Many stay-at-home moms find themselves doing side projects to make some extra money. Often, they will find themselves taking on several different odd jobs throughout the year. With Valentine’s Day rolling around, it is a good time to start thinking about making a few Valentine’s Day crafts to sell for some extra cash.
Valentine Craft Supplies
Most everyone lives near a dollar store of some sort, making this Valentine craft idea simple and cheap. For starters, you’ll need a few items:
A pillar candle in the color of your choice. Since it is Valentine’s Day, try to stick with reds, pinks, purples and even blacks. A small glass plate. This plate can be round, square, speckled or any other style you’d like. An alternative to a glass plate is a glass bowl. This should be the size of a soup bowl. A long strip of black or dark cherry colored lace. You can use any type of lace that coordinates with the bowl, plate and candle you’d like.
Other options include: silk rose petals, potpourri, ribbon or even candle tarts in Valentine shapes.
Valentine Craft Ideas
The idea of this Valentine’s Day craft is to set the mood for Valentine’s Day. When you look at it, you’ll want it to scream “It’s so romantic!” In the past, I’ve made hundreds of Valentine crafts just like this one and the customers who buy them are mostly male. There may be a few females here and there, but for the most part it’s the boyfriends and husbands that pick these up. So, keep this in mind when picking your colors.
Let’s get started. Place your plate or bowl on a flat surface. Next, place your candle in the center. You may need to put a little hot glue down on the plate to help hold the candle in place. If you use the bowl, it may not be necessary to use the glue. After you have placed your candle, cut a piece of lace approximately two inches wide and tie around the center of the candle in a knot. You can also tie the lace three-fourths of the way up the candle for a different look.
When tying the lace around the candle, leave about three inches on both ends to give a bow effect. Last, cut the lace in long strips and loosely wrap around the bottom of the candle creating a nest of lace. If you have chosen other materials to decorate your candle, sprinkle roses, potpourri, or candle tarts around the bottom of the candle. All of these Valentine’s Day craft ideas are great sellers, so mix it up a little.
Tips & Pricing Valentine Crafts
Any size pillar candle can be used for this Valentine’s Day craft project. Use your imagination and think outside the box. If you are planning on selling these for extra money, be sure to keep track of how much you spend on each one. As a general rule, you’ll need to double the price. For example, if you spend $4 to make your craft, you’ll need to sell it for at least $8. Also, if you are selling these crafts on consignment, you’ll need to figure the store’s amount into the price.
Most consignment stores take 20 percent to 25 percent of your sell. Ask questions up front so you can price the items accordingly. There are times you may find good deals on your items. If you only spend $2 and it should have been $4, go ahead and mark it up to $8 to keep your prices consistent. The last tip is to think about where men shop. For instance, gas stations, hunting stores, parts stores and so on are all great places to put your Valentine crafts. I sell more at a local gas station than any other place I have my crafts.
To finish the craft to sell, wrap it in cellophane wrap and tie with a coordinating color ribbon or more lace.
Warning: Remove lace and other flammable materials before burning!