Heart Window Valentine Treat Cup

Valentine's Day is one of those holidays where it won't cost a lot to create decorations for a party. You can easily find paper streamers, a table runner, napkins, and other decorative things, for little money. Some people have a party for just kids, or one for just adults, and others have a party for people of all ages. No matter what age group your guests fall in to, you can count on the fact that they'll all go home with lovely and appropriate party favors or treats. When you make heart window Valentine cups you create a pretty look for mere pennies.

Clear plastic drinking cups are perfect for making easy and adorable treat cups. Since they're already clear, it won't be hard at all to make a see-thru window for each cup. The best cups for doling out treats are ones that are somewhat short, like the 8oz version.

Purchase tissue paper in colors of red, pink, purple, or white. Stack two or three pieces of the paper then push the stack into the cup. Mark an area on the stack where you could put a heart so that it can be seen through the side of the cup. Cut a heart shape, large enough to reach nearly from the top to the bottom of the cup, from paper or card stock. Use it as a template to cut the windows for the tissue paper stack. Lay the template over the marked area and draw the heart. Cut it out, keeping all the layers of the stack in order.

Push the stack of tissue paper back into the cup, making sure you position the window on one side of the glass. Then, fill the cup with candies, party favors, or other goodies. Fill nearly to the top then gather the paper over the top of the candies. Tie a ribbon around the tissue paper and tie a bow. Or, just curl the ends of the ribbon with scissors.

My grand kids have always loved these treat cups for Valentine's Day but they could also be made for many other occasions. Cut a snowman shape to make a Christmas treat cup, a bunny shape for an Easter treat cup, or even a flag shape with red, white, and blue candies, layered inside.