Lollipop Flower Valentine

In a burst of enthusiasm for the upcoming paper crafting extravaganza known as Valentines Day, I volunteered to make Valentines for the staff at Liam's elementary school (yes, the entire staff) on behalf of PTA. Loving paper, crafts and Valentines Day, it seemed like a good idea at the time. But handmaking that many without getting burned out? Lollipop Flower Valentines to the rescue. Here is an easy and quick craft that is perfectly cheery & not too smooshy sweet. They were fun to make down to the very last one.

I clipped an image of a similiar Valentine from an old Martha Stewart Kids magazine, a stash I received thanks to Freecycle. Martha probably did it differently, but this is how I made mine:

Gather Supplies:

patterned or colored paper

scissors

glue stick

small lollipops

Xacto knife

cutting mat

Craft:

1. Fold strips of paper lengthwise (about 1.5" wide when folded)

2. Draw four heart halves or just eyeball it like I do. Cut out.

You'll need four hearts per Valentine.

3. Dab heart corner with glue and layer four hearts to form flat flower.

4. Wait till dry. Cut tiny X in center with Xacto knife and push lollipop through center.

Voila!

You can write your Valentines name on one petal. Or write things you love about them on each petal and attach a lable to the 'stem'.

Weiner Dog Valentines

The season of Valentine Makin' is officially upon us! Here is the first of many little Valentine projects I hope to make and share in the next two weeks. I chose weiner* dogs for reasons I can't quite explain. You could use any shape, ofcourse. These craft up quick, once you decide on shapes and quotes. First off...
Gather Your Supplies:
see Resources at bottom of post
cardstock in colors and white for quote bubble
blank cards or postcards
googly eyes
sharp scissors
Yes! paste or glue stick
quotes
weiner dog shape from cookie cutter, childrens coloring book or freehand
Shrinky Dink charms would be sweet hanging from his collar. Shown is the Clear Sugar stamp set from Paper Candy. They shrink to perfect paper doggie collar charms!

Craft!

1. Choose shapes, colors, and quote. Sometimes I have it all in my head and just make it. Other days I cover the entire kitchen table with paper bits, vintage childrens books, cookie cutters, fabric and everything else to come up with a plan of attack. Take time to plan it out before gluing!
2. Use a cookie cutter to trace the shape of your chosen little beast. Cut out. Cut out a strip of paper for the collar in a different color. Glue on googly eye. Assemble this all together with glue but don't glue to card just yet.
3. Hand draw a comic style speech bubble on white paper or draw lightly with pencil first, then cut out. Write something witty or sweet. Find quotes online or, even better, from a favorite book or take a saying your Valentine is fond of.
4. Hand print your quote in speech bubble.
5. Play with your pieces until you are happy with the layout. Finally- glue!

6. Inside, write "Three Things I Love About You:" Obviously followed by three things you really do love about your Valentine.

Now that you have a design you like, crank out dozens more with ease, changing the quote to suit the Valentine. Or...stay tuned for more Valentine ideas in the coming days.

Resources:

Quotes:

The Quote Garden

Valentines Day Quotes

Supplies:

Yes! Paste at the Paper Source

Paper Candy rubber stamps

*while we all remember the "i before e except after c" song, Weiner (Germanic root) and Wiener are both still correct.