STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Kel · Coach

Valentine's day basket

dot · Marc Jacobs

You should DEFINITELY make truffles! They are really super easy to make. This Christmas I made tea-infused truffles and they were a really big hit. I think it would be nice thing to get homemade ones for Valentine's. Let me know if you want that as a recipe... other things that are great are.

I posted a chocolate caramel tart recipe that is delicious (but these are slightly labor-intensive).

Ohhh.. another idea is to get a heart-shaped cookie cutter and cut out brownies (you can even make them from a mix if you want). If your bf doesn't have a sweet-tooth, you can use the cookie cutter to cut flour or corn tortilas and spice them yourself to make chips or you can spice and cut flat bread. Let me know if you want further explaination on any of these ideas. Maybe make a homemade salsa or spread or even heart-shaped cheeseball... or is that cheesy? I guess I just know alot of men who don't like sweets and would rather have a Slim Jim manipulated in a heart shape.

Or if you feel overwhelmed by cooking, you can buy store-bought candy and place in it cute bags or containters from the Container Store. It will seem more personal that way.

If I think of something else I will post.

Ally S · Kate Spade

Go to a craft store and get some melting chocolates in milk, white and dark. In there you can also buy the plastic forms in various shapes. You melt the chocolates, pour it into the forms, wait a few minutes and pop them out.

Voila! You have cute little candy pieces. I like to add a drop or two of mint extract, coffee or raspberry juice to the chocolate as they are melting to give some extra flavor.

Wrap them up in pretty tissue and store them in a cute little Valentine's box or tin and stuff them in your basket.

Kel · Coach

Thanks girls for the suggestions.

Dot- If you could, tell me how to make those truffles and anything else that is easy to make (Deserts are not my speciality) that would be great. Thanks!

halleybird · Hermes

I did this for my husband years ago! Try this -- make sugar cookies in the shape of hearts. Frost them and use decorator icing to spell out little phrases like conversation hearts. This is cool b/c you can use your own inside jokes or even some R-rated stuff if you want