instructions
A day in advance: Prepare balloon basket.
Cut 12 lollipop sticks to 3 in. long. Dip sticks into 1/2 pk. of melted Candy Melts, tap to remove excess and let dry approximately 30 minutes on waxed paper.
Remelt remaining candy and pour 1/4 in. deep in pan; insert 12 sticks evenly around edge.
Refrigerate to set overnight.
Roll Candy Clay ropes, 24 in. long and 1/2 in. diameter.
Weave rope pieces around sticks, blending ends and trimming off excess in each row and making new rows to reach basket top. For top, twist 2 ropes together and insert on sticks.
Double cookie dough recipe. Cut, bake and cool the following cookies: 3 hearts using copper cutter, 1 bear using largest bear cutter, 4 of each Valentine shape using colored cutters.
Multiply Color Flow recipe by 5; tint 3 cups pink, 1 cup brown, 1 1/2 cups each green, yellow and violet, 1/2 cup each black, bright pink; reserve 1/2 cup white. Using Color Flow instructions and tips 2 and 3, flow in and decorate all cookies.
Cut one dowel rod to 12 in. and two to 9 in. long; wrap with curling ribbon. Trim one craft block to fit basket.
Cut second block in half and form a moon shape; line up with back of first block and wrap 2 layers with foil.
Attach block inside basket, dowel rods to heart balloon cookies and lollipop stick to bear cookie with melted candy.
Make holes in craft block with lollipop stick; insert cookies on sticks.
Arrange remaining cookies in basket.