DIY Valentine’s Day Gifts

By Amanda Mowery

When Valentine’s Day rolls around, many college students are left asking themselves how they can afford to show a significant other, friend or family member how much they love and appreciate them. However, there are things that just can’t be bought, and love can be shown through different types of DIY gifts that are personal and made with love.

Everyone wants to be able to go above and beyond when thinking about showing their significant other how much they love them, but that doesn’t mean they have to go above and beyond their budget. DIY gifts can be personal and a special keepsake they can hold onto forever.

Valentine’s Day bouquets do not have to consist of a glass vase and twelve dozen roses, but can be personalized based on the person receiving the bouquet. One cute bouquet idea for a girlfriend or boyfriend is to get a vase or Yeti tumbler and stuffing it full of lottery scratch offs topped off with a little cheesy note saying, “I hit the lottery when I met you.” Another personal bouquet could be composed of a variety of candies with puns such as attaching, “you stole a piece of my heart,” on a pack of Reese’s Pieces or, “I’m stuck on you,” to a pack of gum.

Fortunately, there is something that people can do with all those old movie tickets, dirt track race bracelets and mini Polaroid photos. This Valentine’s Day, gather up all the little memories that have been collected over the years and slide them into a shadow box. It’s like a collage in a box that can be hung on the wall and kept forever to reminisce on all the special times shared.

An easy and popular Valentine’s Day gift is a simple photo in a frame; however, there are small DIY crafts that can spice up any regular photo frame and make it even more personal. Scrabble letter tiles can be used and glued inside the frame spelling out names, inside jokes or even just “I love you.” Even using a sharpie and writing down the reasons why the significant other is loved will add artsy handwriting and more meaning.

Photo memory jars are extremely quick and easy to create as well as personal for any loved one. One jar could be beach themed if the couple enjoys going to the beach together, and the mason jar could include sand and seashells with a picture poking out of the sand. If someone wanted to get extra crafty they could even wrap the jar in rope net. A vintage themed photo jar can be created by placing a black and white photo in a jar filled with olive oil because it won’t erode the photo, and dried flowers and tiny branches. Even a simple Valentine’s theme could be created with fairy lights, red and pink heart cut-outs, glitter and a photo in a jar. 

For coffee lovers, a DIY watercolor mug is a great gift to give on Valentine’s Day. All one needs is a ceramic mug, nail polish and a toothpick. Fill up a plastic container or bowl with warm water and proceed to pour in the desired colors of nail polish. Quickly swirl the nail polish colors into the desired design using the toothpick and then dip the mug into it. It will take roughly 2-3 hours of drying time and it is recommended to be hand-washed.

Scrolling through Pinterest or browsing through YouTube videos are other excellent resources to find the perfect DIY gift for any loved one. Remember, using personal talent is another way to get crafty with DIY Valentine’s gifts from painting to writing poetry or songs. Some of the best gift to give are those that don’t include a price tag.