5 Simple Valentine’s Day Crafts
These cute crafts made from ordinary materials like yarn and paint strips will warm your heart. Need ideas for a romantic meal or delicious dessert? We've got you covered.
Plus: Send love messages with our new Valentine's Day app!
1. Make Valentine's Day cards out of paint strips - in seconds.Jodi Kahn, author of Simply Sublime Gifts ($19.99; Potter Craft), turned us on to this sweet idea for repurposing free color swatches: Press inked stamps onto the strips to form phrases like XOX(similar stamps, from $4.50 each; black ink pad, $4.95; paper-source.com)
and let dry for five minutes. Kahn's trick for ensuring that the ink adheres? Coat each paint strip with aerosol hair spray before stamping.
2. Wear your heart on your sleeve.Transform any sweater into a romantic fashion statement by tweaking store-bought elbow patches($7.98 for two; mjtrim.com).
Simply cut a heart-shaped pattern out of scrap paper (ours measured approximately 4½" x 4½"), then use that pattern to cut out a heart from each patch. Lastly, hand-sew the patches to the backs of your sleeves with a simple blanket stitch in a darker shade of thread.
3. Give yarn an opportunity to bloom.Crafter Lauren De Bellis came up with this genius way to keep vases stocked with fresh flowers - even in winter. The key to creating these allium-like blossoms: pom-pom makers in three different sizes($6.50- $7.50 per two pack; clover-usa.com).
Wrap yarn around the tool's arms, then follow the package instructions to make your own buds. Add a dab of hot glue to the end of a thin twig and insert into each pom-pom's center. Hold in place until the glue dries (about 10 seconds) and arrange.
4. Stitch custom artwork from family photos.These striking embroidered portraits - featured in Sania Pell's The Homemade Home ($24.95; CICO Books) - can each be hand-sewn in under an hour.
Instructions:How to Make Embroidered Portraits
5. Lavender Heart Card
. For a thoughtful gift, create one of these simple lavender-filled-heart cards. First, cut card stock to desired size and fold vertically in the center. Cut two heart shapes from printed muslin. Stitch them together, outsides in, leaving a small opening; invert the hearts and loosely fill with lavender. Stitch the opening closed and attach the heart to the card.
More adorable Valentine's Day crafts.
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More from Country Living:
Romantic Valentine's Day Dinners for Two
Classic Valentine's Day Desserts
Send a Love Message with Our New Treemail App
10 Things to DIY or Buy
Make a Cool Animal Tote Bag
Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
