{crafts} Seed Paper Valentines with Yarn Hearts

February has arrived and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. If you have young children, you know you’re going to need enough Valentines for each child’s classmates. That is a lot of paper when you think about it, and sadly a lot of it ends up in the trash if people aren’t careful to recycle them. Making homemade cards with materials, you may already have at home, and recycled paper is a great way to reduce waste, add a personal touch, and get your children involved.

These simple and adorable cards can be made with leftover yarn and construction paper or, to be even more eco-friendly, you can use seed paper as we did in this post. It’s not only made with recycled materials, but it’s also embedded with wildflower seeds so the kids can plant it and watch something grow after. It’s a gift that gives twice and teaches kids about sustainability!

Here’s what you need:

• Plantable seed paper sheets or leftover construction paper
• Colorful bits of yarn (this is a great way to use up leftovers from other projects)
• Large needles (blunt edge if making with children)
• Heart template (a cookie cutter works great)
• Pencil and eraser
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Craft knife and cutting mat (optional)

STEP 1: Cut your seed paper to the size you want the cards to be. I used my heart cookie cutter as a guide, making sure the paper was about ½ inch taller than the heart.

STEP 2: Trace your heart shape lightly with a pencil. Use a large needle to carefully poke evenly spaced holes around the outline. (This step is best done by an adult or under adult supervision) After all the holes are in you can erase the pencil marks

STEP 3: Time to sew! If children are doing this part, I would recommend using a blunt needle, such as the kind used for cross stitch. With a medium length of yarn on your needle, pick your starting hole and push through from the back. Leave a couple of inches of yarn to tie off later. Move back and forth across the heart, creating interesting patterns. Make all your cards the same, or change it up and use a different color for each one.

STEP 4: Once you have threaded through each hole and your thread ends are both out the back side of the card, simply tie them off and trim the ends.

And that’s it! Simply repeat the process until you have as many cards as you need. Now you can personalize them with a special note, and they will be sure to brighten anyone’s day this Valentine’s Day!

I hope you enjoy making these sweet Valentines! As I was working on them, I was already thinking of other variations to try. A thinner thread, like embroidery floss, would also look nice and be a little less bulky. I even considered using a thin ribbon to glam it up a little! If you like a more rustic look, you could try tearing the paper to size instead of cutting it and using twine to make the hearts. There are so many ways to personalize this! Get creative, and give some love. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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