Be my crafty Valentine

The paper hearts and pink cupcakes we might have made as kids aren't the only options for DIY Valentine gifts. Grown-ups can give cool, custom-made presents that show how much you care (without blowing the budget). Plus, you can use recycled materials to waste less and save cash.

Here are some clever ideas from around the Web. These projects don't require exotic tools or highly specialized skills, just a little time and patience. Your valentine is worth that, right?

• Bath bombs -- Mix up a fizzy bath for your honey with products from around the house.


• Candle globes -- Melt down old candles to create a very stylish home accent.


• Candy box picture frame -- Turn a heart-shaped box into a sweet photo display.


• Cookie message hearts -- Bake a batch of pastel shortbread with clever sayings (better than those chalky candies).


• Dangly earrings -- Create elegant jewelry from recycled beads and other sparkly items.


• Etched champagne flutes -- Customize a pair of wine glasses to toast to your loved one's health.


• Fabric jewelry roll -- Recycle some pretty fabric into a nice place to store her jewelry from last Valentine's Day.


• Fancy hair sticks -- Decorate dowels or old chopsticks into lovely ornaments for a lady with long hair.


• Gamer dice handbag -- Sew a 12-sided dice purse for the old-school gamer in your life.


• Gift-card wallet -- Turn expired retail gift cards into a wallet, perhaps to present a new gift card!


• Infused vodka -- Soak fruit, veggies, or herbs in spirits for a few weeks to make an awesome cocktail.


• IPhone or iPod case -- Get tons of ideas for cases you can knit, sew, felt, or craft from new or recycled materials.


• Lip balm or sugar scrub -- Make nontoxic, eco-friendly body products.


• Retro CD holder -- Scour thrift stores (or your file cabinet) for ancient floppy disks, and make a cool wallet to hold CDs.


• Romantic Rubik's Cube -- Cover an old Rubik's Cube with cute pictures of you and your sweetie.


• Thumb-print card -- Give your honey a "hand" with this charming, kid-friendly project.