By: Haley Eckman
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, some may be wondering: What do I get my significant other without breaking the bank? Some options are simple, like just buying chocolates or flowers, but many choose to do it themselves. Some great DIY Valentine’s gifts to give could include bath bombs or paper flowers.
Bath bombs work when citric acid responds with the water, causing the bath water to fizz up. To make bath bombs, first you must buy a mold. For valentines, a heart shape might be the best design, but you could use any shape. The Squire found a great recipe on birdie.com, listed at the bottom of the page. According to their recipe, the next step is to mix one cup of baking soda, ½ cup of Epsom salt, and ½ cup cornstarch in a large mixing bowl. Then, add ¾ tablespoon of water, two teaspoons of essential oil, two tablespoons of coconut oil, and a few drops of food coloring to a jar and shake it up vigorously. Once everything is combined, pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and add ½ cup of citric acid. Mix it all up and then tightly press it into the molds. They will take a day or two to dry, and then you’re done! You could use bags with twist ties to keep them safe and ready to gift. Bath bombs are a great option to give to friends as well.
Paper flowers are another great idea to save money and make your gift extra special. Some flowers are harder to make than others. One way to make them is to fold the paper into a flower shape. You can then glue the flower to a wire for the stem to make it more realistic. You could also use these to decorate the outside of a card. Another, more difficult, way to make paper flowers is to cut the paper into specific shapes for each part of the flower. Then, you glue on the center and work around it with different sized petals. Watching a YouTube video could help you create your masterpieces. There are many different video and website options that give detailed instructions. This gift would be good to give to a friend or to your mom to show you care this Valentine’s Day.
The Squire interviewed Mrs. Rouse to see if there is anything special that she and her husband make for each other. Mrs. Rouse is a mom, and so she likes to include her kids on Valentine’s Day. The Squire asked her what she does for the holiday, “He [Mr. Rouse] usually buys flowers that come from my kiddos and either makes me a delicious dinner or we get take-out! Nothing fancy over here…” While she doesn’t make DIY Valentines herself, her kids make her homemade presents and she says, “They put a lot of thought into them, which warms my heart!” Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be difficult; simple things can go a long way.
Some other great options without spending too much are to cook a homemade meal or to do small gestures for your significant other, like cleaning off the snow from their car. Any of these options could help you to create the perfect Valentine’s Day. Sometimes homemade gifts can be better than ones that aren’t. As long as you do something special, your partner is sure to love it.
The Squire 