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Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

You can really make any craft eco-friendly by choosing papers and supplies that are environmentally friendly. Such as, use what you have!

We all have bits of paper, odds and ends everywhere - use them to create fun Valentines! Not all Valentines have to match, so let your Eco kids get creative and create different ones for their friends. Can use recycled paper, ribbon, material, old clothing bought from thrift shops.

With each new treasure or 'find' that you look at it and think, 'Now, what can we make from that?' Once the idea is there, it only takes a little fiddling, glueing or stitching to produce some beaut inexpensive and eco-friendly DIY crafts and gifts. Inspiration comes from the material itself - recycled paper or cardboard, bright fabric scraps, old clothing and finds from thrift stores or flea markets, yard sales and vintage stores. A seashell collection or interesting shaped natural objects like seed heads, dried flowers, nuts or pine cones or other treasures found on nature walks.

Valentine's Day Coupon (I Promise) Books

Create a Valentine's Day Coupon Book, perfect for grandparents, parents, friends, neighbors, children and people in the community.

Make up coupons that can be redeemed for everything from a hug to weeding the garden, and taking out the trash, whatever comes from the heart.
 
First, write what you are giving the person. Second, write when that person can redeem the gift. For a close family member or friend, write “redeemable at any time.”
 
Use a hole punch and ribbon, a stapler, or paper brads to hold your coupons together, could cut coupons in heart shapes.
 
Some examples for coupons: Breakfast in Bed Coupon, Walking the dog Coupon, An hour of silence Coupon, One hour control of the remote control, Big hug Coupon, Washing the dishes Coupon. Maybe a promise not to pester for toys, trainers or clothes for the next three months and to make use of what’s in the household already? Maybe a promise to sort out cans, bottles or newspapers for refuse collections or for taking to a recycling centre for the next three months? Or perhaps a promise to sort out (good quality) unwanted books from around the house; and sell them.
 
Parents and grandparents can make time to spend with children. Make colorful "coupons" they can redeem for a day spent with you. You can specify the activity or leave it to their imagination, within reason and the budget. An example would be a day baking cookies, a picnic in the park, a trip to the museum, library or zoo, a tea party, or working in the garden. Children love it when adults take time to enjoy being with them and often the activity itself is not important.

For example, you could give kids a later bedtime or extra playtime. To make this gift very meaningful think about what your kids want and value. Then, all you have to do is make them a reality!
 
Chain of Love
 
Create a Valentine Chain of Love and Remembrance with your children and rekindle the spirit of love, kindness, and family. This is also a fun way for kids to learn more about their family members, distance relatives, and people in their community.
 
To make this craft project you will need colored recycled construction paper (or reuse paper or board found from around the home), a piece of red recycled construction paper, a hole puncher, beeswax / eco-friendly crayons, a piece of ribbon, non-toxic glue, and scissors. First take the colored  paper and cut paper strips about an inch wide and 6 or 7 inches long. Write the names of those you care about and/or your relations or family ancestors on the paper strips and bend them into paper loops. Share your memories and stories about these people and experiences you had together as you write them down. Talk about members of the community that touch your lives everyday and include them as well. Next interlock one paper loop inside the next to make a long paper chain. Next cut out a large paper heart from red  paper and a smaller one from another color. This will be the centerpiece of your chain. Glue the smaller one on top of the larger and punch a hole in it near the top. Now thread a piece of ribbon through it and attach the heart to the paper chain you just made. Write a loving message on the heart. Hang and display your chain / chains. Make different shape chains, if desired.

Make Eco Valentine's Cards; a homemade card using your very own artwork (and verse, or quote).

* Glue pictures from old cards onto homemade or store-bought recycled paper to create new cards.

* Glue pretty paper on the inside of old cards to cover previous writing--and reuse them again.

* Make a greeting card or gift tag from scrap paper, fabric or wallpaper.

* For short messages use a large leaf or flat stone.
 
* Make cards or gift tags from pieces of a food box.

Make Beautiful Recycled Paper Out of Paper Shreds

Step 1:   Cut junk mail into small shreds, soak it in warm water for about 2 hours, and blend it in a blender.

Step 2:   Add small quantities of flowers, grass, and leaves for fun, color, and texture.

Step3:    Spread it out on a flat, fine-holed, wire-mesh screen—use a rolling pin to flatten it.

Step 4:   Smear a tablespoon of cornstarch over the paper to increase its strength.

Step 5:   When it dries, you can use this paper as stationary, to decorate used boxes, make a collage or even to make holiday, Valentine's Day & other celebration cards. (For an even prettier look, glue dried flowers on top of the paper.)

Brown paper bag card : Make a beautiful Valentine's Day card from a brown paper bag / any old paper/ board and some ribbon.

To make this craft projest you will need brown paper (from a grocery bag) or recyled construction paper or old cardbord or fabric scraps (red or pink is nice)
Pinking shears or scissors
A hole punch
Red or pink ribbon (about 1/4 inch wide) or thick yarn
Eco- friendly crayons
 
Cut a large heart from brown paper or fabric using pinking shears. Using a hole punch, make a series of holes around the edges of the card. Make an even number of holes. String ribbon or yarn through the holes. Tie the ends in a bow (this is the hardest part of this project). If the bow doesn't look good, you can glue the ends of the ribbon to the back of the card instead.Write a message (or draw a picture) on your Valentine's card.

Give the gift of pictures: Pictures make great gifts because they are very personal. Find a picture of you and your friend or find a picture of your whole group of friends. Present the picture in a creative way such as in a decorated frame or colorful collage. 
 
Make a Herb Pillow: with fabric scraps and ribbons etc. Air dried herbs work best. You may cheat a little with some pure essential oils if stocks are low in the garden. Try Rosemary, Basil, Scented Geraniums etc...
 
Make lavender bags from scraps of material and fill with organic lavender and tie with ribbon.  

Bake something: Make your friend, neighbor or family member a cake or some heart shaped cookies as a holiday present. Baked goods make great presents because the recipient of your gift will know that you spent a lot of time and effort making the present.

Fill a little basket with small wrapped organic homemade healthy treats. Decorate with ribbons and sprigs from the garden.
 
Bake a special message into your favourite evening pie. eg 'We Love Daddy'

Jams, pickles, herb vinegar, a basket of homemade muesli, cakes, fruit balls, pies, sprouts, fresh herb pots,etc. Anything you bake with LOVE will be greatly appreciated by the lucky recipients. Handmade labels and a little decoration with ribbons and fabric covers turn these gifts into something really meaningful.

Why not start the special Valentine's Day with a candle lit breakfast?

Beeswax or vegetable based candles, flowers from the garden, ribbons, and handwritten, heartfelt messages...These are the magic ingredients to make a celebration.

It's easy to make a small heart shaped wreath. Wrap kitchen herbs and flowers along two equal lengths of wire or vine. Bind together at one end, then form a heart shape. Decorate with ribbons. 

Fabric Hearts

For this craft you will need: (adult supervision - to cut wire)

wire coat hangers

wire cutters

measuring tape or ruler

scissors

fabric scraps of bright colours.

FORM A WIRE HEART: Untwist the hanger and cut off the hook and twisted ends. Now cut the hanger in half. This will form two wire heart frames. Straighten as much as possible with your hands. The sections ahould be about twelve to fourteen inches long.

Fold the wire in half and then curve the ends in to form a heart shape.

At the top center junction of the shape, bend the wire of each end into a hook shape.

Hook the ends together. Squeeze the hooks closed on each other. They should pull on each other so holding the heart in the right shape.

PREPARE THE FABRIC STRIPS: Cut or tear rectangles of fabric into strips about 1 inch wide and eight inches long.

(To tear cloth, lay a block of fabric measuring eight inches long and several inches wide flat. Along the side cut a straight slit in the edge about an inch long. Cut another every inch along the block's side. Now gently tear from the slits until you have a batch of strips each eight inches long.)

START COVERING THE WIRE HEART: Fold a strip of fabric in half. Lay the folded end across the wire at any point. so that it is folded end is toward the inside of the heart. Fold the ends under the wire and pull them back up through the loop of the cloth. Pull both ends tightly, so that a slip knot is formed holding the scrap to the wire.

Continue adding fabric strips until the wire is completely covered.

CHANGE SOME FACTOR TO MAKE EACH HEART UNIQUE: Once you have the wire hearts formed and have learned the basic method of attaching the strips to the wire, you will be able to make each heart a unique piece of art.

Change the thickness or type of fabric for a fuller, fluffier heart.

Change or combine colours of material to get different effects.

Change the lengths of the strips to make the hearts look different.

Change the length of wire so the heart is larger or smaller.

When you have covered the wire, carefully stretch and pull out on the fabric ends. Trim the ends, if needed.

Add a ribbon or coloured yarn loop to the top of the heart for hanging. These are a blast to make and friends will love them! They can be hung on the wall, doors or windows as great decorations. They are special Valentines that won't be pitched after February and make nice gifts year round.

For the green thumbs: pot strawberry plants in decorated pots or a flowering potted plant.

Dried flowers: Do up an arrangement in a basket or jar, or glue to a woven placemat and use as a decorative wall hanging / or for a placemat for the tray for breakfast in bed.

Press flowers between sheets of newspaper under a heavy book, changing the paper often until the flowers are dry.Using the pressings you can make cards or gift boxes by folding paper accordingly and glueing the flowers on.

FLOWERPOT A simple-to-make flowerpot from an unglazed clay (terracotta) flowerpot
Optional: A pack of organic seeds or potting soil and a young plant Optional: recycled paper and ribbon to wrap the plant pot.

Using eco-friendly paints, decorate a clay paint pot. Butterflies, plants, or polka dots or hearts are nice, simple decorations. If you will be adding a plant to the flowerpot, a painting of that plant is a nice touch. Let it dry completely.Optional: fill the plant pot with potting soil and plant the seed of a fast-growing flower (like marigolds) or put in a small plant (herbs like chives are a nice choice).

 
Make a memory jar: Write out some of your best memories (a dozen or more).

Hide "love notes" around the house: Each note can have one reason on it that you love mom and dad or for grandparents, etc.

HUGS GIFT BOX Get the children to help make a tiny box from scrap board and gift wrap with ribbon etc. Attach a gift tag which reads ...

This is a very special gift
That you can never see
The reason it's so special is
It's just for you from me.

Whenever you are lonely
Or are ever feeling blue
You only have to hold this gift
And know I'm hugging you.

You never can unwrap it
Please leave the ribbon tied
Just hold the box close to your heart
It's filled with hugs inside.

Green Valentine's Giftwrapping: Wrap your gift in something useful. Make your own wrapping from items found around the home and gift boxes from cereal and tissue boxes. Juice cartons (in quart or half-gallon size or juice boxes) These make interesting containers if you're giving small size gifts (vouchers or eco promises in  juice boxes) or bigger gifts. Have ecokids take any recycled board or paper and glue to decorate the cartons with a solid color and then they can cut out shapes,  hearts or flowers etc. Or they can  glue on buttons, fallen leaves or anything you have around the house to personalize it for that special touch.

Gift Bags: For some really fun bags, start cutting up some of that worn out clothing and sewing it together into rectangular pieces. You choose the size bags you want and then sew up the fabric on three sides like a pillowcase. A bag that is 18 inches by 24 inches is the most useful for giving everything from clothing to books. Turn right side out put in a gift and tie at the top with some ribbon or yarn. Embroider initails on the bag to make it more special.

Finishing touches for your gift wrapping can be as varied as the gifts you choose. Use ribbon, string, rope, wool, instead of stickey tape. Decorate with sprigs from the garden.Consider adding edging, patches, buttons, draw-ties, or recycle other adornments from around the home and found from nature.

With just a little help, ecokids will be enthralled making these special gifts all year round or for unique Valentine's Day gifts.

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