How to Make a Unique Valentine Bag

This Valentine's Day, forego the flowers, chocolates and gift cards and make a meaningful gift bag that your significant other will cherish for years to come. In addition to decorating the outside with nostalgic touches, fill the inside with several handmade treasures.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Photos
• Memorabilia
• Plain gift bag
• Adhesives
• Cardstock
• Pens
• Rubber stamps and ink
• Stickers
• Glitter glue
• Scented candle or potpourri
• Ribbon
• Die cuts

1. Gather photos and memorabilia to adorn the outside of the bag. Use images from anniversaries, vacations or memorable moments you've spent together. Find postcards, brochures, receipts, menus or ticket stubs that will remind your significant other of how you first met, the places you've visited and the experiences you've shared.
2. Layer the photos and ephemera to completely cover the front and back of the bag, attaching the items with photo tabs or adhesive dots. You can also create the collage on a separate piece of cardstock that you affix to the bag with small pieces of double-stick tape. This way, he can remove the artwork from the bag and display it in a frame or on a bulletin board.
3. Fill the bag with meaningful touches that you've created yourself. Cut colorful cardstock or patterned paper into small strips and write an inspirational, funny or loving message on each one. Include inside jokes, quotes from favorite movies and lyrics from your song. List the reasons you adore her or add thanks for the specific times she's supported you.
4. Create coupons that he can redeem throughout the year, such as vouchers for a home cooked meal, a dozen cookies, a back rub or complete control of the television remote for a night. Adorn the coupons with rubber stamped images, stickers or doodles created with glitter glue.
5. Add a small scented candle, fragrant pinecones, pretty bars of soap or a bag of potpourri on the bottom of the bag to give it a lovely fragrance.
6. Tie the bag closed with wide ribbon. Before making the final knot or tying a bow, write a small love note on a shaped die cut that will serve as the card. Punch a hole in the top and then string it onto the ribbon.