MY VALENTINES DAY CRAFT IDEAS- By Countressrascal

To keep with our frugal lifestyle, Dan the preacher man and I decided, not really I decided that we should make each other homemade gifts. So here are some of my ideas:

Flowers: I am saving the wrappers from tube meat packages, washing them. Then I am cutting them into 2-3 inch strips, rolling them around a dusty bunny, tying them up with random pieces of string that come from frayed ends of the diapers. Then cut the pedals. One tube meat package will make 4 flowers. To make a vase, I used a can, had the boys draw me some pictures, I made a batch of noodles and used it to paste the pictures on the can. The paste cost me $.185 per can. So I could only make one. Need to save money.

Candy- Made a batch of glob noodle added some stevia. Rolled them out and cut small hearts, then using a tooth pick, I wrote Star Trek sayings on them. Put them in my trusty crock-pot for 6 hours now we have candy hearts. Each batch of candy hearts cost $.68.

Cards- This is so easy, the only reason that I am writing this, is to show you how you can get everyone in your family involved. We all sit around the kitchen table; we even took Brad off the ceiling to join in. I bring out my famous sticker collection and everyone get one sticker, except for me I can use as many as I want, because they are mine. Everyone gets one piece of paper that I have cut into fourth, one for each person except the baby; they get to decorate them with crayons and cut out pictures from magazines that we have picked up at the free store. Paste them on with leftover glob noodles. Cost per card is $.015.

Coloring Books- I make these for Dan and the boys they love to color; you should see how they compare their done pieces. Without their names on them I can’t tell who did what. I found a number internet sites that was both religious and Star Trek pictures on, I print them off in black and white, punch holes in them, then take some of the string that is left over from flower making and put it through the holes. Because it is Valentines Day I am going to put a cover on them with their names in glitter. This should trill Big Dan. With the glitter this will cost me $.16 per boy that includes the paper but not the cost of printer ink, I am still trying figure that out.

Car Pan-Remember this, I purchased it at Christmas time; well it did not work out well for crayon making. However, it does fit into my roaster, so I am going to use it to make cars for the boys. I made up a batch of glob noodles, put it in the pan, placed it in the roaster for 5 hours, roaster is like a giant crock pot, and I love it. Then I will paint them. Cost per car will be $.19 per car that includes the paint. My only problem is that I will have to make my own gift because Dan, the preacher man does not like to do crafts; he only wants to listen to radio or watch Star Trek. I really want a glob noodle necklace, I will have little Dan make one.

If my mother did this I would have not turned out like this. It is all her fault.