Easy DIY Candy Heart Craft

It’s CANDY HEART season, you guys! That is the glorious little window of time between January 3rd or so and February 14th, when local stores are stocked with these wretched little hearts that destroy my diet and make my teeth hurt, but that I nonetheless love and devour like they’re being discontinued.

This year, though, I resisted. I didn’t buy a single box of candy hearts (yet). Instead, I bought two (TWO) giant bags of them. Because, CRAFTS (when my seven-year-old saw them on the kitchen counter and asked for some and I told him no because they were for crafts, his response was a very dejected, “I should have known.” LOL).

Seriously! I bought these because I so loved my candy heart wreath from a few years ago (which I threw away after it faded so badly from the sun that it turned white, THANKS FOR NOTHING, TEXAS SUN IN FEBRUARY) that I wanted to create something similar for my mantel. Not that my mantel is very nice – it mostly consists of random stuff I can’t find a home for – but I’m working on it! And so, this easy candy heart craft was born.

Candy heart trees! What fun, right?!

Here’s what you need to make them.

• Candy Hearts (one two-pound bag will get you through two of these trees, with plenty left over for a third – I got mine from Walmart).
• Styrofoam cones (I used green ones that I already had on-hand and painted them white, but next time I’d just buy these white ones) – the bigger cone that I used is 8 7/8″ by 3 7/8″.
• White paint (or any Valentine-y color, if you’re going to paint your cones)
• Glue gun – I went through about 3 sticks of glue per cone (I have a very tiny and inexpensive glue gun…you might go through fewer)
• Ribbon

Here’s how to make your own Candy Heart trees.

Start by painting your cones.

Let the paint dry.

Once completely dry, start gluing your hearts to the cone. I alternated right-side-up and upside-down. I also did this two ways – one with the hearts conversation-side-out and applied totally randomly to the cone. Then, I did another with the hearts in lines by color (RAINBOWS!). 

I started each row on the same side of the cone. That way, if the hearts didn’t fit perfectly, the less-than-perfect pieces can be on the back of the tree. But when I took these pictures, I couldn’t even really tell which side was the “bad” side.

They both turned out adorable.

Also, did you know that LYMY means love you miss you? I didn’t. Thank goodness I have candy hearts to keep my relevant.

You could spray these with a varnish if you’re worried about bugs. I live in Texas. Bugs and ants are part and parcel with life in the Lonestar State. I have yet to find an ant trying to steal a candy heart, although they do love jelly! So with all of the candy crafts I’ve made (and there are many), I’ve never had ants mess with them. But if you’re worried about that, varnish these babies.

Wrap in tissue or plastic bags and store indoors (no attic in the garage for these). 

Happy Valentine’s Day crafting! You can see my other Valentine’s Day posts here:

• Candy Heart Wreath
• Printable Lego Movie Valentines
• Printable Star Wars Valentines
• Button Heart Craft for Kids
• Washi Tape Heart
• 12 Valentine’s Day Wreaths
• DIY Valentine’s Day Decorations

Find me on Facebook for easy recipes, free printables, fun crafts, and planning tips and tricks. I’d love to have you join me over there.