DIY Valentines

Posted by Colleen Callery / Monday, February 6th, 2012

It’s no secret Valentine’s Day is not for everyone. Admittedly, the overindulgence in sugary foods and celebration of emotional availability is not everyone’s cup of tea.

However, even for those that do appreciate the holiday, traditional Valentine’s Day gifts can be a bit.. overdone. To combat the commercialism and lazy reproductions of Hallmark cards, homemade cards and gifts are a great option.

There are a million ways to make a homemade card and whether its from a significant other, a family member, or just a friend, the time, thought, and originality in a homemade card can’t be beat.

But this post will focus on those looking for something a little more creative, or are just utterly tired of heart stamps and 3D pop-ups. Take a look below:

 

Invisible Ink: Bring back this childhood favorite by squeezing lemon juice to use as an “ink” and using a dip pen, small paint brush, or even a q-tip to write your secret message. The writing will be revealed under a heat source like a lightbulb, iron (with no steam), or candle (be careful not to ignite paper over a stove burner!). This crafter also incorporated the “message in a bottle” idea. So fun!

 

Temporary Tattoo: And no, I don’t mean the one you accidentally got on spring break. And I’m not talking about the glittery ones from the dollar store, either. (Although, those can be fun, too.) You can actually make your own temporary tattoos through the new iPhone app MoPho. For under $15 you can get a set of 16 tattoos of your very own photos! The possibilities are endless. Just keep in mind, these are kind of kitschy so embrace the humor and try to steer clear of something too cheesy.

 

Matchbox Candy boxes: Inchmark has some adorable and easy examples. Customize the outside of the boxes, include a note, and fill it with candy. Easy as pie. These are great for those in-between friends or co-workers who don’t quite make your list of full-blown gifts. (If you, in fact, have one of those.)

 

Framed Art: This project is a little more involved, requiring actual pieces of memorabilia or just trinkets from a craft shop, paint, hot glue, and framing the whole piece. But if you have this kind of time, and artistic inclination, the result could be amazing. Check out full directions here.

 

Valentine’s Kit: Design Sponge also has a brilliant idea for a Valentine’s Kit, which looks very similar to a picnic basket complete with wine, dessert, tea lights, flowers, and glasses (for drinking that delicious wine, of course). This is a low-key idea that can be enjoyed at home in front of a fire or a movie, and is a great adventure companion, perfect to bring along to a getaway destination.

 

Finally, for those brave wordsmiths, why not try writing a poem? We don’t mean a sappy sonnet, dripping with love-y goo (eh, I guess some people are in to that). Funny, silly, thoughtful poems go a long way, too. And if you need some help? This mad lib poem generator is pretty fun.

 

Got more great do-it-yourself Valentine’s ideas? Send them our way!

 

 

-Colleen Callery

Tags: art, Crafts, creative, gameplan, invisible ink, matchbox candy, MoPho, Northern Virginia, Northern Virginia Magazine, NoVA, poem, temporary tattoos, Valentine's Day, valentines kit