Showing posts with label easy Valentine's crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label easy Valentine's crafts. Show all posts

8.2.19

Raining hearts - Valentine's craft for kids


There really is no end to what you can do with cardboard tubes! They're so amazingly versatile - just look at these little hearts. Made from slices of toilet paper rolls simply squeezed into shape. Very satisfying and quick to do, and perfect for Valentine's Day.

You will need:
Toilet paper rolls (or kitchen paper rolls)
Paint
Scissors
String/yarn and a needle
White card (or painted cereal box card)
Sticking tape
Cotton wool (optional)

1. Choose colours for your hearts and start painting. Paint the inside as well as the outside of the tube. And if you're only making a few hearts in each colour, there's no need to paint the whole tube. (You could paint each end different colours if you only have a few tubes spare)



2. When the paint is dry, flatten the tubes with the palm of your hand and press along the two creases.



3. Cut across the flattened tubes, and make each slice roughly about a cm wide.


4. Cut a cloud shape from some white card or cereal box card (ours is about 28cm/11in. wide)


5. To make the heart shape, pinch one of the creases (see pic below) and push the other crease down, towards it, then give this crease a good pinch while you press the top part of the heart into shape with your fingers. Takes a bit of practice, but once you've got the hang of it you'll be making them in a flash.



*We have threaded our hearts together, which needs to be done by a grown up, but if you'd rather not do this, you could stick the hearts onto long strips of paper instead.*

6. We used some white yarn and a needle, and threaded it down through the middle of the heart at the top (leave a good tail to attach to the back of the cloud), and then through the point at the bottom. 

(Use modelling clay to push against, if you're finding it hard to make holes in the card)

We threaded three yellow, green, blue and orange hearts on separate strings and four red ones.


7. When you're finished, tie a knot below the bottom heart, and make sure your hearts are spaced out evenly along the yarn (remember to leave a good tail to stick behind the cloud) 

8. Use sticky tape to attach the threaded hearts to the back of the cloud. To help with spacing the strings evenly, stick down the ones at each end first (blue and green here), then stick the red hearts halfway between, before adding the other two either side.



9. Covering the cloud with cotton wool looks great too. Make sure you tease it out though, so it doesn't look too lumpy.









28.1.19

Paper roll heart posy

toilet paper roll flowers

This hearty little flower craft is based on a similar one we made a while ago with tissue paper flowers. It's a great project because you can make a pretty posy quickly, with little fuss - all you need is a toilet paper tube and some coloured paper.

5.2.18

Pop Hearts - crafts for kids



These pop hearts make a lovely gift and they're really easy to make, all you need is a toilet paper roll or some other kind of cardboard tube. We've left ours plain, but you could personalise them with a short message below the heart.

You will need:
TP roll
Pencil
Ruler
Scissors
Paint
Craft glue (optional)
Glitter (optional)
Coloured foil (optional)

1. Flatten the cardboard tube with your hand - press down along the sides, so you can see the creases.


2. Squeeze the tube back into shape, then line up the two creases you've just made, in the middle, and flatten again, pressing down on the sides.


3. While the tube is flat, use a ruler and pencil to draw a line across the tube, about 2cm from the bottom.


4. Use the scissors to cut down the two side creases to the pencil line.


5. Squeeze the tube back into shape, then line up the cuts you've just made in the middle, and press the tube flat again.


6. Draw half a heart on one side of the tube and take it right down to the pencil line, but don't bring it into a point here (or your heart will fall off..), leave about a cm.

7. Cut around your heart (younger makers may need some help cutting through the double card). To make it easier to cut out the strip at the side of the heart, once you've cut to the pencil line, bend the card out and snip it off. Repeat on the other side. Then squeeze your tube back into shape.


8. Paint the inside of the tube and everywhere else too, except for the heart. When the paint's dry, use the pencil to draw in the bottom tip of the heart.


9. You could go with the norm, and paint your heart red, (or any colour) - or cover it in a thin layer of glue, and sprinkle glitter over it. Or do both!


9. We decorated one of our hearts with some colourful tin foil kept from Christmas chocolates.


Cover the heart in a thin layer of glue and line up a corner of the foil with the pointy tip of the heart. Then carefully smooth the foil over the card. Cut away most of the excess, leaving some to tuck around the back.


Put some glue on the edges at the back, and mould the tin foil around the heart. If you don't have a big enough piece of foil, it would look good with a patchwork of different coloured pieces too.
Maybe keep some aside this Easter, though care and patience may be needed to get the foil off in one piece!





17.1.17

Cork bunny with a heart - Valentine's crafts for kids


Another cork craft idea inspired by my sizeable Christmas cork collection... from something fizzy this time! The shape at the top is perfect for a head, so we thought rabbit - and it would make a sweet present for Valentine's day, especially with a little message written on the heart.

You'll need:
A Champagne/cava cork
White paint (acrylic is best)
Pencil
Red, pink and plain paper
Black felt-tip or gel pen
Pink felt tip pen (optional)
PVA/craft glue or a glue stick
Old Christmas/Birthday card (optional)

1. Paint the cork white, you may need a few coats - acrylic paint is best when you're using white. While it's drying, fold a small piece of plain paper in half and draw half a long rabbit's ear on the fold. Make it about 6cm (21/2in long) and cut it out.


2. Before opening your ear up, place it on another folded piece of paper, lining up the folds and draw around it carefully. Cut out the second ear and open them both up - this is the quick way, and should keep the ears roughly the same size.

If you prefer, after cutting out one ear, open up and stick to some spare cereal box card, and when dry, cut out the ear to make an easy template to draw around. Keep the template for extra bunnies!
Use whatever method you prefer.


3. For the pink ear middle the quick, easy option is to use a pink felt-tip pen. Draw an outline inside the white ear first, and then colour it in.
We decided to use some pink paper. Fold it as in step 1, and draw a shorter (about 5cm/2in) and narrower ear shape that will fit inside the white one. Copy this, by following step 2, then rub glue stick or brush a thin layer of craft glue on the back of the pink pieces and glue them in the middle of the white ears.



4. Brush some glue on the bottom cm or so of the ears and fold them in half lengthways, pinching the glued bottom part so the sides stick together - then glue this bottom bit to the sides of your bunny's head. If they're slipping or popping off - lie on its side with a book leaning on the top ear.



5. While that's drying. cut out a strip for the arms - make it about 1cm wide (1/2in) and 8cm long (2in), though it might need to be longer if you have a big cork.


6. Cut a strip for the arms - make it about 1cm wide (1/2in) and 8cm long (3in), though it might need to be longer if you have a big cork. Round off the ends for the paws. You could fold the strip in half and round off the unfolded end so when you open it out, the paws look the same.

7. Brush or rub some glue either side of a middle fold, leaving the arm ends glue-free. Stick the middle gluey part of the strip to the back of your bunny, in the groove just below the head.


8. Use a fine black felt-tip or gel pen to draw on a face - then, while pressing the ears where the attach to the head, use your free hand to press open the top part of the ear, so you can see the pink middles clearly and the ears look fuller.


9. Lightly fold another small piece of coloured paper in half and draw half a heart on the fold - make it roughly the same height as the bottom section of the cork, below the head. Try not to press too hard on the fold so there isn't a heavy crease line on the heart. Cut out and open up your heart shape. This is the time to add a Valentine's message if you want.


10. Dab some glue or rub glue stick on the paw ends on the inside, and attach one paw to one side of the heart (make sure the pointy part of the heart is roughly level with the base of the cork). Fold the paw around the edge of the heart, pinching together. Repeat on the other side, keeping as even as you can.



TIP: You could stick the paper heart to some spare cereal box card and when dry cut out to make a heart template. Use this to draw around on some old Christmas or Birthday cards to make a more patterned, colourful heart for your bunny to hold. 

11.1.17

Cork lovebirds - Valentine's crafts for kids


I'm not the biggest fan of Valentine's day, but I am partial to a good hearty craft, and unlike most Valentine's stuff, this one won't cost you! 
These little lovebirds are made from corks (saved up over Christmas.. I have many.. ) They are quick and easy to do and can be turned into a useful gift, like a keyring or a fridge magnet. Love a useful craft! You could also write a little Valentine's message on the heart if you want to.

You'll need:
A cork
Coloured paper
Paint
Hole punch
Glue stick
Craft glue
Fine black felt tip or gel pen
Feather (optional)
Mini eye pin (optional)
Keyring (optional)
Small magnet (optional)
Strong all-purpose glue (optional) 

1. Paint the cork any colour you want. 


2. Fold a small piece of coloured paper in half and draw half a heart on the fold. You want it to be roughly half to two thirds the length of the cork - and make it narrow. If it looks too big, fold the heart again and trim until you're happy with the size.


 3. Carefully cut around the shape and open it up.



4. Rub some glue stick on the back of the heart and glue it to the cork with the point almost touching the bottom edge. Cut a strip of different coloured paper for the wings - make the shorter side about the same height as the heart. If you're making a penguin, leave out the wing strip.


5. Line the edge of the strip up with one side of the heart and the base of your bird, and wrap the rest around the cork - cut away any extra paper where it touches the other side of the heart.


6. Rub glue stick on the top half of the strip only and glue in place, so the bottom of the wings stick out slightly.


7. For the eyes, use a hole-punch to punch out some circles - rub a little glue stick where you want the eyes to go on the cork, wet your finger to help pick up the little circles and stick them in place.



 8. Use a fine black pen to add the centres.


9. For the beak, cut out a small triangle from yellow or orange paper (or colour in some plain paper), rub glue stick just below the eyes, wet your finger to help pick up the triangle, and glue in place.


10. Paint feet on the bottom edge with yellow paint and leave to dry.


11. To add a feathery head plume, make a hole on top by screwing in a small screw, nearer to the front of your bird. Take the screw out.


12. Choose a feather, dab a little glue on the pointy tip and push it into the hole.


13. To make your lovebird into a keyring, screw a mini eye pin (seen in step 11) into the top of your cork and attach a keyring. Or, for a fridge magnet, glue a small magnet to the back of your bird. Use strong all-purpose glue like UHU.


I got these little magnets on Ebay - they're a great size, weren't expensive and are seriously strong. Nothing worse than a fridge magnet that doesn't hold stuff!



Linking up with Trash2Treasure