How can I reuse or recycle chalky candy hearts?

LoveheartsWe’ve already covered a multitude of Valentine’s Day-themed items but Tamara came up with a new one for us:

I’d like to know if anyone has a suggestion for how to re-use Valentine’s candy hearts? The chalky kind with writing on them, I mean. They passed them around at work yesterday. I only like the orange ones, and so I’ve been left with a card-deck sized box of other colors. I thought they might look cute as pins, but i think they’d melt if I tried to shellac them. So what to do?

From their pages on Wikipedia, the UK Love Hearts and the US Sweethearts sweets look a bit different but since Tamara (who I’m presuming is based in the US from her use of the spelling “colors” ;) ) refers to them as being “chalky”, I guess the texture and ingredients are pretty similar.

So any suggestions? I like the cute jewellery/badges idea but agree that it might be problematic – any ideas on how to get around that?

(Photo by kymmie_xox)

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10 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle chalky candy hearts?”


  1. Delusion says:

    You could use a kind of “Glaze” spray to give them a protective coating and as well as strengthen them.

    As well as pins, you could stick them onto greeting cards

  2. fuchsoid says:

    I’m sure I’ve seen these embedded in clear resin and made up as little brooches or paperweights. Coating them with clear varnish or PVA glue would probably preserve them, too.

  3. yogahz says:

    Let your office mates eat the other colors.

  4. Kassie. says:

    i JK ur nice. and cheack out my pageflakes it’ll

  5. Leanne says:

    Compost them. They’re probably 95% sugar anyway.

    Another possibility – try dissolving them in sugar, and use the sugar solution as a fertiliser for new seedlings, or on the garden (but not where you are likely to attract ants).

  6. Miriam says:

    glue to a frame, coat with mod podge glue….voila!! a gift for your loved one!

  7. Spaggie says:

    You can cover them with some type of clear coating (I used clear nail polish). Then I let my daughter use them to make cards for family and friends! We had 4 boxes of them and no one would eat them. But everyone loved their cards!

  8. Ruti says:

    Play at work- send them through the internal post to someone! Can cause a bit of a controversy if you aren’t careful, but it lightens the office atmosphere!!!!

  9. NJTomboy says:

    Use them to sweeten your hot coffee or tea!



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