This is an easy DIY that can be customised in a million different ways to perfectly suit your Valentine! For example, you can make them in any colour, add in dried flowers, glitter or other special items, and set them in any shape you like. Most importantly, nothing says ‘I love you’ like taking the time to make something from scratch

Related article: Free printable Valentine’s Day gift tags
Related article: 7 Valentine’s Day shopping ideas, shop our top picks!

Items you will need:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup corn flour
• 1/2 cup citric acid (you can buy this in bulk and for a lot less online)
• 1/2 cup Epsom salts
• 3 tsp. coconut oil
• 1 tsp. water
• 15 drops essential oil
• Bowl
• Mug (or other small container to mix wet ingredients)
• Spoon
• Love heart ice cube tray
• Latex gloves
• Pink food colouring
• Dried flower petals, herbs, icing sugar flowers or other items to decorate (optional)

Steps:

1. Place all the dry ingredients (baking soda, corn flour, citric acid, salt) in a bowl and combine evenly.

2. In the mug, mix all your wet ingredients (coconut oil, water, food colour, essential oils) and stir well. You should create a nice smooth paste.

3. Put your gloves on and add the wet paste into your bowl of dry ingredients. Combine well by pinching and pressing the paste through the dry ingredients until it resembles wet sand.

4. Once the ingredients are combined well, compress the mix into your heart-shaped ice cube tray. You want to pack it tightly to ensure you get beautiful heart-shaped mini Valentine bath bombs. Set aside to dry for 48 hours.

5. Once dry, gently turn the ice cube tray upside down and carefully remove one mini heart bath bomb at a time. Be careful as these can crumble if you’re rough with them.

You can present these mini bath bombs in a glass jar or a stylish trinket box. Why not complete the presentation with one of our free Valentine’s Day gift tags?!

Will you make your someone special these DIY mini Valentine bath bombs? Find even more Valentine’s Day ideas here.

Check out more DIYs

Photography by Thorson Photography. This article was first published in February 2021.

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Related item: How to pack the perfect picnic: Create a luxe picnic (bonus free checklist!)
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Items you will need:

• a throw rug of your choice
• sheet of PVC at the length of your rug (this is sold by the metre from Lincraft, costing approximately $7 per metre)
• press stud kit (also available at Lincraft. I opted for a bronze finish)
• hammer
• scissors

Steps:

Step 1: Lay out your plastic and cut to size

Firstly, you’ll create the plastic backing for your throw blanket. This is what will make it waterproof.

The easiest way to cut the plastic sheet to size is to find a large, clean floor area where you can lay out your plastic material. This product is sold by the metre at Lincraft and is available in a thick or thin version. I bought 2 metres of the thin plastic as it is still durable while also being easy to fold/roll (and you’ll see why this is important soon).

Next, place your throw blanket on top. Line up the corners on one end and cut a straight line where the throw blanket ends to remove excess plastic. To save time on measuring, I simply placed the throw blanket on top and folded the plastic at this point to create a guide of where to cut — it doesn’t have to be perfect but if you want perfect, you could also grab a measuring tape and texta

Step 2: Hammer press studs in all corners of the throw and plastic

The next step is to add press studs. These are stud pop buttons like those often found in clothing. I opted for bronze press studs as I liked the muted metallic finish.

Read the instructions on the kit and layout all the parts to make life easier for yourself.

Then use your hammer to add press studs to all 4 corners of your throw blanket and plastic backing.

Each corner of your picnic blanket will use 4 pieces. You’ll attach 2 pieces to the top layer (the throw blanket) and 2 pieces to the bottom layer (the plastic backing). I used the prettier bronze buttons for the top layer (parts A and B) and the inner part of the stud (parts C and D) on the plastic backing. This step will make more sense when it comes time to adding press studs, just follow the packet instructions.

Depending on the size of your blanket, you may also like to add extra press studs along the length. I did this on the two longer sides.

Step 3: Clip it together and roll it up

Your waterproof picnic rug is done! All you need to do is clip the plastic backing to the throw and roll it up. Now it’s ready to take on your next picnic!

This hack to make a waterproof picnic rug was inspired by wanting a soft and comfortable picnic rug that’s large enough for the family to sit on. And that didn’t cost the world. Or look hideous.

You could use the technique in this tutorial to turn any throw blanket you have at home into a waterproof picnic rug for about $20. The plastic backing is $7 per metre and press studs cost about $9 per packet.

Has this DIY inspired you to make a waterproof picnic rug of your own? If you have any questions, pop them in the comments below and I’ll get back to you asap.

More DIY ideas

Photography by Thorson Photography

Disclaimer: This post was first published in February 2021.

The post How to make a waterproof picnic rug without a sewing machine! appeared first on Style Curator.

Keep reading for the simple steps to recreate this sweet and sustainable gift wrap!

Related article: 50 of the most beautiful Christmas gift wrapping ideas
Related article: Low-waste Christmas gift wrapping ideas

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Items you will need:

• Natural fabric (I used linen but you could use cotton as a more affordable option)
• Timber board (like an old cutting board)
• Brightly coloured flowers
• Hammer
• Crimping scissors (these are ideal to avoid frayed edges, otherwise regular scissors are fine)
• Decorative elements to finish (such as dried flowers, ornaments or cards)

Steps:

1. Cut the fabric into a square. Tip: using crimping scissors will prevent frayed edges.

2. Use brightly coloured flowers to dye the fabric naturally. Do this by placing the flower on a timber board and carefully placing the fabric over the top. Hammer down until the flower print is exposed.

3. Wrap the gift using the Bojagi technique. Watch the video above to see how this is done or follow these steps:

• rotate the flower into a diamond
• place your gift on top, just below centre
• fold over the bottom edge
• then pick up the two sides and tie a knot
• the final step is to fold top corner over the knot.

4. Lastly, tuck a card, ornament or other decorative element into the pocket.

I just love the look of this natural and sustainable gift wrapping idea. It’s an easy way to elevate your gift wrapping game this holiday season without producing unnecessary waste. A sweet and sustainable gift wrap look that’s sure to put a smile on someone’s face!

Has this gift wrap idea inspired you? I’d love to see your take on this DIY — share your pics by emailing them to hello@stylecurator.com.au or tag me when you share them online @stylecuratorau.

More Christmas ideas

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If you’re gifting this candle, it’s like 3 pressies in 1 — as a candle, beautiful mug and sweet crystal! Let’s jump in to how to make it…

Related article: DIY bath bombs: Make luxe bath bombs with this simple tutorial
Related article: Make your own room spray

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Items you will need:

• Vessel or cup (I used a cuddle mug from Freedom)
• Soy wax pellets (these are widely available, mine are from Lincraft)
• Candle fragrance (I bought mine from Eroma)
• Candle wicks (also from Lincraft)
• Wick stickers
• Pot to melt wax (I found this milk pan from Harris Scarfe just the right size)
• Metal or silicone spatula to stir (also from Harris Scarfe)
• Peg
• Small crystals (optional way to decorate the candle)

Steps:

1. Heat wax on low until melted and stand aside for 5 minutes to cool down. If you add your fragrance when the wax is too hot, it can burn off during the candle making process — leaving no fragrance left when it’s time to burn the candle!

2. Prepare your vessel by ensuring it is clean and stick the wick to the base in the centre. You can buy wick stickers but they were sold out in store so I used a few drops of hot wax to stick the wick down and it did the trick. Use a peg to hold the wick in the centre at the top of your vessel.

3. Add fragrance to your cooled melted wax. Between 7%-10% is recommended. Any more and your candle can develop a dark smoke when burning.

4. Pour your melted wax into your vessel and stand aside.

5. Optional: When your candle is almost set, you can gently press a crystal into the surface. Select a crystal for the energy or qualities you want to attract (check out our compressive crystal guide here or read the quick tips below).

6. Trim the wick and you’re done!

Tips:

Making and burning the candle

• The best time to press the crystal into the surface is when the wax begins to turn opaque — put it in too early and it will sink to the bottom of your vessel, and put it in too late and you may find you crack the surface of the candle.
• While you may think burning a crystal will attract bad energy, fire is actually a great way to cleanse crystals so it will be wonderfully recharged and energised after the burn. Just be sure to let it cool before removing it as it will be hot immediately after burning the candle.
• On the first burn, let your candle burn long enough so the entire surface melts (from edge to edge). If you do not burn a candle long enough the first time, it will create a well in the centre of your candle (what’s often called a ‘memory ring’) and you won’t get full use out of your candle.

Picking your crystal

A lovely way to personalise this candle is by choosing a crystal that attracts the qualities and energies you desire. These are some of the most popular crystals you may like to use:

• clear quartz: a healing crystal that helps absorb negative energies and elevate your mind to a more positive place
• rose quartz: the ultimate love stone, use it manifest unconditional love, including the ability to help forgive and understand
• citrine: an emotionally balancing crystal that helps promote motivation, activate creativity and encourage self-expression
• amethyst: the master of calming and is perfect for a living space as it soothes anxiety and stress
• apophyllite: a powerful but gentle healing crystal that soothes feelings of anxiety, fear and worry.

For more information on what properties different crystals poses, see our crystal guide here.

Will you try our candle in a cup DIY? Share a photo with us if you do! You’ll mostly find me on Instagram or you can email it to hello@stylecurator.com.au.

More DIY ideas

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Even if you’re not into all the mushy Valentine’s Day hoo-ha, I’m pretty sure you’ll find something special on the list (perhaps even a little gift for yourself)… and let’s face it, who doesn’t love an excuse to shop?!

Related article: Free printable Valentine’s Day gift tags
Related article: 7 Valentine’s Day shopping ideas, shop our top picks!

Thoughtful cards

All I ever want for Valentine’s Day is a beautiful card — sure, I’ll take the flowers too, but a card is my favourite gift of all.

And there are some incredible designs that take cards to a whole new level like this geometric heart wood card by Cardtorial.

Or perhaps for something a little more cheesy (pun totally intended) you might like this ‘Will you brie mine?’ card from Love Cheese Clothing.

There are literally thousands of designs to choose from and you can search the full Valentine’s Day card range on Etsy.

Body products

If you have something special to say, why not say it with soap? Vice and Velvet make gorgeous soap sets with sweet messages on the box like ‘You are loved’, ‘Hello gorgeous’ and ‘You da man’.

Bath salts are always popular and the range by Scarlet Bar Designs are gorgeous with additions like lavender, rose petals, camomile buds and cornflower petals. They also do bath milks, soaps and gift boxes.

Candles

Because a girl (or guy) can never have too many candles! 100% soy wax and natural fragrances are a must though — life’s too short for nasty candles. It’s impossible for me to pick a favourite candle brand but some of my top picks from Etsy are…

XOX With Love — rose gold always gets my attention and I love that you can personalise this one to make it truly special.

Coco and Marley Collection — made from soy and coconut wax (making them vegan friendly) my favourite thing is that 10% of profits from each candle go towards supporting WWF Australia.

LJC Candle Co — nothing screams Valentine’s Day like champagne and strawberries, right? There are so many divine scents from LJC Candle Co, but this one has got us all loved up!

Homewares and decor

Some people find it cheesy but I like a few personalised pieces around the home that tell a story about the people who live there.

You can find a huge selection of personalised homewares and decor on Etsy like a cheese/cutting board from Paper Avenue.

Grill kit from Teals Prairie

Wall art

For a Valentine’s Day gift that’s a little less obvious, perhaps wall art is an idea to explore.

You could opt for something meaningful to your relationship like an anniversary print or these custom designed prints by Esina Designs.

Pepper Penny Prints also does sweet foil designs.

Or for a non-traditional idea, macrame wall hangings like this frayed edge design on drift wood say ‘I love you’ with the hours of time and attention taken to create. Available in a range of sizes, every piece is unique and prices range from $8.95 to over $600.

Did you find any Valentine’s Day gift ideas from the list? You can browse the full Valentine’s Day range on Etsy.

Find more shopping articles here

Disclaimer: This article was originally published in February 2017 but has been updated with new information and images. Prices are accurate at time of publishing.

The post Valentine’s Day gift ideas handmade with love appeared first on Style Curator.

Weekly visits to your  florist can get pretty pricey, so we asked Chellie from CH Floral Designs for her top tips on how to create your own floral arrangement — at a fraction of the price.

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Related article: Extend the life of your flowers with these tips!

Words by Chellie Olijnyk

Getting started

Before you even touch your flowers, it’s important to give your vase a thorough wash with detergent and warm water. A clean vase will prevent bacteria growing, meaning your flowers will last for longer. Then fill it with enough clean water — usually at least three-quarters full.

Remember, flowers with ‘furry stems’, such as poppies and gerberas don’t like a lot of water as it makes the stems rot. If you are using these flowers, it’s best to use a small amount of water and refresh it as required.

Selecting your flowers

You can usually grab beautiful fresh flowers for a bit cheaper from your local markets, as well as foraging in your own garden for greenery and foliage.

Blue gum and tree ivy work great as foliage, as well as any shrubs with a long enough stem to use in your vase.

Just make sure you’ve removed all leaves from the stems or they will rot in the water, creating bacteria and reducing vase life.

When it comes to choosing flowers, it doesn’t matter if you’re not an expert. You just need think of the height and shape of the vase you’re planning to use. Having a mix of different heights, flower shape, and texture creates movement and visual interest in an arrangement.

I’ve used a combination of taller flowers with shorter focals and a filler flower in this arrangement. If you’re new to flower arranging, there is no need to feel nervous. By following my step-by-step guide, you’ll be able to build a floral masterpiece in no time.

Flowers used

• Foliage – gum leaves
• Tall flowers – mauve delphinium  and dark purple stock
• Small filler – easter daisy
• Focal 1 – tulips
• Focal 2 – roses

How to create your own floral arrangement

1. Foliage first

Put your foliage in first to use as a base to hold your flowers in place. Just be careful not to overcrowd your vase, as you’ll run out of space for the flowers.

2. Cut as you go

Cut your stems to length as you go, starting with your tallest flowers — in this case the delphinium and stock.

It’s really important you don’t cut the stems until you’re ready to put them into the water or they will form a seal on the ends which means they can’t drink the water up through the stems.

Cut the stems on an angle so they can draw water easily in the vase. To figure out what length you need the stems, hold them up next to the vase as you cut.

3. Start with your tallest stems

Put your tallest stems in the centre of your arrangement, unless you are creating something which can only be viewed from one side. In this instance, they should be at the back of the arrangement, but still centred in the vase.

4. Fill up with focals

Once you’ve got your tall flowers positioned, start adding your next ‘focal flower’ — in this case, the tulips.

Before you move onto your next focal, add some of your small filler (I used easter daisy). This helps to bring all the elements together and start to fill the gaps.

Don’t use too much though as you’ll overpower your focal flowers. Other good small filler flowers are Queen Anne’s lace, babies breath, misty, or natives such as wax flower.

Finally, you’re ready to add your final focal flower (we used roses) to the arrangement, filling in the gaps as you go.

5. Step back for a better look

If you think you’re finished, make sure you step back to look from a distance. It’s easy to miss gaps or uneven distribution from up close.

If you’re making an all-round vase like this one make sure you turn your vase as you make the arrangement so you get even distribution.

Thank you Chellie for sharing your tips on how to create your own floral arrangement! Now you don’t have to wait for someone to spoil you with fresh blooms — you can treat yourself with a customised arrangement of your favourite flowers.

Find more entertaining ideas here

About the author

Based in the Snowy Mountains, Chellie is a floral expert with more than 15 years experience in the industry, specialising in creating stunning flowers for weddings and special events.

Web: chfloraldesigns.com
Facebook: facebook.com/CHFloralDesigns

The post How to create your own floral arrangement: Step-by-step guide by an expert florist appeared first on Style Curator.

Keeping with the monochromatic theme of our Christmas splatter wrapping paper (which you could totally make for Valentine’s Day too), we’ve created five simple free printable Valentine’s Day gift tags that you can download free here.

Items you will need:

• Downloaded gift tags
• Scissors
• Glue
• Backing card
• Hole punch
• String

Steps:

1. Simply print out the free printable Valentine’s Day gift tags, cut out the tags and glue them onto backing card (we chose a cute embossed white polka dot stock).

2. Tidy up the cut out (you could keep the black border as we have or cut within the border) and punch a hole over the black circle.

3. Thread through black twine and you’re done!

Be sure to tell us if you like these gift tags and we’ll make more for other key dates in future! xx

The post Free printable Valentine’s Day gift tags appeared first on Style Curator.

Download their free printable and pull out your paint brushes for this fun DIY that will leave you with a beautiful artwork for your home.

Related article: DIY driftwood wall art: Make your own drift wood wall hanging
Related article: DIY gold foil prints

Items you will need:

• Watercolour paper (a few sheets for your print out and a few sheets for test runs / scrap paper)
• Floral art download
• Koh-I-Noor Watercolour Discs (Micador brand) for the most brilliant colour
• Various watercolour brushes
• Glass of water
• Paper towel

Steps:

1. Prepare materials and print your PDF template on watercolour paper — we recommend printing a couple of copies so you can practice a bit.

2. Test your colours from your palette on your practice sheet so you know what you’re working with. Have a play with the watercolour and practice blending 2 colours into each other. Do this by painting a strip of each colour and using water to pull them together. Note: you will have to move quickly before the paint dries.

3. Experiment with saturation of a single colour using more or less water.

4. Start painting! Paint various coloured flowers and depths using blending and saturation — as practiced above!

5. Make sure you vary the saturation and colour tones for visual interest. This is achieved by using more or less water.

Tip: Wait for paint to dry if you don’t want colours to bleed into each other!

Voila! You have your finished product! It’s fascinating to watch how the dried paint looks so different from when you were painting.

If you want the outline of the flowers to be a little faded, you could experiment by tracing the design onto a fresh piece of paper using the window for light.

Thanks so much ladies for sharing this fab DIY! Don’t forget, The Windsor Workshop run art, craft and design workshops throughout the year in Melbourne and you can check out their calendar of events here.

More DIY ideas

About the author

The Windsor Workshop is a creative hub for the arts / crafts / design movement in Melbourne. At The Windsor Workshop you’ll find regular workshops to unleash and explore your creativity — and most are run by local Melbourne-based artists. The space is also used for events and social gatherings.

The post DIY watercolour floral artwork (with FREE printable) appeared first on Style Curator.