Trying to get into the Valentine’s Day spirit? Need to inject a little romance into your home? Yup, me too! Here are several unique Valentine’s Day Wreaths to help you decorate for February 14th.

Unique DIY Valentine’s Day Wreaths

valentines-wreath-branches-close_up_wood_heart_wreath

Have some downed tree branches in your yard? Make this Valentine’s Day rustic tree branch heart.

This upcycled book page rose wreath is the perfect addition to any house.

Check out this tutorial from Pretty Handy Girl and see how easy it is to create a heart shaped topiary. Keep it for yourself or give it to the one you love. | Non-candy Valentine's Day gifts | #prettyhandygirl #Valentinesday #DIYtopiary #plant

Train some ivy vines around a copper pipe to make this beautiful heart shaped topiary.

Be still my heart, this Home is Where the Heart Is Wreath belongs on my door.

This PVC heart decoration is easy to make with various sizes of PVC pipe!
Call me plumb crazy, but I think this adorable PVC pipe art would make a beautiful wreath.

 

Have some extra ribbon you’ve been hanging onto? This ribbon wreath is a pretty way to use it.

I get it, you want a wreath you can leave up through Valentine’s Day and beyond. This Modern Floral Wreath should make you happy.

DIY Rosemary Wreath & Juniper Garland | Pretty Handy Girl

This last idea is a start shaped wreath, but you could easily bend it into a Rosemary Heart Wreath.

I hope those gave you some great last minute decorating ideas. Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day to you.

Need something to do with the kids for Valentine’s Day? Here are several DIY Valentine’s Day cards:

Skip the candy with these DIY melted crayon valentines from Pretty Handy Girl! | DIY Valentine's Day gifts #holidaygifts #prettyhandygirl

Glitter Cut Out Valentine Name Tags| Pretty Handy Girl

If you liked these ideas, you’ll love these Fall DIY Wreath ideas.

24 Creative Fall Wreaths | Pretty Handy Girl

Looking for a simple and fun craft to do with the kids? These melted crayon hearts are just the thing. Make them for Valentine’s or just to reuse old broken crayons.

Melted Crayon Heart Valentines

After the abundance of candy and cookies consumed over the holidays, I cringe at the idea of more sweets finding their way into our home. Especially candy with artificial colored dyes added. Valentine’s Day and Halloween are the two holidays where I have to brace myself for the inevitable influx of dye-laden candies. I don’t have concrete proof, but I’m fairly certain that one of my sons has a dye sensitivity. This sensitivity manifests itself in behavior issues.

Because of this, I try to make Valentines that don’t use candies. Years ago, I made these Melted Crayon Heart Valentines! They were a big hit with the kids. This year my boys are too old for swapping Valentine’s (and they are enrolled in virtual school until the Fall), but I thought this would be a fun craft for those of you with little ones looking for easy crafts to fill the time.

How to Make Melted Crayon Heart Valentines

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions:

  1. Start by collecting all those broken crayons (or sacrifice some worn down ones.)
  2. Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
  3. Peel the labels off all the crayons.
  4. Break the crayons into small pieces.
  5. Optional: Separate into colors if you want to create monotone heart crayons
  6. Fill the bottom of the muffin tin with the broken crayons.
  7. Place in 300F oven for 15 minutes.
  8. Once the crayons are liquified, remove them carefully from the oven.
  9. Set out to cool for about 15-20 minutes.
  10. Pop them out of the tins and glue to cardstock for Valentine’s or let the kids color with them.

We attached them using Elmer’s glue dots to cards that said “For Crayon Out Loud, Won’t You Be My Valentine.”

Kelly added some glitter to her crayon hearts:

And Heather of Whipperberry paired her melted crayon hearts with these adorable Valentines using a cutting die:

Want another candy-free Valentine idea? Make these adorable “You Rule” Valentines:

You Rule Valentines | Pretty Handy Girl

Now tell me, how are you all doing? Made it through 2020? I hope you are having a happy new year so far.

Pin for later!

Skip the candy with these DIY melted crayon valentines from Pretty Handy Girl! | DIY Valentine's Day gifts #holidaygifts #prettyhandygirl

Grab a few wine corks and some wire, we’re going to make wine cork reindeer with those two supplies and some hand tools.

Wine Cork Reindeer

Looking for a little craft to do with the kids and maybe you’ve been drinking a little more wine this year and have some leftover wine corks. (Hand raised here!) Today I have the quickest and easiest holiday craft for you. I made one of these while I was talking on the phone. It started while I was doodling with some leftover wire from the Plumbing Parts Holiday Decor project and suddenly I was looking at a cute little stick reindeer. And then he asked me to make him some friends, so I did.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions:

Cut four 3″ lengths of wire. Two 2.5″ lengths and finally cut one 2″ length of wire.

Use the needle-nosed pliers to grasp one of the 3″ wires (for the legs). Push it into the side of a wine cork.

Continue pushing the other 3″ wires into the wine cork.

Adjust the legs so all four feet rest on the ground. You can bend and arch the legs if you wish.

Take the 2″ section of wire and insert it into the top of the wine cork.

Push the second wine cork onto the 2″ wire and bend the wire to shape the reindeer’s neck.

Take the remaining wires (2.5″ wires) and bend them into the shape below (like cattle horns.)

Grab the horns with the pliers and insert them into the head of your reindeer.

Only one of my reindeer was given a red nose (you and I know there is only ONE Rudolph!) Add a dab of glue onto the end of the wine cork head and press the red bead into the glue.

Then make a few friends for Rudolph…

…and have fun posing them and making them line up for Santa.

These would make a fun gift for the wine lovers in your family or the kids who are old enough that they don’t pose a choking hazard.

I have Rudolph and friends lined up on our mudroom coat rack.

Aren’t they cute?

Yes, I took 100 photos of these cuties — what are you trying to say? And yes, I may have drank a bit too much wine in 2020, but these were actually in my craft stash.

Have a Happy Holiday from me and Rudy!

DIY Holiday Napkin Rings made from inexpensive Garland

Festive DIY Napkin Rings for your Holiday Table

Happy Holidays! I thought it would be very apropos to share this easy last-minute holiday napkin ring tutorial with you all. It’s that time of year when time is short and things are busy.  The last thing we need is to stress about table settings.  If you happen to need something quick to dress your tables,  these festive DIY napkin rings will have you covered!

I got the idea for this while I was in Target. Of course, I love to peruse their home decor aisles, which are filled with holiday decor at the moment. I saw this lovely little green garland for $8! Bargain! I am picky about my faux greenery, but this one looked pretty good (especially for the price). I knew I could make this into a cool centerpiece or napkin rings.

Greenery Napkin Ring DIY

You can follow these same steps to make napkin rings out of any holiday garland.  Dollar Stores might be a good source for inexpensive garlands.  It’s helpful if your garland has a bendable wire with it, this makes shaping the rings easier.  I would also like to suggest that you use wire cutters for cutting the wire.  Strong scissors may do the job, but it can be tough. And why ruin your good scissors?

wire cutters for cutting wire garland

Let’s get started, shall we?

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

inexpensive christmas garland

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut a small piece of garland.

cut off small piece of garland

Take your wire cutters and cut a piece of garland. The length will depend on how thick your napkins are. I have these frayed red buffalo check napkins that I made for the 4th of July, and I’m reusing them for the holidays! (You can check out the tutorial for those red napkins right here.) The material is somewhat thin, so I cut about a 4-inch piece of garland.

Step 2: Bend Garland Piece into a ring

shape your garland piece into a ring

Bend your garland piece into a ring. This is why it helps to be using garland with wire! All you have to do is mold it in a circle and twist it together. Then you can fluff up the greenery on the ring any way you like.

ring of garland

Definitely ensure that your ring doesn’t have any sharp, exposed wires. If so, just clamp it down with pliers.

Step 3: Insert your napkin

Red Napkins with DIY Napkin Rings made from garland

Now for the fun. Take the whole napkin and pull it through the ring. But here’s another way to do this.

Take your napkin and lay it out flat. Grab the napkin in the center and place your napkin ring over the center fold. Voila!

close up image of green napkin rings around a red holiday napkin

I think napkin rings really add to place settings, especially if you’re like me and only have a small round table. It’s stylish without overcrowding the table. I think these extra touches really make the holidays feel special. And instead of spending $5 on each napkin ring, you spent $8 on the whole project. As a bonus, you’ll probably have garland leftover to decorate with!

If you want more great ideas for your Holiday table, check out this gorgeous Holiday Tablescape.

Christmas Table with candles and red napkins and festive napkin rings

I want to take a moment to wish you all a Happy and safe Holiday and a Joyous New Year. I’ve now been writing for Pretty Handy Girl for a year, and I couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity to connect with you all. Thank you so much for being a reader! It means so much to me to have you here.

karen signature

~ See More of Karen’s Tutorials ~


karen from decor hintHello!  I’m Karen, the creator of the Home Decor and DIY Blog: Decor Hint. I’m a Native of the East Coast, but I currently live in beautiful Seattle with my hubby, our two wonderful children, and our spunky wheaten terrier.

You can usually find me with some sort of craft in one hand and a coffee in the other. And I’m always rearranging furniture or moving lamps from room to room. I have a passion (read: obsession) for decorating, DIY, and gardening. In short, I love making my house into a home.

Like many, I’m inspired by what I see in home decor magazines, but I’m not so inspired by the price tags.  Consequently, I love finding and creating beautiful budget-friendly home decor items. In a head to head competition, I bet you’d never know the difference between the designer items and my DIY creations!  Many of my DIY projects focus on sewing, crafting, upcycling and organizing. Some of my favorite projects have been making pretty wreaths, sewing my own tassel hand towels, and crafting these trendy wood bead garlands. I can’t wait to inspire you and spark your creativity through my DIY projects.

You can always connect with me on Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram.

 

DIY fabric tile coasters

DIY Fabric Tile Coasters

Hello! How are we all doing?

The holidays may look a lot different this year, but the same sentiments and traditions are still here. If you have a tradition of making handmade holiday gifts, I have the perfect craft for you today! These DIY fabric tile coasters are a cinch to put together and you can customize them with any fabric you like.

This project is not only easy, it’s inexpensive too. Pick up square tiles from a home improvement store for as little as 15 cents. Then grab some fabric scraps to make these coasters come together.

I’m sharing the full tutorial plus some tips on making your coasters waterproof! So, let’s get started.

How to Make DIY Fabric Tile Coasters

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut Fabric to Size

The first thing you need to do is cut your fabric to size. I tried this many different ways and by far the best looking option is to cut them slightly smaller than the tile. This will leave a small white border around the top of the coaster but it will look neater. Plus, it is much easier to apply this way.

Use a rotary cutter to get the neatest cuts, but if you don’t have one, use a pair of very sharp scissors or fabric scissors.

Step 2: Apply Fabric to Tile

Take your foam brush and paint a layer of Mod Podge onto the top of your tile. Then, apply your fabric square to the tile, Smooth out bubbles as you apply.

Once your fabric is aligned properly and smooth, apply another layer of Mod Podge on top of the fabric.

Set aside your tile coasters to dry.

Step 3: Waterproof and Seal your Coaster

Once your Fabric and Mod Podge fully dries, you will notice it feels a little stiff and tacky. Eventually, this will go away but if you don’t have time on your hands and you really want to waterproof them, you’ll need to seal them.

With any of these sealers, you want to spray outdoors or in an area with really good ventilation – as the fumes are pretty strong.

One way to seal them is to use an acrylic sealer spray from Mod Podge. You can buy this in gloss or matte. I only had matte on hand but I do think gloss is the way to go here.

Another sealer (which I haven’t personally tried yet) is called Engine Enamel. This is made by Rustoleum and is actually for cars! But I’ve heard it works here too. It will give a glossy finish to your coasters and protect them from water and heat.

Finally, a third option is to use resin. Resins can be more expensive than the first two options, so keep this in mind. EnviroTex Lite is a resin sold at Michael’s and other craft stores and gives your finished coaster a very high gloss, polished look. It’s really beautiful so if you are serious about your coaster making, this is definitely the winner here.

Step 4: Apply Cork to Bottom of Tile

After your coasters are dried and sealed, let’s finish the bottom. Tile squares can be a bit rough on the bottom, so we need to cover them.

I found these cork squares on Amazon and they fit perfectly! They are also sticky on one side, so you just need to peel off the back and apply.

Another option is to use felt squares and hot glue them to the bottom.

These coasters are easy to create and make wonderful handmade gifts – even for a hostess!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Enjoy this holiday season, even if it does look a bit different. 🙂

karen signature

~ See More of Karen’s Tutorials ~


karen from decor hintHello!  I’m Karen, the creator of the Home Decor and DIY Blog: Decor Hint. I’m a Native of the East Coast, but I currently live in beautiful Seattle with my hubby, our two wonderful children, and our spunky wheaten terrier.

You can usually find me with some sort of craft in one hand and a coffee in the other. And I’m always rearranging furniture or moving lamps from room to room. I have a passion (read: obsession) for decorating, DIY, and gardening. In short, I love making my house into a home.

Like many, I’m inspired by what I see in home decor magazines, but I’m not so inspired by the price tags.  Consequently, I love finding and creating beautiful budget-friendly home decor items. In a head to head competition, I bet you’d never know the difference between the designer items and my DIY creations!  Many of my DIY projects focus on sewing, crafting, upcycling, and organizing. Some of my favorite projects have been making pretty wreaths, sewing my own tassel hand towels, and crafting these trendy wood bead garlands. I can’t wait to inspire you and spark your creativity through my DIY projects.

You can always connect with me on Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram.