February breaks up winter with some of the first sign of spring. This is the time when red construction paper and paper doilies become a scarce commodity as arts and craft projects focus on the Valentine’s theme.
Before launching into your Valentine’s crafts, tell a simple version of one of the several legends about the origin of Valentine’s Day.
One well-known legend says that the custom of sending valentines began with a bishop named Valentine who secretly helped arrange marriages of Roman soldiers to their sweethearts which was banned by the Emperor Claudius II. Bishop Valentine was eventually thrown in jail for this crime and was executed on February 14th. It is said that on the evening before Valentine was to be martyred for being a Christian, he passed a love note to his jailer's daughter that read, "From your Valentine." This notion has continued down through the centuries.
February is also Heart Month, and organizations associated with heart diseases will be fundraising. Next time you’re in a grocery or convenience store, look for these donation boxes at the checkout. Even though the donation is small, the act of giving is an act of love which is what Valentine’s Day is all about.
Here’s a quick Valentine craft idea you can make for Valentine's Day and you can also adapt it for St. Patrick’s day and Easter.
Materials (age & budget appropriate):
Baby food jar with lid – washed and label removed (tall ones give nicest effect).
Heart embellishments – wood, paper, stickers, metal, etc.
3-4, or more, Pipecleaners or twist ties (about 5 cm length each)
3-4, or more, Artificial leaves – silk, plastic or paper (about 5 cm length)
Small piece of florist foam, styrofoam or play dough
10cm circle of red or white cotton fabric, or tissue paper
15cm length of ribbon in opposite color of fabric
Rubberband
Glue
Make the heart flowers by glueing, or sticking, the heart shapes to the top of each pipe cleaner, or twist tie, and let dry. For a cluster of heart flowers, attach another “stem” a little higher up the first stem to form a branch, and repeat as you like, keeping in mind the maximum height of the jar. Bend the stems a little for a realistic look.
Glue the foam (or playdough) to the inside of the jar lid and let dry. Stick and arrange the flower stems and leaves in the foam. Place the jar over the arrangement and close the lid tightly. Cover the lid with the fabric, securing it in place with the elastic band, and hide the elastic by tying the ribbon over it and tying a bow.
Use different sizes of jars and adjust the sizes of the flowers and other materials to match.
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