Wild Valentine Puppets

Yet another craft idea for your Valentine's Day card-giving needs OR for a classroom project: "Wild About You" Puppets! 

Research shows that 9 out of 10 people people prefer to be bitten
 with pom pom teeth vs. real dinosaur teeth.

I recently was killing time between my sons' basketball games and needed to keep my 4-year-old occupied. I dug into my totebag, folded a scrap piece of paper and "ta-da!" instant puppet. It sure kept him busy, but then I had two teams of boys crowded around me wanting them! Here's a version fancied up a bit for giving:

Easy Paper Puppets

Supplies Needed:

• Colored piece of paper (your choice) for the puppet head
• Scrap pieces of paper, optional
• Embellishments such as googly eyes, pom poms, etc.
• Tacky glue and glue stick

Directions:

1. Fold the piece of paper you are using for the puppet in thirds lengthwise. Secure the top flap with glue stick. You now have a sort of flat tube. This will make it easier for little hands to know where to put their fingers in the finished puppet.

2. Fold the tube in half and then fold each of the ends back to make an "M" shape. This is the puppet's head.

A detail of the "M" shape that you are creating.

3. Use tacky glue to attach embellishments such as googly eyes and pom pom teeth. If you would like to make features out of paper, the glue stick should work fine to attach them. 

4. Write your message such as: "I'm WILD About You!" or "You're DINO-mite!" on a strip of pink or red paper and glue it in the mouth like a tongue.

5. You can write the "To:" and "From:" info on the underside of the puppet, if desired.

This shows one of the puppets with its mouth opened wide
so you can see how the entire piece is decorated.

ENJOY your WILD puppet!

Easy Valentine's Cards: Stamping with Wine Corks

I love homemade cards! This year, I used a wine cork and acrylic paints to churn out a few simple cards for my hubby and kids. This is a fun way to learn about basic printmaking and the options are endless!

I TOAD-ally Love You!
(OK, so it's actually a frog...)

Easy Wine Cork Valentine's Cards

Supplies Needed:

• A wine cork
• Acrylic paints (assorted colors, a pea size amount)
• Paper plate for palette
• Cardstock or a blank card
• A fine point marker (I used a Sharpie)
• Embellishments such as googly eyes or antenna are optional (the antenna I used are flower stamens from the cake decorating aisle of the craft store)

Directions:

1. Practice different designs on scrap paper before you move on to the cardstock. I found it helped to have a few sayings before doing the stamping. Here are a few to get you started:

• HIPPO Valentine's Day!
• I'm WILD For You!
• You're DINO-mite!
• HOGS and Kisses!
• You're My Sweet-Pea!
• You're My ALL-STAR! 
• I think you're TOAD-ally Awesome!

2. Dip the cork into a bit of paint (you don't need much) and then stamp it onto the cardstock. 

3. When dry, use a fine point marker to add details and wording to your card. The sky's the limit! Have fun!

Detail of the card for my daughter--my Sweet Pea!

Here are the Valentines for the kids. I thought of things they liked
and then made a card to reflect that interest. These would also make nice bookmarks.

St. Valentine's Day Craft: Pom Pom Critters

One of my sons loves stuffed animals and any funky little critters with googly eyes! One year we made a ton of these to give away to his classmates. They are fast and easy to make (and easy to love)!

The Usual Suspects...

Pom Pom Critters

Supplies Needed:

• Small piece of felt for base (feet). I use a stiff piece of felt for the base.
• Large pom pom (for body), ours were about 2" in diameter
• 2 googly eyes (or one if you are making a cyclops!)
• Cardstock for mouth (an index card works great)
• Markers
• Scissors
• Embellishments such as hearts, antennas (mine are flower stamens sold in the cake decorating aisle at the craft store), bows made from bits of ribbon, etc.
• Tacky glue
• Tape
• Construction paper for the card, optional

Directions:

1. Cut out a heart shape large enough so that it sticks out from under your pom pom like little feet.

2. Use tacky glue to glue the pom pom to the heart-shaped base.

3. Add eyes and embellishments. Have fun and be silly! My son knew what he wanted to do and I just let him go!

4. Use tape to secure your critter to a rectangle of construction paper. Write a silly message such as "I'm Wild For You" or "I've got my EYE on you Valentine!" (if you are doing the cyclops) and the To/From Information. ENJOY!