Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Lame Post (or THIS is your child's valentine's box???)

That's right. It's time for the LAMEST posting.
I have a cold.
I am tired.
And so rather than showcase my wonderful students' artwork I will instead attempt to inspire you with just my own lame craft.

Every year at least one of my 2 children has been asked to decorate a box for valentines day so that at school the other children could fill it with tiny purchased cards. I've purchased those cards myself. You know the kind--the cheap ones that rip a little when you try to separate them and then get stuffed into teeny envelopes that don't stay properly closed. Well, that's the route I usually go as well.

But now I'm an art teacher. I have to raise the bar. I have  a standard to uphold.

This year I decided we'd do it all by hand. Inspired by our new schnauzer we made schnauzer cards. We printed out photos of the dog and pasted them on red paper and cut them to the shape of his head. When recipient of card opened them they found a dog tongue holding a cheapo piece of chocolate. (You know, the waxy kind you get in bags this time of year at the pharmacy.) I would love to show you one but I we gave them all away. Although we did keep some of the cheapo chocolate...

We also made an excellent box to resemble our schnauzer.

Real Schnauzer. Do not confuse with dog box. Do not feed valentines cards.
 It was made out of a shoe box, and two smaller boxes. (I think one was from a pot pie.) We cut a hole in the top boxes so that you could "feed" your valentines into the dog's mouth.

Valentine's Box that is virtually identical to real dog. Can you tell the difference? NO!
Open mouth, insert cards.


That's right. My son's Valentines Box actually eates valentine cards. Pretty cool, huh? Apparently the class loved it.

Am I going to wrap this up with a clever or wise comment?

Heck no.  I'm taking 2 NyQuil and going to bed. Wake me when it's St. Patty's Day.

6 comments:

  1. The Schnauzer Valentine's Day Box look great. Very creative. We just stick to the store bought cards and using a decorated tissue box.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's usually the route we go too! But the empty shoe box called to me...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Paula- I love this idea. Next year I hope you do not mind if I take the liberty to make a Valentines box of a Birman cat. I will use a few empty Fresh Step litter boxes. I will make Valentines from the faces of my dear cats and attach pepperidge farm fish crackers.
    Feel better!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you, I'm flattered! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the idea of using Fresh Step litter boxes. Brilliant. And the fish crackers! Or you could use swedish fish for a sweeter fish. I hope you post a link so we can all see it. Why wait until Valentines Day?!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank goodness my son is a grown-up and I don't have to make Valentine card boxes any more. (Though I do miss making Halloween costumes and crazy birthday cakes, setting up for blue & gold Scout dinners, decorating for after-prom parties, and making photo albums for the swim team, and oh those wonderful concerts.) Love your Valentine box even though I guess it's making me nostalgic. It is always so much fun doing those crazy things.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Phyl, I understand the sentiment. I never really understood the Valentine's box thing. It seems such a waste, the kids inevitably throw them out anyway, most of them are just half hearted efforts. I've never done more than put stickers on them or paint them red. One of the reasons I thought we should make the dog is that it became something my son could keep. We put it in his room and he loves it and his dad and I leave him notes in it.
    I have to say I don't think I'll miss the Blue and Gold setup and my sons already don't want me to make Halloween costumes. Sigh. I make a mean robot.

    ReplyDelete