5 DIY Valentine's Day Gifts to Impress Your Loved One

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, which means it’s time to start thinking about the perfect gift for your special someone. One of the best ways to show them how much you care is to give them a handmade gift.

You can find tons of inspiration all over the Internet, but we’ve done all the research for you! Here are five ideas for perfect one-of-a-kind handmade Valentine’s Day gifts.

Custom Tile Coasters

Let your imagination run wild with this project. All you need is some paint, stencils, and four-to-six plain white square tiles, about 4x4 inches.

Arrange your stencils on the tiles and apply paint using a sponge paintbrush. You’ll want to apply an adhesive to the back of the stencils to hold them in place while you paint. Once you finish painting, remove the stencils and put the tiles on a baking sheet.

Bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the tiles to cool before removing them. You then have the option to add felt to the bottom and add a polyacrylic coating to them.

Handmade Pallet Wine Rack

This is a fun project, especially for the person who fancies him/herself a handyman. Making everyday items from recycled wood (think pallets) is all the rage in DIY right now. For the environmentally-conscious wine-lover in your life, making a recycled wood wine rack is a great way to show that you know them well.

You’ll need a few tools for this one, like a hammer, saw, and a drill. Putting the rack together is a bit in depth, so check out this tutorial for the details.

A Multipurpose Hanger Using Old Knobs and Hooks

Everyone needs a place to hang their jacket, which makes this DIY project the perfect gift for that hard-to-buy-for person. There are a variety of designs to choose from, as you’ll be able to tell from a quick Pinterest search.

You can make this a simple shelf with knobs below it for hanging coats, or you can be a bit more creative and make an elaborate design for hanging things like jewelry. You can even make this a recycled project by using old knobs or making the shelf out of used doors.

A One-of-a-Kind Mug

These mugs are a fun, quick, and creative way to tell your special someone how much you care. All you need is a plain white (or another color) mug and oil-based paint markers by Sharpie. Figure out what you want to put on your cup and start drawing!

Once you’ve finished your design, you’ll want to let the mug dry for a few hours (preferably overnight). Once dry, place the mugs on a baking sheet in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (Tip: Put the mugs in before you turn on the oven.) Once the mugs have finished baking, leave them in the oven to cool (remember to turn the oven off!).

Always wash these mugs by hand. Even though they are baked in an oven, the heat from a dishwasher can ruin the design.

Seed Starters for the Garden-Lover in Your Life

For the nature-lover in your life who’s longing for summer, these are great Valentine's Day gifts. All you need is a small mason jar that you can decorate with a stencil and some paint. Then line the bottom of the jar with coffee beans or pebbles (for drainage). Add potting soil on top, leaving room for your love’s favorite flower or plant seeds. Add the seeds and then water.

Cut a small card out of cardstock and punch a hole in the corner. Using embroidery thread, attach the card to the jar. Be sure to add a personal touch on the card, along with care instructions.

There you have it. Five handmade Valentine’s Day gifts that are sure to put a smile on that special someone’s face on February 14. Nothing says, “I love you,” like a gift made with your own two hands. Better yet, you can find some of the materials needed for these projects at either of our Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity's ReStore locations.

Enjoy the read?

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