Build your own bouquet

A dozen red roses may be spectacular. But to some women, it's the default Valentine's present, same-o and impersonal -- something a chimp with a credit card could send. This year, it might be time to show your sweetie that it's YOU who is the true King of Romance. The man among men who knows her favorite colors and flowers, and who used his own hands, time and creativity to make her a bouquet. Remember how much your mom liked the pot holder you made her? A somewhat less romantic reason is that building your own floral arrangement can also cut the cost of Valentine's gallantry considerably.

To show how it's done, we recruited Richard Grant, 25, a research specialist at the UW Biotech Center with no previous bouquet-building credentials. Under the guidance of floral designer Judy Ansfield, the manager of Felly's Flowers on University Avenue, Grant made a bouquet for his girlfriend, Becca Splain, also 25.

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