Valentine’s Day Drink Stirrers

We love any excuse to think up a GM-inspired DIY, and Valentine’s Day coming up turned out to be just the ticket for this one. Although the love-filled holiday is generally directed toward couples and showering your S/O with affection, we believe that no Valentine’s Day is complete without surrounding yourself with friends, too! There’s nothing better than a little Valentine’s-themed happy hour—and a sweet DIY to go along with it. With that said, we can’t wait to share how we made these Valentine’s Day drink stirrers. Inspired by candy conversation hearts and the classic “XOXO”, these are the perfect addition to any cocktail—sprinkle-dipped rim or not (although, we highly encourage the use of sprinkles anywhere possible!). We had so much fun putting together these festive drink stirrers, and the best part is that they are easy-as-can-be. Did you notice some are even inspired by our favorite balloon series? Read on to see how we made them, and how you can recreate the look for your own V-Day soirée… you will love!



Supplies You’ll Need:

- Flat wooden hearts (make sure they are large enough to paint words on, or about 2 in. at the widest point)
- Wood or plastic stirrer sticks
- Acrylic paint (we used pastel hues for ours)
- One flat, medium sized paint brush
- One small, pointed paint brush
- Glue gun
- Sprinkles for cocktail rim (optional – see our trick for a sprinkled rim here)





Directions: 1. Begin by painting an even layer of pastel paint on each wooden heart with your flat, medium sized paint brush. Make sure to paint around all the edges, and the back side for a finished look! Set aside on a paper towel until the first coat dries, then paint a second coat to make the color solid.



2. After the paint is dry on your hearts, take your small pointed brush and begin painting the “conversation heart” sayings in the center. (We went with some romantic getaway sayings inspired by Gray Malin prints, as well as a few classics that you’d see on traditional conversation hearts. Get creative and write whatever speaks to you!)





3. Next, paint your X’s and O’s to partner with your conversation hearts. We used gold acrylic paint on ours, with a little sparkle on top for some Valentine’s Day shine. **Tip:** Using a glitter nail polish is an easy way to add some glitz to this craft without the expense of buying another acrylic paint! Most ladies have at least one glitter polish lying around at home, and it makes for a pretty great craft supply, if you ask us. Just make sure to give your nail polish a little extra drying time before handling after you paint.



4. Last, using your glue gun, place a small streak of glue on the back of your heart, starting at the center and dragging down to the point of your heart. Quickly lay your stirrer stick into the glue, and let it set. Then you’re ready for the drinks—place them in your favorite cocktail, and don’t forget to sprinkle the rim for an added touch!





We love the idea of these drink stirrers taking center stage at our next V-Day soirée, and we know you’ll love them as much as we do! If you try them at home, don’t forget to tag us on social media @GrayMalin and show us how they turned out. Cheers, and happy sipping!

Xx Team GM

Photos: Jessi Burrone for GrayMalin.com