Valentines Day Cards Upcycling
I was SO excited when Mini Me was in preschool and we got to browse the Valentine's Day card aisle and choose ones for her class. In fact, I usually buy cards in January so that we get the best selection. And now that I've been doing this for ten years or so, I tend to buy them on my own but always ask ahead of time what the Bookworm Girls' preferences are. Because trips to Target are best made on my own.
If I post a picture on Instagram about being a doctor, I usually hashtag with #ILoveBeingAPediatrician because I do. Can I tell you the little things that I love about being a mom? Besides the fact that my girls are perfect (but not) and that they bring so much joy (overall) and they own every single piece of my heart.
I like helping with Valentine's Day cards. And Halloween treat bags. And when they were younger (or far more many times with Mini Me than Little Lion), with birthday treat bags for parties. It's fun. And it's a privilege. #ILoveBeingAMom
Though I am still part time at my current practice, I work a lot more hours than I used to when the girls were younger. I often would tell people that I was a mostly-stay-at-home-mom. And, yes, I loved that too. There were other....challenges...about it, but over all, I am happy that I was home with them for those younger years.
We have a LOT of leftover Valentine's Day cards. We don't use up the whole box because they tend to have 28-35 cards each for the larger classes and (luckily), my kids classes aren't that big.
Every year I think I'm going to re-use them. But the girls are getting older and they don't favor the same characters. I thought about sending cards to my friends via snail mail (and I still might!).
But, for now, I decided to to upcycle a few of them. We've been debating making a heart-shaped felt wreath for our front door (instructions I found online, of course). Instead, I made a Valentine's Day card wreath. It's simple. But it made me happy.
You know why?
Because I've been too busy to scrapbook. Little Lion is seven years old and she doesn't even have a baby book! However, while making this wreath, I reminisced about the hours I spent helping the girls address their Valentines. In kindergarten, Breaking Dawn came out and Mini Me knew I was a fan of Twilight. So she chose Twilight cards for her class that year. Her teacher was as delighted as I was. :D
I went through the Lalaloopsy cards, the Princess cards, and the Hello Kitty cards that we purchased extra one year because Mini Me wanted to have one of the plastic bracelets inside. I couldn't find the regular dog and cat cards we handed out a few years ago. Last year, I bought special crafting cards from Papersource. Little Lion put together paper cats and dogs, and Mini Me made ruffled-layer hearts. They were time-consuming but fun.
This year, Little Lion is making mixed animal cards from Papersource. She carefully chose each one for each of her friends in her classroom, and some friends outside her class. Unfortunately we were already half-way done when her teacher sent home the instructions that they are NOT to put names on them. WHAT?
When I was little, I remember painstakingly choosing my cards for my classmates. And making sure to put not-so-secret messages on the candy hearts I sent to my crush. At the time, we didn't send whole boxes of candies, but everyone would put a few hearts in an envelope (way back when they provided envelopes!), So, yes, in fourth grade I claimed someone to be "My Man" and then I blushed like crazy when he read it out loud to our classmates. Or, actually, because he was kind of shy and also kind, I think it was one of the girls in our class who read it aloud. And teased me for it. Lesson learned. :D
Well, currently Little Lion has half of hers done. Her teacher instructed them to cross out the names if they already started. I'm sorry to say that I'm not listening this time because she spent so much time on them and crossing out names would mess them up. It may take longer for her to pass out but I'm not ruining them for her. (I'm sorry, Ms. G!)
You know what I love about Valentine's Day for the younger ages? It's all about friendship. So I think I'm going to dig up some of those extra cards, and send some of my lifelong friends a little note of love.
Happy Valentine's Day! Now I'm off to assist making a dragon Valentine's Day card box! And we may argue while making it, but we'll also have some fun.
Side note: I wrote above that my girls are perfect, but not. It's an inside joke in the Bookworm family, but I'm sure that most parents can relate to the sentiment. When Mini Me was a small toddler, I'd often coo at her "You're perfect!". And, as you may know, we listened to a LOT of Laurie Berkner music. One of our favorite songs is "I'm Not Perfect". One day, Mini Me got very quiet in the car after that song played. Then she said, "Mommy, Laurie Berkner says 'I'm not perfect' but I just really think I'm perfect. You said I am." She was probably 18 months old. And yes, she was very verbal. And, yes, she was perfect too. Perfectly herself.
Tell Dr. Bookworm!
What are some of your favorite (or embarrassing) memories about Valentine's Day when you were a kid? What is one of your favorite activities to do with your kids? Let me know in the comments.
LIttle Lion designed her own Dragon Valentine Box. We upcycled crafty things we already had in the house--a shoebox, scraps of felt, and cardboard.
