It’s that lovey dovey time of year again – if you’re in a relationship, this is one of the best holidays, if you aren’t, you probably grumble through the day shooting evil looks at hand holding couples. If you fall into the second category – skip this post, it’s not for you… or bookmark it for later.
I am so lucky to be spending my fourth Valentine’s Day with the most incredible boyfriend. From the very beginning we decided that homemade gifts were a lot more meaningful to us and have stuck with that theme ever since.
Here are a few of my favourite DIY Valentine’s Day gift ideas.
1. Custom T-Shirts – N made this for our last anniversary. We both are avid road bikers and had joked about making a “couples” shirt that only made sense when we are standing together. This is a thoughtful and extremely creative idea, all you need to do is buy two t-shirts and head down to a screen printing shop. Make sure you go into the store with an idea in mind. If you are on a tight budget you could use iron on paper.
2. Jar of Kisses – I think I gave this to N on our first Valentine’s Day. This DIY is a bit more time consuming. You need a jar, a few bags of Hersey’s Kisses (of any flavour), a pen, and a lot of reasons why you love (insert significant others name)… You’ll have to carefully unwrap each kiss and write something you love about the person you are giving it to. Some of my favourites in that jar are the funny ones, like “… the way you pose like a Greek statue” or “… watching you make your epic sandwiches”. He still hasn’t eaten all the kisses (because he doesn’t like chocolate) but he definitely read all the captions.
3. Conversation Heart Picture Frame – Do this one at least a few hours before you plan to give it to your significant other because it needs a bit of time to dry. You’ll need a couple boxes of conversation hearts, super glue, a paint brush, white glue, water, and a picture frame. First you’ll need to glue each heart to the frame, then mix water and white glue to make a glaze and paint over the hearts. Use a 2:1 ratio of glue to water for this (or buy mod podge). Allow to dry and then insert your favourite picture of the two of you.
4. Framed Picture Collage – This is a really great gift for any couple that has done some traveling and wants to display their pictures. Since the digital camera came out, many of us have stopped developing pictures – N and I are guilty of that so this is a nice way to start a collection.
5. Heart Shaped Heat Pack – In the cold months of the year we are all prone to aches and pains. This heat pack is filled with rice and can be microwaved to help ease body tension. Do not attempt this DIY if you don’t have a sewing machine. You’ll need cotton fabric, rice and a sewing machine. I just cut a heart out of the fabric and sewed the edges together inside out (leaving a small hole), next I used a funnel to fill the heart pouch with rice. Stitch up the opening with a hidden seam and you’ll have a cute heart shaped heat bag!
6. Lover’s Travel Map – I can’t take any credit for this amazing gift. N made it for me after we began to travel together. Each time we go somewhere new we add another peg. Our goal is to get a pin on every continent! You’ll need a shadow box, flagged push pins, a printed map, stickers to decorate, and cardboard to write the names of the places on. This is probably the most special gift I have ever received.
7. 52 Reasons Why I Love You – I made this for N last year. It seems to be all over Pinterest now. It is really simple and sweet. You’ll need a deck of cards, something to bind them with, scrap paper, pictures, and glue. I wrote each reason on a scrap piece of paper and glued it on along with a few pictures and decorations.
When you think about it, these DIYs are all quite easy to make but they are so meaningful. Valentine’s Day is about showing your significant other how much you care about them, so ditch the chocolates and store bought gifts and spend some time crafting your way into each other’s heart.
Happy hump day!
xo Lauren
A 5'3 Perspective 