Toddler Valentine Basket Ideas (On A Budget!)

While I was browsing the Valentine section at Target, I got the bright idea to make a Valentine’s day basket for my daughter, Hailey. I know that a Valentine basket technically isn’t a thing, but I love holidays and will take any excuse to celebrate. I started to ponder what I would put in my basket, and I was pretty bummed that I thought of the idea as we were essentially leaving the store. So, I made a list and decided to go back and grab what I needed another time (you know… before the inevitable meltdown began). I knew that I wanted my basket to be Valentine-themed, but I didn’t want to waste money on cheap crap or novelty items that she would only use for a day. This momma is on a budget and every purchase counts. So, I filled up Hailey’s basket with a few items that were fun, but could be used year round. Pretty much everything came from either Dollar Tree or Target!

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Here’s what I put in my Toddler Valentine Basket:

Red and pink snacks- Since Hailey is only 16 months old, I didn’t want to fill her basket with chocolates or candy. So, I grabbed some of her fave snacks and some new ones for her to try. She loved it and wanted her pouches and yogurt bites right away!

One stuffed animal- She’s not big on stuffed toys, so I grabbed this monkey from the dollar tree. She’s having a monkey moment since she knows how to make the sounds!

Bubbles- Hailey LOVES bubbles, so this big pack from the dollar store was perfect for her basket!

Toddler paint and paint brushes- I love to paint, so I decided to get a wooden heart from the Dollar Tree and some paints to go along with it. I can’t wait to paint with her again- we haven’t done it since she was a tiny baby!

Hershey Kisses- I had to give her some kind of chocolate! It’s a Valentine’s Day tradition. And what’s sweeter than a kiss?

Crayola Bath Items- I found these paint soaps at the dollar tree and I thought they would be a fun addition. At first she was very confused and even got mad at us for putting the paint soap on her! After a few tries, she realized she loved them and kept asking for more paint.

Valentine Book- Hailey loves the Halloween version of this book, so I decided to get her the Valentine version too! We’ve been reading it at night and she seems to like it.

Valentine Basket- This was actually something I had laying around the house if you can believe it! I was going to buy a basket but I figured I’d save the money. I have plenty at home I can use! Maybe next year (or for an older child) it would make sense to get a basket just for this- especially for a kid that likes to play with them.

Well, that’s all there is to it! There are so many items that you can add to a basket for your kids. You just need to be creative and think about what they like! Pick 2-3 colors for your basket that you’d like to stick to and it’ll be perfectly pretty. Or, just grab their favorite items and make it a “love” basket- you know, full of things they LOVE!

What would you put in your child’s basket? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY No-Sew Wine & Liquor Bag

It’s no secret that I love to make Christmas crafts! I’ve got a whole bunch of projects here on the blog but I’m always on the lookout for more! This time, I decided to make a bag for your wine and liquor gifts. It’s so easy to make and the best part of this project is that it’s NO SEW! Because as crafty as I am, sewing is NOT my strong suit! This project is a great way to use up all that fabric and ribbon in your stash. Because let’s be real- we all have a giant stash of fabric that we hoard!

You will need:

Fabric (a fat quarter from Joann Fabrics makes 2 bags)
Ribbon (similar here)
Fabri-Tac (here)
Scissors (similar here)
Iron (similar here)

Directions:

1. Cut your fabric in half or approx 11 x 18 for a standard small bottle of wine. If you’re gifting a larger or double bottle, you’ll need to adjust for that.

2. Iron out all the wrinkles on your fabric, using water or steam for any deep folds.

3. Fold your edges down and iron it for a smooth edge. I started with the sides and then did the top and bottom. You don’t want to fold too deep on the sides since it’ll be a little tight already.

4. Glue the top fold closed using your fabric glue. This is so that it has a nice edge when you put the bottle in.

5. Use your fabric glue in a zig zag pattern along the folded edge and fold shut so that the WRONG side is on the outside.

6. Glue your bottom edge shut with a zig zag of glue.

7. Once it’s all dry, turn it right side out.

8. Place your bottle inside and tie a ribbon bow at the top. Double sided ribbon works best for this, since you can see both sides when you tie the bow.

Add a gift tag and place the bottle bag under your tree. The best part about this project is that the bag can be reused again and again! WAY better for the environment than a paper bag that gets tossed away after its first and only use. Also, these are SUPER cute and also double as Christmas decor! I can totally see making them for your wine bottles on your bar cart, and even making tiny versions for mini wine bottle favors at your holiday party!

So, what do you think about these wine bottle bags? Will you be making them for friends and family? I’ve never wanted to gift liquor more! Let me know who will be getting these in the comments below.