Skip the sugary sweets and put your efforts into handmade gifts that last! These cool crafts feature Valentine's Day motifs and look right at home, even after the holiday passes. Read on for the ideas we're sweet on.
Dawn discovered a plank you won't break a sweat over. She used acrylic paint and washi tape to fill in the slats of a purchased wood heart, then wrote an inspiring message with a Sharpie pen and glitter glue. Follow her lead and add twine or festive ribbon for hanging, and your door is an instant masterpiece.
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Give a mini beach pail a purpose in cold months: it's the perfect size for a portable planter! Casey from Vitamini Handmade filled a metal pail with small pieces of white gravel, topped it with a succulent, and tucked in a Valentine's Day note for an easy, thoughtful gift. Psst! Know your pal to have a black thumb? Faux succulents and cacti work well, too!
Photo: Vitamini Handmade
Laurel from A Bubbly Life used a shadow box and adhesive vinyl to make a light-up art display whose theme can switch up with ease. She coated the glass from the shadow box with frosty spray-paint, then drilled a small hole and lined the inside of the box with adhesive LED light strips. Next, she cut out her adhesive vinyl shape and placed it on top of the glass. When it's time to redecorate, just peel the vinyl heart away and add your next motif.
Photo: A Bubbly Life
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If the way to your love's heart is through the stomach, then these heart-shaped pot holders from Martha Stewart are extra-thoughtful. Bring out the sewing machine and craft a few of these beauties before baking up a V-day cookie storm. To make, you'll need assorted cotton fabrics, batting, pins, and this pot holder template. Hang them on hooks or from cabinet knobs to add a decorative touch to the kitchen.
Photo: Matthew Septimus for Martha Stewart
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Need a reason to hold a family game night? Kids will love to help craft a cute tic-tac-toe board using a few inexpensive supplies like plywood, paint, and patterned Washi tape. Cut a piece of plywood to 12 x 12 (pro tip: Alice and Lois had this done at their local lumberyard) then use Washi tape to make a grid on your board. Use acrylic paint to add X's and O's on wooden circles, allow for dry time, then grab some nibbles and let the games begin.
Photo: Alice and Lois
Corral bits and baubles in style with a gold-kissed DIY jewelry dish. Amy from Homey Oh My designed and embellished her own custom clay dishes. But if you're short on time, you can skip a step and buy inexpensive white ceramic dishes instead. Use painter's tape to create clean lines on each dish, then coat with gold spray paint or Washi tape. This small dish size is also perfect for gathering pocket change, paper clips, and car keys.
Photo: Homey Oh My
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Cozy up by the fire to have a family crafternoon and make these watercolor heart prints from Meri Cherry. She painted a piece of watercolor paper, placed DIY heart stencils on top, then used fabric spray paint to create colorful heart shapes over the watercolor layer. Between your chosen paint colors and overlapping the hearts, no two masterpieces will look the same! Slip the finished piece into a simple 5x7 wood frame and write meaningful words or messages with a Sharpie marker.
Photo: Meri Cherry
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Ever notice how antique shops are filled with beautiful mismatched teacups? Adopt a single cup and saucer and turn it into a charming Valentine's Day gift for a tea or vintage-loving pal. This gift idea from Yes Missy is actually a twofer: a candle and a keepsake teacup, once the wax has melted away. Cheers!
Photo: Yes Missy
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Capture sweet nothings in a clever interchangeable display! This DIY photo pillow cover has a secret clear pouch to gather little love notes. Dawn embellished this pillow cover with acrylic paint and handmade yarn pom-poms for an air of whimsical romance. It's perfect for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and any special occasion you're celebrating the loved ones in your life.
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Transport your walls to another dimension with -- wait for it -- stacks of craft foam! Layers upon layers of colorful foam sheets give these pieces their psychedelic dimensionality. Joshua Rhodes of A Beautiful Mess made a series of X and O cutouts in varying sizes and stacked them within a white shadow box frame. The resulting piece looks worthy of a Pop Art display. Genius!
Photo: Joshua Rhodes and Laura Gummerman for A Beautiful Mess
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Kierste from Simply Kierste made this DIY thumbprint platter to document a sweet moment in time. To ensure even spacing between prints, plot out where each family member's prints will go by making tiny dots with a marker. Have each person dip their thumbs in red paint and press them onto the platter in a heart shape. Once the paint is dry, use a fine point Sharpie marker to write each person's name and date. A finished piece like this would look sweet propped up on an easel on a countertop or bookshelf.
Photo: Simply Kierste
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