DIY
LoveNotes TO YOUR FAMILY
Fill a heart-shaped box with
words of affirmation, acts of
service and quality time
STORY AND PHOTOS BY HE ATHER M. ROSS
V alentine’s Day is almost here! Valentine’s
Day celebrates love, friendship and
admiration. Here’s a simple, meaningful
craft to help you celebrate this special
day with your family. Show each family
member you care.

What you’ll need:
Red construction paper (2 sheets)
White construction paper (1 sheet)
Glitter Glue (stick or liquid)
A dark-colored marker
A pencil with an eraser
Stick-on gems
Step 1: Draw the Heart
Fold a piece of red construction or cardstock
paper in half hamburger-style (with the two
shorter sides together). Next, using the
pencil, draw half of a heart—with the middle
being on the folded edge, as pictured. This
piece will be on the bottom of the box, so be
sure to think about how big of a box you want.

Fold four of the five small pieces from Step
4 in half. Use your glue stick to coat one side
of the folded strips in glue. Attach them evenly
spaced along the edge of the heart, with the
fold meeting the cut edge.

Step 6: Attaching the Hinge
After the glue is dry, fold the last small white
piece of paper in half, but apply the glue to
the outside of the paper on the bottom half
Step 2: Cut the Heart
Using the scissors, keep the paper folded and and the inside of the top half. You’ll use this
cut along the pencil-drawn line. Once your to attach the lid to the box.

shape is cut out, unfold it and flatten it out.

It should be in the shape of a heart.

Step 7: Decorate the Box
Using markers, glue, glitter and stickers, help
your child decorate their Valentine’s Day box.

Step 3: Trace and Cut
Trace your cut-out heart onto the other
piece of red construction paper. Next, cut it Step 8: Fill the Box
out. Don’t throw away your leftover pieces of Remember the scrap paper you saved? Pull
red paper. You’ll need them later.

it out and use it to cut small 1-inch by 2-inch
slips of paper in both white and red. Use the
marker to write sweet notes on them. Then,
Step 4: The Sides and Hinges
Now, take your white construc-tion paper fill the box.

and place the edge of the paper in the crook
of one of your heart pieces. Gently wrap the Some ideas for what to write:
white paper along the edge of the heart and
Make family time coupons. for “family
use your pencil to make a mark where it meets
movie night” or “taco Tuesday” on the
the tip of the heart. Double that length and
slips of paper, and make sure everyone
add about 1 centimeter at the end. Cut a 2.5-
knows they can cash these coupons in to
inch thick strip of the white paper. Cut out
spend time together as a family.

and keep five additional pieces of the white
Create chore coupons. Show your
paper in 2-inch long, 1-inch thick pieces.

appreciation for a family member by
making coupons for helpful tasks, such as
helping to shovel the driveway or sweeping
Step 5: Construct the Box
the kitchen.

Fold the long white strip in half on the
Write love notes. Have each family
pencil mark you made earlier. Then, bend
member write a note for every other family
the ends of the strip down and fold the extra
member with something they like about
centimeter over. Glue that in place, and wait
each person. 1
for it to dry.

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