Related: Espresso Martini, Dry Martini, Lemon Drop Martini, Lychee Martini, Cosmo Recipe, Appletini, French Martini, Vesper Martini

Chocolate Martini Ingredients

• Chocolate Liqueur I used Godiva chocolate liqueur.
• Irish Cream Liqueur Such as Bailey’s.
• Vodka Unflavored is best.
• Chocolate Syrup For garnishing the inside of your glass.
• Grated Chocolate for garnish

The best glassware to serve a martini in is a classic martini glass. We have dozens of recipes to make using these timeless glasses.

How to make a Chocolate Martini

This is a straightforward drink to mix. My favorite part of making this drink is the chocolate syrup swirl.

• Drizzle chocolate syrup into a chilled martini glass and set aside.
• Shake equal parts chocolate liqueur, Irish cream and vodka with ice, then pour in the the prepared glass.
• Garnish with grated chocolate for a classy finish.

Recipe Variations

• If you want to make this martini a little less boozy, feel free to use heavy cream instead of Irish cream.
• Swap the chocolate liqueur for a flavored chocolate liqueur like peppermint to create a seasonal drink.
• Try a flavored vodka if you want to add a subtle flavor like cherry or raspberry to your chocolate martini.

Tips for making

• I found that chilling the martini glass for a few minutes beforehand helps set the syrup so the lines don’t run too much.
• Add a sprig of mint or an orange slice if you want to add a natural garnish.
• Creme De Cacao is an interchangeable ingredient with Chocolate Liqueur.

More Chocolate Recipes to try:

• Oreo Truffles
• Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Cookie Dough Dip
• Hot Chocolate Recipe
• Favorite Homemade Brownies

It’s so easy to double everything to make two drinks— Valentine’s Day treat, maybe?

You can serve this chocolate martini in a classic martini glass, a coupe glass, or something unique like this. Cheers!

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Easy Chocolate Martini

A deliciously sweet at-home chocolate martini recipe.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate martini, martini

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Calories 275kcal

Author Kayleigh Kosmas

Ingredients

• 2 ounces chocolate liqueur
• 2 ounces Irish cream liqueur or heavy cream
• 2 ounces vodka
• chocolate syrup
• chocolate grated

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Drizzle chocolate syrup into a martini glass and set aside.
• Add the chocolate liqueur, Irish cream and vodka to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled.
• Pour and garnish with chocolate shavings.

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 20g | Iron: 0.01mg

If you can’t decide what kind of cocktail to make at home, we’re sharing 40 ideas in this post. Many of these recipes are pretty shades of pink and red, but we’ve also included some fun classic cocktails with unique flavors.

Related: 50+ Fun Cocktails to Make at Home

We’re also sharing some snacks, appetizers, and desserts to pair with your cocktails at the end of this post. Cheers!

Strawberry Mojito

Make a nice Strawberry Mojito this Valentine’s Day and impress your date. This drink is sweet and light with flavors of strawberry, lime and mint.

Get the Recipe

Hibiscus Sour with Heart Garnish

If there was an official Valentine’s Day cocktail, it would be the hibiscus sour. You have to add the heart stencil, though—it’s an easy way to make this drink more lovey dovey!

Get the Recipe

Espresso Martini

Create this iconic espresso martini with just three ingredients. This recipe is so popular and for good reason. You’ll have to try it for yourself!

Get the Recipe

Old Fashioned Cocktail

The absolute most iconic classic cocktail. Learning to make a perfect old fashioned cocktail at home is a great choice!

Get the Recipe

Lychee Martini

If you haven’t tried a Lychee Martini, why not make one for Valentine’s Day this year? This recipe is sweet and unique.

Get the Recipe

Classic Manhattan Cocktail

You can’t go wrong with a classic Manhattan. This recipe mixes American whiskey and Italian vermouth with a few dashes of aromatic bitters. Don’t forget the Luxardo maraschino cherry!

Get the Recipe

Rum Runner

Learn to make a Rum Runner cocktail at home. This tropical cocktail is sweet, refreshing and fun to add to your home bar skills.

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How To Make Vodka Jello Shots (with Video!)

Just three ingredients are needed to make these easy vodka jello shots. These are perfect for a party!

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Margarita Cocktail

Learn to make a perfect, from scratch margarita at home. This recipe is easy to garnish and tweak into different variations for any holiday.

Get the Recipe

Snickerdoodle Martini

I’m partial to this martini as a romantic date night drink because I had one on my first date with my husband!

Get the Recipe

Green Tea Shot

Learn to make a classic Green Tea Shot at home. This shot is sweet and fresh. This recipe can be served as a shot or a cocktail.

Get the Recipe

Homemade Old Fashioned Mix

Homemade mix recipe for making an Old Fashioned cocktail. This would also be a fun gift idea to give your partner if they enjoy Old Fashioned cocktails.

Get the Recipe

Mexican Candy Shot

Learn to make a Mexican candy shot with a spicy rim. If you like tequila, this is a fun recipe to try.

Get the Recipe

Appletini

A dessert cocktail made with vodka and sour apple schnapps. This cocktail is the perfect balance of sweet, sour and crisp.

Get the Recipe

Pudding Shots (with video!)

Creamy boozy pudding shots with just four ingredients. These are so fun to make!

Get the Recipe

White Russian

Learn to make a White Russian cocktail at home. This classic drink is so delicious, creamy and perfect for a cozy night by the fireplace.

Get the Recipe

Kalimotxo (Calimocho)

Red wine and Coca-Cola. This unique mixed drink is worth a try!

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Gummy Bear Shot

Learn to make a gummy bear shot at home! This recipe can be served as a shot or a cocktail.

Get the Recipe

Paloma Cocktail

Learn to make a Paloma cocktail at home. This recipe is so refreshing if you want a less sweet cousin to a margarita.

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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Shot

Learn to make a Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Shot at home! This recipe can be served as a shot or a cocktail.

Get the Recipe

Paper Plane Cocktail

Learn to make a Paper Plane cocktail using only four ingredients. This bourbon-based cocktail is perfectly balanced and unique.

Get the Recipe

Easy Chocolate Martini

Calling all chocolate lovers! This easy-to-make chocolate martini recipe is the perfect mix of boozy and sweet. A classic Valentine’s Day cocktail with a swirl of chocolate syrup.

Get the Recipe

Rhubarb Ramos Gin Fizz

This pink Ramos gin fizz is a mix of citrus, orange blossom water, cream, and homemade rhubarb syrup. It’s as delicious as it looks.

Get the Recipe

Washington Apple Shot

Learn to make a Washington Apple Shot at home. This recipe can be served as a shot or a cocktail.

Get the Recipe

Fruit and Tonics

Here’s a fun cocktail idea: Make infused ice cubes using your favorite pureed fruit. As the ice melts, it will add all of that delicious fruit flavor to your gin and tonic.

Get the Recipe

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Jello Shots

We made an epic jello shot recipe based on our love for chocolate-covered fruit. These chocolate strawberry jello shots would be so fun to share with someone.

Get the Recipe

Easy Cosmo Recipe

An easy, balanced cosmopolitan recipe (not too sweet, not too bitter) of Citron vodka, lime, and cranberry juice. And the color is obviously perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Get the Recipe

Orange Cranberry Margarita

Use our homemade margarita mix recipe to make a batch of orange cranberry margaritas. This drink is perfectly tart and refreshing—and Elsie’s favorite!

Get the Recipe

Sparkling Spiced Pear & Ginger Cocktail

Don’t be fooled by the name—this pear and ginger cocktail has four ingredients, and it’s perfect for a fancy occasion. Easy and delish!

Get the Recipe

How to Make a Classic Negroni

A Negroni is a classic aperitif, meaning it’s perfect before or after a big meal … and especially on Valentine’s Day. Cheers!

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Grasshopper Cocktail

Love the combination of mint and chocolate? Look no further than the grasshopper cocktail. This delicious concoction can be enjoyed frozen, too.

Get the Recipe

Rosé Slushee

Speaking of frozen, this cherry-topped rosé slushee is so easy to make and it reminds us of a boozy snow cone.

Get the Recipe

Rose Pomegranate Martini

Here’s a unique martini infused with rose tea, pomegranate juice, and fresh mint. If you’re feeling fancy, you can even make a rose petal garnish for your cocktail glass!

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Smoke and Cinnamon Old Fashioned

This smoke and cinnamon old fashioned is a unique spin on a classic old fashioned. The smoke flavor is created using a kitchen torch to burn a cedar board (to trap in the smoke in the glass).

Get the Recipe

Homemade Strawberry Margaritas

While you can totally grab strawberry margarita mix at the store, it only takes a few minutes to make a fresh batch at home. It’s so much better!

Get the Recipe

Rosé Soaked Gummy Bears

How fun would these boozy gummy bears be for a “Galentine’s” party? You can use any gummy bear flavor and your choice of rosé or sparkling white wine to soak them in.

Get the Recipe

Spiked Peppermint Mocha Milkshake

What’s Valentine’s Day without chocolate? This rich and decadent chocolate milkshake is spiked with coffee liqueur, peppermint schnapps, and a whole candy cane.

Get the Recipe

White Wine Apple Spritzer

If you’re going to enjoy a refreshing white wine spritzer on a special occasion, you have to add a pretty rose-shaped apple to the glass. So fancy!

Get the Recipe

Grown Up Strawberry Shortcake Shake

This recipe makes two boozy strawberry milkshakes—perfect for a Valentine’s Day night in. Did we mention that the rim is made out of crumbled shortcake?

Get the Recipe

Peach Bellini

You only need three ingredients to make a mouthwatering peach bellini: peach puree, Prosecco, and a few raspberries (to give it that gorgeous slightly pink color).

Get the Recipe

Looking for snacks and appetizers to pair with your Valentine’s Day cocktails? Try these:

• Sheet Pan Totchos
• Honey Butter Board
• Rotel Cheese Dip
• Homemade Chex Mix

More recipe ideas for Valentine’s Day

• 15 Easy No-Bake Desserts
• 30-Minute Dinner Ideas
• Easy Espresso Cookies
• Gooey Butter Cake – With a Cake Mix

Non-Alcohol Drinks:

• Shirley Temple
• Roy Rogers Drink
• Butterbeer
• Virgin Mojito

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, a romantic date, or just a plain old Tuesday night, chocolate-covered strawberries are an easy treat that only take minutes to make (or you can make our Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Jello Shots for a fun twist).

Looking for more chocolate desserts? Check out:

• Chocolate Hummus
• Chocolate Tart
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Chocolate Baked Donuts
• Easy Chocolate (Oreo) Truffles
• Chocolate Sticky Buns
• Peanut Butter Balls

What strawberries are best for chocolate-covered strawberries?

When choosing your strawberries, you’ll want to consider:

• Size: Large or small strawberries will work for chocolate-covered strawberries. The only difference is that you’ll get a larger chocolate-to-berry ratio with a smaller strawberry than a larger one, so if your favorite part is the berry, choose larger options, and if you love chocolate, you might want a smaller berry to dip.
• Color: You’ll want to look for berries that are red all the way up to the green stem for optimal strawberry flavor. The more white you see on the berry, the less intense flavor it will have.
• Freshness: Choose firm berries that haven’t started to get mushy or have soft spots. If you have a few in your container that have soft spots, you can always cut off that section and dip what is still firm to get the most of your berries.

Ingredients for chocolate-covered strawberries:

• Melting chocolate: While you can use baking chips (Ghirardelli baking chips are a popular favorite), we like to use chocolate melts in milk or dark chocolate since you don’t need to temper the chocolate for it to harden properly. A lot of grocery stores carry both of these options, so check the baking aisle to see what they have and this option already comes in a microwaveable container.
• Fresh strawberries: Fresh berries are best for chocolate-covered strawberries, so look for large firm berries that are red all the way up to the green stem.
• Optional toppings: Chocolate-covered strawberries are delicious as-is, but you can also sprinkle or drizzle other toppings on top to customize your berries and take them to the next level.

How to Make Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Prep your plate and toppings: Prepare a large plate or baking sheet with wax paper to add your berries onto when dipped and chop up or prepare any toppings that you want to add to your berries so they will be ready to go before the chocolate sets.

Wash your berries: Rinse your berries and thoroughly dry your berries very well. You don’t want any water to interfere with the chocolate sticking, so dry, dry, dry to remove excess moisture.

Melt your chocolate: You can melt your chocolate on the stove, or in the microwave! If you don’t have a double boiler, see instructions below for how to make your own. If you want to thin out your dipping chocolate a bit, do so once the chocolate is fully melted.

• In microwave: Melt your chocolate for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each session, until chocolate is fully melted. Don’t heat it longer than you need to though to avoid overcooking the chocolate.

• Over stovetop: Fill the bottom of a double boiler saucepan 1/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and add to saucepan. Add your chocolate and stir often until chocolate is just fully melted. If you don’t have a double boiler, see instructions below.

Dip your berries: Take your clean berries and hold them by their green stem. Dip berries into the chocolate and let the excess drip off the end before adding any additional topping and placing them onto your wax paper.

Allow berries to cool: Once your berries are on the wax paper, push them forward about 1/2″ to avoid the chocolate pooling at the tip of the berry and let the chocolate set. The chocolate will set at room temperature, but you can also put them in the fridge for 15 minutes to speed up the process as long as you take them back out afterwards.

What toppings go best with chocolate-covered strawberries?

While toppings are a personal preference, we love to add:

• Drizzled chocolate: Melt and add a contrasting chocolate flavor (like white chocolate) to a small ziplock baggie and cut the tip off of the baggie to drizzle melted chocolate over your berries once your initial layer of chocolate has set. Or you can also just drizzle the melted chocolate off a spoon back and forth!
• Sprinkles or nonpareils: If you want to add some color and a little extra crunch, sprinkles or nonpareils are a great choice.
• Shredded coconut: Finely shredded coconut adds another layer and you can lightly toast the coconut in a dry pan for extra depth of flavor.
• Chopped nuts: Finely chop your favorite nuts and sprinkle them over the chocolate before it sets.
• Crushed Oreos: Crush up a few Oreos and you’ll get a delicious topping to sprinkle over your berries.
• Mini chocolate chips: For the chocolate-on-chocolate lovers, add some mini chocolate chips to really punch up the chocolate flavor.
• Crushed pretzels: It’s like eating a chocolate-covered pretzel and chocolate-covered strawberry at the same time—yes, please!

How to make your own double boiler:

If you don’t have a microwave, or a double boiler pot set, you can make your own set up with just a saucepan and a heatproof glass bowl!

• Fill a saucepan 1/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer.
• Add a heatproof bowl that’s just big enough to have the bottom of the bowl sit in the top of the saucepan and traps the steam from the water below, heating the bottom of the glass bowl.
• Add your chocolate and stir often until the chocolate is fully melted.

Tips for Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

• Make sure your berries are totally dry before dipping to ensure the chocolate adheres to the berry properly.
• Bring your berries to room temperature before dipping if you take them right out of the fridge. Otherwise, the berries will start to sweat a bit from the temperature change and your chocolate won’t set as well. Just leave them on the counter for 20-30 minutes.
• Use toothpicks stuck directly into the tops of each berry to use as a little handle while you dip if there’s not much stem to hold onto.
• Use sprinkles or colored chocolate to match the colors of holidays or parties to serve these year round.
• Try dipping your berries in white chocolate for a spin on the classic flavor.

How to store chocolate-covered strawberries:

Chocolate-covered strawberries are best eaten that day (or within 24 hours), so you can either leave them out at room temperature for up to 6 hours until you eat them (away from heat or sunlight so they don’t melt), or you can put them in the fridge after that in a single layer uncovered. Just give them 30 minutes at room temperature to warm up before serving.

Freezing chocolate-covered strawberries does not work well as the berries will break down and will be mushy once you try to bring them back to room temperature.

Looking for more strawberry dessert ideas? Check out:

• Strawberry Ice Cream Waffle Sandwiches
• Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Baked Oatmeal
• No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake (Non-Dairy!)
• Strawberry Shortcake Donuts
• Rhubarb, Strawberry, and Almond Pie
• Grown Up Strawberry Shortcake Shake

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Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate, strawberry

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 20 strawberries

Calories 78kcal

Author Laura Gummerman

Cost $7

Equipment

• microwave or double boiler
• wax paper or parchment paper

Ingredients

• 1 pound strawberries (about 20 strawberries)
• 10 ounces chocolate melts (or baking chips) in semisweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate

Instructions

• Prep your plate and toppings: Prepare a large plate or baking sheet with wax paper to add your berries onto when dipped and chop up or prepare any toppings that you want to add to your berries so they will be ready to go before the chocolate sets.
• Wash your berries: Rinse your berries and thoroughly dry your berries very well. You don’t want any water to interfere with the chocolate sticking, so dry, dry, dry to remove excess moisture.
• Melt your chocolate: You can melt your chocolate on the stove, or in the microwave! If you don’t have a double boiler, see instructions below for how to make your own. If you want to thin out your dipping chocolate a bit, do so once the chocolate is fully melted.

  In microwave: Melt your chocolate for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each session, until chocolate is fully melted. Don’t heat it longer than you need to though to avoid overcooking the chocolate.

  Over stovetop: Fill the bottom of a double boiler saucepan 1/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and add to saucepan. Add your chocolate and stir often until chocolate is just fully melted. If you don’t have a double boiler, see instructions below.
• Dip your berries: Take your clean berries and hold them by their green stem. Dip berries into the chocolate and let the excess drip off the end before adding any additional topping and placing them onto your wax paper.
• Allow berries to cool: Once your berries are on the wax paper, push them forward about 1/2″ to avoid the chocolate pooling at the tip of the berry and let the chocolate set. The chocolate will set at room temperature but you can also put them in the fridge for 15 minutes to speed up the process as long as you take them back out afterwards.

Notes

Tips for Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

• Make sure your berries are totally dry before dipping to ensure the chocolate adheres to the berry properly.
• Bring your berries to room temperature before dipping if you take them right out of the fridge. Otherwise, the berries will start to sweat a bit from the temperature change and your chocolate won’t set as well. Just leave them on the counter for 20-30 minutes.
• Use toothpicks stuck directly into the tops of each berry to use as a little handle while you dip if there’s not much stem to hold onto.
• Use sprinkles or colored chocolate to match the colors of holidays or parties to serve these year round.
• Try dipping your berries in white chocolate for a spin on the classic flavor.

 

• How to make your own double boiler:

  If you don’t have a microwave, or a double boiler pot set, you can make your own set up with just a saucepan and a heatproof glass bowl!
  Fill a saucepan 1/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer.
• Add a heatproof bowl that’s just big enough to have the bottom of the bowl sit in the top of the saucepan and traps the steam from the water below, heating the bottom of the glass bowl.
• Add your chocolate and stir often until the chocolate is fully melted.

Nutrition

Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 0.2mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.1mg

I’m definitely going to do this next time I host a baby shower, and the colors we used in this post would be perfect for a Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve party.

I love that you can swap out the colors and do this for nearly any occasion.

Related: Easy Balloon Garland DIY and 20 Valentine’s Day Cocktail Ideas

Here’s what you will need to make your own balloon arch:

Supplies:
electric balloon pump
balloon decorating strip
mini balloons (I used 30)
various pink balloons (40-45 regular size)
glue dots or tape
balloon ribbon
greenery (optional)

First, use your electric balloon pump to blow up your balloons and tie the bottom closed.

If you want to blow up all your balloons at once before attaching them, put them into large garbage bags as you blow them up so they don’t float away.

Or, you can blow them up in a room with a low ceiling so you can reach up and grab them as you need one.

Next, slip the knot of a regular-sized balloon through one of the holes in the decorating strip. Skip a few holes and place another balloon into the strip facing the opposite direction.

Keep alternating balloon colors and sides until you have a balloon strip as long as you want your arch to be.

You can add a few more balloons into some of the holes you skipped if it looks too skimpy, but make sure to leave some room to add the small balloons in later.

Here’s a video tutorial to show you how we made our fancy balloon arch!

Once you have your main balloons attached, cut the balloon decorating strip just past where the balloons end on either side. Then, tie a piece of balloon ribbon or twine onto each end.

Tie those strings onto the piece of furniture you want the arch to go over (or have the strings go to the floor and use balloon weights at the bottom of each).

Use your glue dots to stick the mini balloons into the gaps and crevices until you have an arch that is completely filled in.

We also made a fancy scalloped border for our table out of folded sheets of tissue paper and fringed each layer with scissors to give it more texture. So cute and easy to whip up!

If you want to add a little greenery to your arch, you can either stick the sprigs into dense areas of the arch, or tape the stems in a hidden spot.

There you have it! An extra special party table idea for your next fancy occasion. These look so cute over a buffet or console table stocked with treats and champagne.

Speaking of parties, we love to use trays like this and pretty cake stands for table decorations.

You can also make a balloon garland for your front door for more decoration fun! xx- Elsie

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How to Make a Fancy Balloon Arch

step-by-step instructions to create a balloon arch

Keyword balloon arch, party decorations

Author Elsie Larson

Equipment

• electric balloon pump

Ingredients

• 30 mini balloons
• 40-45 standard balloons
• balloon decorating strip
• glue dots
• balloon ribbon
• greenery optional

Instructions

• First, use your electric balloon pump to blow up your balloons and tie the bottom closed.
• Next, slip the knot of a regular sized balloon through one of the holes in the decorating strip. Skip a few holes and place another balloon into the strip facing the opposite direction.

  Keep alternating balloon colors and sides until you have a balloon strip as long as you want your arch to be.

  You can add a few more balloons into some of the holes you skipped if it looks too sparse, but make sure to leave some room to add the small balloons in later.
• Once you have your main balloons attached to the strip, cut the balloon decorating strip just past where the balloons end on either side.
• Tie a piece of balloon ribbon or twine onto each end, and tie them onto the piece of furniture you want the arch to go over (or have the strings go to the floor and use balloon weights at the bottom of each).
• Use your glue dots to stick the mini balloons into the gaps and crevices until you have an arch that is completely filled in.
• If you want to add a little greenery to your arch, you can either stick sprigs of greenery right into dense areas of the arch, or tape the stem in a hidden spot.
• We also made a fancy scalloped border for our table out of folded sheets of tissue paper and fringed each layer with scissors to give it more texture. So cute and easy to whip up!

Notes

If you want to blow up all your balloons at once before attaching them, put them into large garbage bags as you blow them up so they don’t float away. You can also blow them up  in a room with a low ceiling so you can reach up and grab them as you need them.

And that’s what inspired me to make this DIY pipe cleaner wreath. You could absolutely make this for any season or in any color—I just decided to use up my stash of red, pinks, and glitter pipe cleaners. Oh yes, I have a pipe cleaner stash.

Another thing I love about this DIY pipe cleaner wreath is it’s one of those projects you can work on while you watch TV or listen to a podcast. Lately, I’ve been rewatching every season of Bob’s Burgers. 

I love that show and hadn’t watched the first few seasons in a very long time (some of them I swear I hadn’t even seen before).

Sometimes I crave a project that is basically just something to do with my hands while I watch TV. Don’t get me wrong, I Iove a very involved craft project too.

But sometimes I just want something a little bit mindless to complete in the evenings, which is exactly what this DIY pipe cleaner wreath turned out to be.

Supplies:
–wire wreath base
–pipe cleaners (cut into thirds)
-scissors

Depending how big your wire wreath base is will change how many pipe cleaners you end up needing. You can also use a variety of colors/shades, or keep it more uniform; it’s up to you.

Step One: Cut the pipe cleaners into thirds. Then bend them into a ‘U’ shape.

Step Two: Twist the ‘U’ around the wire frame. Repeat until you’ve filled the entire wreath.

Step Three: You can hang the frame as is, or use ribbon or robe or yarn to hang it from a mantel or doorframe.

If needed, you might need to trim some of the pipe cleaner pieces if you see any that are sticking out way further than others. But that’s it—super simple. This 8″ diameter wreath probably took me about three hours (or six Bob’s Burgers episodes) to complete.

Thanks for letting me share! And happy Valentine’s/Galentine’s Day to you, friends. I hope you find ways to love yourself and those around you. xo. Emma

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DIY Pipe Cleaner Wreath

Author Emma Chapman

Ingredients

• wire wreath base
• pipe cleaners
• scissors

Instructions

• Cut the pipe cleaners into thirds. Then bend them into a ‘U’ shape.
• Twist the ‘U’ around the wire frame. Repeat until you’ve filled the entire wreath.
• You can hang the frame as is, or use ribbon, robe, or yarn to hang it from a mantel or doorframe.

Notes

Depending how big your wire wreath base is will change how many pipe cleaners you end up needing. You can also use a variety of colors shades, or keep it more uniform; it’s up to you.

Related: 20 Valentine’s Day Cocktail Ideas

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Let’s talk about Valentine’s Day decor DIYs and recipes. If you’re staying in this year, this roundup is for you!

Knowing how to make your own fancy balloon arch is helpful for all sorts of occasions (like birthdays) and this foolproof tutorial is all you’ll need.

If you’re staying in this year (we highly recommend and will be doing the same), here are 10 ways to celebrate at home.

Let’s talk about gifts. Keep it easy on yourself with this little gift guide. You can click on each image to shop! We love this Schitt’s Creek sweatshirt, essential oil diffuser, pink chocolate popcorn, and these cute daisy face earrings. If you’re looking for an easy DIY gift, this beauty oil (with a cute printable tag) would be perfect for a friend or loved one.

Looking for a little sweet treat to enjoy that’s kiiiind of healthy? Make these (dairy free) chocolate mousse-filled strawberries. Looking for another way to use this delicious fruit? There’s a jello shot recipe for that (chocolate covered strawberry, to be exact!). Or just go for a classic Chocolate-Covered Strawberry.

If you are in need of a last-minute homemade card idea, here are 5 easy water color techniques with ideas for cute (and pun-tastic) cards.

Even if you’re staying in, it might be fun to dress up or do your makeup (like Laura did here) using clean beauty products.

Keely’s foolproof cat-eye liner tutorial is a must, too!

We don’t need an excuse to make pancakes … ever. This giant red velvet pancake recipe is everything we need in our lives right now, and more.

Learn to make your own flower napkin ring with faux florals. This one is great for lots of occasions like Mother’s Day or Easter, too.

If you’re planning to shake up a few cocktails (or mocktails) tonight or this weekend, here’s how to make floral ice cubes to elevate your cocktail game. And if you really want to go crazy, here is our tutorial for how to make a DIY ice bucket for serving chilled wines or champagne.

If you’re feeling festive, make a set of glitter barrettes for yourself or a friend. Matching barrettes? Yes, please.

You can sip on a heart-topped hibiscus sour (it’s so good!) at home in your pajamas. How great does that sound?

Absolutely love the tutorials on how to make paper flowers in this DIY floral picnic basket post. You could use your florals for all sorts of things, like a gift box, tablescape, or even just to create a pretty bouquet that will last much longer than fresh flowers.

Homemade candy is always a good idea—here’s how to make your own chocolate bars. These are full of real, whole ingredients and can be naturally sweetened to your taste. Yum!

How often is your hair in a messy bun? (raises hand because the answer is all the time.) This heart-shaped braid is so pretty and easy to do.

How adorable is this kiddo-inspired lion face pancake? We can’t think of a cuter way to start Valentine’s Day morning (or any special day).

If you need some decor for a future party or just to dress up your home (this would make a fun headboard, right?), learn to make this hanging flower heart DIY.

Looking to step up your homemade card game? Or scrapbooking game? Then click here to learn how to make your own stamps.

This next one is for all those chocolate lovers out there! We don’t need a reason to enjoy a rich chocolate treat now and again, but if you do, it feels like Valentine’s Day might be the perfect excuse. Here’s how to make this no-bake chocolate silk pie. Our favorite part is the crust (it’s made of saltine crackers!).

These aren’t regular nails—they’re ombre HEART nails.

If chocolate isn’t “your thing,” (audible gasps from the audience) you can still get in on the candy game with these homemade Rosé gummy bears. These champagne berries are another delicious option.

This felted garland DIY is heavily inspired by one of our all-time favorite treats.

We are obsessed with this fruit and tonic recipe! You can use so many different fruit flavors and keep it classic by adding to a gin and tonic, or use in a mocktail. If you’re looking for more tips for making healthier cocktails, click here.

You can even make Valentine’s Day-themed toys for your pet. Oh, yes—we went there!

Need to package up your cute treats for a porch drop-off? Here’s how to make homemade Valentine’s Day treat boxes (and a couple treats to go in them). xo, The ABM Team

Need more gift ideas? Check out Unique Gifts For Your Boyfriend Or Girlfriend!

Credits // Author: Emma Chapman. Photos: Visit the original post to see the photography and other credits.

If you love colorful hair or learning from a hair pro, you should also check her out on IG because she’s always doing something fun. She’s @erinmbooher.

Related: 25+ Easy Hair Tutorials for Any Occasion.

I always feel like those months right in between winter and spring I get the urge to overhaul my style—whether it’s my closet, home, or hair, I always crave something fresh and new!

But usually I’ve got so much on the calendar towards the beginning of the year, so there’s not a whole lot of time to get too crazy.

And while I was able to do this ultra-cute heart braid on Emma, it’s not as intricate as it might look—which who isn’t all about that?! Work smarter, not harder, right?

SO, with this braid, you’ll be able to easily give yourself (or a friend!) a quick updated play off a more common half-up braided crown look.

1. Begin with a center part, adding loose texture throughout the hair using a wand or smoothing iron.

2. Section a heart shape at the high point of the head—or wherever you’d like to see the finished look live. No need to section out the point of the heart shape, just the two arches towards the top!

3. Take a small section of hair above where the two arches meet on either side and part into three strands that you will use to begin your first braid.

4. Begin a Dutch braid, adding to it only from the side closest to the face on top of the head from the part. Follow the curved arch shape previously sectioned.

5. Towards the end of the arch, or wherever you’d like to begin the edge of the heart into the point, continue into a basic three-strand braid without collecting any hair. Once the braid is long enough to complete one half of the heart shape, secure with an elastic.

6. Repeat steps 1-5 on opposite side to form the other side of the heart!

7. After each braid is secured, one at a time, hold the end of the braid and pull each loop out slightly to expand the shape of the braid and add fullness.

8. Attach the braids together using an elastic. If you choose to remove the previous elastics, you can!

9. Take a small strand from the ponytail created by attaching both braids together. Use it to wrap around and hide the elastic band. You can secure with another elastic. Pull the ponytail apart to push up the second elastic band to hide and secure.

10. Use your favorite hairspray to set your heart braid in place and go show it off!

So yeah! If you’re doing this braid on your own, you may find it easier to use a mirror to see where your sections are. But I feel like this braid is just super cute and flirty and perfect for anything from brunch to date night to just changing up your day-to-day look.

Try pulling the rest of your hair up into a ponytail after you’re done for a more casual look, too! It’s kind of like a grown-up way of wearing a heart barrette or accessory in your hair (but like, I’m not against that either!). <3 Erin

But this year I thought I’d add an extra twist and turn them into pretty jello shots! If you thought you loved this classic combination already, prepare to have your mind blown in a whole new way…

Related: 20 Valentine’s Day Cocktail Ideas, and Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Jello Shots

1 3 ounce box of strawberry jello
1 cup of water
1 cup of rosé sparkling wine
1 container of strawberries
melting chocolate

Start by washing and cutting your strawberries in half. You can either cut them right down the middle so each strawberry will make two shots, or you can slice off the side just after all the greenery on top so you get more greenery per shot.

That’s what I did and then I just ate all the parts I cut off as I went—ha!

Use a small spoon to scoop out the middle section of your strawberry half. I used my grapefruit spoon and it was perfect for the job, so I suggest getting one of those if you don’t have one (and they make eating grapefruit SO much easier too).

Pour your jello powder into a bowl while you boil one cup of water on the stove. 

Add the boiling water to your powder and stir for a few minutes until the powder is dissolved. Add a cup of rosé, stir, and pour your mixture into something with a spout so you can fill your strawberry halves.

I highly suggest using something like this to place your strawberries in before filling them to keep them level and catch any jello that leaks through. Place your strawberries in the fridge and allow them to set for several hours.

You’ll most likely have some jello leak through out the bottom of your strawberry as it sets. So if you want your strawberries to be totally full to the top, you may even want to make half your jello, pour that in and set it, and then pour the second half on top.

Once the bottom half has set, that should seal up the bottom so that no more will leak out and you’ll know you’re getting a totally full strawberry.

Once your strawberries are set, you can melt the chocolate discs (follow the package directions) to dip your strawberries in!

Dip each strawberry halfway into the chocolate (wait until the chocolate isn’t burning hot so you don’t melt the jello) and place on wax paper and then in the fridge to cool and set the chocolate. Keep in fridge until ready to serve!

If you’re thinking, “those look SO good!” then I promise you they taste even better than they look! And I love just about anything with a crunchy chocolate shell, so that’s always a plus, too.

As you can see, you can just pick these up by hand and eat so you don’t need any extra utensils for them.

But as with most jello shots, I wouldn’t put them out until right before you are ready to serve. Hope these delicious treats make it into a special evening sometime soon! xo. Laura

P.S. Check out Jello Shots – Ultimate Recipe Guide for more ideas!

Print

Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Jello Shots

Ingredients

• 1 3 ounce box of strawberry jello
• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of rosé sparkling wine
• 1 container of strawberries
• melting chocolate

Instructions

• Start by washing and cutting your strawberries in half. You can either cut them right down the middle so each strawberry will make two shots, or, you can slice off the side just after all the greenery on top so you get more greenery per shot. 
• Use a small spoon to scoop out the middle section of your strawberry half. I used my grapefruit spoon and it was perfect for the job, so I suggest getting one of those if you don’t have one.
• Pour your jello powder into a bowl while you boil one cup of water on the stove. 
• Add the boiling water to your powder and stir for a few minutes until the powder is dissolved. Add a cup of rosé, stir, and pour your mixture into something with a spout so you can fill your strawberry halves. Place your strawberries in the fridge and allow them to set for several hours.
• You’ll mostly likely have some jello leak through out the bottom of your strawberry as it sets. So if you want your strawberries to be totally full to the top, you may even want to make half your jello, pour that in and set it, and then pour the second half on top. Once the bottom half has set, that should seal up the bottom so that no more will leak out and you’ll know you’re getting a totally full strawberry. Once your strawberries are set, you can melt the chocolate discs (follow the package directions) to dip your strawberries in!
• Dip each strawberry halfway into the chocolate (wait until the chocolate isn’t burning hot so you don’t melt the jello) and place on wax paper and then in the fridge to cool and set the chocolate. Keep in fridge until ready to serve!

Related: Find more inspiration in our Valentine’s Day archive.

Supplies:
–felt in pastel colors
–heart toy template
–iron-on letters
–embroidery thread in colors to match the felt sheets
–embroidery thread needle
–poly-fil
–catnip (optional for the cat-sized toys)

Print out the heart template and use fabric scissors to cut two hearts and one long strip per toy.

Place the letters you want to use onto your heart to make sure they fit and arrange them to be centered and straight. Iron them onto your felt. I would suggest doing the lowest (synthetic) option on your iron for cheaper non-wool felt sheets and do a test letter on a scrap piece to see if you need to use a tea towel between the felt and the iron. I had two different blends of felt and one worked better with the towel and the other worked better without it!

Match up the end of your long strip with the bottom tip of your front heart and use your embroidery thread to do a loose whipstitch all the way around the heart …… until you get around to the other side. Once you get around to the front, sew your bottom seam together, add the back heart on, and continue to whipstich the side piece to the back heart as well.Leave a 2″ opening so you have some room to stuff your toy!Since my toys are for cats, I used some catnip bits in with the stuffing, but I’ve heard some dogs like it too!Once the stuffing is in place, continue the whipstitch to close up your heart and you’re ready to present it to your pet!So cute! Of course you can make your heart say whatever you want, but every time I see the dog toy “my tail wags for you,” I keep singing it in my head to the tune of Prince’s “I would die for you” line … it’s pretty catchy! Anyway, at first Mac was a little too distracted by the food props to notice the toys (I guess he even likes dog treats!), but once all the food was gone, he started to play with his new presents! He basically likes any felt toys that bounce a bit when you throw them and these totally fit the bill there. Hope you get the chance to make a cute gesture of love for your fur baby this Valentine’s Day! xo. Laura