Unique Valentine's Day Gifts That Will Make Them Swoon
Have you heard the Jim Croce song, "I'll Have To Say I Love You in a Song"? The narrator of the song tries to speak plainly, telling his love how he feels, but he finds that he's unable to give expression to the things that his heart knows but his mind doesn't know how to say — the words just come out wrong.
Thankfully, he has art to fall back on. I mean, that's why art exists in the first place, isn't it? We use art to express the inexpressible. For me, it's visual art. For Jim Croce, it was music.
Sometimes we need to create art to get our message across, or to achieve catharsis, or to find our inner peace. And sometimes we need to be inspired by art. Which is why we go to art galleries and museums, read stories and poetry, attend plays and concerts, watch movies and TV series.
How many of us have struggled to tell a loved one — romantic partner, crush, friend, family member — just how we feel? The days of mix tapes are long gone, for better or for worse, but we still use music (and/or poetry) to say what we need to say, but don't know how to say — whether it's a playlist on a streaming service or a one-off link to youtube. I'll Have To Say I Love You in a Song.
Abstract Art Leaves Space for Genuine Emotion
I've always been drawn to abstract art because of its malleability — something it shares with music and poetry. Walt Whitman once rhetorically asked, "Do I contradict myself? / Very well then I contradict myself." He then added parenthetically, "I am large, I contain multitudes."
Abstract art doesn't force us into a specific and concrete meaning; rather, it allows us to let it mean what we want it to mean, sometimes what we need it to mean. Indeed, abstract art, like Whitman, positively revels in its multiplicity of meanings.
And so, as a visual artist, when it came time for me to create, to express the inexpressible, abstract art seemed the natural choice. Not necessarily the most comforting, but certainly the most rewarding, at least for me. Joan Miró, a fellow abstract artist, once said, "I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music." I, too, have spent my life using colors to shape the designs you see here at Real Abstract Design.
New Abstract Design Available for Purchase: Magenta Metallic Sea
I'm working on a number of new designs, and I've teased some of them on social media. (If you haven't yet done so, be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook, so you don't miss out on new designs and other special announcements. You can also subscribe to our newsletter; there's a signup form at the bottom of every page of our website, including this one!)
These new designs don't yet appear on any of our products, but one of the designs I teased last summer has now been rolled out to a number of products that are available for purchase. Introducing Magenta Metallic Sea!
All of our tough phone cases are available in Magenta Metallic Sea, both glossy and matte finishes. These custom-created cases fit all versions of the iPhone 17 series, as well as older models (all versions of iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16). And our cases fit all versions of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, as well as older models (Galaxy 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24).
We've also updated our ceramic coffee mug collection to include Magenta Metallic Sea. It's available in either 11 oz or 15 oz, with multiple color options for the handle, rim, and inside. Cozy up with our latest design!
Magenta Metallic Sea is also available as a mouse pad — both as a regular mouse pad and as a gaming mouse pad — and as a laptop sleeve.
And finally, it's available on our newest product, glass cutting boards! Freshen up your kitchen game, whether you're slicing, serving, or decorating. Our cutting boards are scratch-resistant and won't slide around on you. Learn more about our glass cutting boards, and check out what a happy customer posted on instagram.
Unique Valentine's Day Gifts That Will Make Them Swoon
Back to the topic at hand: Valentine's Day is coming up soon! 💘 Are you looking for ideas about what to get your special someone? Or maybe you're trying to figure out how to show your mother or grandmother, father or grandfather, just how much they mean to you. Or just maybe, you're gathering with friends for Galentine's Day and are looking for that perfect gift to show how thankful you are to be in each others' lives.
The main thing is, there are people in your life that are special to you, and you want to show your affection and appreciation. And sometimes we show people what they mean to us by the gifts we give them — not in some superficial, materialistic way, but simply to let them know that we're thinking of them. We've found something that reminds us of them, and we want them to have it.
People tend to say, "it's the thought that counts," when talking about a bad or impractical gift, but it's the thought that counts for good gifts, too! And if you're not sure what gift could possibly convey how you feel about someone ... well, I've already shared with you the secret to expressing yourself when you don't know what to say. Give your loved one the gift of abstract art!
"I'll have to say I love you with this abstract design ceramic mug" may never be a hit single, but as we've already seen, abstract art tugs at the edges of your subconscious, generating feelings that can't be put into words. So this Valentine's Day, give your loved ones something as unique and indefinable as your love for them.
Plus, our inventory is chock full of practical, high-quality products that use our signature edgy abstract designs to transform everyday spaces and moments — often bringing a smile to someone's face when they least expect it — so people want to use them again and again. This year, leave your loved ones saying, "It's the thought that counts ... but also, this is awesome!"
Shop by Product Type
You know your loved one best, which type of product they'll find useful, or that might brighten up their day, over and over again:
- A glass cutting board may not scream "perfect Valentine's Day gift," but if your partner or friend spends a lot of time in the kitchen, or has been looking to personalize that space, it may well be the perfect gift for someone! 🔪 This new product is available in nine different designs. Check them out →
- Or give them something they can take with them. We sell crossbody utility bags in two designs, Confectionary Glow and Pastel Ambience. These versatile bags are both sturdy and stylish, and I take mine with me everywhere I go. 🎒 We also sell tote bags in 11 different designs.
- Speaking of things they can take with them, don't forget about our phone cases. Is there anything more central to our day-to-day activities than our phone? It's always somewhere within reach. 📱 Our tough phone cases fit both iPhones and Samsung Galaxy models.
- I know I made a little joke about mugs earlier, but mugs can be very personal! ☕ In an earlier blog post, we cited a survey that said most people feel an emotional attachment to their mugs, and you can bet that emotional connection gets ramped up exponentially when the mug comes from a loved one. Our mugs come in 15 different designs, not to mention a variety of sizes and styles.
- And of course, there are our canvas prints — give the gift of art itself! 🖼️ These vivid, fade-resistant prints are available in nine different designs, each carrying its own edgy aesthetic. They're easy to transport, ready to hang, and available in multiple sizes. See all our designs for canvas wall art →
Shop by Abstract Design
Or perhaps you'd rather shop by design. Find something that reminds you of your loved one, or matches their taste and sensibilities, or feels like it expresses how you feel about them. Then check out the full range of products we have available in that design.
Our new design, Magenta Metallic Sea, lends itself well to conventional Valentine's Day imagery, as do a number of our other designs, including Confectionary Glow, Pastel Ambience, Harmonious Gray, and Lavender Cosmos. Click each image below to see all products we offer with that design:
- Confectionary Glow:
- Pastel Ambience:
- Harmonious Gray:
- Lavender Cosmos:
Looking to branch out a bit? We have a number of other designs that feature various pink and purple hues:
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Galactic Magenta
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Magenta Sunrise
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Celestial Paradise
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Neon Splash
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Neon Vitality
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Neon Topography
- Neon Aquatic Odyssey
Keep in mind that, when shopping online, you'll want to allow some time for shipping — especially for something that's custom-created. Our products are made especially for you as soon as you place your order; we're a small business, and there's no warehouse of inventory waiting to be shipped. So be sure to leave enough time for your special gift to be created and shipped!
Florine Stettheimer: Edgy Art from 1930
I'll wrap up this blog post with a bit of edgy art that's almost a hundred years old. Florine Stettheimer painted "Love Flight of a Pink Candy Heart" back in 1930:
When Florine died, she left instructions that all her paintings not be sold but donated to museums around the United States. This one's on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts. But SpillyJane Knits, a knitting blog, has some really great pictures of it, so I'll link you over to her blog to check it out →
Wishing you and all your loved ones the happiest of Valentine's Days!
