Shortcuts to a Romantic Valentine’s Day

10 easy ideas―from Valentine's Day gift ideas to simple sweet treats―for spicing up the holiday.

Make Valentines from Household Supplies

Paint samples, playing cards, sponges, sugar packets, matches are all taking up space in your kitchen and desk drawers. Think of them as an inexhaustible stock of Valentine-card-making props. Dead AAA batteries ("I get a charge out of you"), old lollipops ("I'm a sucker for you"), stray keys ("the key to my heart").

Sit yourself down and grab a pile of craft supplies―construction paper, scissors, markers, tape, X-Acto blade, large-eyed needle and strong thread (or dental floss), doilies, ribbon saved from the last party. Don't worry about making it look perfect. It's the message that counts.