Eco Kids Valentines :: Part I

We've had the best time making valentines this year. It's really my first year doing it because it's the first year my oldest can actually help and appreciate the work that goes into it. 

I honestly had to delve back into my childhood memories to even THINK about what a valentine looks like. I remember bags full of store bought cut out cards, pink heart candy, red hots, sweet love notes and also some snoopy and other cartoon characters. It was a fun time. 

So, this year I decided to make bracelets and necklaces made out of kashi cereal and bakers twine - something boys would wear but girls would think is cute, too. note: I am also doing another creative valentine post TOMORROW. So stay tuned. {think glitter, foil and embossing}

What you'll need:

bakers twine or string, cut into 9" strings
used paper bags {department store or grocery}, cut into squares
scissors
heart stamp 
glitter ink {multiple colors}
pen
kashi heart to heart cereal
hole punch

Once you have cut the paper bags into squares, fold them in half. Then using your scissors cut them into half-heart shapes. Open it up and voila, you have a perfect shaped heart {you probably already know how to do this}. 

Then, either draw or stamp a cute heart onto the fronts and backs. {if you don't have a stamp, just use a marker, but this takes longer}. I chose glitter colors for fun. You can even choose blue glitter ink which makes it really fun for boys. 

Using a market or a pen {I used a white pen}, write your child's name on the heart so that the other kids know who their cute bracelet is from.

Then, using a hole punch, punch a hole into the top of the heart.

Next, you'll want to pull the twine through the hole. 

Add 7-8 Kashi rings {not the little hearts} to EACH SIDE of the dangling heart. You'll have lots of twine left over on each end. This was intentional: you'll want to have enough twine to tie a BOW, not a knot. This way, each child can untie the bow and then re-tie it on their wrist to fit tightly. 

You can also make a necklace if you want to. It can be as elaborate or simple as you want it to be.