CRUSHES

So you made it through holiday shopping. January brought a much-needed break from scrambling to find all your loved ones the perfect gift. But hold on: Now you're realizing that V-Day is right around the corner. And, ugh, what the heck are you going to get your crush?! Here are some simple DIY Valentine's Day gift ideas (bonus points for creativity) to make your S.O. swoon.

Scrapbook

A scrapbook is a cute and sentimental way to mark any stage in your relationship. Sure, it's nice to have a ton of pictures together on your phone, but physical photos are even more meaningful. A photo album is always a fun idea, but you can also jazz it up with other mementos and decorations. If you're the type of person who keeps small mementos like movie tickets and fair wristbands, this is your moment! Read up on scrapbooking tips, then start by printing photos (v. inexpensive at drugstores like CVS or Walgreens). If you have a Polaroid camera or printer, you can use those, too. Don't worry about filling the whole book–you can leave space to add more in the future.

What you'll need:
♦ a notebook or album
♦ photos
♦ colorful pen
♦ decorations (stickers, paper, duct tape, ribbon, etc.
♦ Polaroid printer (optional)

Scavenger Hunt 

A scavenger hunt is a fun V-Day idea if bae is more on the adventurous side. If you go to school together, you can plan one for them to complete between classes. You can get there early to hide clues—start by slipping a note in their locker and work your way around the school. You can also plan your hunt for after school and have them run around town (maybe to the location of your first date or the park you love hanging out in—aww!). You can buy little gifts from the dollar store like their fave candy as a reward for each clue they find. If you're worried about other people messing with your clues, or if you're in a long-distance relationship, have them snap a photo in each location and send it to you to receive their next clue. Happy hunting! 

What you'll need:
♦ paper (if in person)
♦ gifts (candy, stuffed animals, etc.)

Candy Bouquet

@beesweetblooms

This is a cute idea for your crush who has a sweet tooth. Head over to the dollar store and grab a bunch of candy of different sizes—bonus points if you know their faves already. Fill 1/3 of a Mason jar with candy hearts. Hot glue treat sticks to each candy bar. Once dry, arrange them in the jar, adding more candy hearts as needed. You can push tissue paper in the back to make it look more like a bouquet. Finally, tie a ribbon around!

What you'll need:
♦ candy bars
♦ candy hearts
♦ a jar
♦ ribbon
♦ treat sticks
♦ hot glue
♦ tissue paper (optional)

Reasons Jar

@handcrafted.shop

An "I love you because..." jar is a gift that your S.O. will treasure forever. If you're in a long-distance relationship, this gift will make you feel that much closer. You can include reasons you love them, quotes and/or song lyrics that remind you of them, date ideas and activities you want to do together and your fave memories you've shared. Tell bae to open just one every day so they last longer. 

What you'll need: 
♦ a jar
♦ paper (preferably colorful)
♦ pen(s) 

Share your fave gift ideas with us @girlslifemag!

by Natalie Misyak | 2/13/2023