I Love Chocolate! Valentine Heart Cookies!

Difficulty: Easy Time: 1-2 hours (including bake & cooling time)

These Yummy Cookies are easy and fun for the kids to help make! Leave plain chocolate, or fill with frosting for a variety. One of our favorites, we call them "Home-Made Oreo's!" We usually make them round, but wanted to try a heart shape for Valentines day. Here's the Recipe, so you can try them for yourself!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies:

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

4 Squares Baking Chocolate (melted)

2 Cups Sugar

4 Eggs

2 tsp Vanilla

2 Cups Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp salt

Powdered sugar (1-2 cups)

Mix Vegetable Oil, Chocolate and Sugar until well blended. Add Eggs one at a time and Mix well, Add Vanilla. Mix flour, Baking Powder and Salt, then add to Chocolate Mixture and mix well. Chill dough in Fridge for several hours or overnight (I stick it in the freezer to speed up the cooling time!). Drop by Tablespoons full into the powdered sugar, coat well and then shape into hearts (or, for normal circle cookies, balls).

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes (depending on size)

Makes 3 doz. single cookies

Optional Cream Cheese Frosting for filling:

3 oz Cream Cheese, Softened.

aprox. 1 Ib powdered Sugar

1 tsp. flavoring, if desired

(you might try mint, strawberry or raspberry)

Food Dye (optional)

Mix until a smooth and creamy consistency, adding more or less Powdered sugar depending on desired thickness. Spread onto one cooled cookie, and top with another cookie. Cookies filled with Cream Cheese frosting should be kept in the refrigerator.

Hopefully you enjoy these cookies as much as we do! Happy Valentines Day!

Conversation Hearts Valentines Vase

Difficulty: Easy Time: aprox 10 min

I lOVE conversation hearts...to me they are the perfect symbol of Valentines day! I saw this cute and easy vase a couple years ago in a magazine,and loved it! All you need is 2 glass cylinders, 1 to 2 inches different in size. Mine are 8 inches and 6 inches in diameter. Place the smaller one inside the larger, then fill in the gap with conversation hearts. Fill the inner cylinder with water and add flowers !

Hopefully you enjoy this as much as I have! I just keep changing my flowers....and I must admit, I do snitch a heart every once and a while. There's something about the crunchy, kind-of nasty, but good taste that take me back to grade school and homemade valentine cards!

'Charming' Ribbon Bookmark

Difficulty: Easy Time: 10 min

This is a so-simple and inexpensive gift or craft for someone who loves to read!

• Simply lay a blank ribbon into the back cover of a book and fold it over all the pages until it hangs down the front cover.
• Leave 1/2" extra on both ends, then trim the ends.
• Run the ribbon through a round or oval shaped jewelry link on both ends (you can find these as any craft store) and glue it to itself with a hot glue gun (grown-ups only please!).
• Add any charm you like...I bought this initial charm for my daughter, who loves to read! The whole thing cost me about $3.00!

More Ideas:

• Pair with a favorite book for a inexpensive, but thoughtful gift.
• Use to Challenge your children to read. Keep track of their reading time, and when they reach a certain goal, add a new charm. I tried this with my 8 year old, and she loved it! She get's to help me pick out the new charms for her bookmark when she reaches her goal!
• Make these at a birthday party as a favor, use as a 'Mothers Day' or 'Grandparent' Gift
• Perfect for the person you don't know what to get them!

Building Block Birthday

My sister did this cute idea for her son's birthday, and made her own mold out of building blocks (I think you can guess the brand!?!). She used the mold to make crayons, hard candies, and gummy candies, and she has the recipe and everything you need at cornercrafts.blogspot.com

I thought this was such a great idea, I had to pass it on! The possibilities are really endless!

Spy or Detective Party Activity and Craft

Difficulty: Easy Time: 10-20 min

This is a great way to turn normal "fingerprinting" at a detective, spy birthday party into a complete activity. Have different colors of stamp pads available, and let the kids choose how they want to decorate there fingerprints! This would probably work better with a group of girls!

I made these samples, and some more, and set them on the table with my colored stamp pads and a couple set of felt tip markers (washable).

When I did this I had a large group of kids...about 50-60 at a church activity. This entertained all of them, aged 4-11 for about 15 minutes. Some of the kids just took plain fingerprints, some spent tons of time getting it just perfect, some made cards....it was a big success, and something that didn't need constant supervision. Just make sure you buy "Washable" ink pads, and you're good to go!

"I Love You" sign language Valentines Day Card

Difficulty: Easy! Time: 30 min

This cute card is easy to make! Grandparents and Parents LOVE it because it uses your child's hand! First Trace your child's hand, and carefully cut around. Then you can paste to pre-made cards, or make your own.

I made the cards by folding a white paper in half, then tracing a heart shaped cookie cutter and cutting around, being careful not to cut all the way through the fold, so the card could open and close. Then I layered the Red heart on top, and added my Kids' hands. Fold the two middle fingers down, and glue into place. I used a glue stick, since Elmers takes too long to dry. If you have a problem getting the fingers to stick with a glue stick, try hot glue! It dries instantly, and holds very well. Just make sure only moms and dads use the hot glue gun. The hearts can easily be made larger for bigger hands. These are from my 3 and 1 year old.

It's fun to involve kids in crafts, but it's easier to do it on our own! I usually cut out doubles of everything I need, so my kids feel like they're "helping," but I still get a cute, well made project in the end! Good luck and enjoy

Love is Sweet!

Difficulty: Easy Time: 15 min

This is a great idea to give to a friend, teacher, or hubby (the fastest way to his heart is through his stomach!) I only used 1/2 dozen 'flowers,' but you could do a full dozen and make a complete bouquet. All you need is a bucket or pot, some floral foam, fake or 'silk' leaves (just the greenery), and 6-12 suckers for the flowers! Stuff the foam into the pot, and stick the leaves in so they look full. Then add the suckers in a pattern. I'm not really a florist...actually, not at all! But this one is pretty easy.

You might even add a sign or card that says "Love is Sweet," to top it off. Or maybe, "A Sweet for my Sweet!"

I used a bucket I embellished with a feather boa (see my 'Fancy' Valentine boxes post below!)

I'm all about maximizing my time, so most of my crafts are short and sweet! Hopefully you enjoy this easy valentine craft, and maybe your kids can even help! This could be a great gift or decoration for a wedding or bridal shower as well.

Feather Boa Barrettes/ Hair clips

Difficulty: Easy! Time: 10 min or less

Easy, fast and cheap! I made these for my girls for Valentines day! Reminds me of Fancy Nancy!

• Choose your favorite color of Feather Boa (available at twigglebox.com for $2.99)
• Cut into 2” strips, or longer if you wish.
• Use a Hot Glue Gun (grown-ups only please) to secure to your choice of clip. (I used plastic barrettes with teeth, you could also use alligator clips, or other)
• Tie with short string for extra security. (Pictured is a white string for visibility, but I like to use the clear elastic jewelry making string, available at most craft stores)
• Clip into pony tail, or into a headband or hat!

Now you have an easy valentine gift, or at least a funky hair style! Have Fun!

'Fancy' Feather Valentine boxes

Difficulty: Easy! Time: 10 min (or less)

Embellish any box, bucket or vase with Feather Boas for a cute and ‘fancy’ valentine look! My kids made these for their teacher valentine gifts, they were super easy, inexpensive and cute! Fill with chocolate dipped pretzels, or a store bought candy like conversation hearts.

Pick a plain box or bucket (I purchased mine at the dollar store)

Pick a colorful feather boa (you can find these HERE for only $2.99)

Plug in your Hot Glue Gun (parents only, please!)

Glue feather boa around the top of box.

You’re done! You can trim some of the feathers for a less poofy look!

Spy or Detective Party

Difficulty: EASY! Time: 30-60min

I made these for a Spy party we had at our church, and they turned out cute! I tried to convince my daughter to have a spy birthday, but no-go. Maybe next year!

• I purchased Manilla Coin envelopes, size 31/2” by 6”
• Stamp the envelopes using alphabet stamps with “Confidential” and “Top Secret”
• Inside put the ‘assignment’ for your agents. Use a typewriter font.

Mine said:

CASE FILE 1.16.2010

ATTN: CALLING ALL SECRET AGENTS!

YOU HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO A HIGH

LEVEL MISSION!

OBJECTIVE:

ATTEND AMBERS BIRTHDAY PARTY

FIND OUT ALL PERTINENT INFORMATION

ABOUT TURNING 8. EAT A LOT. PLAY

GAMES. HAVE FUN.

DATE:

YOUR MISSION WILL COMMENCE:

SAT, JANUARY 16th AT 10:00am

LOCATION:

AMBERS HOUSE

1234 MAIN STREET

ANYTOWN, USA

CONTACT INFO:

AMBERS MOM: 345-3453

COMMIT THIS MESSAGE TO MEMORY,

AND YOUR MOMS CALENDAR, THEN

DESTROY.

I stamped the top of the letter with TOP SECRET in Red ink.

These were fun and easy to make. If you’re mailing these, just be careful about the placement of your ‘confidential’ stamps on the envelope, so you wont interfere with the address or stamps.

About me

Twigglebox is owned and operated by yours truly...Mom of 4 with 1 on the way! I hope you enjoy these ideas, and visit my website...just click on the photo above!

Contact me

The best way to get a hold of me is through my email

hollie@twigglebox.com

I look forward to hearing from you!