Top Five Romantic Valentine's Day Crafts

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and it's time for us to start craft projects we hope to have finished by then. Unlike my Top Five "Green" Valentine's Day Crafts for Kids, these crafts are specifically meant to create a romantic atmosphere or serve as a romantic gift. Knowing how busy everyone is, I'll try to keep it short and sweet. Without further ado, here are my Top Five Romantic Valentine's Day crafts.

In order to have a romantic Valentine's Day dinner by candlelight, you need some romantic Valentine's Day candles. You can use any pillar candles you have on hand, or you can purchase some at the store; white is perfect for this craft. Buy a packet of red rhinestones (red tacks or red-tipped pins), enough to make approximately four small hearts per candle. Use the rhinestones to outline two, staggered small hearts on the front and back of the candle or get creative and put them wherever you like. That's it. You're finished.

Now that we have the candlelight under control, it's time to think of something beautiful and romantic to drink from. May I suggest some pretty champagne glasses with a few special touches? First, you will need to get some translucent red glass paint, a fine tipped paint brush, a paint marker in the color you want to outline your hearts in and at least two clear champagne glasses. You'll also need to cut out some very small hearts to use as templates. Lay out newspaper prior to beginning your project. Prepare your glass paint and paint brush. Tape small paper hearts inside the glass wherever you desire. Paint the bottom of your champagne glasses, turn them over and allow them to dry. Now, paint in the hearts, using your paper hearts as a guide. After those have dried, you can use the paint marker to outline the hearts (you can also write a message, if you wish). After all the paint is dried, remove the paper hearts from inside the champagne glasses and follow the directions that came with your glass paint to bake and set the paint. Presto! You now have beautiful Valentine's Day champagne glasses. You can also do something similar with dishes for a matched Valentine's Day dining set.

An easy and romantic way to spruce up your couch or bed for Valentine's Day is by making Valentine's Day Heart Pillows. You will need some red fabric large enough to allow you to cut out two hearts per pillow. You decide on the size. You'll also need enough stuffing to fill the pillows. Stitch the two heart pieces together, leaving an opening for stuffing. Turn the pillow inside out so the simple seam is on the inside. Stuff the pillow with enough stuffing to suit your preference. Stitch the stuffing hole closed. You can leave the pillow as is or you can add more decorations by sewing on lace, buttons, beads, etc. or by using fabric paint to paint designs on your pillow or a permanent marker to write a message of love on your Valentine's Day Heart Pillow.

Now that we have beautiful romantic Valentine's Day pillows, why not add a decorative center piece, so to speak? Remember those small Christmas trees you can find in most stores after Christmas? If you picked one up (or you already have one), you can create a Valentine's Day tree by decorating it with pink, red and white ribbons as well as paper hearts. You can also use a Bonsai tree or a small, potted living tree. Feel free to get as creative as you like with decorations. You can even write love poems or humorous love messages on tiny pieces of parchment paper, roll them up, tie them with a red or pink ribbon (or yarn) and then hang them on your Valentine's Day tree. This is also a fabulous place to put a heart-shaped box of Valentine chocolates and your other Valentine's Day gifts for that special someone.

Last of all, but not least, remember yourself on Valentine's Day and do something nice for yourself. Pick up a bag or box of Epsom salts and a small vial of your favorite essential oil to make yourself a jar of Valentine's Day Bath Salts. In an empty jar, pour in the Epsom salts and then add enough drops of your essential oil to scent the salts the way you like. You can also add a couple drops of food coloring to tint the water if you like. Put the lid on the jar, shake and you're done! Add half a cup of your Valentine's Day salts to your bath for a soothing and romantic bath for one... or two.

Happy Valentine's Day!