The Best DIY Ideas to Save Your Valentine's Day

Uh oh, the holiday snuck up on you again this year. Redeem yourself with these easy ideas that will seem like you spent days thinking about your loved ones.

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February 09, 2019

By: Farima Alavi

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DIY Cheese Board-Inspired Bouquet

Looking for an alternative to the traditional floral bouquet this Valentine’s Day? For the cheese lover in your life, turn their favorite cheese board ingredients into a brie-utiful (get it?) arrangement.

See More Photos: 3 DIY Edible Bouquets to Give This Valentine's Day

Peppermint Ginger Cookie Recipe

Make these yummy peppermint ginger cookies for your best gals using candy canes leftover from the holidays.

MAKE THIS: Peppermint Ginger Cookie Recipe

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

String He-Art

This mod string art is perfect for Valentine's Day, but you'll want to display it all year-round.

MAKE THIS: Modern String Art Heart

From: Michelle Edgemont

Ice Cream Cone Floral

This project is for the kids! For each, they’ll need eight to 10 carnations, one cherry and a plastic waffle cone. Have them place pre-cut white carnations inside of the plastic cone, add approximately 1/2 cup of water inside, then place a cherry on the top. Display as a centerpiece or give out as gifts.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Wine Charms

If you're hosting a cheese and wine night for your girlfriends, you can add these adorable charms to each glass so guests don't mix up their glasses. Plus ,they double as party favors.

MAKE THESE: DIY Charms That Are Shrinky, But Definitely Not Dinky

Infused Liquor Party Favors

If you want something a little spicier for party favors, what better way to thank your friends than miniature infused liquors? You just mix together a few common kitchen ingredients with standard liquors.

MAKE THESE: How to Make Your Own Flavored Liquors

From: Michelle Edgemont

Hand-Dyed Bouquet

This is half science experiment, half Valentine's day gift. Watch white blooms turn into colors of the rainbow with some food coloring and water.

MAKE THIS: How to Create a Hand-Dyed Bouquet

Valentine Fortunes

Dip fortune cookies in white chocolate and place inside a Chinese takeout box for a special way to show your Valentine how much you care.

MAKE THESE: Valentine's Day Kids' Craft: White-Chocolate-Dipped Fortune Cookies

From: H. Camille Smith

Heart-Shaped Lemon Poppy Seed Waffles

Serve your Valentine breakfast in bed. This take on the classic waffle gets its tangy flavor from freshly-squeezed lemon juice and zest. Top it with strawberries cut into heart shapes and a dollop of sweetened cream cheese.

MAKE THESE: Lemon Poppyseed Waffle Bites Recipe

From: Chrissy Barua

Handmade Turtle Valentine's Day Card

Let that special someone know exactly how you feel with this sweet turtle card that reads, "You really bring me out of my shell."

MAKE THIS: Kids' Craft: Handmade Turtle Valentine

Dressed Up Dessert Bar

Valentine's Day is all about showing your loved ones you care — and it's also about indulging your sweet tooth. Dress up the dessert bar at your party with paper lanterns, garland, ribbon and letters you can find at your local craft store.

A Gift Box With Sparkle

Give a basic brown box a feminine spin by adding sequins to the outer edge. Add your gift inside with tulle for an extra layer of playful femininity.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Monogrammed Cloth Napkins

Party favors have become more and more sophisticated over the years. You don’t need to have a bag full of gifts — consider something more practical that guests can use at the party and take home for future use. Here, cloth napkins were stitched with crafting fabric in the initial of each guest’s first name. Not only do they work as place holders during the event, but they also provide a nostalgic keepsake.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Yummy Party Favors

Top off a fabulous afternoon by sending guests home with handmade granola. Toast your favorite nuts, dried fruit and spices and scoop into adorable paper bags. There's no better way to share the love with your friends and thank them for coming over.

Personalized Take-Home Treats

White bakers' boxes lined with parchment paper are the perfect containers for filling with delicious homemade treats. Print and cut out these festive tags, hand-stamp your friends' names and string onto red-and-white baker's twine.

Cupid's Arrow Hot Chocolate

Kids and adults alike will love this fun twist on a classic winter treat. Dress up hot chocolate with heart-shaped marshmallows and a paper straw "arrow" for the finishing touch.

MAKE THIS: Valentine's Day Project: Cupid's Arrow Hot Chocolate

Guess How Many 'Kisses' Game

Put a bunch of 'kisses' in a clear container and have guests guess how many kisses are in there. The closest person gets to take home all the kisses.

From: Sam Henderson

Pink + Gold Color Palette

Combine two beautiful colors and use minimal decorations, like giant ballons and tissue garland, to create a big impact.

Rose Body Scrub Gift

Homemade beauty products are a great gift idea for Valentine's Day. Make your own rose body scrub by mixing together equal parts coarse sea salt and almond oil. Stir in two tablespoons of dried rose petals and a few drops of essential oil.

From: Michelle Edgemont

Colorful Pins

Attach cute, colorful pins to Valentine's Day cards so kids can pin them to their backpacks and jackets.

From: Emily Fazio

Pink Bubbly

Kick off the evening in celebratory style by offering pink cans of champagne. Festive and delicious, they're the perfect complement to a sweet dessert spread and fit seamlessly with a Valentine's Day theme.

DIY Cupcake Bouquet

This gorgeous arrangement of cupcakes in a terra-cotta pot would make a great gift or dessert display for Valentine's Day. Make it by securing unfrosted cupcakes to a foam ball using toothpicks. Then, use a piping bag with a star-shaped tip to create rose-like frosting swirls on the cupcakes.

See More Photos: 3 DIY Edible Bouquets to Give This Valentine's Day

Hand-Knit Kid's Scarf

Add a plush heart to your kid's favorite scarf or hand-knit a scarf for them.

MAKE THIS: Easy Hand-Knit Kids' Scarf and Heart Pin

Etched Heart Wine Glasses

Easily etch heart designs onto your wine glasses for your Valentine's Day party or to give as a gift.

MAKE THESE: Etched Heart Wineglasses

From: Michelle Edgemont

White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn Recipe

Easily make a big batch of this popcorn recipe to gift or serve at your Valentine's Day party.

MAKE THIS: White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn Recipe

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Gold Glitter Bobby Pins

Dress for the occasion with these glamorous bobby pins. Slide bobby pins onto the edge of scrap paper to keep them stable, then squeeze a thin line of craft glue along the top of each. Sprinkle fine glitter onto the glue, then allow to dry.

Glitter Nails

Don't forget about your nails. To get the look, paint nails with one coat of clear polish. While it's still wet, cover liberally with fine glitter. Once dry, shake off your hands to remove any excess glitter, then apply a top coat of clear polish and allow to dry.

Homemade Biggest Fan Card

Show your Valentine that you're their "biggest fan" with this adorable handmade card.

MAKE THIS: Kids' Craft: Biggest Fan Valentine

Homemade Play Dough Valentines

The kids will love helping you make homemade, heart-shaped play dough to hand out to friends and classmates.

MAKE THIS: Make Homemade Play Dough Valentines

Upcycled Heart T-Shirt Dress

Upcycle a couple of T-shirts into a dress for your little one to wear on Valentine's Day.

Gold-Dipped Balloons

Liquid gold leaf can make just about anything look glamorous — including ordinary balloons. Let these gilded beauties float around your party to add some sparkle to the atmosphere.

DIY Metallic Tissue Paper Drink Flags

Whip up some drink flags by wrapping metallic tissue paper around straws. These examples by Kim Stoegbauer of The TomKat Studio would be festive for your bar or beverage station.

From: Kim Stoegbauer

Silk Flower Wreaths

Give plain wreaths a Valentine's Day makeover with silk flowers. Bonus: You can keep them up all spring long.

Pretty Petal Centerpiece

Sand meets ultra-gorgeous flower for a DIY centerpiece idea that's truly just as easy as it is beautiful. Cluster a few flower-and-sand creations together and add tealight candles.

Gold Sugar-Rimmed Glasses

Lightly dip the rims of the glasses into corn syrup, then into gold sugar. Let the sugar-rimmed glasses stand at room temperature.

DIY Bacon Rose Bouquet

Don't go "bacon" your Valentine's heart. Instead, make them an arrangement of bacon roses stuffed with goat cheese and dates. Add faux greenery to the edible roses and wrap with kraft paper.

See More Photos: 3 DIY Edible Bouquets to Give This Valentine's Day

Handmade Coffee Cups

Give your Valentine an extra special gift this year with these handmade Valentine's Day coffee cups. All you need are a few white mugs and a permanent ceramic marker. Draw a heart, write a poem, or even include an inside joke. This project is also a great way to let the kids in on the Valentine’s Day fun.

Heart-Shaped Map Drink Tags

For a cute and personalized party idea, cut out a heart shape from a map of where you met each guest, and pin it to their glass with a miniature clothespin.

From: Michelle Edgemont

The Best DIY Ideas to Save Your Valentine's Day

Related To:

Shop This Look

DIY Cheese Board-Inspired Bouquet

Peppermint Ginger Cookie Recipe

String He-Art

Ice Cream Cone Floral

Wine Charms

Infused Liquor Party Favors

Hand-Dyed Bouquet

Valentine Fortunes

Heart-Shaped Lemon Poppy Seed Waffles

Handmade Turtle Valentine's Day Card

Dressed Up Dessert Bar

A Gift Box With Sparkle

Monogrammed Cloth Napkins

Yummy Party Favors

Personalized Take-Home Treats

Cupid's Arrow Hot Chocolate

Guess How Many 'Kisses' Game

Pink + Gold Color Palette

Rose Body Scrub Gift

Colorful Pins

Pink Bubbly

DIY Cupcake Bouquet

Hand-Knit Kid's Scarf

Etched Heart Wine Glasses

White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn Recipe

Gold Glitter Bobby Pins

Glitter Nails

Homemade Biggest Fan Card

Homemade Play Dough Valentines

Upcycled Heart T-Shirt Dress

Gold-Dipped Balloons

DIY Metallic Tissue Paper Drink Flags

Silk Flower Wreaths

Pretty Petal Centerpiece

Gold Sugar-Rimmed Glasses

DIY Bacon Rose Bouquet

Handmade Coffee Cups

Heart-Shaped Map Drink Tags

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