You may be crafty or have some crafty kids, but sometimes, we all run out of ideas. We've discovered Kaboose.com, which has turned us on to some great crafts for kids of all ages, and helped inspire our Valentine's Day Bulletin Board! So get crafty with your kids this V-Day weekend, whip up a family-friendly drink.
Tissue Paper Flowers
This fun craft is easy to do and perfect for everything from Valentine's Day to birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day or anytime! Fill a vase with a dozen of these brightly-colored flowers to get your family through the winter. The best part is, they never wilt!
Paper Love Bug
Paper Love Bugs are the idea gift for slightly older kids (age 5 and up) to give to their siblings or relatives for Valentine's Day! The best part is, the wings double as a card, allowing kids to write message to the recipient on the front or back side.
Candy Rings
A sweet treat for your kids or any of their visiting friends, Candy Rings let everyone enjoy a little bit of candy without the massive sugar high.
While the kids craft, whip up a batch of this fun, fruity Valentine's Day drink!
Ginger Sweetheart – Serves 4
- 2 ½ cups of chilled Ginger Ale
- ¼ cup of fresh (or frozen) raspberries
- 1 large strawberry (sliced into four thin, heart-shaped slices) for garnish
- 4 plastic champagne glasses or other child-friendly cup
Blend ¼ cup of fresh or frozen raspberries in a blender or food processor until liquefied. Set aside.
Divide the chilled ginger ale evenly among the four cups. Taking a teaspoon, carefully empty a spoonful of the raspberry puree into the ginger ale. Garnish each cup with a heat-shaped slice of the strawberry.
While you might not be able to set up the romantic evening of your dreams with kids underfoot, consider just taking time to set up a little cheese boarding the kitchen for you and your partner while your kids craft nearby. This will give you both time to catch up, consume an adult beverage (spike your Ginger Sweetheart with some vodka for a lovely kick) and some food for a more complex palate, and enjoy a stolen moment with each other. We've consulted with our favorite cheese mongers at Murray's Cheese in New York on the perfect Valentine's Day cheese plate (complete with a few aphrodisiacs). These cheeses will turn you on, without turning off your nose.
Cheese is, of course, the anchor to a good cheese plate. It's always good to go with a hard cheese, a medium cheese and a soft or cream cheese. Cheeses should be served a room temperature for maximum taste. Shaving the harder cheeses allows for better tasting.
However, there are added elements that can help bring out flavor, add texture and a little bit of sex appeal.
The three cheeses of Valentine's Day:
Bachensteiner (From Gunzesreid, Germany) this cheese has a bit of acidity that balances out its milky sweetness It has a more ripe smell, but a very mild flavor, so don't get scared. This cow's milk cheese is similar to Munster, and most delicious when consumed with a dark beer.
Piave (Hailing from Veneto, Italy) is a hard cheese reminiscent of Parmigiano Reggiano, but with notes of citrus. A good, solid cow's milk cheese enjoyed by nearly every one.
Saint-Andre (France) This triple crème cheese is made from cow's milk and tastes like a whipped version of Brie. It has a very soft, buttery texture with a hint of sweetness. It's rich, so you only need a little bit to hit the spot. Saint-Andre is a pretty common cheese, but if you can't find it, any triple-crème will do.
Accompaniments:
Pair the Bachensteiner with pumpkin seeds. Not only do the seeds kick up testosterone, but they are also known to relieve anxiety and make you feel less inhibited.
For the Piave, dip in a little bit of honey. Honey is known to help temporarily boost both estrogen and testosterone levels.
You can't go wrong pairing Saint-Andre with a light red wine, which we all know boosts sex drive. But you can also try some dark chocolate, which induces relaxation and releases dopamine into your brain's pleasure center.
