Romantic Gifts to Make for $5 or Less

It’s Valentine’s Day and you’re broke. I’m here for you. Make one of these romantic gifts for $5 or less.

VINTAGE PHOTO Using the photo setting, copy your beloved’s favorite photo in black and white or brown and white. With children’s watercolor paints, lightly paint a focal spot –like a flower or bow– in the photo. Leave the rest alone. You want just a hint of color. Let dry. Put into a pretty frame that you purchase at the dollar store.

LIVING LOVE Purchase a small green plant in a pot. You can often get fresh live herbs at the grocery store or seedlings at a hardware store for a couple of dollars. Cut hearts from construction paper or pretty Valentine ads. Attach the hearts loosely on plant with thread. Attach a note that says, “My love for you grows and grows.”

LUXURIOUS BATH SALTS In a large mixing bowl, stir together 1 TBS of glycerin (available at drugstores), a few drops of food coloring (optional), and a few drops of perfume or vanilla extract. Slowly add 3 cups Epsom salts (available at drugstores), stirring and mixing with a fork. Put mixed salts in a resealable glass jar (you do save your old jars, don’t you?) Decorate jar with stickers, ribbon, or nail polish. (Sprinkle salt on the nail polish while it’s still wet, for shimmer.)

VALENTINE PUZZLE Print out a message or photograph on a piece of card stock, or glue onto a piece of cardboard. Cut into interesting shapes, and place into a decorated envelope. Your sweetie will have to put it together to read the message.

CHOCOLATE COVERED MARSHMALLOWS  Melt chocolate chips at half power in a bowl in your microwave. Heat 30 seconds, stir, and repeat in 10 second intervals. Be patient. Barely melt the chocolate through, don’t cook it. Dip marshmallows, one by one, into the melted chocolate to coat about 3/4 of the way. While chocolate is still wet, dip into sprinkles, if you have some (without sprinkles is delicious, too). Set on a non-stick cookie sheet or waxed paper to harden. Put into a sealed container in a single layer, or with a sheet of waxed paper between layers. Keep in the refrigerator or a cool place.

CHOCOLATE MELTING SPOONS You’ll need a few plastic spoons, a bag of chocolate chips, sandwich bags, and curling ribbon.  If you have some almond or hazelnut extract on hand, you can use that, too, but it isn’t necessary. Melt chocolate in your microwave. Stir in a couple drops of extract, if you like. Dip spoons into chocolate to coat the tops. Lay on a nonstick cooking sheet to harden. When cool, slip a sandwich bag over each one, covering just the chocolatey part, and tie with curling ribbon. Cut off excess plastic after tying. Use to sweetened hot drinks, or just suck on them like lollipops.

COLOSSAL CHOCOLATE DROP I won’t be guilty of copyright infringement, but be sure to give your sweetheart a big kiss with this gift. Butter a kitchen funnel, and stop up the small end with a ball of aluminum foil. Put a square of wax paper onto a plate. Melt chocolate chips. Using an oven mitt and holding aluminum foil in place, carefully pour melted chocolate into funnel. Hold upright until chocolate begins to solidify. Lay plate on top of funnel, and carefully flip, so funnel rests on the plate. Set in a cool place to harden. When set, remove funnel. Wrap in aluminum foil. Add a strip of paper with your message at the top. You can also fill the funnel with crispy rice treat mixture.

FREE PRINTABLE WRAPPERS make candy bars, tea bags, hot cocoa packets or popcorn bags into personal treats. Check out Alenka’s Printables. The site offers products for sale, but also lots of freebies to print and use. Alenka recommends using shiny printer paper, but I’ve used plain paper with excellent results.

Copyright 2009, Kathryn A. Frazier http://preciousholidays.wordpress.com

See also:

Unbelievably Sensual Evening Takes Plan, Not Cash

No Cost Romantic Valentine’s Day at Home

 

Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve: History of Valentine