Valentine's Day traditionally means flowers and candy, but what if funds are short, your sweetie can't have candy, or is allergic to flowers? Get crafty and DIY!
Crafting a homemade Valentine for your special someone is not only more personal, but can be done inexpensively as well. A hand-crafted Valentine gift can be made cheaply without looking cheap. Using some of these ideas as a springboard, I'll bet you'll have no trouble coming up with more of your own.
A Basket of Valentines
Gift baskets are a great way to put several small gifts together in one neat little package. The baskets can be picked up inexpensively at yard sales and dollar stores and then filled with items you make yourself.
For her, line the basket with a washcloth or mitt that you crochet yourself, and tuck in a few homemade soaps or bath bombs. Make a sampling of pink, red and white soaps with heart or flower shaped candy molds, or add flower petals to more primitive soaps made in muffin tins. Homemade bath salts in a small decorative bottle or sachet bag that you stitch up with fabric in an appropriate Valentine's Day theme would also delight any lady on your list.
For the smaller Valentine's in your heart, coloring books and crayons are always a hit. Print out cards or coloring pages with a Valentine theme like those found here, and make your own crayons using candy molds in appropriate holiday or kid-approved shapes. Take the coloring idea to another level with homemade crayons for good, clean fun - in the bath!
Valentine Egg-cellence
Who knew that a simple cardboard egg carton could turn into such a clever Valentine? Just a few snips of the egg carton, a bit of paint and scraps of ribbon, lace and other small items in your craft bin and you have this beautiful Valentine that anyone would be pleased to receive. This is a good project for the kids that requires just a bit of supervision with scissors and glue gun.
Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve
Need another cheap Valentine craft project for the kids? Plain thrift store t-shirts and sweatshirts can be decorated with hearts and flowers. Artwork can be drawn freehand with puff paints, rubber stamped with fabric paint, or use a potato stamp you carve for them. Have an adult or older child stitch a button for the center and let the kids glue flower petals around it that are cut from brightly colored fabric scraps. Add leaves cut from green material, or draw leaves and stems with fabric paint. For those feeling less artistic, purchase iron-on transfers or select Valentine patterns from online printables that can be printed on paper specifically designed to transfer to clothing. Plain neckties from the thrift store can be painted with hearts for Dad.
Sweet Accessories
Women love purses, and this Valentine's Day, it's is in the bag. This raised heart purse will look great swinging on the arm of your favorite lady friend and could be used for a tote bag as well. Stitch one up for yourself while you're at it - who says you can't be your own Valentine?
Jewelry is another traditional Valentine gift, but it doesn't have to mean diamonds and bling. Craft these heart shaped earrings with a bit of polymer clay, then add a pendant using the same medium, or opt for this wooden pendant to complete the set.
Talk About a Sweet Tooth
What's Valentine's Day without conversation hearts? Even if you've sworn off sugar, the tiny printed candies should be front and center on February 14th in some form or fashion. Instead of popping them into your mouth, use the candies to decorate a picture frame from the dollar store, or a primitive one fashioned from popsicle sticks. Choose words appropriate for your relationship and add a special photo for a uniquely personal gift for your sweetheart.
More by Marie Anne St. Jean:
Let Your Kids Make Their Own Scrapbook
