Fun DIY Valentine’s Day decorations that you can have up and going in no time! The best part? They all require items you probably already have in your recycling bin.
Have you ever let Valentine’s Day sneak up on you? I most definitely have, and this year I rushed to get any kind of decor on my walls and shelves so my kiddos at least knew something was going to happen. Since buying loads of decor items is not very me, I of course went down the rabbit hole of DIY Valentine’s Day decorations, and there are so many fun ideas! Take a look at some of the crafts I found and decide which one you’d like to try first!
Easy DIY Valentine’s Day Decorations You Should Try Today
Cardboard Frames
You can use cardboard, yarn, or fabric to make some cute heart-shaped frames for Valentine’s Day. You can hold them for a photo shoot or use them to frame actual photos for your walls.
Heart Garland
You can use old paper to shape some hearts and make a festive garland for Valentine’s Day. Use old book pages, magazine pages, sheet music, or even greeting cards.
Recycled Plastic Hearts
Those empty plastic bottles you have everywhere can be used to make some festive hearts this year. You can hang them from a mobile, on a garland along curtains or windows, or place them on shelves around your home. Check out the tutorial from OhHo Deco.
Pallet Heart
An old wooden pallet may not seem good for anything that has to do with decorations, but you can upcycle it for a rustic and homemade decoration for your home if you put in a little work. Show your partner how much you love them by painting and hanging this in your bedroom. Note: Make sure it’s a small pallet. Standard sizes are pretty big to hang on a bedroom wall.
Scrabble Letter Heart
If you’ve lost too many scrabble tiles for the game to be playable, you can take the remaining tiles and make this cute heart art. Make sure to use a background color that makes the tiles pop!
Pinecone Bouquet
You can gift an undying bouquet out of old pinecones this year. All you’ll need is some glue and red/pink/white paint. Check out the tutorial by Sonja & Jane, two sisters who run the Sustain My Craft Habit blog.
Wine Cork Hearts
Collect those wine corks and glue them together to make a sweet heart for your sweetheart. They can be framed on a wall or hung to remind your loved ones of your affection. See the details on the Whisky + Sunshine blog (formerly Merlot Mommy).
Conversation Hearts
Use extra fabric and stuffing to make these cute conversation heart plushies. You can sew custom quotes and conversations that will last the entire year. Don’t be afraid to try using other stiff fabrics as well! Get the detailed tutorial (and video) on Felt With Love Designs.
Gift Wrap
You can wrap your Valentine’s gifts in used paper or newspapers this year with some red ribbon. You can stamp or paint some hearts to customize it. The Emma Owl blog made a potato stamp to put hearts all over their newspaper gift wrap.
Bottle Cap Heart
This Italian creator saved a bunch of plastic bottle caps and turned them into art. You can use soda pull tabs as well if those are more readily available. Either way, you’re saving the planet and reducing waste.
Paper Fortune Cookies
These paper fortune cookies are easy to make and can be used with whatever pattern or color you like. They’re perfect for giving love notes to your loved ones! Check out the tutorial from Tee at Beauteeful Living.
Puzzle Piece Decoration
Old puzzle pieces and either popsicle sticks or cardboard can be painted and made into this cute Valentine’s Day gift. You can make it bigger by using more puzzle pieces and attaching them to a framed painted piece of cardboard or a canvas.
Heart Stamp
An old toilet paper tube or paper towel roll can be bent into a heart shape to make a heart-shaped stamp for all of your crafting and decorating needs. Use it to cover plain wrapping paper, decorate Valentine’s Day cards, or make a work of art all on its own. See some more ideas at Housing a Forest.
Playing Card Messages
An old deck of cards, or cards from multiple decks, can be made into a flip book of love notes and messages this season in a unique and creative gift. Find the rings at any craft store or in the office supply section at Walmart. You can also use string, ribbon, or twine through the holes instead of rings. Check out the original post by Nicole at Visual Heart.
Cork Stamps
Cork is soft and easy to carve into heart shapes and letters—all you need is a little patience and an X-Acto knife (or something similar). You can carve anything into the ends of them like letters, numbers, and small symbols like a heart or star. Check out the post from Bespangled Jewelry.
Heart Wall Art
If you’re good around a long strip of paper, this paper quilled heart would make an enchanting decoration to hang on your wall for Valentine’s day. Use card stock paper, thin cardboard, or even toilet paper tubes to make this beautiful and intricate heart. Check out the original post by Cecilia at Crafting Creatures.
Spool Heart
If you sew then you might have too many thread spools hanging around. You can cut out a heart-shaped piece of cardboard and glue them on to create a nice heart of spools that you can hang in your sewing room year-round or elsewhere in your house during the Valentine’s season. Check out the idea from The Path Less Raveled.
Danish Heart Baskets
Extra fabric or felt can be woven into these cute heart baskets that you see in Danish homes during the Christmas season. They’re perfect for holding candy and giving as gifts. Check it out at Megan’s website RadMegan.
Cardboard Conversation Hearts
If you’re looking for a great kids craft on Valentine’s Day, follow Choices 4 Children’s example and take some old cardboard, ribbon, and magazine cutouts to make these custom conversation hearts for your loved ones this festive season.
Candy Holders
Old mason jars, like those shown above at The 36th Avenue site, pill bottles, or seasoning shakers can be decorated and used as candy holders. They make perfect gifts for friends and family.
Paper Treat Bags
Make these recyclable candy bags out of newspaper, wrapping paper, maps, or book pages. They can be easily sewn or glued into packets to hold candy. Check out the tutorial from Refab Diaries.
Tin Lanterns
Your tin cans can be cleaned, painted, and punched with love notes or heart shapes to create holders or small lanterns. All you need to add is a tea light inside. Check out the tutorial on Bren Did.
Origami Hearts
Origami hearts can be made out of book pages, colored paper, or even love notes for your sweetheart to discover. They also make fun valentines for kids to take to school. They’re easy to make and cost next to nothing.
Love Signs
These love signs will each be unique since you can make them out of whatever you have lying around. They can be old metal pieces, old bits of wood, or anything else you can get your hands on.
Heart Button Hair Pins
These hair accessories only require a little glue and some old buttons. You can glue individual buttons onto a heart-shaped piece of paper, or you can glue heart-shaped buttons onto a hairpin. Feel Good Style has the tutorial!
Crayon Hearts
Melt down old crayon bits in heart-shaped muffin molds to create some cute Valentine’s gifts like Whipper Berry did. They can even be used to color again!
Toilet Roll Valentine
Crafting A Green World showcased these valentines that are made out of cardboard tubes, tissue paper, and letters cut out of a magazine. They’re recyclable, biodegradable, and can hold notes or candy. You can also cover them with book pages, magazine pages, or newspapers.
Cereal Mailbox
Crafting A Green World also shows us how to reuse cereal boxes to make custom mailboxes that your child can take to school on Valentine’s Day. Have your child paint it or cover it with paper or pictures, or whatever your child can think of!
Scarf Wreath
These wreaths are perfect for Valentine’s day, or any other holiday. They can be easily made out of a feather boa or scarf that’s been hanging in your closet and probably won’t get worn again. Check out this extremely easy tutorial from Meegan Makes.
Cupid Arrows
Make this quiver of cupid arrows from tin cans and some sticks in your yard. They’re cute and unique and can be customized any way you’d like. Check out the process from Jenny at Refresh Living.
Heart Wreath or Wall Decor
Make these hearts from tied strips of fabric, cut pieces of plastic bags, red and pink paper, or anything else you can think of. They’re perfect for hanging on doors and walls. The great part? You don’t even have to buy a wreath frame. You can make one yourself! Check out the detailed tutorial from 3 Little Greenwoods.
Which craft would you like to try first?
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