Some great last-minute ideas for making Valentine's Day or any special day more romantic.

• Getting into the florist shop on Valentine's Day can be quite a challenge, but flowers don't have to come from a florist to add romance to the day. Make a bouquet by picking up a few prepackaged bouquets at the grocery store (figure A). Create a bouquet that packs a punch by picking up two or three inexpensive bouquets. Remove the plastic wrapping and tie them together with a festive ribbon.
  
  

• Instead of hurrying to the card store to rummage through their leftovers, make a homemade card. Scour the house for some construction paper, tin foil, crayons, lace or glitter (figure B). A child's craft box is a good source. Gather some materials, then let your imagination run wild.
  
  

• The ingredients for a sweet treat may already be in the kitchen cupboard. Melt a bag of chocolate chips and dip whatever is available into the concoction (figure C). Dip cookies, small pieces of fruit or crackers. Dip each item into the melted chocolate and let it dry on waxed paper. Serve on a tray and wait for your sweetie to smile.
  
  

• Create a quick basket of love. Buy inexpensive baskets, or dig one out of the basement, spray paint it red, pink, or white, or twist a length of ribbon around it. Line the basket with tissue paper and fill it with sweets and trinkets (figure D).
  
  

• Retrace your romance by writing your own love story. It doesn't take much, just a couple of snapshots from your time together, and some construction paper (figure E). Arrange the photos chronologically and glue them onto the pages of construction paper. Write a caption under each photo, add a sweet dedication, and staple the whole thing together. You're ready to deliver your own romance novel.
  
  

• Make several little love notes out of construction-paper hearts, tie them up with little ribbons and hide them the night before Valentine's Day or just before your sweetie comes home. Hide the notes in places that they're sure to be discovered such as the kitchen cupboards or cabinets, the bathroom medicine cabinet, refrigerator, sock drawer or even the car.
  
  

• Don't let your love know you've waited until the last minute. If it's too late to make a reservation at a favorite restaurant, call to get a fabulous meal delivered. Every city has home-delivery services, some of which deliver from some of the nicer restaurants in town.
  
  

• Use a cardboard paper-towel tube to slip a Valentine note into a red balloon. Stretch the mouth of the balloon over the tube, drop a note into the other end and shake until the note falls into the balloon. Then just blow up and tie the balloon.