Happy Valentine’s Day!

When I was a kid, I always made valentines instead of buying them. At my house, my mom (a home economics teacher before she was a full-time mom and homemaker) got out the paper doilies and the red and pink construction paper, and we went to town. Nowadays, it seems like most kids buy valentines. But not here at the Knapp household! It’s handmade for us, all the way!

This year, we made paper flowers, using pencils as the stems. The flowers are actually three hearts, cut out and glued at the points. After punching a hole with a standard size hole punch, you can slide the pencil through it and it stays without gluing to the pencil. Then, use a tiny piece of double-sided tape to secure the leaf, upon which is written a little Valentine’s Day greeting. Together, they make a glorious bouquet!

I have to give Martha Stewart her due: This idea is hers, but she used lollipops instead of pencils, and I'm not sure if she did leaves.

I decided to go the low-sugar option (the kids always come home with about a month’s supply of sugar on holidays!) and bought pink pencils. After my kids were completely done making these, my seven-year-0ld asked, “So where are we going to attach the candy?” and was completely horrified when I told her that the pencil was the treat. So I caved. They are headed for school today with the pencil flower valentines … and lollipops.

Here’s wishing you a wonderful day filled with love! Susan