These Valentine’s Day gifts are something unique to give your friends, family or significant other on a holiday filled with love and can be made in just a few simple steps. 

Decorated Mug

What You Need:

• Coffee mug
• Permanent marker
• Oven

Directions:

1. Write a special message on the outside of a clean mug with the marker. You can use punny quotes like “I love you a whole latte,” “hey there hot-tea” or “I can’t espresso how much you bean to me.”
2. After the ink dries, go over the writing a second time. Let it dry again for at least 24 hours.
3. Bake the mug in the oven at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours. Put the mug in the oven while it is heating up, and let the oven cool down before removing the mug.
4. Make sure to handwash the mug to prevent the color from fading.

52 Reasons Why “I Love You” Deck of Cards

What You Need:

• Deck of cards
• Pen 
• Paper 
• Scissors
• Tape
• Binder clip

Directions:

1. Cut 53 pieces of paper to fit nicely on each playing card. 
2. Write out reasons why you love your valentine on each piece of paper with a pen until you fill out all 52. You can write inside jokes or heartfelt messages. 
3. On your last piece of paper write “52 reasons why I love you.”
4. Tape each paper to a playing card and tape the title paper on a joker card.  
5. Stack the cards on top of each other and clip them together with a binder clip.

Heart Candy Jar

What You Need:

• Glass jar
• Paint
• Sponge
• Painter’s tape
• Scissors
• Chocolate kisses
• Ribbon
• Paper
• Pen

Directions:

1. Layer pieces of painter’s tape on top of each other until you make a square shape. Cut out a heart shape from the layers of tape.
2. Apply the tape to the jar.
3. Dab paint onto the dry jar with the sponge. Paint the jar three times, letting it dry between coats.
4. Peel off the tape once the paint is completely dry.
5. Cut out a slip of paper to create a tag for your jar and write a cute message on it.
6. Cut a slit or punch a hole into the corner of the paper.
7. String ribbon through the slit to tie it around the jar.

“Be Mine” Basket

What You Need:

• Basket
• Items to fill basket

Directions:

1. Make a themed basket for your valentine. It can be a spa basket, candy basket, lottery ticket basket, date night basket or a booze basket.
2. Buy the particular items you need to fill the basket. For example, you could make a spa basket with lotion, body wash, nail polish and a teddy bear. 
3. You can decorate the inside of the basket with tissue paper.

Contact Sabrina Schnetzer with comments at slschnetzer@bsu.edu. 

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