Valentine's Crafts

The one Valentine-themed craft everyone thinks of is the heart-shaped construction paper and doily valentine. There are many Valentine crafts, however, that you can create for your loved ones.

A cute and thoughtful gift is the romantic coupon book. Start with a small spiral-bound or tear-sheet type notepad.Decorate the front and back with red and pink hearts or cover with red paper and write "love" in different scripts and lettering. Inside, on each page, create a coupon which can be redeemed for things like one passionate kiss, one big bear hug, and one foot massage. To make it look more coupon-like, add a simple picture and an expiration date (or say "no expiration").

Create a cute heart theme picture frame by decorating a plain frame from a craft store or dollar store. Glue on hearts cut from felt, red clay or cardstock or dried or silk mini-roses. Insert a favorite photo of you and your sweetheart.

Give your loved one a relaxing bath soak. Place inexpensive Epsom salts in a clear glass jar. Add a few drops of relaxing essential oil like rose or lavender and some dried rose petals. Or you can go for a "sugar and spice" theme with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ginger and 2 teaspoons of brown sugar added to the salts. Shake up the salts and add a ribbon with tag that directs the user to "Add 2 or 3 tablespoons to your next bath and enjoy!"

Cupid poop? It's funny and tasty. Get a clear jar, a tin, or cellophane/gift bag and fill with red hots and/or heart shaped chocolates. Then attach (with a red ribbon) a tag with a poem that reads something like: This Valentine's Day I give to you A rare gift indeed Some Cupid Poo.

More sweets for your sweet? Take 2 or 3 chocolate kiss candies and wrap in red cellophane leaving a little excess to twist at the bottom. Then with floral tape, attach the excess cellophane end to a green pipe cleaner. Green construction paper cut into leaf shapes can be glued onto the "stem". You can gather 6 of these flowers together and tie with a red ribbon and voila...a chocolate bouquet.

Can't afford diamonds this Valentine's Day? Create your own "priceless" jewelry pieces. For a tasty necklace, start with 3 feet of tulle. Place 14 conversation hearts in pairs across the top with a ½" space between each pair along the length of the tulle. Next, roll up the candy into a tube. Cut 5 pieces of skinny red ribbon 7" long and 2 pieces 12" long. Tie the 7" pieces into bows between each pair of candies and the 12" ones to each end. The ends can be tied together by the recipient for their own Valentine necklace!

Make an original handmade bracelet with just some beads and elastic thread. You can find beads in every color, size, and shape. For a Valentine piece, choose pink, red and white beads in simple round shapes, heart shapes, or letters that spell "love". Cut a piece of the elastic 8" long and tie a bead to one end. String the rest of the beads leaving a small amount of thread to tie to the other end.

Is your child having a Valentine's party at school? Here are a few easy projects that even kids can tackle to embellish the heart theme celebration.
Party Straws
Cut small heart shapes from red construction paper. Next use a hole punch to make 2 holes in the center, one near the top and one near the bottom of the heart. Push a straw through the holes.

Valentine Mailbox
Start with an empty shoebox. Next, decorate with any type of paper or fabric you have lying around in various colors and patterns from which heart shapes are cut. The box can also be colored with crayons and markers and decorated with glitter. Finally, candy conversation hearts can be glued on to complete the Valentine theme. The box can be filled with Valentine cards and treats from their school party or if the child isn't having a party, fill with heart shaped cookies and/or pink frosting cupcakes.

Pin The Arrow On Cupid's Bow
Draw or print off a large picture of cupid with his bow. Draw or print off several arrows on cardstock and cut out each. Attach tape to back of and print each player's name on the front of each arrow. Blindfold the player with a long piece of fabric, spin them around and let them try to stick the arrow where it's supposed to go.