Valentine's Crafts - Woven Hearts and Valentine Snowflakes

Here are instructions for making two different Valentine's Day crafts. The first one is a two-color woven heart decoration, and the second is a 'snowflake' heart decoration.

Woven Heart
A lovely Valentine's Day decoration using the painted handprints of a child. This is a good one to do with children that are too young to use scissors, because there's no cutting involved.

Supplies:
Construction paper in holiday colors
A pen or pencil to mark cutting lines with
A ruler
Glue or glue stick

Step 1 ~
Choose two contrasting colors of construction paper, and cut a rectangle out of each one. The rectangles can be any size with a 2:3 ratio. For example, 2 inches by 3 inches, or 4 inches by 6 inches, or 8 inches by 12 inches.

Step 2 ~
Mark a line two-thirds up each rectangle. Then make a row of lines reaching from that line to the furthest end of the rectangle. The lines should be every quarter-inch on the smallest sizes, and as much as a half-inch apart on the bigger sizes. It will look like the teeth of a comb drawn onto all but the last third of each rectangle.

Step 3 ~
Use the scissors to cut the row of marks. Only cut until you reach the original line you made. Do this to both rectangles. You should end up with a row of cut 'streamers' on each rectangle.

Step 4 ~
Set the rectangle across each other, with the cut ends at a90-degree angle. Weave the cut ends over and under, so that the colors alternate.

Step 5 ~
Secure the tips of each of the cut streamers with a bit of glue, so that they don't try to unweave themselves.

Step 6 ~
Use the scissors to round the top corners of each rectangle, so that the curves give it the proper heart shape on top.

Valentine's Snowflake
If it's still snowy in February where you live, you'll enjoy making these Valentine's Snowflakes. They're a fun twist on a classic winter decoration.

Supplies:
Construction paper in holiday colors
Scissors