Many folks bag on Valentine’s Day, but the thing is, you don’t have to be coupled up to enjoy a celebration of love. The love of significant others is great, but let’s not devalue the love between friends, the love between family, or the love between human and dog (our best friends).
There’s no need to be bitter this Valentine’s Day. If you look around you, you’ll notice you’re surrounded with love all the time. (And you love yourself, too, right? Can’t love anyone else until you learn to love yourself first!)
And if you’re convinced that Valentine’s Day is just some corporate Hallmark holiday, then check out these cards from Etsy. By purchasing from independent artists, you’re contributing to their vision. There are countless ways to express your affection, ranging from sweet and precious to, uh, doggie humor.
Remember Ammo, the Picasso pup? The adorable little Doxie has a Valentine’s card of his own, so you can say, “I love you” with this sweet canine. Buy Ammo’s card here.
Referencing the euphoria dogs feel with their heads out the windows of moving cars, this card from Modern Printed Matter “couldn’t be happier” — literally. Purchasing details are here.
A card with a cause, this Valentine is a collage of images. Every Recycled Dog card features the photo of a pup rescued from a shelter — sometimes within minutes of death — combined with a fitting vintage image. Portions of the proceeds are donated to the Friends of Noah organization. What’s not to love? Buy a card here.
Rigel Stuhmiller is an artist from Berkeley, California, whose printmaking pieces have been praised in important publications for their delicate renderings. Her take on Valentine’s Day appeals to the realities of owning a dog, which speak to a larger lesson of love: Sometimes the people and pets we adore do things we don’t like, but we treat them with patience, because we couldn’t live without them. Love what you see? You can buy Stuhmiller’s card here.
Speaking of dog realities, one of those realities is poop, and considering your response to our post about the looks dogs give you when you scoop, you certainly have a sense of humor about it. Crass but true, this card from LIKKS might actually be making a more profound statement on love than even it intends: You must really, really love a dog in order to commit to years of handling poop. If this suits your taste, you can buy it here.
Photo: Dog holding a rose by Shutterstock
