diy vday
DIY Valentine's Day ideas can include retrofitting games Latin Times Staff

Looking for a last minute Valentines Day gift? You can make something unique with a do-it-yourself Valentines Day present. This could be a simple, quick gift like a card, or something more elaborate. This post includes 5 DIY Valentines gift ideas and links to many more, including the typical/cheesy, and more edgy ideas.

1) Make a F***ing Card

A DIY Valentines Day card in pretty easy to make, and creates lasting memento for your relationship. Just take it from Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman, who talks about romantic DIY cards in his comedy special entitled American Ham, available on Netflix.

“If you’re in a relationship, make your significant other a f***ing card, please. Go to your printer, there’s paper in there. Take a sheet of it. Fold it in half, draw a heart on it. Write ‘I love you,’ sign your name.”

Not only are DIY Valentines Day gifts simple to make, but they go a lot further than some cheesy Hallmark pulp from the card aisle.

“You will get so kissed. You will be kissed so much more voluptuous than from anything you can buy at the mall.”

I know what you’re thinking: a card made out of simple printer paper with a heart drawn on it is not going to cut it for Valentines Day. Offerman’s got it covered.

“Here’s a bonus: go outside and find a tiny piece of nature a leaf, a twig, a stone, a shell. Adhere it to the center of the heart.”

Boom. You just changed your partner’s day, and probably your night, too.

After you finish the card, says Offerman “get stretched out, because you’re headed to the realm of coutius.”

Of course, you can make your cards even more elaborate with some 3-D elements.

2) Hijack a Game (inspired by Little Gray Fox, via Buzzfeed)

Transform a deck of 52 playing cards into a portable list of reasons why you like your partner. Though you can get them for just a few dollars at any corner store, try a thrift store, which often have unique backings. You can punch a hole through the deck (use hole-puncher 4 or 5 cards at a time) to bind it with ribbon, or leave it in loose playing condition.

Take glue, glitter, newspaper cutting, and permanent marker to write and decorate each of the cards. Be sure to budget time for glue drying!

Other games can be hijacked as well. For example, you could surprise your Love by gifting a scrabble board that’s secretly a love note. Take a Scrabble board and create a fake game with lovely messages spelled out. Glue the tiles in place. Then, fold up the board with the tile s attached and put it back in the box. Again, glitter, ribbon, and sharpie are your friends.

3) Go Bananas

Love is fleeting, and so are bananas. Show that you care right here, right now with an ephemeral token of affection. Take a banana an scratch a message in it with a toothpick or other sharp object. The banana will quickly darken the scarred areas, leaving your message clearly visible. If you’re doing this last minute, put in a paper bag (with a tomato), or bake it on low heat in an oven. Need some inspiration? Check out this Facebook page dedicated entirely to writing on bananas.

4) Create a Scavenger Hunt

There are an infinite number of possibilities for a scavenger hunt. Here are some key elements for a successful hunt.

Treasure map: Doesn’t need to be the first step in the hunt. It’s a fun middle step to lead them to something else. For aesthetics, crumple up the paper, burn the edges, and make it look old.

Message in a bottle: Wine bottles are the easiest to obtain in a pinch. Just be sure you dry it out! Extra points if you can hid it in a place where it’s floating in water.

Get the out of the house: if you can swing it, be sure the scavenger hunt get’s a few blocks away from the bed, before leading back to it.

5) DIY Chocolate and Flowers

Flowers and chocolate are awesome, but they need a special twist. Flower from the supermarket and chocolate from Wal-mart. No way. Super cheesy and lame. But DIY flowers and chocolate can be great.

Flowers: check out how to make condom roses, how to make paper flowers, and how to make aluminum flowers--both out of cans and out of aluminum foil

© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.