30 MORE Last Minute DIY Gifts for Your Valentine
I’m not a procrastinator. I just work well under pressure. At least that’s how I’m choosing to see it! {Smile.}
The tick of the clock, the quickened beat of my heart, the rattle of the impending deadline like a freight train charging down the track…they have been the soundtrack to some of my very best gift-giving.
Because while last-minute gift-giving can be frenzied, it doesn’t have to be. What I’ve come to realize is that the key to an epic gift is not in epically huge investment of time or money…but of the heart.
In fact, that very realization inspired me to write a 178 page book on the subject. It’s called Thinking Outside the Gift Box, and if you’re a fan of simple yet impactful gift ideas like the ones included in this here round-up, you’ll be a huge fan of this book. Check it out HERE. Then come back to peruse…
30 More Last Minute DIY Gifts for Your Valentine
Thinking Closet regulars may remember that last year, I published a post in the final days leading up to Valentine’s Day called 30 Last Minute DIY Gifts for Your Valentine. It has become so popular and applicable to celebrations beyond Valentine’s Day (birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, you name it!), I decided to go on a quest to find 30 MORE ideas for you. And lo and behold, blogland delivered. All of the gifts in the collection below should be able to be completed in 30 minutes or less.
I’ve divided the list up into three categories:
- Printables
- Get Crafty!
- Yummy in my Tummy
Without any further ado, let’s dive in, shall we? Time is of the essence!
Printables
You can’t beat giving the gift of quality time. And that’s why my 12 Months of Pre-Planned Dates printable remains one of my favorites; however, I have a new improved version available for free download. Not only can you create a mini-book of dates to gift on all occasions, but for all the loved ones in your life. They can be significant-other dates, parent-kid dates, family dates…there’s even a version to gift as a wedding present.
Oh, and if you’re up to the task and want to tackle 52 Dates (one for each week in a year or spread out over time), be sure to check out these gorgeously-designed Date Idea Cards & Gift Box Template. The best part? The date ideas are already plotted out for you; just shuffle ’em up and choose one that interests you! There’s even a spot on each card to write how it went after the fact!
Did you know that you can transform those glass stones from the dollar store into Conversation Starter Stones? Perfect for bringing along on date nights so you steer the conversation away from work toward lighter chatter.
If you’re like me and just can’t get enough of the mini-books, then be sure to check out my latest one, a “What I Love About You From A to Z” Mini-Book Gift. Your recipient will receive a barrage of love through 26 different affirmations, one for each letter of the alphabet!
Isn’t this “I Love Everything About You” Print just lovely? Print off your own copy and enjoy some therapeutic coloring or painting, adding your own personalized touch to it!
Appeal to the senses by collecting 5 different small gifts, one for each sense. This tutorial includes a printable for the box labels if you’d like to take this one on! (See, hear, smell, touch, taste.)
If you and your better half share a silly sense of humor like Mark and I do, whip up your own Chills Pills Gag Gift. Those “pills” really do work wonders! {NOTE: I updated the tutorial to include both a PDF printable and Silhouette cut file, so everyone can play.}
Consider giving your loved one Coupon Card they can redeem for a foot massage or breakfast in bed. There’s even a spot on this printable for an expiration date to help ensure it gets put to use!
Or if you’re feeling extra generous, what about a Coupon Punch Card worth 10 massages? Or 10 nights of remote control access? That’s a lotta love!
Ready to go into Nancy Drew stealth mode? For this creative gift idea, you’ll have to hijack your man’s phone while he is sleeping (or showering in the morning) and change the wallpaper to a bold profession of your love!
Get Crafty
These Red Hot Valentine Matchbooks are adorable gifts for your main squeeze! (And I’m always a sucker for puns.)
Here’s a simple gift will hold great significance for years to come: a memory jar full of slips of paper of some of your favorite shared memories. Read them aloud together and add to it over time!
For the fisherman in your life, put together a candy-themed Valentine’s Tackle Box with an oh-so-clever stamped tag!
If your significant other’s love language is verbal affirmation, look no further! All you need are a pack of post-its, a Sharpie, and lots of love in your heart to create an unforgettable Post-It Love Explosion on your bathroom mirror.
Or if you’d like to give him an outdoors surprise, you can decorate the front lawn with Flour Hearts! Now, that would be an unexpected sight while taking out the garbage, now wouldn’t it?
These coordinating “Together Since” T-Shirts were last year’s anniversary gift for my parents, but they could work great for Valentine’s Day, too! If you have a Silhouette machine, save time by using HTV instead of freezer paper. No Silhouette? No problem. Your local craft store (or Amazon Prime) should have iron-on letters and numbers.
Here’s a fantastically geeky project Star Wars fans will appreciate: “I Love You” “I Know” Sound Wave Art. If you’re short on time or don’t have a Silhouette machine, you could create a modified version using simple print-outs in frames!
For another fabulous movie reference, pull together a few of your beau’s favorite things and present them in none other than a Brown Paper Package Tied Up with String. A guaranteed heart-warmer!
This I {Heart} You Cross-Stitch Pattern has such a sweet simplicity to it, I’m even considering braving it! Wouldn’t that look so lovely propped up at your Valentine’s spot at the table?
Or if embroidery is more your gig, why not try your hand at this whimsical take on the ‘ole initials-scratched-in-the-tree motif? I’m diggin’ it.
Here’s a great one for your guy who loves to read…or work on DIY projects…or both: a Paint Chip Bookmark! You can include a special love note, quote or Bible verse on the back.
Want to be transported back to your kindergarten days? Try your hand (wink wink) at a Fingerprint Photo Frame. Make it a family affair and get the kiddos in on it, too: a different paint color for each person!
Okay, so I bent the rules a little bit here. This one might take a little more than 30 minutes unless you’re a speedy sewist, but it was too cool not to include. I mean who wouldn’t want to go to sleep wearing a Superhero Sleep Mask? You’d wake up feeling like you can conquer the world!
Yummy in my Tummy
Start the morning right with some Ombre Ricotta Pancakes – – maybe even served on a bed-tray with a little love note? These look rather drool-worthy, don’t you think?
Did you know you can bake your own Heart-Shaped Muffins (or cupcakes)?! All you need are a few marbles to pop into your muffin tray. Life-hack for the win!
Or you could take charge of dinner plans on Valentine’s Day and whip up a Heart-Shaped Pizza, complete with heart-shaped pepperoni! (Oh, the cuteness.)
If your man loves that salty-and-sweet combo as much as mine does, then why not make a batch of these White Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods?
Or make popcorn even more yummy by adding some chocolate drizzle. (This recipe has me drooling.) Pair it with a movie night watching one of the Top Ten Most Romantic Movies of All Time, and you’ll make it a night to remember!
Wash it all down with some yummy java, complete with custom Valentine’s Day Coffee Cup Sleeves proclaiming some fantastic puns.
And for the grand finale, I had to keep it classic: you can’t go wrong with some Easy Chocolate-Covered Strawberries to fancy up any date night at home!
There you have it, folks! Quite the bevy of inspiration if I do say so myself.
Here’s that pin-able collage again so you can save this post for future reference. These ideas would translate so well for anniversaries, birthdays, Father’s Day, Christmas, and even ordinary days.
Want to Check out 30 More?
Remember, this round-up was inspired by my original round-up of 30 Last Minute DIY Gifts for Your Valentine, so if you’re wanting more ideas than you’ll even know what to do with, be sure to check it out!
Hungry for More Meaningful Gift Ideas?
If you have an insatiable appetite for the kind of gifts that aren’t complicated, time-consuming, or expensive, be sure to check out my book, Thinking Outside the Gift Box. I wrote it to help my comrades come up with meaningful and one-of-a-kind gift ideas quickly, some in as short as 5 minutes.
The book includes:
- 178 pages of storytelling and inspiration
- 21 story-filled chapters
- 75 actionable gift ideas
- BONUS: 11 printables to help bring the gift ideas to life
Oh, and most of the gift ideas will cost you $10 or less. Truth. So, what are you waiting for, friend? Click HERE so you can read the sample chapters before nabbing your copy of Thinking Outside the Gift Box.
Join the revolution as we rediscover the joy of giving.
of course all your ideas are amazing!!! you have an amazing name too,….like me. Lauren. Wish i had all these awesome ideas though!
Ha ha. You’re so sweet. Yay for Laurens! Your head is full of awesome ideas, no doubt. And most of these ideas in this post came from other creatives out there! I find my creativity comes most alive when I use someone else’s creative idea as a jumping off point. Thanks for popping by and for commenting!
I loved seeing this post again this year! Thanks for reminding me! Lots of GREAT ideas for last minutes gifts, which I desperately need!
Hey Lauren…just getting caught up on comments. Shared the week of valentines on my fb page and pinned. Hope you are doing well!
FYI — the standalone eBook link at the bottom of your mobile page works, just not the ones within this post.
Thanks for letting me know, Sharon! Very odd indeed. I double-checked the post and the links are right…and I checked on my iPhone and they worked just now. Hopefully it was an odd glitch! Glad to know about it, though. And thanks for checking out the post! Hopin’ that honey shows up real soon. I know you have so much love in that big heart of yours. 😉
Such great ideas, Lauren — now I just need a honey!
I thought you might want to know I got a weird link trying to go to your eBook from this post. No matter which link I clicked, I ended up with the picture of the muffin pan with the marbles turning the cupcake wrappers into hearts. This was on my iPhone.
I especially liked the mini match boxes with spicy red hearts but all of them were great ideas, including the red pancakes!
Your dad and I will wear the t-shirts you made us Together Since 1980 on Valentine’s day but will have to wear long-sleeved sweaters underneath as it’s going to be very cold here on Saturday! Sharing this on Facebook now! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Yes, I thought those mini matches were so cute and punny! Thanks so much for sharing the post, too.
And I love that the TOGETHER SINCE t-shirts helped you celebrate Valentine’s Day this year. Yes, stay cozy! I have the space heater on right now since it’s in the 50s out, but I know I can’t complain – – 50s would probably feel like summer to you all right now!
Haha, funny about the space heater for temps in the 50s…it’s all relative. Just today the temperature got up in the high 20s and it actually felt like SPRING! I went outside without a coat to get the recyclable containers and later went out without gloves!
The next two days temperatures will plummet downward again. We’re getting used to it in a weird way, but even the birds were chirping cheerily today with the warmer temperature. Enjoy the 50s and keep giving your readers (me) a place to let creativity splish, splash, and spill!
Thanks for the feature, Lauren! Great list of ideas!
Such great ideas here, Lauren! I love simple, meaningful gifts and I am thrilled to see my Valentine candy tackle box made your list!!
SO many awesome ideas here! I love that chill pill bottle and hijacking iPhone screen is brilliant. I just have to figure out a way to get it out of Joseph’s hands! 🙂 Thanks so much for the feature, friend!