Long distance relationships, anyone?

[Bastelmutti]

We were poor university students 2 time zones apart, too! This was back when e-mail was extremely rudimentary (I think the program was called "Elm"!), so we spent most of our $ on phone calls, which was completely worth it, in my opinion. But that should be easier now with the Internet all over the place. Spend some time on letters and cards, though - it's great to have those now to look back on. Maybe scrapbook what you do during the time you're apart (events, parties, friends, etc.) It's good to get a picture of what your day-to-day life is like.

The good news is that we had to LDR for 1 year, which was hard, but now we've been together for 13 yrs. and married for 8 yrs. Two kids, too! If it's meant to be, this won't be the deal breaker for you. Good luck!

[marimbachick]

Just moved in with my sweetie after a year of being 3 time zones apart!  Phew! Good luck with your relationship!

As for things to send, handwritten cards and letters always feel special.  Even when I thought he didn't particularly notice my cards, I'd go visit him, and there they'd be, tucked into the 'special stuff' drawer of his desk!  I bought some boring notecards and would decorate them differently every time I sent them.

I'm a knitter as well, so I made him several items that he LOVED.  He's always offering me helpful hints on my knitting projects and asking for things, so I made him a few he wasn't expecting.  For Christmas, I made him a hat with an intarsia pattern, and then for his birthday a couple months later, a matching scarf.  In addition, I would pay attention to little details and make him small surprises, like an Ipod Cozy when he mentioned he was getting an Ipod.

The idea is just to make sure it is something personal.  I sprayed knitted items with a little bit of my perfume, so he'd open the box and it would smell like me, and he loaned me his favorite shirt for a few months.  Think about what your sweetheart likes, and go with the flow.  The fact that you're doing anything and thinking of them is what means the most.

Good luck with your relationship! It is not easy.  Keep an eye on cheap airline/train tickets, see each other when you can, and talk every day if it's feasible.  Even just an email helps you remember how much you care about each other.

[Perja]

Well, you can get Google Talk or Skype, it's voice over IP and if you're on the university's broadband connection, you're good to go

Then yeah, SASE stationnery is a good way to simplify his life.

Or you could always have a photoblog. A basic digi cam isn't very expensive now. Also an idea, if you want to use your computer is to set up a time for you and your SO and chat via webcam.

[Lostlipgloss]

I did this today! Okay, Well.....My boyfriend and me were supposed to see eachother in less than a month..but plans changed. He felt really bad so I made him this simple thing that I got an idea from here (sorry I can't remember who did it kinda like this )
But k....I took a tictacish sized box, and covered it in wrapping paper. I make it so it was easy to pull off the top. I took how many days I would see him, minus the time for it to get there, and cut up that many pieces of wrapping paper in small squares. I wrote cute things on them put on sticker hearts on put them in the tictac box. Every morning he pulls out a new one
Just a simple idea!

[Katosphere]

Whee!  I just moved in with my LDR after two years (Bellingham, WA to New Zealand, then Vermont, then Rhode Island, then he was in Seattle but I was in Wisconsin---arrgh!).  Here are a couple more things:

-When he was in Vermont (where it is really  cold), I knit him a scarf with an explanation that when wrapped around him, it was supposed to symbolize a hug.  (About the cheesiest thing I've ever done, but he appreciated it.)  I also made it all pink and pastel as a celebration of our commitment to messing with gender stereotypes/roles in our relationship.  And he totally wore it anyway.  I saw it happen when I visited.  It was awesome.

-I was having nightmares for awhile, so he took this stuffed monkey he had and slept with it on his chest for a few days, then overnighted it to me.  I don't know how it works, but I've never had a nightmare when sleeping with this monkey, and it was always good to grab and hug when I was missing him.  You could totally make the animal yourself.

[lisiepeasie]

I'm in a LDR too! (3 hours, one large body of water). Wheeee. While I really appreciate the space that it gives us, I can't wait to see him again in 2 months!

I've sewed him felt plushies using the tutorial after learning it here..And he's reciprocated by drawing up comic strips of them..  But when I send them overseas, the boxes always get opened and checked by customs for bombs and drugs and whatnot.
 
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=5843.0

I've also stenciled shirts for him.. things that the film geek in him appreciates.. Those on top of the things that have already been mentioned by craftsters - letters, notes, scrapbooks, etc.

[Maramalade]

I know this may should a bit cheesy but maybe sending him some of his favorite candy, and a handwritten letter? Along with a favorite cd or movie?

Just a thought.

[magdalen]

This isn't really a craft-related thing, but every night before I go to bed I send my boyfriend (2 hours away) a good-morning e-mail because he gets up way earlier than I do.  He checks it before he goes to work and then writes me back, so we both get sweet messages from each other first thing in the morning.  That really makes him part of my day because it's the first thing I do when I get up and a message from him puts me in a good mood.  So if have text messaging or e-mail, little updates and quick messages keep you on each other's minds.

[eirinnkelly]

i was in a long distance relationship with my boyfriend for 3 years until i moved from NY to CA to be with him (plus be in the nicer weather ) and we've been together for a year and a half since then. But, when we were apart, i think the best thing i ever made him was also the simplest, i bought a bag of marbles and a silver paint pen and wrote one thing i loved about him on each marble ex: his smile, sense of humor, the freckle in his right eye. admittedly it was a little sappy but he liked it.

[xojennetterzox]

so my boy and i go to two different colleges and even though we're only an hour and a half apart, it seems like it's forever. i know. i'm stupid. but anyway, before we leave i made him a box of things to remind him of me: pictures of us, swedish fish cuz we love them, a list of reasons why i love him, and probably one of my greatest creations ever.

mind you, my boyfriend doens't get emotional at all, and i get mushy all of the time. we recently went on a trip to ocean city maryland for a week, and i didn't notice it until then but we'd cuddle up to go to sleep, but end up on the same pillow in the morning with me always on the right. so i got a blue pillowcase (his favorite color), and took fabric paint and wrote song lyrics from "here without you" by 3 doors down on the right side of the pillowcase. lyrics from the chorus say "and tonight it's only you and me" to represent that when he sleeps we'll be together. he lovedit =) just an idea