This is a unique and fairly easy Valentine’s Day project for any one including the kids. If your kids are making this, they will need an adult or older sibling to help out as you will need to punch a few holes at the top of the box using either a drill with a metal bit or hammer and awl (or a large, sharp nail). To make punching or drilling the holes easier, you will need freeze some water in the bottom part of the box. Once the water is frozen, it will be easy to punch the holes.
What You Will Need
- 1 empty Valentine tin candy box
- 1 plastic bag (leak-proof)
- Roses (again, opt for the short-stemmed variety)
- Plastic water retainers (one for each flower - ask for these where you buy your flowers – they are usually free)
- 1cup holder (this is to keep the vase upright once you’ve filled it with flowers)
- Electric drill and metal drill bit or hammer and awl
How to Do It
It is easier to make the holes in the box if you freeze water inside of it first. You need to use a leak-proof bag since most tin Valentine candy boxes are not leak-proof.
- Remove the box lid and set aside.
- Fill the bottom of the candy box with water and place inside the plastic bag in case of leaks.
- Put this into your freezer and wait for water to freeze. It takes about one hour for the water to freeze solid*.
- Once the water has frozen in the candy box bottom, use drill and metal bit (or the hammer and awl) to make the holes, spaced about ½ inches apart in the center of the top of the box. Be sure the holes are far enough back at the top to still allow for the lid to be replaced once the flowers are inserted.
- To prepare the rose cut the stems so that each is only about 4 to 5 inches long.
- Fill each plastic water retainer with water and set aside.
- Insert the stems of each rose into the holes you’ve just made in the tin and then into a water retainer which you hold inside the box.
- Replace the lid and place on the cup holder stand. Put the vase where your Valentine is sure to find it.
*NOTE: When freezing the water, you can turn the ice in the container into a special decoration. Add a little red food coloring to the water and sprinkle in a few red and white Valentine’s candy or rose petals before freezing.Once you have drilled your holes, you can remove the ice heart from the tin bottom and turn into a pretty centerpiece that you can put on a plate and surround with more candy and flower petals. Just remember to keep it in the freezer until you want to use it.
If you think your Valentine would like something a little different, you can use the same candy box to create a clock, a pretty picture frame, or even a small garden. All it takes is imagination and maybe a little of your time.
