Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Valentine's Day treats

I saw this amazing idea on Pinterest, via sugar & cloth, so I wanted to make my own version.
I thought it was a cute one for Jaxon to pass out at school on Valentine's Day!
Basically I used printed paper straws as a container for mini m&m treats.




Here's how I made these:



You will need:

* Printed paper straws (I bought mine at Target because they were thicker & wider)
*Thick cardstock (for the tops and bottoms)
*Tacky glue
*Hemp string (for the wick)
*Sparkly yarn (for the flame)  ( I used metallic sparkly yarn by Martha Stewart)
*washi tape (I used Scotch brand )


1. First you will be adding bottoms to all the paper straws.
    I simply traced the bottom of the straw onto the thick cardstock in order to get an exact fit.
    Cut out one circle and use as a template for the rest. You will need a top and a bottom circle.
    Glue a circle to the bottom of the straw.
    I recommend using tacky glue, but instead of applying the glue directly from the bottle, put a small
    amount on a piece of scratch paper and use your fingers to apply glue to the straw.
    Let dry over night.


 
2. Fill with candy or treats. I used mini m & m s. 
    Feel free to fill with whatever your heart desires. 


  3. Add the cardstock circle to the top. Instead of using glue, use the washi tape 
      to secure to the straw. Use about a 2" strip. My tape was thicker, so I cut them 
     to about a 1/4" width. 

4. Adding the wick was a bit tricky. Cut about 1/2 of hemp string. Frey the bottom of the string a bit
    so that it adheres to the tape with glue better. Use a small drop of tacky glue and set the hemp into place.
    You can even wait for the drop of glue to dry a bit, (not too much), so that the hemp string will strand 
     right up. Once it dries, it will stay in place. Make sure it is completely dry. 

5. Add the flame. Cut an 1" piece of metallic yarn and glue it to the tip of the hemp string. 
    What I did was fold the yarn in half, then applied to both side of the "wick". 

6. Create your own tag. I used glittery scrapbooking paper in black and cut out heart shapes. 
    I outlined the edges in an oil-based metallic gold marker for contrast. 
7: Hole punch your tags and tie onto the straw with string or twist ties which is what I used. 
Happy crafting!