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  1. BHG.com Chevron Right
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  5. Homemade Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Homemade Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

By BH&G Holiday Editors
December 31, 2015
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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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Cute Cookie Gift

Repackage chocolates and cookies into sweet deliveries! Simply line cardboard boxes with pink paper and fill with a variety of treats. We like a mix of chocolates and macarons. 

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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

Learn how to make it

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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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

Learn how to make them

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, start with an inexpensive set of untensils and use leather cording to dress them up. 

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Surprise-Inside Valentine

See how to make them

What's better than a sweet Valentine? A sweet treat to go with it! We have the pattern and instructions to create this fun Cupid-inspired car for a loved one.

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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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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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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 overtime means you can easily personalize this Valentine's Day gift. 

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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

See how to make it

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.

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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

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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Valentine's Card Clothesline

Surprise your loved one this Valentine's Day by making them a clothesline full of Valentine's Day cards telling them how much they mean to you. This DIY Valentine's Day gift doubles as a decoration and is easy to make with household supplies.

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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, below, 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

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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Pretty Romance Album

Learn how to make it

Transform a simple photo album into a collection of romantic memories with just a few simple embellishments. Add a screen print, ribbon, and some scrapbooking buttons and stickers to decorate the album.

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Make-Your-Own Valentine's Day Cards Kit

Kick off your Valentine's Day gift-giving with this fun card-making kit for kids. Not only will they love putting together these sweet valentines, but they'll also be able to give a gift of the season to their loved ones. Package a cardstock heart, bejeweled brad, red crayon, and a blank card in cellophane. Include assembly instructions telling kids to write a handwritten message on the paper heart before attaching it to the card with the brad.

  • Make it a scratch-off card: Here's how!

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Leather Vase

On-trend DIY leather vases are simple to make. Cover a simple glass bowl with leather cut using our handy template. Fill the vase with succulents or flowers for a DIY Valentine's gift they'll love long past the holiday. 

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Coffee Bean Meltaways

We've taken the base of classic butter mints and added rich espresso powder. These rich candies are a must-make for the coffee lover in your life. 

  • Get the recipe from Midwest Living.
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DIY Felt Finger Puppets

Perfect for that sentimental someone, these stitched felt figures can be made to resemble friends and family. Turn them into original art with a simple DIY shadowbox frame. 

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Burlap-Wrapped Flower Vases

Fill a simple cylinder vase with pretty flowers and wrap the vase with a matching-color piece of burlap. Cut a strip of burlap wide enough to wrap around the cylinder, and line the top and bottom edges and the ends of the burlap with adhesive. Attach the burlap strip to the vase. Cover the top and bottom edges of the burlap with thin velvet ribbon, using fabric glue to secure.

  • See pretty Valentine's Day flower arrangements.

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Love Pillow

Get the free pattern.

Personalize a throw pillow or T-shirt with our pretty pattern that spells out “love” with a heart. Print the pattern, available below, onto iron-on transfer paper to make this sweet gift.

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Travel Magnetic Chinese Checkers Game

Are you and your sweetie always on the go? Craft a fun gift that'll have you ditching time on the phone in favor of some friendly competition. This DIY magnetic chinese checkers game is made with magnetic paper (available at crafts supply stores) and painted wood beads. 

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Valentine's Day Coupons

Get the free downloads.

Sometimes a labor of love means more than cologne or roses, so give the gift of service this Valentine's Day. Use them throughout the year for a gift that keeps on giving. Our free coupon downloads can get you started.

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Wrapped Vases

Slip plain glassware into something more comfortable with these sweater cozies. Stretch a piece of an old sweater around a glass vase or candleholder, right side in. Pin the sweater ends together to create a snug fit, slip off the glass, and sew where pinned. Cut off the excess, then turn right side out. Use various sweater accents, such as buttons, pockets, sleeves, and ribbing, to dress up your glassware cozy.

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Pomegranate Syrup

View Recipe

A tasty food gift is the present everyone loves. Drizzle this tangy syrup over pound cake or ice cream, or add a dash to cocktails. To package, wrap washi tape around the top or bottom of an apothecary bottle for a quick embellishment. Tie a gift tag or love note to the neck of the bottle with twine.

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Framed Love Quote Gift

Get the free pattern.

A simple wooden frame embellished with a few heart shapes displays a memorable love quote. Using a word-processing program, type a love quote in red script and print; fit inside the wooden frame. Download our free pattern with the quote, "Love without reason lasts the longest." Or find more love quotes below.

  • Get more free love quotes and sayings.

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Cute Soda Case Carrier

Make a case of your valentine's favorite soda or beer even more special with a few simple touches. Wrap a piece of embossed red scrapbook paper around the cardboard case, securing with double-stick tape. Fold another piece of cardstock to cover the handle and cut out the opening. Embellish the package with a length of narrow velvet ribbon and a stamped tag.

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Library Card & Journal

Get the free pattern.

Make your sweetheart feel special on Valentine's Day by giving him a unique card describing 10 reasons why you love him. Tuck a handwritten library card (our template is available, below) inside a library card pocket, stamp the pocket with a pretty image, and attach it to a nice journal to complete the gift.

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Candy-Heart Frames

Dress up a simple picture frame with colorful candy hearts for a sweet Valentine gift idea. Cut out a cardboard circle to fit on top of a square frame. Adhere hearts as shown, then glue the cardboard to the frame. Pair with a favorite photo of you and your loved one for a gift you both will cherish.

  • Learn more about this project.

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Special Delivery Candy Box

Get the free pattern.

Personalize a small candy box to make a special gift. Cut a square of decorative paper large enough to cover the box lid and sides; cut diagonal slits in the corners. Glue paper to the lid and fold the paper edges down, lining up the corners and trimming any excess if necessary. Download the Special Delivery pattern, available below, and print onto cardstock. Cut out and attach to the box lid with glue or double-stick tape.

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Magnetic Love Board

Get the free pattern.

Can't decide on just one love quote for your Valentine's Day gift? Include your favorite love quotes (our three are available, below) in mini decorative frames, and attach them to a magnetic surface by adding magnetic backing to each piece.

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Gumdrop Candy Jar

Nothing says "Valentine's Day" like a sweet treat. Stack assorted gumdrops on a toothpick and stick inside a small mason jar. Decorate the mason jar with your choice of ribbon. These adorable Valentine's Day gifts are perfect for when you're looking to give out multiple valentines because they're easy and require minimal supplies.

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Complimentary Chocolates

Say it with something sweet! Let your loved ones know just how much you love them this Valentine's Day with these adorable chocolate compliments. To create, simply write sweet messages on patterned paper and wrap around mini chocolates. Secure each with tape and place in a jar. 

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Dyed Muddler

Love someone who is into the craft cocktail scene? This bar tool is a must for them. One French rolling pin makes two DIY drink muddlers. Beet juice gives them the rosy hue.

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I Love You Valentine's Day Cube

Get kids into the Valentine's Day handcrafting spirit with love-you cubes they help create. Have them select images of favorite memories, places, or a similar theme. Apply to photo cubes with handwritten sentiments.

  • Learn more about this project.

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Wooden Peg Jump Game

Give the gift of a few laughs with this nostalgic DIY peg game. The neon color-scheme is a modern update, but it's still the classic game you know and love. We'll show you the simple woodworking skills it takes to create. 

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Personalized Kitchen Container (Plus Treats!)

Fill in the blank: The way to his heart is through his _____. Yep, food is always the answer. In this case, homemade cookies in a chalkboard-label jar make things personal. To make, trim repositionable vinyl chalkboard to size, round the edges with a punch, and stick it on your container. Fill with baked goods.

  • Our Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Heart Candle Wreath

Let this whimsical candle wreath set the mood for a Valentine's Day gathering or a quiet evening for two.

  • Make this craft.
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