Our 4H club makes "favors for the elderly" and delivers them to the locals. I've been lucky enough to be put in charge of Valentine's favors and am looking for really simple and inexpensive ideas. We'eve done plastic heart hangings and wax hearts in the past, so I'm looking for some fresh ideas. Any tips would help! Thanks!

-- Lisa in WI (llehman16@hotmail.com), January 31, 2002

Answers

Lisa, years ago I remember making a dough of applesauce and cinnamon,rolling it out,using a heart-shaped cookie cutter and poking a hole in the top. I can't remember if I let them dry naturally or baked them. Then I strung a ribbon thru the hole and stuck a spray of baby's breath in the top. They smelled wonderful and can be hung in a closet or even on the wall. I'm sure you can find a recipe similar to this on the net. Good Luck! Terran

-- Terran in VT (homefire@sover.net), January 31, 2002.

I am a 4-h mom so I can understand...Here is a great one... you need 4 pieces of tissue paper ( try to vary the color as much as possible). some green constuction paper, and green pipe cleaners or chenille stems. and something small to put in it. small bars of soap, or candy, ( might not be appropriate for this particular thing ) or anything small that will be suitable.( this makes one FLOWER). Lay the tissue paper out ( about 8 inch squares or however big it must be for your suprise ) one pink, one red, one white, one yellow, or what ever colors you chose, one on top of the other. evenly is best. center your surprise in the middle. cut out some leafs from the construction paper and write sweet sentiments on them. gather the tissue paper up around the suprise and secure with the pipe cleaner. place a leaf on one end of the pipe cleaner and us a pencil to " curl " the other end. Spread out the tissue paper and trim as necessary to make it look like a flower. WAHLAA. P.S. I recently did a living history class for our 4-h group...It was so much fun. we reinacted the first thanksgiving. I used alot of tylenol....LOL...

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002.

Here's a couple I came across:

VALENTINE SOAPS

Take 2 cups of soap flakes..put into mixing bowl..add a few drops of red food coloring into 1/4 cup of water and scented oil..Mix until the soap is evenly colored..if the mixture sticks to your fingers add more soap..if too dry and crumbly add more water. Take the mixture and press on a clean counter and cut into heart shapes with cookie cutters..Put the shapes onto a a plate and let them dry and harden for 2 days..you can wrap several together in a square of pink plastic wrap and tie with some raffia..attach a cut out heart from paper and write the recipients name on it..tie with peices of the raffia.. Use the same aromatic oils that are used for bath scents and bath oils..don;t use potpourri oils as they aren;t made for use on the body

VALENTINE FORTUNE COOKIES

3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
red food color

Write 30 valentine messages on small strips of paper and fold. Beat egg whites, salt and sugar together in a bowl. Add flour, vanilla, water, butter and about 6 drops of food color, stirring well after each addition. Chill the batter for 3 hours. Preheat oven to 350 F. Drop the batter onto a greased baking sheet 1 teaspoon at a time. Spread each teaspoonful of batter into a 4" circle with the back of a spoon. Bake only 2 to 6 cookies at a time so they can be folded before completely cooled. Bake the cookies for about 5 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Carefully remove the cookies from the baking sheet and place upside-down on a clean surface. Let each cookie cool a little then fold the cookie in half, and then in quarters. Place folded cookies on a cooling rack and let cool completely. Makes About 30 cookies.


FLOWER POTS

Purchase or make small flower pots. Fill with a plant (such as small ivy. Tie raffia or ribbon around with a heart shaped greating.

-- Karen (mountains_mama@hotmail.com), February 01, 2002.

I just found this one that is really great. It is a rose made out of a Hershey Kiss! Here the Rose Kiss Website for the directions. Very easy!

-- Karen (mountains_mama@hotmail.com), February 02, 2002.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

Thanks you guys for such wonderful ideas! I'm heading to Hobby Lobby today to check out supplies. I'm leaning towards the tissue paper flowers with candy inside, or the Hershey Kisses flower bud. These are such awesome ideas! Thanks for taking the time to post them.

Lisa

-- Lisa in WI (llehman16@hotmail.com), February 02, 2002.

the fortune cookie idea is great! I am going to try those..THANKS!:)

-- Joanna Barnes (sparkkle@hotmail.com), January 18, 2003.