Date Night Idea Jar DIY + Free Printable | Easy Valentine Day Gift Idea

Whether you are married, planning a wedding, or just looking for ways to add the spark back to your relationship, here are some simple but fun ideas to show you that you don’t need a bunch of money to plan a date night with your honey. Heck, you don't even need to plan anything with the idea jar. You can just pick out a random activity and go on a spontaneous adventure! It’s all about reconnecting with that special someone, it doesn't really even matter what you do.

I know that putting a “date night” on the calendar sounds unsexy, but this should be a priority even if it's only once a month. Put it on the schedule and keep it as a non-negotiable day to connect in some way with your partner—just the two of you—even if you can’t leave the house. Seriously. This is all about making time for what matters most.

I know that money can get in the way of doing this regularly, which is why the ideas I’m sharing for the DIY Date Night Idea Jar are free or under $20. Got babysitter woes? Trade date nights with another couple that has kiddos so you can support one another and strengthen your relationships with your partners at the same time. Sounds like a win/win to me!

DATE NIGHT IDEAS THAT ARE FREE OR UNDER $20

• Take a Hike - Find a trail and get outside

• Visit a Donut Shop - Try something new

• Picnic in the Park - Pack a meal and bring a blanket

• Go Thrifting - See who finds the best treasures

• Yoga Class - Stretch together and connect

• Go Skating - Roller skate or ice skate, your choice

• Dollar Movies - Try a matinee or indie theater

• Wine Tasting - Find a local winery

• Museum Exhibit - Free or donation-based

• Spontaneous Road Trip - Take a drive and see where it leads

• Go Bowling - During disco night

I also included a sheet of blank cards with the printable so you can write in your own date night ideas if the ones I shared aren't up your alley. These are all things that Cody and I do together as well as things that I want us to do soon! There are so many different activities you can do as a couple to have fun and reconnect. What ideas would you add to the list?! I'd love to hear your date night ideas in the comments! 

Directions for DIY Date Night Idea Jar:

» Print out Date Night Ideas Printable (in color or black and white)

» Cut out idea cards and fill in the blank ones with date nights that you want to do.

» Fold the cards and put in a mason jar.

» Decorate however you like! I kept it simple and just tied a piece of twine around the top and then added some stickers with phrases that focused on feelings I hope that we conjure on our date nights.

To download the FREE Date Night Idea Printable, click here.

Hi! My name is Jessica a.k.a. Wayfaring Wanderer and I reside in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains here in Boone, NC. I'm a free-spirited wedding, engagement, and lifestyle photographer who loves working with couples, families, and individuals who are committed to travel, adventure, and laid-back lifestyles. If you think we might be kindreds, I invite you to join the WW tribe by signing up [ HERE ] for weekly updates & get connected to the [ WW Facebook page ] to join the conversation! | Website www.wayfaringwanderer.com

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Love Quote for Valentine's Day

Love is what you've been through with somebody 

~James Thurber~

Most people tend to think about love in a romantic sense. They associate it with how you get butterflies in your stomach when you're with that special someone, or how they frequently fill you with warm and fuzzies. There's an aspect of love, though, that doesn't get as much praise as its candy-coated counterpart, which is kind of sad because it's just as important.

It's not difficult to be all-in when things are going smoothly. It's the times when things aren't going the way that's expected when you show the fortitude to overcome hurdles placed before a relationship. Knowing that no matter what is happening in your world right at this moment isn't anything that you can't get past together, as a unit. To me, that's love.

This Valentine's Day I will gratefully appreciate all that love entails, the good, the bad, and the ugly <3

What will you be celebrating about love on this day? 

Sneak Peak

Remember my first experiment with layers in Photoshop?!
Well, if not, the image above was the first image I ever applied a texture to.
It took me forever to figure out how layers work, but once you do, it's easy peasy!

Anyway, I have been working with this TtV photo again this past weekend.
As you know Valentine's Day is just around the corner and I wanted to do something special.



I'm madly in love with these little keepsakes.....and thought, hey, someone else might
like one, too! Oh yeah, Cody helped me make the handmade envelopes to
go with them (not pictured). Clicking on the photo will take you to the
listing in my Etsy shop.


I have been very busy getting things done lately. There is a secret
that I will share about how I am finding motivation later this week.
Stay tuned! And, who knows, maybe Cody will have a post?!?!
I bet if you ask nicely he'll do one :o)

~ Ode to Code ~

Love - a wildly misunderstood although highly desirable malfunction of the heart which weakens the brain, causes eyes to sparkle, cheeks to glow, blood pressure to rise and the lips to pucker.







*I guess that I'm feeling a little mushy right now......and appreciative.....
I haven't been in the greatest of moods this week, mainly because I'm hurting more than usual and it almost always makes me pissy.....oops! I don't know how he does it sometimes.....am I really worth all the trouble?! I suppose that he thinks so, which is really all that matters....
I just want to say thank you for always being there for me.....and for always believing in me....even if you don't think I could have went up against an American Gladiator.....I look forward to the time we get to spend together after a long day.....or week of work.....and I am so grateful for what we have......and how we help one another throughout these days......
I am so fortunate to have you in my life.....
Thank you for being you!