It may be too late to order these for Valentines day, but they are so darn cute we couldn’t resist. Parker’s Crazy Cookies is based in California, but they are willing to ship their goodies – so get excited.  After graduating from the University of California, Dave Parker traveled abroad baking for local shops.  Upon his return to the States, Dave turned his love for cookies into a business – the birth of Parker’s Crazy Cookies.  Parker and crew make totally custom and completely adorable cookies.  With a picture and $20 (plus the cost of cookies), they will custom design a cookie to look like just about anything – even you!  Don’t take our word for it, take a look at their creative cookies below.

Looking for an alternative to a dozen red roses for your Valentine this month?  We all know treats and sweets are the way to anyone’s heart and we have some favorites to recommend.  We love our local companies and not just for their Austin spirits, they also are some of the best tasting treats we have found yet.
If  you’re looking to surprise your sweetie with a delivery, these divine deserts are the way to go:

Mary Louise Butters has been serving Austin for some years now, but more recently the rest of the country has gotten a taste of Ms. Butters’ gooey and self-proclaimed “feisty” brownies because of their promise of efficient and secure shipping.  Rachel Ray has referred to these squares of heaven as the “snack of the day” and The Today Show included them in their “8 Best Mail-Order Brownies” list, getting extra points for originality.  A box of 6 brownies will cost about $26 plus shipping.

Lammes Candies has been an Austin favorite since 1885  and they haven’t lost any steam. From pralines and toffee to their “Longhorn” clusters and peppermint kisses, Lammes has almost anything your Valentine loves.  With gifts starting at only $24, you can get two boxes (we doubt your beau will want to share).  The candy boxes can be wrapped, by Lammes, in any holiday wrapping paper and adorned with personal greeting.

If you’re a local Austinite, check out these pick-up only favorites:

Our favorite cupcake shop is Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop on South First Street.  Considering ourselves cupcake-connoisseurs, we can honestly say Sugar Mama’s is one of the best.  With totally unique flavors baked fresh daily, it’s impossible not to find something amazing.  Sugar Mama’s is also known for never taking shortcuts.  There is never any shortening, preservatives, or mixes used in these fabulous treats.  Even more Austin of them – this bakery is wind  powered and they use unbleached chlorine-free bakery boxes.  We can’t say enough great things about this little shop (unless they are interested in appeasing a late-night sweettooth, they’re near perfect).  The cupcakes run $2.50 each or $27.00 per dozen and it’s well worth the trip.

If you have a Valentine with a hankering for the frozen treats, Amy’s Ice Cream is by far the Austin winner.  With 7 standard flavors, daily creations, and seasonal favorites there is something for everyone.  While the traditional Sweet Cream may be our all time favorite, we’ve never been disappointed with any of the sometimes cooky flavors.  With 14 locations, there is bound to be an Amy’s Ice Cream by you – but we don’t suggest trying to wrap this one, it might get messy.

While costume jewelry is still huge, the more simple accessories are inching their way in… and we love it.  We all have our fair share of chunky bracelets and rockin’ rings, but these super cute pieces might just be cause for a shopping spree.

Handcrafted Bubble Lace Ring [Colleen Baran], Black Plasteramic Watch [Toy Watch], Bird Swing Necklace [Allison Wells :: Papersnake], Cupcake Necklace [Miam], The Banana Bag [One Language Label], Bijou Earrings [Alisha Louise], Valentina Agates Necklace [Stone and Honey] – Also check out Erica Weiner Jewelry for more designs we love!