Red Hot Valentine Container!

I have a fun little gift idea for Valentine’s Day: a sweet, vintage-style container of heart-shaped cinnamon candies!

I’m happy they still sell “red hots” that were so popular when I was a little girl . . .

This vintage-style craft is very easy to make!

It all starts with a basic peat pot – the ones normally used for gardening when starting seeds or seedlings! You can find them in hardware stores, garden centers and even at the dollar stores in season. I bought a nice supply on Amazon here. (affiliate link — see my disclosure here)

After painting two quick coats of DecoArt’s Dazzling Metallic Paint (in Festive Red) on the peat pot, I let the pot dry while I got a vintage image prepared to decoupage onto the pot.

Since I knew I wanted to fill up this little container with the traditional red hots, I chose this adorable image of Cupid grilling up some hearts!

After printing out the image on copy paper, I sprayed it with acrylic sealer so the inkjet image wouldn’t run.

Once the image was dry, I cut it out and then Mod Podged it (is that a verb?) onto the peat pot using Antique Mod Podge. (affiliate link)

Peat pots are very light, so it was easy to punch two holes into the sides for the wire hanger . . .

I wound red floral wire around a pen to get the curls, and then attached it to the peat pot.

I took blue hemp and made several loops, which I tied together, and attached a doily-shaped sequin.

Two pieces of vintage netting were stuck inside the pot, and then it was time to add the old-fashioned red hots!

I think Cupid was definitely creating a batch of these cinnamon candies . . .

I actually made two of these Red Hot Valentine Containers, and sent one to my parents for Valentine’s Day! They’ve celebrated over 60 Valentine’s Days together so far!

Isn’t that awesome?

~Laura