VALENTINE'S DAY
Valentine's Day is February 14, a day many people around the world celebrate by exchanging tokens of love and friendship in the forms of flowers, candy and cards. Some people believe the word valentine came from the Norman word galatine meaning gallant or lover. No one is really sure how Valentine's Day started.
Some people think it comes from the ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia that honors Faunus the guardian of the secret lore of nature. Other people think that St. Valentine was a priest who wed young couples against Roman Emperor Claudius II's wishes. And there exists yet another story that St. Valentine was a good friend to children who sent him many cheerful notes when he was imprisoned.
Whatever you believe to be the story of Valentine's Day, we've put together a few craft projects to help you celebrate.
|
 |
|
What you will need:
Scissors, glue, red/pink/white construction paper or posterboard,
markers/paint/crayons.
- Draw a tree with lots of branches on the piece of posterboard
or construction paper.
- Cut out a variety of hearts and paste them to the end of your
tree's branches so that you have a heart tree
|
|
|
What you will need:
Scissors, glue, red/pink construction paper or red/pink posterboard,
one 8.5x11 sheet of plain white paper, markers/crayons/paint, glitter
(optional).
- Cut a large heart out from the sheet of construction paper
or posterboard. This will be the body.
- Draw a face on the heart using markers, crayons or paint. You
can also use glitter.
- From a regular sheet of white paper, cut four long strips. Use
an accordion fold on each strip, by folding the paper into little
squares, one on top of the other. Paste one strip on each side
of the heart as the arms and one strip on each side of the bottom
as legs.
- Cut out four small hearts from a sheet of construction paper
or posterboard. At the end of each white strip, paste a heart
with the pointy end facing toward the body. These are the feet
and hands.
|
|
|
What you will need:
Scissors, glue, one paper plate, red/pink/white construction paper, yarn or ribbon, hole punch, glitter (optional)
- Draw whatever you like on the paper plate using paints/markers/crayons/glitter.
- Punch holes every 2 inches apart around the edges of the plate.
- String a piece of yarn or ribbon through a hole and then tie it securely.
- Cut out some red/pink/white heart shapes from the construction paper. If you like you can add a little glitter to the hearts or decorate them as you wish.
- Glue the hearts to the end of the yarn or ribbon. Keep going until all of the holes have a strung heart tied to it.
|
|
|
What you will need:
Scissors, glue, red/pink construction paper, one 8.5x11 sheet of plain white paper, markers/crayons/paint/glitter/decorative pens such as metallic gel pens
- From a sheet of red construction paper cut out several red hearts. Don't worry if you think you don't have enough as you can make more.
- Begin to layer the hearts one on top of the other with the pointed
end going towards what will be your wreath's center. A good way
to layer is to put a little glue on the back of the heart you
are lapping over the other. Don't overlap too much as you still
want to make out the heart shape.
- Once you have made a full circle of hearts, you can see whether
your wreath is full enough. If not, add some more hearts.
- You can decorate your wreath any way you like with glitter,
paint, crayons or markers.
- For an extra special touch, cut out a circle from a plain white
sheet of paper that will cover the center of your wreath. Glue
the plain circle to the back of the wreath so that the center
of your wreath is white. With a marker/crayon/decorative pen,
write a special message or make a poem so that it is in the middle
of your wreath.
- You can even use fake snow spray in a can to frost the wreath
as well.
For a great effect you can try making the hearts all different
colours. You can make this Heart Wreath for any special occasion,
not just for Valentine's Day.
|
|
|
What you will need:
Scissors, glue, red/pink/white crepe paper, posterboard a different
colour
than the crepe paper you are using for your wreath if you are using
one solid colour, wire coat hanger
- Bend a wire coat hanger into a heart shape.
- Straighten the hook and bend it up to the right side.
- Cut 4 inch strips of red/pink/white crepe paper from a roll or sheet. You can mix the colours for a special effect.
- Take one strip and tie it around the hanger then push it as tight as possible against the next until the entire hanger is covered.
- Cut an arrow from posterboard that is a different colour to
your wreath.
- Glue the arrow to the heart, making sure that it covers the hanger's hook.
|
|
. |
