We love homemade gifts, and have always had a heart for Valentine’s Day crafts that make truly thoughtful gifts. But then we look around, and…eek! Unless you have your own woodworking shop and an MFA in jewelry design, not all the ideas floating around will come looking like those gorgeous Pinterest photos. (You know what we mean.) So we searched high and low, and put together some of our favorite Valentine’s Day crafts that look amazing, but that regular people can reasonably do. We hope one of them is just right for your kids, your sweetheart, your BFF, or anyone else who needs to feel the love from you right now.

Origami Valentine’s Day hearts (tutorial, Gathering Beauty)
We love the three different ways shown here to make hearts using nothing more than origami paper. They’d be great glued to a card, turned into a garland with clothespins and twine, or just popped into your kids’ lunchboxes with a note on them.

Conversation heart balloons Valentines craft (tutorial, Studio DIY)
Our kids would adore a big bunch of balloons with custom conversation heart messages on them. It’s as simple as mylar balloons (that hopefully someone else blows up for you, unless you’re up for renting a helium tank) and vinyl stickers. Just be sure to get an all-caps font that feels blocky like the ones on the heart candies.

Instagram pillows ($41 and up from Stitchtagram, or DIY)
We love Stitchtagram, which makes really fun custom pillows from your Instagram shots. We think it falls under Valentine’s Day crafts because hey, you had to take the photos yourself, right? And then there are some nice people in Washington DC who will do the sewing for you. But if you really want to make one from scratch, just print out your images on an inkjet fabric sheet like the ones from Jacquard, then sew and stuff a basic pillow.

DIY love notes stationery (free download, So Pretty)
We found this free download last year and still think it’s so sweet. Sometimes the simple things are the best. You don’t even have to be a professional book binder–just print on nice card stock, and present it in a nice box with envelopes. Or make things easier, as in this photo, and hold them together with a binder clip.

Conversation hearts cookies and printable box (free printable and tutorial, The House That Lars Built)
If you’re up for baking your own conversation heart cookies, more power to you! If not, feel free to order the ones we found in our roundup of cool Valentines cookies on Etsy. Then package one in a giant replica of the candy box for an extra special presentation.

Valentine paper fortune cookie craft (free printables and tutorial, Josie Jones)
Use the free printables for these patterns, or just follow the DIY directions and use any pretty paper cut into a circle. These particular ones were designed for kids (with a very sophisticated design sense, clearly!) but obviously you can make them as adult as you like. It just depends on what you write on the fortune. Oh, we have loads of ideas for that. We just can’t share them all here. Ha.

Pink bubbles DIY with heart wand (free printable and tutorial, Hello Wonderful)
I’m not sure any kid is ever too old for bubbles, as in, even we’d be happy to get a little jarful of these. They’re great to pass out as favors if you’re already sugared-out, or they just make a thoughtful little gift for a BFF or the kids in your life. Stock up on pipe cleaners!

Framed geometric heart Valentines craft (tutorial, Oleander and Palm)
This DIY is as simple as cutting triangles–and having the taste to figure out which colors look great together. Add a special frame and you’re good to go.

I Love You a Latte Printable Craft (free printables and tutorial, DIY network)
Of course Valentine’s Day isn’t all about the champagne. Sometimes it’s just about waking up with someone you love–ideally in a good mood. And that means coffee. You can fill it with an artisanal bean favorite like the single origin coffees from Mistobox or pop in a gift card to your local latte purveyor.

Movie night at home DIY invitation (free printables and tutorial, Eat Drink Chic)
If you–like so many of us here–are home on Valentine’s night with the kids (ah, romance), then there’s nothing wrong with an IOU for a date night in at a later time. Whether it’s one night that the kids are sound asleep early, or you’re lucky enough to have grandparents who can take them overnight, this DIY invitation craft project is so inspired. Find all the printables at Eat Drink Chic plus loads of great tips for how to present it and how to make the night special. Whichever night that may be. Hey, that’s how parents roll.

Be sure to catch the rest of our 2015 Valentine’s Gift Guide!