53 Homemade Valentine's Day Gifts They're Sure to Love

By BH&G Holiday Editors
Updated April 07, 2020
Choose romantic or cutesy to express your love and affection with handmade Valentine's Day gifts this year. We have creative DIY Valentine's Day gifts for him and her: home projects, DIY Valentine's Day cards, photo projects, and food gifts. These gifts are sure to show loved ones how much you care.
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DIY Leather Keychain

This chic-looking handmade keychain is made from leather scraps and golden hardware. We love the look of natural colors like beige and tan, but you can personalize it with metallic, colored, and even printed leather from your local crafts store.

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DIY "Perfume" Bottles

Darcy Miller Designs LLC

When recipients open these "perfume bottles," the only fragrance will be sugar thanks to jelly beans, chocolate-covered candies, and Jordan almonds. Print our free labels from Darcy Miller and tape them onto plastic candy boxes.

Buy It: Efavormart 4x4x2 Clear Favor Box, $9.99, Walmart

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Valentine's Day Love Wall String Art

String art looks complicated, but it's actually a fun project that comes together quickly (even with kids involved) and makes a great Valentine's Day gift. Paint a piece of lightweight wood your desired color. Trace a heart shape using a pencil, and stencil the outline of the LOVE or another word of your choosing. Tap thin nails along the lines of the shape and word, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. Loop a thin yarn or string from nail to nail, across, up and down, and side to side, until you achieve the desired look.

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Handmade Bouquet Wraps

Dress up that bunch of grocery store blooms with a quick DIY wrap and our free printable tags. Your sweetie will love the handmade touch. This easy Valentine's Day gift idea is perfect for last-minute giving.

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DIY Envelope Clutch

Brie Passano

A classic envelope clutch never goes out of style. We've given our DIY version a modern upgrade with colorful floral fabric and striped liner. Sew your own Valentine's Day gift for her using just three fabric rectangles and our simple step-by-step instructions.

Editor's Tip: Use hook-and-loop tape to create an easy closure.

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Painted Mason Jars

Pretty pink and sparkly Mason jars make gorgeous vases for your Valentine's Day flower gift. To make, paint the outside of the jars with two coats of paint. We mixed several shades of pink with white to create a range of hues. For a touch of glam, mask the top of the jar with painter's tape and cover the bottom with glitter spray paint.

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Leather Grill Untensils

Give your guy the gift of grilling this Valentine's Day. He'll love the rugged look of the leather-wrapped handles. To make this easy Valentine's Day gift for him, start with an inexpensive set of utensils and use leather cording to dress them up.

Buy It: Tool Set 3pc - Room Essentials, $12, Target

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Surprise-Inside Valentine

What's better than a sweet Valentine? A sweet treat to go with it! We have the free pattern and instructions to create this fun Cupid-inspired card for a loved one. Fill the finished cards with a small treat or trinket.

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Alphabet Crayon Melts

Don't throw away your broken crayons! Simply transform them into a kid-friendly love letter that they'll use again and again. To make, start by peeling the wrappers off the crayons. Break down the crayons to make melting easier. Place the crayons in a microwave-safe container with an inch of water. Microwave in bursts of 30 seconds. Use a spoon to dab the melted crayons into an alphabet candy mold. Scrape a thin spatula across the top of the mold to remove excess; let cool. Pop letters out and compose your message! See more of our favorite Valentine's Day gift ideas to get extra inspiration!

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Rope "Love" Art

Express your love for your special someone with a sweet sentiment made from rope. To make, douse thick natural fiber rope in a mix of 1-1/2 cups warm water, 1 cup flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 1 cup crafts glue, and 1 teaspoon salt. Shape the rope into a word and a frame, laying the design on a piece of plastic wrap. Use light-gauge wire to add stability and to form tight letter shapes. The letters should harden within 24 hours. When dry, tack the lettering on the wall, attaching decorative birds or other embellishments as desired.

Editor's Tip: Write your word on the plastic wrap using a permanent marker first as a guide for the design.

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DIY Valentine's Initials Pennant Flag

Showcase your love (or cheer on someone else's romance) with this DIY Valentine's initials pennant flag. Our trick for cutting perfect felt letters means you can easily personalize this handmade Valentine's Day gift.

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Conversation Cookies

Send a sweet message with these homemade Valentine's Day cookies. The key to creating a clear message is red food coloring. Simply dab red food color onto clean rubber stamps and press on purchased sugar cookies. Pair a batch of these with a few of our free Valentine's Day coupons.

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Swag Bags

Gift the gift of glamour this Valentine's Day. Fill fabric bags with candy, nail polish, liquor, and other small items. Customize these for friends, coworkers, and loved ones.

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Sweet Biscotti Food Gift

Get the free pattern.

Baked goods are always a sweet way to wish someone a happy Valentine's Day. Print our recipe onto a medium glassine bag (usually available at crafts stores), and fill with our tea-scented breakfast biscotti recipe to give to a friend or coworker.

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Leather Passport Holder

Give the gift of travel this Valentine's Day. Make your special someone a thoughtful homemade gift out vintage leather; our easy instructions make it so easy to create a personalized passport holder your sweetie will love.

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Homemade Bath Bombs

Know someone who's a bit stressed? Give them the gift of relaxation with a box of homemade bath bombs. Loaded with essential oils and dried flowers, these pretty bath bombs can be customized with favorite scents, colors, and flowers. Make a big batch and keep a few for yourself.

Related: 11 Valentine’s Day Gifts for the Stressed Person in Your Life

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Homemade Lotion

Whip up a custom lotion using essential oils! Simply add a few drops to unscented lotion for a custom blend. Package the lotion into Mason jars and tie with a sweet message!

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Love Banner Cupcakes

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

Get your "Happy Valentine's Day" message across loud and clear. Print love notes or valentine greetings on decorative paper, and cut into narrow strips. Wrap each strip around a toothpick, and glue a tiny wood bead to the tip. Use this recipe (or try one of our other Valentine's Day cupcake recipes!) to adorn your favorite frosted cupcakes with the sweet, heartfelt messages.

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Personalized Mugs

All you need to make these adorable personalized mugs are permanent marker pens and plain white mugs. Write your Valentine's Day message on the mug with the marker and bake at 350 degrees in the oven for 30 minutes to set the marker. Stuff the finished mugs with your valentine's favorite treats!

Editor's Tip: Do not wait for the oven to preheat to put the mugs in. Put the mugs in the oven immediately when you set the heat and set timer for 30 minutes.

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Semi-DIY Printable Gifts

Get the FREE tags!

These fun bubble gifts are a fast and easy Valentine's Day gift for kids—they're perfect for a classroom Valentine exchange too! Tie our free printable tags to individual bubble containers to give this quick craft a homemade touch.

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Stamped Muslin Candy Bags

Gift your loved one's favorite candy in a hand-designed muslin bag. Place a piece of smooth cardstock inside a muslin bag and stamp an image onto the front. Remove the cardstock and set the bag aside to dry; fill with candy. Make the gift en masse for coworkers or as a Valentine's Day party favor.

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Colorful Felt Pouch

Carson Downing

Transform inexpensive felt into a chic pouch that's perfect for holding trinkets or small treats. To make, cut two circles of colored wool felt. Use iron-on adhesive to secure the pieces together. Using an eyelet kit and rotary punch of the same size, punch holes around circle. Use the eyelet tool to set eyelets. Cut ribbon to size, knot one end, and add a bead. Weave the ribbon in and out of the eyelets, then add another wooden bead and knot.

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Framed Valentine Gift

Get the free pattern.

A handmade valentine will mean a lot to your loved one, but a frame will keep it secure. Punch or cut heart shapes from different colors and patterns of cardstock, and adhere the hearts to a pink sheet of paper to create a background. Print our quote or make your own card, cut out, and attach to the backing. Frame it for a special gift for your sweetheart.

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Love Quote Apron

Get the free pattern

If your valentine likes to cook, she'll love this apron with a bold quote reminding her of your affection. Get the pattern and print onto iron-on transfer paper, following the manufacturer's instructions. If an apron isn't your thing, use our free T-Shirt pattern instead.

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Romantic Movie Basket

Put together a date-night-in-a-box with your valentine's favorite movie, two small bottles of champagne, and his favorite candy for the two of you to enjoy. Your thoughtfulness will make the perfect Valentine's Day gift. Bonus: Include marshmallows and roasting twigs for an evening by the fire. If you need movie inspiration, these are our favorite romantic movies for Valentine's Day.

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DIY Cute Coupons

Get the free coupons

Print these sweet deals and give the gift of a promise! Whether it's a back rub or a trip to the ice cream shop is up to you.

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Love Quote Wine Labels

Get the free pattern

Spruce up your valentine's favorite bottle of wine with a cute love quote label. Use our suggested food and wine pairings to turn the sweet and simple gift into a romantic evening complete with dinner and a movie. Check out our favorite romantic food and wine pairings.

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Photo Transfer Artwork

This Valentine's Day, gift a dreamy, stylized set of wall art with our simple and elegant photo transfer project. First, print a favorite photo on an overhead transparency. Cover the surface of a canvas with a thin coat of gel medium, a clear gloss finish that can be found at your local crafts store, then place the transparency ink-side down onto the gel. Burnish it with the back of a spoon. Lift a corner to see if the image has transferred, then peel off the film completely. The resulting image will have an artsy, gritty quality. Transfer several images on different-size canvases and group them for a cool wall display.

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Handmade Memory Board

This magnetic memo board is as functional as it is stylish. Simply cut decorative paper to fit inside a cookie sheet and glue it to the pan. To make the board special for Valentine's Day, add photos of you and your loved one, an antique love letter, or a handwritten poem.

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Triple-Chocolate Truffles

View Recipe this link opens in a new tab

What says "Valentine's Day" more than a box of homemade sweet chocolate truffles? Plastic boxes, cupcake liners, and festive fabric are all you need to gift the decadent candies.

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DIY Canvas Tote

Brie Passano

Perfect for anyone on-the-go, this oversize canvas and leather tote bag is roomy enough to hold everyday essentials. Customize your handmade bag with a colorful or patterned fabric liner. Make it using our easy instructions—you should be able to complete the project in an afternoon.

Related: 46 Easy Sewing Projects Anyone Can Make

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