6 crafty ideas to turn your lockdown Valentine's (or Galentine's) into the best night in
Date night at home just got a lot more interesting
This lockdown might feel worse than the previous (less sunshine? Colder weather? Been there, done that?). With everyone tired and bored, how do you make your loved ones feel special? If your inspiration is low, we're here to pump some creativity into your veins and possibly your heart.
Restaurants across the UK are offering fantastic DIY kits, so replicating a fine dining experience at home is easy. But when you've been bingeing Netflix all year, "dinner and a show" simply doesn't sound as enticing when it's done at home.
Instead, we suggest dinner and a creative activity, so that you and whoever else can reap the benefits of making with your hands, share some lighthearted fun and laughs, and make a night in to remember.
Weave your way to some romance
Ever thought about getting into basket weaving? Now's the right time to try. Grab your friends or lover, nab a kit to either make a woven heart or a decorative woven basket, put on some tunes and learn the techniques to turn lapping cane into a gorgeously detailed three dimensional object. This can also be done together over video call, and sending a kit out to everyone in order to create something beautiful together is a wonderful way to reconnect with those whom you haven't seen for weeks.
Want more of a challenge? Make a paper band vessel that incorporates both cane and paper weaving.
Make a woven heart: Course + Kit – from £38.99
Make a decorative woven basket: Course + Kit – from £29.99
Make a paper band vessel: Course + Kit – from £39.99
Draw them like one of your French girls
Our popular drawing courses and kits are even better in pairs. Jake Spicer, the artist behind this course, is all about proving that anyone can draw. He makes it simple, so all you and your partner or friend have to do is pick up your pencil and try. Once you've gone through the course, try drawing each other for an ultimate bonding activity.
Learn how to draw: Course + Kit – from £19.99
Learn how to draw: Course + Luxe Kit – from £34.99
Shape your love in clay
For those based in and around East and North London, this Introduction to Pottery kit and course is made for two and perfect to dig into on a date night in. Make your own vessel, have expert potter Ranj answer any questions you may have, then once done he'll come pick it up to be fired at his studio in E5. The result: pottery made by you, together on your lovely evening in.
An Introduction to Pottery: Kit + Guide and Kiln-firing – £120
Let your love grow
There's nothing like adding a little greenery to your interiors to brighten things up. For your date night in, or with friends over video call and drinks, make a terrarium that will thrive with a bit of care, just like your relationships. These kits come with all sorts of tools and materials you need to make a living garden inside a glass container, the perfect activity to do with someone you care about and a great excuse to get your hands messy.
Make a tinyjohn terrarium: Course + Kit – £64.99
Make a household jar terrarium: Course + Kit – £34.99
Brew some love potion
Okay, so not quite a love potion. But it's sort of a potion, and you'll certainly love it! We're talking about kombucha, the magical drink that supports gut health and tastes delicious. Buy a kit to be delivered to your door, and you and your loved ones can brew your very own concoction together. Reap the benefits of kombucha, connect with one another when you brew it and feel great when you drink your creation together!
Make an impression
Try your hands together at some printmaking, and create some snazzy designs that will let your artistic talent shine. Opt for a linocut Valentine's card or make cyanotype prints with the botanicals found outside your house, and make something you can proudly display on your wall together.
Learn how to make cyanotype prints: Kit + Guide – £32.95
Design and Linocut a Valentine's Card – 19.99