For the first time in a long time, I’m being proactive: we’ve already started making Valentine’s Cards! After trying my Hand Sewn Valentine’s card idea, and it being too difficult for the girls, I came up with a few other ideas for Valentine’s card crafts for kids. I decided to focus on ribbons, weaving and sewing as these are the girls’ current interests and I figure a little extra fine motor work can’t hurt anything!
Folk Art Valentine
We started with this one that I found in a book we checked out from the library. It reminds me of the hand painted furniture from Scandinavia and many of the folk art treasures we found while traveling. (In fact, I loved this one so much I made one, too!)
First, cut a big heart out of a 12×12 piece of scrapbooking paper. Then continue folding the heart until you have 8 pieces (leave the smallest section on top so you can see where you’re cutting). Cut a smaller heart on the fold.
Unfold the heart to where you have 6 thicknesses of paper and cut another small heart. (Make sure to keep enough space between the rows of hearts to thread the ribbon!) Do this again with 4 thicknesses and once more at the bottom on the center line. (On my own, I also added two more hearts at the top as it looked a little bare without.)
Use a hole punch, creating a straight line of punches, and thread the ribbon through each row and secure on the backside with tape.
To finish it off, draw hearts, flowers, or whatever you fancy between the hearts.
Sewn Pocket Valentine
The second of the Valentine’s card crafts for kids we did was a sewn pocket similar to the bunnies we made at Easter last year. For this one, you’ll need felt and chiffon, organza or tulle. Cut a square of each the same size (mine were 4 1/2 inches). Cut a heart shape out of one of the pieces of felt and stack the pieces with the chiffon square between the felt squares.
Thread an large needle with embroidery floss or ribbon and sew around the edges of the square, always going the same direction (Sugarplum prefers to push her needle down whereas Honeybun finds it easier to bring it up from the bottom. It doesn’t matter so long as they always go the same direction to surround the edge.)
Cut out some small paper hearts (we used the ones from the painted hearts above) and write little notes on them like “love,” “xoxo,” and “be mine.” Put the paper hearts under the chiffon before stitching up the fourth side of the square.
Ribbon and Buttons Valentine
This was the last one and by far the quickest and easiest! Start by cutting a 12×12 piece of scrapbooking cardstock in half, the fold into thirds (each section will be 4×6 inches). Stretch different patterned ribbons across the middle section of the folded paper and tape each end on the backside. Do three or four different styles (depending on the ribbon’s width).
Then sew a few heart shaped buttons scattered around the ribbons. The girls were easily able to sew their own buttons though I helped Doodle with his. Fold one of the flaps over the tape and stitching on the back and glue or stick down with double-sided tape.
That’s it, easy peasy: three simple Valentine’s card crafts for kids!
