Country Living: V-Day DIY and a Tea Party with HEART

Country Living’s February issue – on newsstands now – features V-Day themed DIY projects AND whimsical entertaining ideas to create an Alice in Wonderland-themed gathering even the Queen of Hearts couldn’t resist!

GET CRAFTY, V-DAY STYLE

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, finding the perfect sentiment can be far from easy. However, these simple DIY projects will make cupid’s job simple and inexpensive.

Give Yarn an Opportunity to Bloom:

Crafter Lauren De Bellis came up with this genius way to keep vases stocked with fresh flowers — even in winter.

Give Your Love Notes a Lift:

Sending a love letter? Forget a simple envelope and card. Take an aerial approach to letter writing with pint-size paper airplanes! Nothing sends sentiments soaring like a note that flies!

Fashion a Custom Jewelry Box for Less:

Add personality and purpose to a plane craft-store box! With a little elbow grease and some household items transform an ordinary container to one that holds every Valentines’ favorite baubles. Embellish the exterior by personalizing the top with a name or word. Then fold felt like an accordion and secure it inside to keep all those jewels snug. Get creative! Use different trinkets and paint to make this gift one of a kind.

Create Pincushions with Homespun Charm:

This nifty project pairs fabric scraps and heart-shaped cookie cutters for the perfect sewing accessory. In a few simple steps you can reinvent these household basics with fabric glue, Styrofoam and fiberfill to create a unique homemade pincushion that any avid sewer would adore.

Shape a Snappy Bow Bracelet in a Cinch:

Craft arm candy from a strip of leather and a snap-fastener kit. It’s a cinch to piece together this red hot Valentine’s Day delight with the bracelet template.

Curl Up with Woven Goodies:

Put your knitting needles and crochet hooks to work! Reveal your soft side with chunky knits that will keep you and your valentine toasty. Nubby-knit blankets, baskets, pillows, and scarves are the perfect gift to snuggle up to for those chilly winter nights.

A TEA PARTY WITH HEART

For a novel approach to Valentine’s Day, consider our Alice in Wonderland-themed soiree. Channel your inner Mad Hatter for a fantasy lunch leavened with a generous side of fun in these four simple steps.

Step 1: Hint that good times are brewing!

· Create a clever invite in the shape of a tea bag! Print out the information on square card stock and place the whimsical note inside a glassine bag. Attach a paper heart “tag” with twine for a more authentic look. For a polka dot envelope template, visit CountryLiving.com.

Step 2: Charm guests with down-the-rabbit-hole details.

· Suit up your seats with slip covers that don’t require a single stitch. Drape white canvas over each chair then secure the fabric with ribbon. Hot-glue heart, spade, club and diamond cut outs to the front of each cover.




· Use low-price pocket watches as a place card or napkin holders for that extra fanciful touch.



· Create a playful garland on a shoestring by hole punching a deck of cards and threading the holes with baker’s wire.

Step 3: Add a personal touch to delectable goodies.

· Let them eat cake! Create tiny EAT ME flags by stamping cardstock with alphabet stamps then gluing each banner to a toothpick. Place each flag into a pretty cupcake.

· Teach finger sandwiches cool party tricks. Kick up your sandwich fillings with fun recipes available at CountryLiving.com. Use card suit cookie cutters to turn boring food into magical treats.



· Stage a tea tasting by offering an array of satisfying brews in a variety of hues.



· Single out your drinks. Make sparkling wine even more special - and call to mind Love Potion No. 9 - by serving bubbly in individual decanters served with shipping tags stamped DRINK ME.

Step 4: Deal out super-affordable favors.

· Package $1 packs of playing cards into nifty tins. For a bookish appeal, adorn the lid of each tin with illustrations from an old edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.