Making Cheap Valentine's Day Craft and Card Supplies

Save yourself some money and have a good time making these homemade arts and crafts supplies for homemade Valentine's Day cards or holiday decorations.

Make Your own Red Glitter Glue

Elmer's Glue
Red glitter

Mix equal amounts of white school glue, like Elmer's, with red glitter. Voila! Instant glitter glue. Apply with a sturdy and old paintbrush. Wash the glue out of the brush immediately. You can also apply the homemade glitter glue with cotton swabs.

Homemade Valentine's Day Paintbrushes

- Use cotton swabs as paint brushes or to apply glue to your Valentine's Day cards.

- Cut up a square dish washing sponge into shapes. Make circles, hearts and squares. Tape a craft stick to the shape and use it to paint your Valentines.

- Use a toothbrush from the dollar store to spatter red and white paint on paper. Dip the toothbrush in watercolor paint and rub your finger down the brush head, while pointing it towards the paper. This is messy so be sure to protect your work surface with newspaper. it will also get on your finger, but you can easily wash it off.

Colored Film Paper

Transparent film paper is not always easy to find and it is not the cheapest art material for making Valentine's Day cards. You can make your own to use to embellish Valentines. You will be able to read words and see pictures underneath the homemade film paper.

Color wax paper, cut into squares to make windows on cards. You can cut out shapes from the colored wax paper to glue onto cards. Even if you use a red crayon on the wax paper and attach it to a decorated card, the words and images on the paper underneath the colored film paper will be visible.

Homemade Stamps

Cut your own heart-shaped stamps out of potatoes or apples. Use poster paint or ink to make the stamped images.

Carrots can be used to make a variety of circle stamps. Wash and peel the carrot first, to remove any dirt. Cut the carrot into three or four pieces. Each end will make a circle stamp. Combine different sizes on your Valentine's Day card, to make heart shapes or to make patterns.

Clear, Safe "Varnish"

Protect your collaged Valentine's Day cards or add a shimmer to them with homemade glitter varnish. Paint a card with gelatin dissolved in water. Add some glitter or sequins to the mix. For a pretty smelling card, use cherry or strawberry gelatin.