Our 2012 Valentines

I'm gonna blame the pregnancy for this craft-kick I've been on.  It's prolly the best explanation for why I've lost my mind.  Because I really have.  Why else would I have suggested to the kids that we *make* their valentines this year?!

In all honesty, though, these were pretty fun and easy.  No hot glue was involved, I got to take some pictures, and most of my parts of the projects were done on the computer.  Each kiddo picked their own valentine to make, and I really love how each reflects their personalities: rocker for the eldest, something perfect for maze-crazed #2, butterflies for the girl, and *that smirk* from pup.  I just grin at all four of them!

I found the ideas for these on Pinterest (gasp!).  It was neat to let the kids flip through the pins and make their decisions.  Credit where credit is due, though:

Photo Cards.

We came up with the Rocker theme on our own, but it was obviously inspired here. 

A-Maze-Ing.

Butterflies.

Make sure you download the template.  I thought I'd do my own, and hers is sooo much easier. 

The other neat thing about this approach was how we could use more "boy-friendly" colors.  Trust me when I say they were each very involved in picking out the supplies for their projects.  I know these look like mommy took over, but I *promise* you...my sons are quite used to scrapper-me asking them to make design and color decisions, and they've developed strong tastes and styles of their own.  Loooove these kids!

And I *did* make them work on the projects, too.  I cut the hand-holes in the photos and cut out the butterflies, but they did any sticker-ing, sucker-ing and adhering themselves.  Except the youngest.  His contribution was to sit still long enough for the photo, which was actually a tremendous feat!

I saw someone's comment on Pinterest that these look expensive to make.  I got the suckers, glittery heart stickers, and plastic mazes all at the dollar store...something in the $10 range.  I printed the butterflies onto cardstock that I already had, and the other cards are 4x6 photos that I printed at Costco for $.13 each.  So, that was another $6 or $7.  Round it up to $20 total for four kids?  Do-able.

Admittedly, that's more than I usually spend on valentines.  But, look, I'm *really cheap* thrifty, and we typically buy a box of premade ones (dollar store if possible, or $3 each at Meijer) and don't do candy.  The kids were thrilled that I was buying candy, and we had sooo much more fun designing these together than our usual roles (me harping on their handwriting while they sign the store versions.  Side note: they adored that I scanned their signatures onto these cards!).  For that, I'll gladly pay the couple extra bucks!

Maybe I'll even do it again next year!  Oh, who's kidding?  I'm pinning 2013 ideas already...

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