10 Easy Homemade Valentines

Which would you rather get, a homemade valentine made with love, or a store-bought valentine that someone somewhere else is going to get too? For my part, homemade valentines win on every score. They're more personal, they reflect the choices of my lover, and the time he spent preparing my valentine. In short, homemade valentines are more like gifts than greetings-something special made just for me. So from years of Cupid moments, here are my favorite 10 easy homemade valentines.

#1. Magnetic Homemade Valentines

Bring some animal magnetism into your homemade valentines. At a craft store buy a wood-shaped heart and magnetic paint. Also buy magnetic letters with which to craft a message on your homemade valentine-something short like "I'm magnetically drawn to you". Next, paint the wood with magnetic paint following the instructions on the paint jar, then arrange the letters in place. And if you want to add a little playfulness to your homemade valentines, jumble the letters and have your valentine figure out the secret message. (Tip: if you can't find magnetic letters, buy small magnets and glue them to letters cut out of cardboard and painted in shimmering pink.)

#2. Leafy Homemade Valentines

Make your homemade valentines on an unexpected surface. In a craft store buy a giant silk leaf. Spray paint it with glittering or shimmering pink, then decorate the leaf with heart-shaped pins and other trinkets from the craft store. Finally use a silver or gold glitter pen to write on your homemade valentine, something romantic like "To me, you're the only leaf in the forest".

#3. Carved Homemade Valentines

Carve your love in a tree and turn it into a homemade valentine. At a park or forest look for a thick fallen tree branch. Saw a 2 inch coin at the thickest point of the branch. Then carve your Valentine's day message in the wood. To highlight the words, use a paint brush to accentuate the carvings. Then seal the wood with polish. Finally, carve a small hole at the top of the coin and slip through a pink ribbon for hanging this beautiful homemade valentine on a window or wall.

#4. Educated Bear Homemade Valentines

What could be more charming than a Valentine's bear holding a book of love? Fold printer paper in half, then in half again and so on until you end up with a small, thick rectangle. Cut the side edges open and staple the center to create a book. Write a loving message inside, then buy a charming Valentine's Day bear and place your personalized book of love between its paws. Indeed, a homemade valentine to remember.

#5. Baked Homemade Valentines

Say it with a little sugar by crafting your homemade valentines from cookies.Use your favorite cookie recipe or this super easy cookie-recipe and shape the cookies like letters, which you will then arrange into a Valentine's Day message. After the cookies are baked, glue them to a valentine's day decorative plate using melted chocolate. Add marzipan hearts and flowers and your homemade valentine will be ready for a feast.

#6. Ancient Parchment Homemade Valentines

For a truly romantic greeting, age ordinary paper, then burn it to give your homemade valentines the look of ancient scrolls. Begin by printing out your Valentine message (or poem) in beautiful font. Next, crumple the paper and dip it in tea for 30 seconds. Take the paper out and carefully straighten it. Once dry, burn its edges over a sink with running water (to contain the fire in case of emergency). Be sure to roll your ancient homemade valentines then tie them in pink or red ribbons. Here are the detailed instructions.

#7. Love Birds Homemade Valentines

Craft the perfect bird house for delivering your homemade valentines. At a craft store buy a miniature bird house. Spray paint it in shimmering pink, then decorate it with Valentine's Day stamps and stickers. Use nail polish or a glitter pen to write your love's name on the house, with yours beside it enclosed in a heart. Then write a Valentine poem, roll it and tie it with a ribbon, and slip it through the opening in the bird house

#8. Wrapping Paper Homemade Valentines

Perhaps the easiest and loveliest homemade valentines can be made from gift wrapping paper. Begin by choosing wrapping paper that's totally romantic and Valentine's Day in spirit. Next, glue painting paper or canvas to the back of the wrapping paper (personally, I like watercolor paper from craft stores). Fold the greeting in half and it's done. You can cut the edges of the valentine into heart shapes for extra romance. Then fold wrapping paper around the card to create an envelope for your homemade valentines. Here's more detailed instructions with pictures.

#9. Cloth Homemade Valentines

When you craft homemade valentines from cloth you create the impression of a work of art. Begin by buying a few fabric swatches in pink and other Valentine's Day colors at a craft store. Next, cut a large wavy circle, then progressively smaller circles from different fabrics. Arrange the circles one on top of the other in descending sizes and glue them together to create a cloth flower. Now glue this Valentine's Day flower to drawing paper or canvas and draw a stem or stick silk leaves below your flower. Fold the paper to complete this homemade Valentine and create an envelope from wrapping paper. Here are the detailed instructions with pictures.

#10. Glittering Homemade Valentines

These elegant homemade valentines are made with velvet and glitter ribbons, so how can you go wrong? In a cloth store buy a small swatch of pink velvet, enough to coat a piece of cardboard or canvas the size of a greeting card. In addition get pink glitter ribbon. Now to create these stunning homemade valentines, begin by gluing the velvet to the cardboard and folding the card in half. Then type up the words "Happy Valentines" in large letters (80 pt) and print them out in monotype corsiva font. Place the paper facing down on a window and trace the shapes of the letters on the back. Then glue glitter ribbon on the front and cut out the letters using what you traced on the back. Glue the letters over the velvet to complete your homemade valentine. Here are the detailed instructions and pictures.

Tip: For all your homemade valentines, here are the steps for making homemade greeting card envelopes.

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