge Fund

While pressure to make a change has been mounting from multiple fronts for the past few years, the timing of the merger may have much to do with concerns expressed by an investing hedge fund.

Starboard Value LP took a 13.3% stake in Office Depot last September, and the Wall Street Journal reported that the activist investing firm’s CEO wasted no time in getting a letter to the retailer, urging them to make swift changes to increase profitability.

Among the changes CEO Jeffrey Smith called for were reducing advertising and administrative costs, as well as putting more focus of higher-margin services and products.

Implications of Combining Two Major Companies

The end goal for both OfficeMax and Office Depot is to increase profits by making possibly drastic cuts to their physical stores, leaving consumers and employees unsure about their futures with the chains.

Both stores cater to international markets. OfficeMax currently has more than 1,000 retail stores in the U.S. and Mexico, while Office Depot operates more than 1,100 retail outfits in the U.S. and Canada, with the highest concentration of stores being in California, Texas and Florida.

Stores most likely to end up on the chopping block will be ones in low-grossing areas, as well as stores in close proximity to one another. Bloomberg reports that about 50% of OfficeMax and Office Depot stores are currently in overlapping territories, meaning that half of all retail locations are at risk for closure.

The obvious pitfall is the resulting loss in jobs that will accompany these closures. Thousands of employees of each store are likely to be affected, thus lowering operating costs for the combined company at the cost of creating more unemployment.

Neither company has announced which stores may be on the chopping block, and decisions about leadership and location are yet to be made. USA Today reports that each company’s CEO will remain in their positions until a board of directors (comprised of directors from each company) chooses a replacement.

The final call on where company headquarters will reside will also likely affect hundreds, as a decision on where the new headquarters will be is being postponed until after a CEO has been chosen. Office Depot’s headquarters are currently in Boca Raton, Florida while OfficeMax has its main offices in Naperville, Illinois.

Consumers are likely to also feel the pinch in terms of having fewer locations to shop at, although the company will probably keep at least one store open in each current region. Having fewer superstores could also spell a loss in revenue for smaller strip mall-type retailers that depend on superstores like Office Depot and OfficeMax to draw customers, according to Marketplace.org.

Whether or not prices will change is still an unknown, though with both operations able to cut costs elsewhere, they may be able to maintain or even lower current prices. Carol Spieckerman, President of newmarketbuilders, a retail intelligence company, thinks the merger is a net positive for shoppers. “Ultimately, consumers should benefit from the merger and the benefits will not be confined to the combined company. In fact, multi-category retailers that carry office products such as Walmart, Amazon, Sam’s, and Costco could get quite aggressive with pricing,” states Spieckerman.

“By contrast, Staples has less wiggle room as a pure-play office products supplier. Nonetheless, Staples will have little choice but to react to any price cuts and market share grabs that competitors make in the wake of the deal. All in all, the consumer will benefit as multiple retailers scramble,” Spieckerman says.

Fear of Less Competition and the FTC

Cost to consumers is one side effect of the merger that the government may be keeping an eye on. The risk of increased prices is always present when industry leaders whittle down to two companies, and the FTC still has room to shut down the merger if it deems it necessary.

TIME likened last week’s merger to the failed attempt by Staples to merge with Office Depot in 1997 – a move the Federal Trade Commission shut down based on the belief that reducing the office supply superstore market from three companies down to two would result in higher prices for consumers.

In contrast to the retail climate of 1997, though, this most recent merger will not reduce competition in the entire office supply industry. Where Staples, OfficeMax and Office Depot were the main suppliers of office supplies 16 years ago, they now face stiff competition from multiple sources.

As TIME points out, the FTC made its 1997 decision based on the fact that superstores were then newest, most important innovation in the industry, a fact that is no longer true.

Smaller local stores already see the merger as an opportunity to gain traction and market share. Wendy Pike, President of Twist Office Products, an office supply company based in the Midwest, notes that midsized merchants often have better pricing and customer service than big box office supply stores. “Independent dealers also have the competitive pricing touted by the big boxes and many times even better prices, they just haven’t had the large advertising budgets to market it,” says Pike. “The independent dealer will continue to offer value prices as they do not have the high overhead to sustain.”

Other office supply chains are already going even further to attract customers who may be affected by the merger. Bill Swanson, Global CFO and Cartridge World North America CEO, says that Cartridge World, a supplier of printer ink cartridges, has a plan to take advantage of OfficeMax’s coming store closures. “Cartridge World is going to be providing a 10 percent discount on products and services to anyone with MaxPerks rewards (which may or may not dissolve in time),” says Swanson. “The 10 percent discount is not only double the discount given away as the award by OfficeMax, but the brand’s way of saying we are here and available for all your needs.”

Competition coming in these different forms, along with the fact that the two smaller of the three giants are merging rather than Staples engulfing another company, would suggest that this merger will go through with little backlash from the FTC. This, in fact, may be the most damning of evidence of the big box office supply store’s decline – that the FTC views the Office Depot/OfficeMax consolidation quite lightly.

Original image from Shutterstock.

Every week or so, we’ll be writing about our favorite handmade, vintage, and indie finds of the week. Find great Etsy coupon codes  for stores like these on our Indie Coupons website! Want to share something with us? Leave a comment below.

It’s Valentine’s Day again and if you haven’t found the perfect gift yet for your quirky adorable sweetheart, here are some amazing handmade finds to flatter and appease even the darkest of cold hearts on this day of love!

	Giant Heart Slutty Brownie By BakeAllTheThing Sweeten your way into his hear with this giant heart shaped slutty chocolate fudge brownie bar. At 1.5 pounds, 6.5″ wide, and 2″ thick, this brownie is full of chocolate chip cookie and oreo goodness and 100% indulgent! Your handsome beau won’t be able to resist this giant brownie, or your love.
Zombie Apocalypse Diorama – Zombies on the Beach By ZombieHoedown   Is your man a zombie lover? He’ll love this Anti-Valentine gift for the zombie enthusiast in your life! Zombie Hoedown made this great miniature zombie diorama of two sweethearts hugging on the beach surrounded by bloody zombies!
	Blue Heart Earrings, Peacock Crystals Valentines Day Jewelry By Waterwaif   Red hearts are too traditional too predictable for Valentine’s Day jewelry. Your offbeat lady love will these peacock blue crystal heart earrings to match her indie personality.
Victorian Love Pendant By Darkenrose Jewellery   This Victorian pendant will steal the breath of your Valentine with its bronze filigree and blood red gem accents. Full of mystery and elegance, Darkenrose Jewellery custom makes special one of a kind jewelry that you’ll love to give for any occasion, especially Valentine’s Day!
	Black and Silver Murano Glass Heart Necklace By SophisticatedLady   For your Valentine whose black heart has a fondness for graceful accessories, give her this black and silver heart necklace featuring a glass heart made of genuine Murano glass.
3/8″ Dog Collar – Pink and Blue Lovebirds By The White Schnauzer Boutique   Is your sweetheart not into bribes of flatter? Accessorize their pets for Valentine’s Day instead! They’ll love these pet collars by The White Schnauzer Boutique handmade I lots of cool colors and designs like these pink and blue lovebirds.
	Chainmaille Gothic heart bracelet By DoBatsEatCats   Here’s some chainmaille that won’t kill your mom if you don’t send it to five of your friends. This alternative Valentine’s Day gift combines the protective quality of chainmaille with intricate patterns and a metal stitched heart charm.
Handpainted Champagne Flamingo with White Paisley, Red Roses and Filigree By LoveMeOrnamentals   Nothing screams kitschy more than a pink flamingo on your lawn. LoveMeOrnamentals handpaints these flamingos and transforms them into works of art that will capture your Valentine’s heart with painted flowers and filigree.
	Black Heart Single Coaster By WestArtAndGlass   Glass may be fragile but it may also be made strong enough to keep hot cups from scalding your tabletops. This glass coaster will protect tabletops as well as black hearts.
January Birthstone, Garnet Bracelet with Heart Charm By Marla Bee Designs Dainty and delicate, this garnet and heart charm bracelet is everything your sweet Valentine would love if she doesn’t hate lovey dovey sweetness of red hearts and rose charms.
	Crocheted Orange Cowl Wool Blend Scarf By whiskeyish   Fabulously fun, chunky, and warm, whiskeyish’s handmade crochet cowl will keep you stylish and warm while you fight zombies and or try to escape from them while acting like one of the walking dead!
Elephant Trunk Sleeve Matching Sweatshirts By CreativeCallipipper   Are you and your sweetheart just like two elephants in love? Share your love with these matching sweatshirts with cute smiling elephants where the trunks entwine when you and your love link arms and stroll down the street!
	Valentine Red Infinity Scarf Super Chunky Cowl Scarf By LovelySquid   For the loopy romantic, adorn the graceful neck of your loved one with this Valentine red infinity scarf by LovelySquid. So awesome and versatile, this scarf can be warn in endless ways to accessorize any outfit!
Cupid Cthulhu Plush By ThatSingularAnomaly   What quirky Valentine wouldn’t fall in love with this adorable squishy Cupid Cthulhu Plush! It’s crocheted  in pink acrylic yarn with irresistible button heart eyes to make you fall in love or devour your soul!
	Ruby Cabochon Textured Sterling Silver Rectangle Earrings By quidditydesigns Quidditydesigns gives sterling silver a streamline modern yet exquisite look with these handmade textured sterling silver earrings.
Handmade Inappropriate Valentine By honeylaura   Looks can be deceiving, especially when it’s an innocent-looking valentine card covered with hearts and chocolate chips. Inside, you’ll find an inappropriate message, or it may be totally appropriate for your Valentine’s Day intentions.
	Moon Dragon Middlin – Campus By Bright Eyed Creatures   This magical glow in the dark dragon not only will ward away bad dreams, but will keep your bills from flying off your nightstand during a bout of night terrors.  Not bad!
Tree of Life Pendant Rhodolite Garnet in Sterling Silver Wire By PhoenixFireDesigns   The Tree of Life symbolizes the connection of all things from the spiritual to the physical. PhoenixFireDesigns handcrafts these amazing Tree of Life pendants from wire-wrapping sterling silver plated wire and precious gems like these stunning Rhodolite Garnet rondells in cherry raspberry pink. There’s no better gift to express your connection to your loved one than with this one of a kind Tree of Life Pendant.

Whatever your Valentine sweetheart desires, you’ll find something precious to your quirky love handmade by brilliant artists such as these.

Valentine’s is always a breath of fresh air after the post Christmas slump in January. While the holidays were focused on the frenzy of finding many gifts for many people, the unique charm of Valentine’s Day is about thoughtful and special gifts for one particular loved one. Although shoppers still love scoring great Valentine’s Day bargains, many lovers still go all out to impress their sweetheart on this day of love. According to the AmEx’s Shop Small Valentine’s Day Monitor, over 45% of lovestruck consumers plan to spend at least $75 on their beloved for Valentine’s Day.

So how do merchants capture the hearts of these young-spirited lovers yearning to express their undying love a special someone? We’re gathered the top five tips for indie retailers for maximizing their love for your products for Valentine’s Day.

1. Add Romantic Flair

   Spice up your online storefront with romantic graphics and sweeten your existing products customized for lovebirds. Founder of Scrubz Body Scrub, Roberta Perry, loves holiday marketing the most because it gives Scrubs the unique opportunity to reimagine how her customers use their skincare products. Perry shares examples of how she adds romantic flair to her products. “’Sweetness for your Lips not your Hips’ [is the card attached to] our Lipz Service/ Lipz Valentines bag. Our Shavez is packaged in a black bag with Lipz in red to show how guys love this stuff too. We offer different scents, such as Chocolate Dreamz and Pink Candy.” Along with heartfelt packaging ideas, Perry also says, “We learn from each holiday, that people like visuals. They like to be given great gift ideas, and so we give them what they want.” Retailers can also offer free or affordable special Valentine themed gift-wrap services to extend some love to your customers.

   Colors of love like pink and red are great for revamping your current products to be more lovey dovey. Vanity Girl Hollywood makes glamorous lighted vanities for celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Cindy Crawford. Founder Maxine Tationghari’s number one Valentine’s Day strategy is to “[run] a special pre sale promo of pink vanities (lighted Hollywood-style makeup mirrors). We only offer the color at specific times of the year, and Valentine’s Day is one of them.”

2. Emphasize and Guarantee Delivery Dates

   Time is especially important for online retailers to ship products to customers before a specific holiday. If your products are handmade and take several weeks to process, make sure your customers know when you guarantee delivery and what are your cut-off shipping dates. William Lau, Digital Marketing Manager for Canvas Paintings, stresses that delivery time is the most important aspect when customers choose to shop on their online store. “We created call to action buttons on our whole site emphasizing on timely delivery and the last date opportunity to guarantee delivery by Valentine’s Day,” says Lau. “We’ve also given a guarantee of $100 gift card for any missed deliveries just to boost confidence.” Canvas Paintings offers stunning hand-painted artwork, which may take up to three weeks to deliver so advertising guaranteed delivery dates is of utmost importance. Also, offering gift cards for late deliveries not only boosts consumer confidence, but also adds an additional incentive for the shopper to shop at your store.Also, for the late birds, offer last minute delivery options as suggested by Alice Bredin, Small Business Advisor to American Express OPEN. “If possible, offer speedy delivery of your items to shoppers who are tight on time,” says Bredin. “This might include same-day downloading of a decorative gift certificate or delivery of items. To prepare for Valentine’s Day itself, have items that people can buy quickly. Many people will leave Valentine’s Day shopping to the last minute, so have items ready to go. If possible, increase staffing for those shoppers who might need assistance choosing just the right thing.”

3. Valentine’s Email Promotion

   Emailing your customer base is undeniable a store’s number one way to directly reach out to their fans and encourage them to shop online. Kate Chittenden of Mad Mimi, a web app for building email newsletters shares her behind the scenes look at the nearly 140,000 small businesses and individuals Mad Mimi serves. Chittenden says, “We see a huge influx of emails going out the week of Valentine’s Day and encourage our customers to capitalize on the holiday. Even if you don’t have an obvious retail slant to your small business – use this holiday to connect with your customers and ‘share the love’ or creatively connect your business to the holiday via an email. Maximizing sales is ultimately about relationships – the one the business has with their customer.” Chief of Culture at Mad Mini, Dean Levitt, blogs about his expertise about the advantages of email marketing for Valentine’s Day on his article about the “3 Tips for Valentine’s Day Email Marketing.”

4. Showcase Sweetheart Deals

   Run special sales just for Valentine’s Day to encourage your customers to shop discounted presents. Crystal Wells, Product Marketing Manager at Vendio, suggests to “[s]howcase sale items on your website that would make great gifts. The sale items can be an assortment of products for both him and her, or they can be gender-neutral items that anyone would love to receive.” Additionally, add some personalization, says Crystal. “Run a Valentine’s Day promotion by offering to include a free custom message card with every purchase. Let customers write a personal message, and if possible, handwrite the card.”

   Tationghari of Vanity Girl Hollywood also encourages sales by “[offering] a very aggressive Pink Friday sale, similar to Black Friday of 20% for 3 days only.” Wouldn’t it be great if Pink Friday became as widespread as Black Friday?

5. Offbeat Marketing

   Valentines isn’t all about pink teddy bears and red heart-shaped boxes of chocolate. Shawn Tavakoli, Founder of Beauty Collection, a cosmetics store and spa in Southern California, played on a twist on traditional sweet Valentine’s theme. Tavakoli shares his advice for marketing around special holidays. “We try new things all the time – this year, we developed a V-Day infographic called ‘How Naughty is Your Valentine’s Day’ that we promoted on our blog, and via Facebook and Twitter. [There's] usually a way to make something move if you’re a little creative.  Just plan in advance, and watch what others are doing for inspiration.” If you’re fantasizing about Valentine’s Day, check out Beauty Collection’s How Naughty is your Valentine’s Day infographic!

No matter if you celebrate this day of love with lavish gifts or fancy dining out, you’ll find great success at your shop around Valentine’s Day with these great tips. Fill someone’s heart with love and shower them with gifts this Valentine’s Day.

Original image from Shutterstock.

Every week or so, we’ll be writing about our favorite handmade, vintage, and indie finds of the week. Find coupons for Etsy and stores like these on our Indie Coupon Tool. Want to share something with us? Leave a comment below.

It’s the month of love, and as Valentine’s Day rolls around, make sure you don’t forget to show your pet some love as well! With a pet, a special bond is created and they become long-time friends and family members. Giving presents to your pets isn’t just for Christmas anymore, so celebrate Valentine’s Day with them as well! Check out these fabulous finds from various, unique sellers and give your cat and/or a special, love-filled holiday.

Dress Your Pet Up

	Pink and Plaid Dog Shirt Collar and Bow Tie By JalinaColon Give your dog a cutesy makeover on Valentine’s Day with Jalina Colon’s dog collar and bow tie set! With this pink and white plaid design, it’s the perfect Valentine’s color combo for your precious, furry friend.
Custom Wood Pet Collar Charm Name Tag By Cropscotch   Switch up your dog or cat’s tags with Cropscotch’s custom wood pet collar charm! Laser cut into high quality hardwood, you can have your pet’s name on these quirky tags for a personalized appearance. With a “Hello, my name is…” greeting, your pet will charm all your house guests!
	Chrysocholla Healing Stone Pet Collar Charm By The Healing Pet   Charm your furry pal with The Healing Pet’s healing pet collar charm! Infused with Reiki energy, The Healing Pet’s collar charm has a healing stone to help weight management and maintain blood sugar levels for a diabetic pet.

Home Sweet Home

Wool Cat Cave By Valva Nat   Make your curious kitty feel at home with Vava Nat’s one-of-a-kind cat cave! Crafted with 100% wool, your cat will enjoy diving into this cave’s opening and having a cozy place to nap in. Valva Nat shows buyers how cats love these caves with their own video and also displays their extensive knowledge on cats.
	Great Dane Elevated Dog Feeder By Modern Iron Works   Food is comfort to pets as well, so give your dog a grand feeder from Modern Ironworks! This specific, raised feeder is for Great Danes, however, Modern Ironworks also designs feeders for other pets. Carved with a darling heart on both sides of the feeder, this elegant dog feeder is a true Valentine’s Day present that displays your love for your doggie!
Cat Scratch Post, Kitty Condo, and Cat Perch All-In-One Furniture By Cattino   Your cat will go crazy over Cattino’s cat scratcher, kitty condo, and cat perch furniture trio! This sleek and stylish cat furniture can be fit into any home decor and a major playset for your cat. With this innovative design, your kitty be able to do all their favorite activities in one place!
	Cat Nip Cat Quilt By Nancy Ellen Studios   Wrap your kitty in a catnip quilt from Nancy Ellen Studios! This colorful and whimsy quilt can transform into a toy and a cat nap area instantly. A small pouch of catnip is sewn in the layers of this cuddly quilt and is a special, surprise treat for your cat.

Toy Box

Crocheted Sushi Catnip Toy By Meowadays   Let your cat nibble on catnip-infused sushi from Meow-A-Days! With a three-piece, crocheted sushi set — including wasabi, sashimi, and a roll — your kitty can roll around and snack on these all day. Made with 100% organic catnip, your cat can have a healthy snack without any health-risking chemicals and preservatives.
	Ethical Pet Spot Seek-A-Treat Shuffle Bone Pet Toy By Wag   Get your dog’s brain gears going with this fun and creative Seek-A-Treat shuffle bone from Ethical Pet Spot! This challenging puzzle helps your pet’s mental development and rewards them with a tasty treat when they find it. With ten places to hide treats and six sliding disks, your furry friend will have a blast with this puzzle.
Red Hibiscus Flower Wooden Wand Cat Teaser Toy By Mima The Muse   Give your playful cat the thrill of a chase with Mima the Muse’s flower cat teaser! At the end of this wooden wand, your cat will find a delicate, felt hibiscus flower in eye-catching colors.

Clean-Up Time! 

	Natural Dog Soap for Dogs with Sensitive Skin By Dog Gone Dirt   Give your dog an invigorating and healthy bath with Dog Gone Dirt’s natural dog soap! Named Sensi-Dog, this soap is excellent for dogs who have sensitive skin. Made with enriching ingredients, your dog will begin to love baths with this soothing soap.
Heart-Shaped Synthetic Turf Pet Mat By 7StyleGuides   Welcome your pet into the house with 7 Style Guides’ heart-shaped pet mat! This sturdy synthetic turf-based mat is perfect for your outdoorsy pets to do their business on and clean the dirt off their paws before they come inside. You can easily clean the mat with a hose and disinfectant, which is optional. It’s heart-shaped, too, and is a fabulous Valentine’s gift for your beloved pet!
	Beige Bones Petite Pet Toy Box By Jakey BB   Teach your dog how to clean up after their play time and put their toys into Jakey BB’s original, handcrafted and painted toy box! These decorative and intricately-detailed wooden toy boxes double up as stunning home decor as well. Jakey BB has several different toy box designs to fit your home and your dog’s personality!

Closing

Written by Emily Nguyen, a freelance writer and contributor to NerdWallet Shopping.

Every week or so, we’ll be writing about our favorite handmade, vintage, and indie finds of the week. Come check out our Indie Coupons website for great Etsy discounts and coupons for stores like these! Want to share something with us? Leave a comment below.

Moms and dads, take the time to give your little ones some lovin’ on Valentine’s Day, too! Just like Christmas, children love receiving gifts and treats, especially when Valentine’s Day is filled with yummy chocolates and finger-lickin’-good lollipops. Another delicious delicacy to feast on during this holiday is to present them with a plate full of fluffy, heart-shaped pancakes sprinkled with gooey chocolate chips at the breakfast table. You can also take them on a baking adventure after they come home from school, bake heart-shaped sugar cookies, and decorate them with colorful sprinkles and super sweet frosting! Add a bit of variety and top off these savory cookies with candy pieces they receive from classmates at school. Since many schools have Valentine’s Day parties for their kids, why not celebrate this love-filled holiday with your beloved children as well? Sweets and treats aren’t the only gifts you can give them and make them smile; fill their hearts with these fun and inventive creations from Etsy sellers!

	Rainbow Counting Wooden Hearts By Apples N’ Amos Give your toddler a new set of building blocks with Apples N’ Amos’ rainbow counting wooden hearts! As an educational toy set based on the Waldorf and Montessori instructing fundamentals, your child will learn basic colors, count to 15, and develop their natural creativity. Apples N’ Amos’ wooden hearts can be used as a craft table decoration for your kids or you can discover a fun, unique game just for them to play. Painted with watercolor and sealed with beeswax polish, be sure to keep your wooden heart set away from children’s mouths and baths!
Valentine’s Day Plush Bunny By The Fox in the Attic Let your little one cuddle up with The Fox in the Attic’s plush bunny as you read them a bedtime story. Made from a smooth cotton fabric and stuffed with high quality polyester filling, your bundle of joy will adore having a pillowy companion during sleepy time to scare off the monsters in the closet and in their dreams. Embroidered with a big red heart, this plush bunny is a heartwarming gift for your little angel.
	Little Lovie Pet Rock By 906 East Chic For just 3 for $1.00, you can give your child a long-lasting pet with 906 East Chic’s Little Lovie pet rocks! Whether for kids who are allergic to animals or if you’re wanting to teach your children how care for a pet before you get a dog or cat, these pet rocks make for a great substitute. Each three pet rock you receive will have a name and you’ll be giving feeding instructions and a blankie with your purchase. These googly eyed friends come in a variety of sparkling colors that suits your child’s personality and preference.
Red Personalized Valentine’s Day Mailbox By Shop 24   Send your tot little gifts of love with Shop 24’s personalized Valentine’s Day mailbox! Place this outside your child’s door, and let them open their mailbox on the morning of Valentine’s Day for a surprise that’ll leave their mouths covered in chocolate and in a permanent smile. Shop 24’s mailbox is decorated with vinyl heart stickers and your child’s name will be shown on the side. You can also use this fun mailbox for birthday and other holiday presents, or just add a small card to remind your little lamb how special they are.
	Roses Valentine Fairy Door By Clayworks (by Kim Detmers)   Transform your child’s room into a mystical fantasy land with a Valentine inspired fairy door from Clayworks by Kim Detmers! Giving your child their own fairy portal will invite these enchanting creatures into your child’s room for a fantastical party. Artfully crafted with polymer clay, this darling fairy door is dotted with red roses and hearts for a playfully romantic appearance, perfect for Valentine’s Day. Install this fairy door in the corner of your little darling’s room for a secretive opening for fairies to come in!
Valentine’s Day Kids’ Metal Lunch Box By Bebe Bilingual   Valentine’s Day is a celebration that many elementary schools indulge in to give their students a day to share treats with their classmates. Give your little one Bebe Bilingual’s Valentine’s Day lunch box to collect their goodies in! With a festive and kid-friendly design, this lunch box is an excellent and secure treat holder for your little cutie. Inside the lunch box, there’s a chalkboard panel that you can write secret, loving Valentine’s Day messages to them instead of on a napkin.
	Showered With Love Rainbow Hearts Cloud Mobile By Baby Jives Co.   Hang up a cloud of love in your toddler’s room with Baby Jives Co.’s rainbow hearts cloud mobile! The cloud and dropping rainbow hearts are handmade with various cotton fabrics, polyfill, and cotton floss. Each mobile comes with a set of instructions so that you can secure this adorable mobile in any desired area. Let in a little breeze to watch the magical love cloud twirl around in your child’s room!
Crayon Ammo Belt By Jordan Dené   Keep your kids organized and feeling like a cool cat with Jordan Dené’s crayon ammo belt! This magnificent and innovative creation allows kids to keep their crayons close by if they ever have the urge to whip out their favorite coloring book and get creative. Whether on a long car ride to Disney World or going to a play date, your child will be equipped with their crayons wherever they go. Pair up this ammo belt with Jordan Dené’s own coloring book to get your kids’ creative gears grinding right when you receive it in the mail!
	Two Pairs of Crocheted Barefoot Sandals By Accessory Gallery by Lasunka   Wrap your little princess’ pretty feet in crocheted barefoot sandals from Accessory Gallery by Lasunka! These fairy-like barefoot sandals are made with soft cotton yarn and centered with a heart for a girly, Valentine’s Day look. With two pairs of these cutesy crocheted sandals, your precious angel gets a pair of dark red and light pink sandals that she can mix-and-match any time. Let her dance around in her favorite tutu or dress with these boho-chic barefoot sandals!
Oatmeal Vanilla Cookie Red Heart Hand Pocket Warmer By Hartstringz   Give your kids something warm and homey to hold onto while they wait for the school bus! With Hartstringz’s oatmeal vanilla cookie scented, red heart pocket warmer, these make for a great Valentine’s Day gift for your children. Stuffed with a rice and bean mixture and infused with a comforting vanilla scent, Hartstringz’s hand pocket warmers are an eco-friendly, shabby-chic gift that brings a bit of your love and home with your kids.

You can create a second Christmas for your children by making or buying a plain stocking and letting them decorate them to their preference for Valentine’s Day. After all decorating has been done, you can put these stockings over the fireplace or on their bedroom door knob and stuff them with an assortment of goodies. It’ll be like waking up on Christmas morning and finding a stocking full of tasty treats and treasurable trinkets! Have a happy Valentine’s Day with your family this year!

Written by Emily Nguyen, a freelance writer and contributor to NerdWallet Shopping.

Every week or so, we’ll be writing about our favorite handmade, vintage, and indie finds of the week. Come check out our Indie Coupons website for great Etsy coupon codes and discounts for stores like these! Want to share something with us? Leave a comment below.

Give Valentine’s Day a twist this year with awesomely nerdy gifts! You can settle for the traditional chocolates and perfume gift sets, but you can also take another path to Valentine’s Day gift-giving — just put your geeky mind into motion. What is a nerd, anyway? From the typical, pimply high school outcast to the super technology genius, a wide variety of nerd stereotypes surround us. The nerd we’re talking about today is one who is completely obsessed and passionate with any area of life, whether it’s animals, fashion, or science. For instance, if you’ve got an animal-obsessed nerd on your hands, take them to a zoo for a Valentine’s Day date. Got a fashion nerd in your life? Present them with new, personalized, and easy-to-carry sketch book for their clothing-creating urges. No matter what type of geek you have in your life, you can find a fabulous Valentine’s Day present that will delight them and spoil their nerdy tendencies.

	Nerdy Cat Post Earrings By Atomic Lace   Add a touch of nerdy chic with Atomic Lace’s nerdy cat post earrings! Atomic Lace creates their own artwork to make these adorable and quirky earrings. The super cute white kitty in these earrings is wearing oversized glasses for a darling nerdy appearance! Protecting this pair of precious white kittens is a layer of resin, which also gives it a shiny, appealing sheen.
Miniature Pokemon Habitat with Oddish By Botaninko From Pikachu to Charmander, the famed, childhood-favorite animation, Pokemon, is formed into a portable habitat made by Botaninko! Combined with gravel, moss, and soil, this miniature terrarium can be placed in a college dorm or in an office for a refreshing piece of nature. An Oddish Pokemon figurine and raw stone is added to create an animated terrarium for the nerdy, Pokemon lover in your life!
	Librarian Multi-Colored Glasses Pocket Mirror By Buttonlandia   Give the book nerd in your life a mini way to stay gorgeous all day long with Buttonlandia’s librarian inspired pocket mirror! Covered in a colorful array of glasses, this lovely pocket mirror becomes a chic and nerdy accessory to toss in your purse as you head out the door. At 2.25’’, this small, handheld mirror can be slipped into your pocket along with a tube of lip gloss for a quick touch-up.
Steampunk Mathematician Inspired Brass Cuff Bracelet By Jezebel Charms   The brilliant Isaac Newton is famous for his mathematical discoveries, and those discoveries have now found their way on Jezebel Charms’ steampunk styled cuff bracelet! Math and science geeks will adore this brass cuff bracelet as it is printed with Newton’s Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, allowing them to keep their nerdy nature and style. Jezebel Charms creates this steampunk cuff with an aged appearance for a vintage touch.
	Damask Pattern Wooden Bow Tie Pin By Havok Designs   Bring a new texture to dress shirt apparel with Havok Designs’ wooden bow tie pin! Speckled with a gothic-like, damask pattern, this one-of-a-kind bow tie adds a modern yet vintage twist to fancy attire. This laser cut wooden bow tie comes in two types of wood that you can choose from: cherry and maple. Pin this on your favorite nerd for a bold, geeky fashion statement!
Repurposed Superman Comic Bi-Fold Wallet By SuperSock   Let one of the world renowned superheroes keep your cash secure and safe with SuperSock’s recycled superman comic wallet! This bi-fold, multipurpose wallet is made a collage of 8-10 pages of vintage comics and comic book ads from Toys R’ Us, attached together with crumpled packing tape for an environmentally conscious appearance. This wallet is roomy enough to fit more than five credit/debit and business cards. Perfect for your little boy or comic nerd buddy, this Superman bi-fold wallet is a useful and decorative gift for them on Valentine’s Day!
	Neoprene Chemical Element Periodic Table “Nerdy” 15’’ Laptop Case By Yellow Bug Boutique   Get your nerd on with Yellow Bug Boutique’s periodic table inspired laptop case! Spelled with the chemicals nitrogen, erbium, and dysprosium, “Nerdy” is displayed in chemical element form on this red or black (you choose!) 15’’ laptop case. Made with quality and cushiony neoprene wetsuit grade fabric, this laptop case will keep your laptop safe from harm so you can keep nerding on!
Light-Up Ghost USB Circuit Board Magnet By Boardaments   Light up your special techie friend’s eyes with Boardaments’ ghost USB circuit board magnet! When plugged into a USB port, the ghost character’s eyes light up on the circuit board magnet. This fun and friendly ghost print is inspired from popular video games from the 80’s, giving this circuit board magnet a classic look. Use this board magnet to hold together important papers or even hold your place in a book!
	PacMan Coffee Cozy Sleeve By The Plaid Cupcake   PacMan is the ultimate, timeless game that has made many people’s childhood worthwhile. Have a close friend who’s super crazy about PacMan or just an avid gamer? Then present them with The Plaid Cupcake’s PacMan coffee cozy! Gamers can put their favorite energy or coffee drinks in this PacMan fabric-made cozy and pull as many gaming all-nighters as they want without losing the coolness or hotness of their favorite drinks. You can also use this geeky-chic coffee cozy on your way to work for an offbeat impression from your usual professional attire.
Lego Heart Necklace By MoL Gifts   Present your nerdy Valentine with a quirky Lego heart necklace from MoL Gifts! As the most famed and popular building block set, Legos has been a classic kids’ game for many generations. Now you can enjoy them in heart-shaped form on Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart! MoL Gifts forms their Lego heart necklace by putting two Lego plates together and threads them with an 18’’ silver chain. The two Lego plates that form the heart is the clasp for this unique necklace. From navy blue to dark red, you can choose the perfect colors or matching colors for you and your partner. Bring back this kids’ classic and have a happy, nerdy Valentine’s Day!

Even when you have given your beloved nerd a Valentine’s Day gift, you can continue to indulge their geeky side with a nerd-themed day. From a Star Wars marathon to a comic or anime convention, you can find an entertaining and nerdy activity to show your love and appreciation for that special, loveable geek!

Written by Emily Nguyen, a freelance writer and core contributor to NerdWallet Shopping.