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How to Give Your Boyfriend a Valentine's Day Present

 

Picking out a creative, meaningful gift is only half the task. Presenting your Valentine's Day present is another bouquet of roses. Here are a few guidelines for a smooth presentation.

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You'll Need:

    * Greeting Cards
    * Flowers
    * Champagne
    * Boxes Of Chocolates
    * Ball Game Tickets
    * Massage Gift Certificates

Instructions
Step 1: Determine what your boyfriend's gift-related expectations are for Valentine's Day. If he loves the hype surrounding the day dedicated to love, think about an elaborate presentation - perhaps design a treasure map or riddle that will lead him to his gift. If he considers the day just another display of rampant consumerism, present your gift (preferably handmade) in a low-key way.

Step 2: Choose a gift that won't make him panic when he sees it, meaning one box that has an unassuming, nonaggressive size. If he sees eight regally wrapped boxes stacked one upon the other, he'll surely become insecure about his one modest gift to you.

Step 3: Consider asking what he'd like for Valentine's Day to give him a hint that you're planning on giving him something, especially if you're new to the relationship and aren't exactly sure how the two of you might celebrate the day.

Step 4: Plan an unconventional present, say, a singing valentine sent to his workplace or a surprise lunch at that restaurant he's been dying to try.

Step 5: Invite your boyfriend over for Champagne before you celebrate the evening. Give your present after you toast your love.
 

How to Give Your Girlfriend a Valentine's Day Present

 

Whether it's your first Valentine's Day together or your fourth, the gift can become a source of anxiety for you and your girlfriend unless you know exactly how to present it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You'll Need:
    * Greeting Cards
    * Flowers
    * Photo Frames
    * Champagne
    * Bubble Baths
    * Diamond Earrings
    * Massage Gift Certificates
    * Theater Tickets
    * Theater tickets

Instructions
Step 1: Determine your girlfriend's expectations for a gift, especially if this is your first Valentine's Day together. If she's the kind of person who likes the works (Champagne, dinner, flowers and a gift), knowing this ahead of time will pre-empt disappointment on her part and embarrassment on yours if your gift wasn't quite up to par.

Step 2: Plan a special evening to celebrate your love so that the gift itself doesn't become the sole display of your affection.

Step 3: Ask her what she'd like for Valentine's Day (so she knows you're planning something), but consider giving her a personalized gift - a framed photograph you took, a poem you wrote, a piece of jewelry you had custom-made for her. And speaking of jewelry ...

Step 4: Wrap your present in a box that won't give your gift away or lead to disappointment if, say, you've been dating for several years now and still aren't ready to step up to the plate. In other words, if it's not a diamond, don't dare put your gift in a little square box.

Step 5: Offer your present before or after dinner, making sure to tell her you love her while she's opening it.
 

Valentine Candy Grams to Make

 

Sometimes the perfect Valentine's Day gift doesn't come from a store, but comes from a craft created with your own hands. A Valentine candy gram conveys how much you care without breaking the bank. Tailor your candy gram to suit your boyfriend, girlfriend, daughter, teacher, mother or anyone else you love. A candy gram makes a versatile, heartfelt Valentine's Day present.

Candy Wrapper Letter
Express your feelings in a letter made from candy wrappers. Write a romantic poem for your valentine or a funny card for your children or your friends.

Collect candy wrappers to use as the key words in your letter. Describe your valentine as "Good & Plenty" or your "Bit O' Honey," for example. Block out unnecessary words on the candy wrapper with tape or marker. Cross out "Reese's" to tell your child you love her a million "Pieces," for example.

Plot out your candy gram in pencil on poster board or foam board to ensure everything will fit before finalizing your letter. Shape the board into a heart and decorate the edges with embellishments such as lace or ribbon. Finally, glue wrappers into place and trace the surrounding words with marker.

Edible Candy Bouquet
Craft a sweet and tasty edible bouquet from your valentine's favorite candy. Make candy flowers by gluing the sweets to craft sticks of various lengths, and stand them in florist foam placed at the bottom of a flower pot. Write your valentine's name on the pot, and decorate the container with glitter glue, markers or stickers. Attach a short poem or a greeting card to complete your edible candy gram.

Valentine Candy to Make in a Mold

 

Bestowing candy upon loved ones is a Valentine's Day tradition. Exchanging these sweet delicacies is a way of telling someone that you care. This gift can carry even more sentiment when you make it yourself. Taking the time to create your own Valentine's Day treats is a loving gesture, and a creative way to spend an afternoon.

Hard Candy Lollipops
In a small pan, stir together 1 cup of sugar, 2 tbsp. of butter, 1/3 cup of corn syrup and 3 tbsp. of cherry-flavored drink mix (like Kool-aid). Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer for 15 minutes. Carefully pour the mixture into each of the metal molds. Quickly insert lollipop sticks, which can be purchased at a craft store in the same section as the molds and spray. Let the mold sit with the sticks in it for about a half-hour. Remove the lollipops and place them on wax paper.

Chocolate Bites
You can also use molds to make chocolate candy for Valentine's Day. You can purchase 1-lb. blocks of chocolate in the candy mold section of the craft and hobby store. Break it into pieces so that you can fit it in a saucepan and melt it very slowly on a burner on very low heat. If you melt it too quickly over a higher heat, it will burn. Spray Valentine's-themed molds with candy maker's spray. Pour the chocolate into the molds and let it cool for a half-hour. Pop the chocolate bites out of the molds and place them in paper candy liners for presentation.

How to Make a Paper Rose for Valentine's Day

  
Grow some Valentine's Day happiness this year with some lovely handcrafted paper roses. A bouquet of the colorful roses make a colorful centerpiece for a Valentine's Day celebration, or a great addition to a Valentine's Day gift bag. You can also create a paper rose for all the special people on your Valentine's Day list.

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You'll Need:
    * Tissue paper (red, pink, lavender, purple, white)
    * Long green pipe cleaners
    * Scissors
    * Vase (optional)
    * Glitter pen (optional)
    * Ribbon in Valentine's Day colors (optional)

Instructions
Step 1: Stack several layers of tissue paper. The more tissue paper you use, the fuller the paper rose will be. Alternate the colors of the papers in the stack so the rose will have a more natural, variegated appearance.

Step 2: Use the scissors to cut the stack in a rectangle. The size of the rectangle will decide the size of the completed paper rose, but 5 inches by 7 inches is a good starting point.

Step 3: Fold the stack of tissue paper lengthwise like a fan or accordion, with the folds less than an inch in width.

Step 4: Place the tissue paper fan on the center of the green pipe cleaner, and twist the pipe cleaner around the middle of the tissue paper.

Step 5: Continue to twist the pipe cleaner together until you reach the end, creating a stem for the tissue paper rose. Pull out some small "thorns" if you want.

Step 6: Pull the individual tissue papers apart, separating and fluffing them as you go. Repeat on both sides, and arrange the tissue paper with your fingers.

Step 7: Create some leaves out of another piece of tissue paper and attach them to the stem. Tie a ribbon around your rose, or make several roses and place them in a vase.

How to Decoupage a Valentine Glass Vase

 

Flowers are a traditional gift for Valentine's Day, whether for lovers or for friends. Most florists will give you a vase as part of a bouquet package, but it will be plain. A personalized vase can be just the added touch to make a Valentine bouquet a special gift that the recipient will remember for years. Choose photographs or designs that have meaning to your loved one to decorate a Valentine's Day vase.

Difficulty: Easy

Things You'll Need:

    * Vase
    * Photographs and paper designs
    * Scissors
    * Clear tape
    * Decoupage medium such as Mod Podge
    * Foam brush

Instructions
Step 1: Wash and thoroughly dry the vase that you will use for your project. The vase can be clear or opaque but should be a solid color and have a smooth surface. Make sure there is no lint or sticker residue.

Step 2: Cut out the pictures or photos that you want to place on the vase. Use a tiny amount of clear tape on a corner to tape the paper items on to the vase, just to make sure that the design is pleasing. Using a small amount of tape will ensure that the paper can be moved easily.

Step 3: Remove all the paper items and lay them aside carefully. Use the foam brush to spread a light layer of decoupage medium over the vase. Do only the front half of the vase at this time. This will make it easier to handle the project without getting your hands sticky.

Step 4: Place the paper items on the vase, pressing them down onto the decoupage medium and smoothing them out. When all the items have been placed on the front of the vase, allow it to dry. This will take about 10 minutes. When the vase is dry, repeat steps 3 and 4 for the back of the vase.

Step 5: Use the foam brush to smooth a coat of decoupage medium over the entire vase, covering the paper items. Allow the vase to dry, then repeat with another coat. The medium will dry to a smooth clear surface.

Cupid's Arrow

 

This Valentine’s Day fall in love with flavor. Just add juicy cherries, sliced almonds, and your favorite type of chocolate chips to a bowl of Maple Brown Sugar oatmeal. For a twist, swap carob chips for the chocolate kind. Trust us, it’ll be love at first bite. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

Servings:  16
Preparation Time:  15 min
Cooking Time:  25 min
Level of Difficulty:  Moderate

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour    
1 tsp table salt    
1 tsp baking soda    
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa    
1 1/4 cup(s) buttermilk    
1 tsp white vinegar    
2 tsp vanilla extract, divided    
3/4 cup(s) sugar, granulated    
1/4 cup(s) light butter, softened    
 2 large egg(s)    
1 cup(s) powdered sugar    
2 Tbsp Neufchatel cheese, softened    

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare 16 muffin tins with paper muffin liners.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda and cocoa; set aside.

In another large bowl, mix together buttermilk, vinegar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract; set aside.

With an electric mixer on high speed, cream granulated sugar with butter until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and add eggs, one at a time, until well-incorporated.

Add about 1/3 each of flour and buttermilk mixtures to sugar mixture; beat until just combined. Repeat until all of flour and buttermilk mixtures are incorporated; add 1 1/2 ounces of red food coloring and mix well with mixer (do not over beat batter).

Fill each muffin tin about 2/3 full with batter.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out dry, about 25 minutes; cool for 5 minutes in pan and then cool completely on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, to make icing, combine powdered sugar, cheese and remaining teaspoon of vanilla in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until well-combined and creamy. For a looser icing, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of warm water. Ice cooled cupcakes.

Yields 1 iced cupcake per serving.

Notes:
You can make green velvet cupcakes, too, by dividing the batter in half and adding green food coloring to one half and red to the other. Or you can combine 2 parts green food coloring and 1 part blue food coloring to yield a forest green. 

Chocolate-Covered Marshmallow Pops

Servings:  12
Preparation Time:  25 min
Cooking Time:  1 min
Level of Difficulty:  Moderate
          
Ingredients:
24 piece(s) Kraft Jet-Puffed Regular Marshmallow(s), or similar product  
6 Tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips  
1 Tbsp sugar, colored red (buy red decorating sugar)   
    
Instructions:
Thread a 6 to 8-inch lollipop or popsicle stick through the flat end of one marshmallow. Using a 1/2-inch flat paint brush, brush the flat end of another marshmallow with warm water. Thread that marshmallow onto the stick so that the wet end sticks to the dry marshmallow. If possible do not let the stick push through the dry top of the second marshmallow. Repeat with the remaining marshamllows to yield 12 pops total. (Note: You can purchase lollipop or popsicle sticks at your local craft store.)

Place the chocolate chips in a small microwavable bowl and microwave on HIGH, stirring every 15 seconds, until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 1 minute.

Using a dry 1/2-inch flat paint brush, brush the chocolate thinly onto the rounded sides of the marshmallows. Place the finished lollipops in juice glasses to keep them upright or stick the bottoms into a small block of styrofoam.

Clean the paintbrush and use it to brush the white top of one pop with warm water. Place the sugar on a small plate and dip the moist top into it; the sugar will stick. Repeat with the remaining pops.

Refrigerate 3 minutes or until the chocolate is firm, or allow the chocolate to firm up at room temperature, about 3 hours.

Yields 1 pop per serving.

New Year's Arts and Crafts Ideas

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Ring in the New Year with holiday-related arts and crafts projects. These New Year's crafts offer a creative outlet in the days leading up to the holiday or at a New Year's Eve celebration, and they easily adapt to fit different age and ability levels.

Time Capsule
Create a time capsule for the New Year. Select a sturdy container for the time capsule, such as a cardboard box or plastic tote. Decorate the container with paint, glitter and stickers. Add important items that represent the interests, hobbies and achievements of the participants over the past year. Write a letter to your future self that outlines the importance of the items in the time capsule, as well as your New Year's resolutions and goals for the next year. Tuck the time capsule away until the following New Year's celebration, when you can open the capsule and look through the memories from the previous year.

Noise Maker
Create New Year's noise makers with two paper bowls and beans. Decorate both of the bowls, using markers, paint or construction paper, with New Year's designs, such as Father Time. Place about 1/4 cup of dried beans or other small items in one of the bowls. Make a ring of hot glue around the rim of the bowl and immediately press the second bowl on top of the first. Allow the glue to dry before shaking the noise maker. You can also glue a craft stick between the two bowls as a handle for the noise maker. Alternative options for the noise maker containers include film canisters, water bottles or soda cans.

Party Hats
Make wearable New Year's crafts in the form of party hats. To create the hats, twist a piece of poster board into a cone shape and tape it to hold it in the cone shape. Trim off the extra poster board at the bottom to create an even bottom. Decorate the hat with New Year's designs and sayings, using markers, glitter and other craft supplies. Punch a hole in each side of the party hat. Tie a string through the two holes to hold the hat onto your head.

Calendar
Make a personalized calendar for the new year. Purchase a blank calendar form, which can be found at craft stores. You can also make your own calendar by using small metal rings to hold together pieces of card stock. Draw pictures, make collages or add photos to each month on the calendar. Add in the numbers for each month. Add important dates on the calendar, such as birthdays, holidays and anniversaries.