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The stores are starting to fill their seasonal aisles with all sorts of Valentine’s Day gift items. Why not break away from the crowd this year and surprise your special someone with a beautiful handmade gift! All items featured are crafted locally in South Jersey and are available on Etsy.

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What could be a more personal, loving gift than a lovely album filled with special photos! This gorgeous LOVE mini album was created by Lara for her Etsy store, Artful M Designs. You can view the full listing here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/91886539/lovely-premade-5-x-7-mini-album-wedding?ref=usr_faveitems

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Instead of the usual jewelry gifts, why not give this stunning handmade heart necklace! The rich jewel tones are the perfect accent for the lovely hand-forged wire heart. This beautiful piece was created by Rose for her Etsy shop, Rose’s Wire Art Jewelry. For more details, click on the following link:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/105417286/modernjewelry-love-heart-necklace-great?ref=usr_faveitems

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This adorable “Hello Love Bug” handcrafted lady bug card is perfect for your little sweetie! It was created by Michele for her Etsy shop, Scrap Secrets. You can view the full listing here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/99107426/handmade-hello-love-bug-card?ref=usr_faveitems

Michele also has a fantastic blog with great tutorials and scrap booking info. You can check it out here:

http://scrapsecrets.wordpress.com/

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Another great idea for your little one is this precious Valentine’s Day hair bow! Such a fun accent! It was made by Caroline for her Etsy shop, Bow Sweet Bow, and can be purchased here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/119235743/valentines-day-bottle-cap-hair-bow?ref=usr_faveitems

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Who doesn’t love Oreo’s? And when they are covered with white chocolate with pink accents, they make a perfectly delicious Valentine’s gift! These yummy edibles were created by Julia for her Etsy shop, The Charming Cookie. You can feed your sweet tooth here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/114154603/pink-chocolate-covered-oreos?ref=usr_faveitems

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And speaking of yummy, how about a sweet cherry scented handmade candle? This pink beauty was made by Tony for his Etsy shop, Candle Kraze and would make a truly lovely Valentine’s gift. The full listing can be viewed here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/101079327/cherry-mason-jar-candle?ref=usr_faveitems

I hope that you enjoyed this sampling of locally crafted gift ideas. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more suggestions featuring South Jersey artisans.

Shanti,
Erin