DIY Valentine’s Candy Bar Wrappers

Disclosure: This DIY Valentine’s Candy Bar Wrappers shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyTuesdayValentine #CollectiveBias

Showing your love for a family member doesn’t have to cost a lot. A beautiful greeting card and a favorite chocolate bar (or two) wrapped in DIY Valentine’s Candy Bar Wrappers is the perfect affordable and thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift!

There are many things I inherited from my Mom, and my LOVE of holidays is one of them. Growing up she always made each and every holiday special and magical with tons of decorations, traditions and love. Today, I eagerly spend the year gearing up for the next big holiday or celebration, adding pops of festive décor around my own home and carrying on some of my beloved family traditions while starting new ones of my own.

Valentine’s Day is no exception! While I try to show those I love how much I love and appreciate them all year round, with the busy, hectic and sometimes negative time we live in, I think a holiday like Valentine’s Day is the perfect reminder to stop and tell the people in your life – spouse, parents, siblings, friends, kids – that you love and appreciate them with a little extra thoughtfulness, like an act of kindness, sweet treat or a special greeting card.

I have always loved sending (and receiving) greeting cards, because of that little burst of happiness one gets when seeing something other than bills or junk mail in their mail box is absolutely priceless. In fact, I have vivid memories of heading to the store to pick out greeting cards with my Dad for various holidays and birthdays and carefully selecting a special card for a loved one.

I still enjoy shopping for greeting cards and sending them to family and friends near and far away for birthdays, holidays and just to show them I’m thinking of them. Because of this, I can spend hours carefully reading each and every card to select the perfect one to express what I want to say.

With February officially here and Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I have been filling my home with pink and red heart shaped things and a little extra love. But even with all the hearts and pink things we usually celebrate Valentine’s Day pretty low key. You see, Eric and I have been together for 11 years and in the early years of us dating, we worked in the food and beverage industry. Because of this, Valentine’s Day is the longest and busiest day of the year for chefs, bar tenders, servers and restaurant managers/owners; and one you never have the opportunity to celebrate by going out.

We celebrated our first few Valentine’s together with simply a homemade breakfast, Chinese take-out or pizza, out of necessity because of our jobs, but have continued this “tradition” throughout most of our relationship due to living on a tight budget because of one thing or another like being in school or having other major life expenses pop up (saving to buy a house, unexpected medical expenses, or planning and paying for our wedding).

Not only has dinner at home become a Valentine’s Day tradition, we have always tried to gift each other homemade or well thought budget friendly gifts as well as giving each other a special greeting card; him usually giving me a funny card and me giving him a sappy card- because, well, that’s just our personalities.

Since I don’t think Valentine’s Day has to cost a fortune and is better celebrated with meaningful gifts and thoughtful cards, I have already started planning my Valentine’s Day gifts. If you know me, then you know I love chocolate and while those cute heart shaped boxes of chocolate, found everywhere this time of year, are fun and festive, they can be pricey, and well if I’m being honest, I’d much rather just receive one of my favorite candy bars instead.

Since Eric loves chocolate as much as I do, I decided this year for his gift to just grab a few of his favorite candy bars when I went to pick out his Valentine’s Day card and got a little crafty, wrapping each candy bar with festive wrapping paper, stickers and ribbon. Not only did these DIY Valentine’s Candy Bar Wrappers come out super cute, they are affordable and easy to make. I used a few random crafting and sewing supplies I already had at home and paired them with some American Greetings tissue paper, stickers and ribbon that I picked up when picking out my American Greetings Valentine’s Day card for Eric (I just love this camping Valentine’s Day card I found because camping is one of our favorite activities!). I also printed some free Valentine’s Day downloads, and used them to not only decorate the chocolate bars, but my home as well (like the cute “All you need is love.” Valentine’s art work shown framed in a white frame in the top photo and the calendar to hang on the fridge). 

Since I also like sending my nephews some Valentine’s Day care packages, I’ll create a few extra Valentine’s Day Candy Bars just for them and picked up a few cute animal American Greetings Valentine’s Day cards too.

I am so blessed that every year Eric and I’s relationship gets stronger, even through all the ups and downs of life, and we continue to write our love story. I love all of our holiday traditions and especially love that we don’t make Valentine’s Day overly complicated, stressful or expensive, choosing celebrate Valentine’s Day each year in our own way with just each other!

How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Please share in the comments below!

DIY Valentine’s Candy Bar Wrappers:
By Heather H. of Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com

Supplies:
Candy bars (with removable outer wrapping, if desired)
Tape measure or ruler
Construction or scrapbook paper
American Greetings Wrapping Paper, in Valentine’s or Wedding designs
Double sided tape
Scissors
Paper trimmer
American Greetings Digital Downloads (Printable Shopping list with tear-off “loves notes”)
American Greetings Valentine’s Stickers
American Greetings Tissue Paper, in red and pink
American Greetings Ribbon, in red, pink, white, silver or gold colors
Buttons
Embroidery floss
Stapler
Paper dollies
Circle cutter
Hole punch

Directions:
Basic DIY Valentine’s Candy Bar Wrappers: Measure candy bar and cut wrapping paper or construction paper to be ½-inch smaller than length and two times wider than width. For example, my candy bar was 7-inches long by 3-inches wide. So I cut my paper 6 ½-inches (to show some of the original candy wrapper on both sides) and then 6-7 inches long to wrap all the way around the candy bar.

Once the paper is cut, place a few pieces of double sided tape on the back of the candy bar. Secure the end of the paper to the center of the candy bar and wrap the paper securely around the candy bar. Use additional tape to adhere the end of the paper to the back of the candy bar.

Using desired trinkets and decorations, decorate paper wrapped candy bar (see below for specific examples).

For tissue paper rose: Fold a sheet of tissue paper over at least eight times. Using a small round object (like the spool of gift wrap ribbon), trace the spool onto the tissue paper. Hold paper tightly and cut out circle.

Staple the center of all eight circle cut outs. Working with one layer of paper at a time, crinkle the paper towards the center to form flower shape. Use tape to adhere flower to paper wrapped candy bar.

For heart paper decorations: Print off the free American Greetings Printable Shopping list with tear-off “loves notes” Digital Downloads. Cut out the pink “xoxo” love note and cut in half. Use double sided tape to adhere the love note to one side of the paper wrapped candy bar. Decorate the other side of the candy bar with small American Greetings heart stickers.

For heart gift tag: Use a circle cutter to cut a 2-inch circle out of patterned paper. Place an American Greetings heart sticker in the center of the circle. Use hole punch to punch a hole in the top center of the gift tag.

Wrap a 2 to 3-inch wide piece of paper around the center of the wrapped candy bar and secure with double sided tape on the back of the candy bar. Tie the gift tag to the center of the candy bar with decorative ribbon.

Even though Valentine’s Day is on a Tuesday this year, it can still be special and memorable. Stock up on American Greetings Valentine’s Day cards for your significant other, friend or family member at a store near you! For more Valentine’s Day ideas, including FREE Valentine’s digital downloads (Valentine’s Day frame-worthy quote, a February wall calendar, Printable Shopping list with tear-off “loves notes” and Mobile/desktop wallpaper) and tips on what to write in a Valentine’s Day card, click here or follow American Greetings on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.