For the Love of DIY

Valentine's Day is coming up quickly and most of us are short on time, money, and ideas. But don't worry, I have a guide of do-it-yourself gifts that ladies (or men) will love and none of them involve glitter. (You can thank me later!)

Bacon Roses

Yes, you read that right. Men typically don't like flowers, but when they can eat them…and they taste like bacon, I bet they'll make an exception. The instructions are simple and if you pair this with a homemade breakfast in bed (such as Valentine's Day pancakes), you have the perfect manly-man Valentine's Day gift.

Photo Block Puzzle

This gift is good for men and women of all ages. Photo boxes are fun ways to display images in various sizes. The blocks can be made in any size and you display as many as 54 different photos. The instructions are a little more complicated than the bacon roses, but this gift will last forever.

A Silver Ring

What a woman does want is silver? For 25 cents you can give your special someone a homemade silver ring.

All you need is a silver quarter (from 1964 or before), a spoon, a drill, and a metal file. Use a spoon to tap out the edges of the quarter. This part is tedious and may take a while but small taps will give a much smoother beveled look. Drill out the center following these instructions, and viola - you have a silver ring. (Ladies, if you want to do this for a man, use a silver Kennedy half-dollar)

Flatware Jewelry

Keeping with the metal working theme, another vary popular gift is jewelry made with forks, spoon, and even nails. A stainless steel fork would work; just try to choose one with some detailing and longer tongs. Once the fork is flattened, you can use pliers to sculpt the tongs in to the desired design. Then the fork can be bent into wrist size and polished for a sweet gift. There are a few more details you could add if you want to get artsy.

Lego Necklace

Call me crazy, but I LOVE this! It's so nerdy and yet has a touch of childish sophistication (an oxymoron, I know.) They can be made to be like friendship necklaces, where two pieces come together to make a heart, or you can do it as one necklace for the special lady your life (Does your daughter love Legos?). The hardest part of this project is making sure you have the right Lego pieces. Then it's just a matter of attaching everything to a necklace chain with some jump rings.

Worst case scenario you make him some Zelda Heart Container Cupcakes.

This list is adapted from Popular Mechanics 14 DIY Valentine's Day gift ideas with images from instructables.