VALENTINE PAPER GARLAND

VALENTINE PAPER GARLAND

Materials:

Paper in shades of pink, red, white and/or purple

Scissors

Pencil/eraser

Ruler or yard stick

Markers

Glue stick

Puncher for holes

Ribbon, paper twists or similar material

Heart-shaped stencils or templates (optional)

One chain link fence or interior wall (optional)

Project:

  1. Make a sign to celebrate Valentine’s Day or just make a string of hearts. Make a loop for every letter or heart and for the space between the words if you are making a sign. Make a loop at the beginning of your garland which will be blank and a loop for the end of your garland which will also be blank. For example, a sign that says “Happy Valentine’s Day!” will have 20 loops for the words (including the apostrophe and the exclamation mark), two for the spaces between words and an extra loop at each end. That would be a total of 24 loops.
  2. Use as many colored papers as you choose or use the suggested list of colors (above). Measure and cut the colored papers into ½” x 8” strips.
  3. Glue one strip of paper measuring ½” x 8” overlapping the ends. Then glue a strip of paper measuring ½” x 8” through the first loop. Alternate the colors of the paper strips until you have the required number of paper loops forming a garland.
  4. If you ae making a sign, cut paper rectangles in various colors about 1 1/2” by 3.” Make enough to spell out your message.
  5. Or cut out hearts using templates or stencils. Vary the design by cutting out small, medium and large hearts or overlap a small heart of one color over a larger heart of another color. See the examples provided.
  6. If you are sending a message, trace a letter on each paper rectangle by using a template, stencil or draw the letters free-hand. Trace or write free-hand any exclamation, question mark or symbol, too. Decorate the squares with paper hearts.
  7. Punch a hole at the top of each paper rectangle or heart. Punch a hole in the loops. Do not punch holes in the first and last loops and the loops that represent spaces between words.
  8. Cut string or pipe cleaners or similar material and loop it through the holes.
  9. VARIATION: Cut a slit in the hearts and loop it through the next loop. Close the loop.
  10. Use your imagination and glue seeds, glitter, sequins and other decorative objects! Dangle ribbon from the bottom of the hearts!
  11. Tie a string through the first and last loops and tie them on to the fence.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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About marion

I first wrote and sketched as a child growing up in Pittsburgh, PA and Brooklyn, New York. I received her first recognition for my creativity when I won the New York City Schools Art Award and participated in my first art exhibit in downtown Manhattan. I was fourteen and a half when I moved to Cyprus with my family. I experienced culture shock but I continued to write about and sketch the sights and sounds of another country and many other things. I am a creative person. I write children's and Young Adult fiction and nonfiction. I write historical and Coming of Age Young Adult novels. I also write picture books and art books for elementary school children. I am in the process of writing a fictionalized biography of a member of the Belgian Resistance who also fought for the US Army during World War II. I worked as a freelance editor for two local companies: College Prowler and SterlingHouse Publisher. I also worked as an assistant literary agent for Lee Shore Agency. I was attending Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction Program at the time and the experience was invaluable. My course work toward my Master of Arts degree in turn helped me at work. As an assistant literary agent, I reviewed all incoming manuscripts, cultivated a relationship with the writers we contracted and marketed our books to book publishers for sale. I “freelanced” my editing skills which included working with the manuscript acquisitions editor, selecting book covers with the art department, writing the book jacket blurb, reading film scripts and executing general office duties as assigned. Oh, by the way, I edited books, too. I even utilized Adobe InDesign for the editing that I did for College Prowler. I’ve also reviewed published books and conducted research. I have published nonfiction articles and books online and in print. As an artist, I have exhibited my mixed media drawings and collages nationally and regionally and have worked as a freelance designer and calligrapher. I have a BA in Studio Arts from the University of Pittsburgh and a MA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University.

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