Little sweet treats are a traditional Valentine's Day gift between friends, so this time of year they're everywhere.  But if you're looking for handout selections that are a bit more grown-up?  Most don't look like something you'd want to hand out at a formal party, or to impress the folks around your office.  With a few inexpensive supplies, however, you can turn many Valentine's Day items from kiddy to classy!  I made these candy favors using heart-shaped plastic containers intended for use as a classroom handout, giving them an easy makeover with a much more sophisticated look.

Project estimate:

• Heart containers, $1 and up
• Cupcake liners, on hand or $1
• Candy, $1 and up
• Washi tape, on hand or about $1.50 and up
• Stickers, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  $2 and up

I found my heart containers at Walgreens in packages of 18.  Coincidentally, the cupcake liners I got from Dollar Tree also come in packages of 18.  It's like it was meant to be!

If you can't find the same containers, I also spotted these at Dollar Tree.  I think they are a little bit smaller, but they will also work for this project!

The outsides of my containers were printed with several different conversation-heart-style sayings.  This was a little too juvenile for the look I wanted so I decided that I needed to do something to cover up the outside.  First, though, they need to be filled!

Tuck a cupcake liner into each container.  Fill the liners with the candy of your choice, but don't over-fill them.  You'll need space to fold down the top of the cupcake liner!

Fold in the top of the cupcake liner over the candy to contain it completely inside the liner.  Use your thumb to hold the liner shut while you put on the lid.

To decorate the tops of the containers, you will need washi tape and some stickers.  I used washi tape with a black and white floral pattern (I found this pattern at Wishy Washi - they have the most gorgeous tapes!) and paired it with some amazing layered paper heart stickers that I found at Hallmark.

Seal each container with a strip of washi tape.  Even just covering up the lettering makes an immediate difference!

Add a sticker to the each container to complete the look.

When recipients tell you that they're almost too pretty to open, you can chuckle to yourself, knowing how easy and inexpensive the project was!

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