Image: istockphoto.com/ray roper
Crafty hearts
The craft website, Family Fun, has oodles of suggestions for making your own Valentine cards with your kids. The website has step-by-step instructions with printable patterns and for the more complicated projects there are training videos (especially handy for those who can’t get a handle on the glue gun.)
Some of our personal favourites include:
Of course, the classic Valentine is the one made from a cut-out heart on red construction paper and decorated with paper dollies. You just can't beat that classic look.
But don’t confine yourself. Try making the hearts of fabric and gluing them onto some cardboard for something a bit heavier. You can also make a special Valentine’s Day collage from magazine photos. Look around the house and you'll be sure to find material you can re-use instead of throwing it out. Let your imagination run wild.
If you have leftover cards from last year, cut out the shapes and messages for your own personal card. Don’t throw out that old wrapping paper either, use it to make chain of hearts or turn it into a decorative border.
Old fashioned
You can find old-fashioned valentine pictures to print off at Holiday/Amore. These classic images of Cupid are sure to be a hit. There is even a colouring book section so you can print off pictures to colour.
If you are tired of Valentine’s covered with branding from commercial characters head over to Quiet Hours for their vintage Valentine stickers. Their stickers have sweet and corny sentiments and each boxed set comes with 30 labels -- more than enough to make your own cards for the entire class.
Retro corn
Maybe you need a big kid card for someone special. You can find retro Valentines made by Unicorn Kids Studios from re-purposed Smurf Cards. Who wouldn’t want a Smurf declaring “I Smurf You!"
Sugar Street Café sells a sweet vintage image of two old elephants, grey and wrinkly but still going strong. Screen printed by hand and made from 100 percent post consumer content, the card is blank inside for your own special message.
Etsy has oodles of other valentine cards that are upcycled, recycled and restored. These one-of-a-kind cards are sure to be a hit with your green valentine.
Enviro-love
Go truly green and send an electronic greeting card. Hipster cards has a hilarious collection of cards with cheeky messages that will make your Valentine smile.
Okay so you’re a cynic…well there’s even a website for you. Someecards has a whole collection of sarcastic but somehow still romantic cards that you can send without blowing your cover.
Shelagh McNally is the editor for Green Living Online. She's waiting for her electronic Valentines with baited breath.
Green Living Network
