Homemade Valentine Gifts

Heart-Filled Gift Box

It can be too easy to just buy a card for your sweetheart. Try cutting out paper hearts--yes, just like when you were in second grade--by folding a piece of paper and cutting a half-heart. Unfold the heart and write a special message such as "I love your smile," "Thank you for your patience," or the clincher, "One Free Back Rub." Place these hearts in a small box and decorate with ribbon. The thought and effort behind the gift will reach far further than a card will.

A neat way to use some discarded or outgrown building blocks is to glue them together to spell out a warm message. Not only is it cute and thoughtful, but it's also inexpensive and encourages recycling!

Nothing could be more adorable than giving a photograph of yourself as a child to your sweetheart. Make a photocopy of it and cut out an opening for it in some craft or construction paper to create a card. This is also a great project for children to do for their parents.

A simple yet distinctive gift can be a vintage book. They can be found at used bookstores, swap meets, antique shops, or through a local book dealer. Tie ribbons and roses around a book of poetry, Shakespeare or other passionate subject. Write a short message and the date on the inside cover, and this gift will make a lasting memory.