Family Chic

Instead of a card - try making this Valentine globe and fill it with a message of love.

You will need a jar, excelsior (fine wood shavings), glue gun, paper, paint or markers, ribbon or fabric, tissue paper and a metallic doily.

Using a glue gun, attach excelsior to inside of jar lid.

Cut out a heart from card stock paper, decorate and attach to a toothpick with tape.

Stick heart into excelsior. You can add a dab of glue to the end of the toothpick, but the wood shavings are so stiff - the toothpick will remain in place on its own.

Measure height of jar and cut two pieces of background paper (one of tissue paper and one from a doily) to fit halfway around the the inside of the jar.

Place doily in front of tissue paper and slip inside of jar so it is facing inward.

The tissue paper and doily will cling to the side of the jar - no glue needed.

On a thin strip of card stock, write out your Valentine's message.

Place message inside of jar - the card stock is so thick - the strip of paper will stay in place inside of the jar.

Screw on lid and glue fabric or ribbon around lid to create a more attractive base.

These decorative globes catch and hold the light and make a mesmerizing Valentine - my kids are thrilled with these.

Pipe cleaners are formed into heart shapes and backed with tissue paper to make these light-catching Valentines.

Shape pipe cleaners into a heart form.

Apply glue to the back.

Place hearts onto tissue paper, let dry and then cut out - following the silhouette of the pipe cleaner heart.

I picked up these striped pipe cleaners at Blick.

If you have a child with a birthday in February - or if you're planning on having a Valentine's Day party- this is perfect for holding party favors.

Using a hole punch, punch 5 evenly spaced holes around the rim of a thick paper cup and thread yarn through holes.

Attach a paper heart, tie yarn and fill with tissue paper and add your treats.

For Valentine's Day gifts - wrap up your sweets in these easy to make packages.

A biodegradable seed starting pot (available in the Home Depot greenhouse dept.- a package of 10 costs $1.69) is filled with excelsior ( fine wood shavings, sold by the bag at specialty container stores) and sweets. A large safety pin is used to attach a tag. This would also be perfect to place at each setting at a Valentine's Day dinner party.

6 inch kraft bags (available at craft stores) are stamped with the number 14. Instead of lining the bag with tissue paper, I used a large paper doily.

Using a heart-shaped die cut, I punched out a heart from red construction paper. I punched a heart shape of the same size out of a gold doily, layered one on top of the other and attached to the bag with a brass brad.

This Valentine's Day - shoot cupid's arrow through a plastic cup and watch the reaction you'll get from your kids. This is guaranteed to get big laughs!

Using an X-ACTO Knife, make two small slits, across from each other, in the top portion of a 16 oz. plastic cup. Make these cuts from the inside of the cup as it rests on a cutting board.

Cut an arrow tip and end out of red construction paper. Add two small slits to each shape so you can slip in a wooden skewer. I had a bag of 10" skewers that I cut down to 8". You can find these in the cooking supply aisle of your supermarket.

Slip the skewer into both slits of the cup and then add on the paper arrow bits. Fill with ice, cranberry juice and a straw. To prevent leaking, do not pass the point of the arrow when filling cup with juice.

Instead of juice - you can also fill this with candy to give as a gift.

These glittery heart lights are really stunning and easy to make.

A short strand of 35 red lights are decorated with red glittery paper hearts.

Using a die cut in the shape of a heart (available at craft and paper supply stores) I punched out several hearts from a sheet of saved wrapping paper.

I cut a cross-shaped slit into the center of each paper heart and slipped them over the bulbs. Make sure the paper does not touch the bulb - it should fit securely around the plastic socket.

Red wooden beads make a wonderful Valentine's Day garland with the addition of a few more of those glittery paper hearts.

Using the same die cut, I punched out more hearts. I punched a hole into the top of the shape and cut a slit from the edge to the hole.

Making this type of cut, allows the hearts to slip on easily in between the beads.

Valentine's Day treat bags, made from mesh grapefruit packages are simple and fun to make - the kids can help.

Start out by cutting the paper label off of the base of the bag.

Cut the mesh bag in half - creating two tubes of mesh (if the bag is larger, you can cut it into thirds).

Using a small rubber band, close one end.

I keep a bag of small hair elastics around to use for various craft projects - they are inexpensive and sold in large quantities - perfect for this idea.

Turn inside out to create a bag.

Fill with candy.

Tie with ribbon and add a heart and you are done.