The holidays are just around the corner, and if you’re anything like me, your to-do list is already starting to feel a little overwhelming. I’m here to help! I’ve put together 5 quick and easy DIY projects that you can do this weekend in order to get ahead of the game. These projects will not only give you something fun and creative to do with your time, but they’ll also help make your holiday celebrations more memorable. The first project we’re going to tackle is making chocolate-covered strawberry bouquets.

They couldn’t be easier! All you need is some foil or parchment paper, strawberries (or another fruit), maraschino cherries (optional) and melted chocolate chips – either white or milk chocolate. I recommend using dark chocolate, as it’ll hold up better to the moisture from the fruit, and it won’t melt as quickly as milk chocolate will. I used both white and dark chocolate chips for my bouquets – you can never have too much of a good thing! You’ll also need some wooden skewers.

If you use straws instead, make sure they’re at least 12 inches long in order to hold up all the fruit. Here’s What You’ll Need: Wooden or plastic skewers (the thicker ones work best).Foil or parchment paper (I like using foil because it holds up better when you’re trying to swirl the chocolate around).A bowl of melted chocolate (This is where I like to use dark chocolate because it holds up better, but you can use milk if that’s all you have on hand).Step 1: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and layout your skewers.

Step 2: Wash and dry your strawberries. If you want, cut the stems into smaller diagonal pieces. It doesn’t really matter what shape your strawberries are; it’s just that all of them will need to fit on the skewers. Step 3: Cut larger fruit like apples and pears into cubes and skewers three or four pieces together. If you’re using a kiwi, make sure to cut it in half crosswise and scoop out the middle. Then cut each piece onto a skewer. Step 4: Place your skewers on your lined baking sheet and put them in the freezer for 10 minutes or until they are frozen solid.

This will keep them from spilling while you’re trying to swirl the melted chocolate. Step 5: Meanwhile, melt your chocolate in a double boiler or microwave until it’s smooth and spreadable. Then dip your fruit skewers into the chocolate, stopping about halfway down the skewer. Use a spoon to help you cover any spots that might be left behind. Once your skewers are covered, slide them off onto your lined baking sheet, and put them back in the freezer for another 10 minutes.

Step 6: Once they’ve firmed up, you can add eyes to your chocolate “critters” by popping a couple of maraschino cherries onto each one with some melted chocolate. Step 7: Finally, dip the strawberries into your melted chocolate – I like to do this last so that all the excess chocolate can drip off onto the pan or bowl. You don’t want too much chocolate on these, just enough to give them a good coating. Step 8: Now you have creepy crawly critters! This is also an easy way to make candy bouquets for gift giving. Just put the critters into a vase, add some cellophane and a ribbon, and you’ve got yourself a killer centerpiece! Or just eat them – I won’t tell.

Moreover you can check our various range of chocolate covered strawberry arrangements and edible gifts here and read our newest blog!