Kid Craft: Handmade Greeting Cards for Valentine’s Day and Easter
Handmade greeting cards are appreciated by all recipients, whether family, teachers or friends. Whether given for Valentine’s Day or mailed in advance of Easter, with a little help from parents, pencil eraser-stamped greeting cards can be something to be proud of.
We hope you enjoy this month’s simple craft activity!
Supplies:
Blank cards and envelopes — available from both craft suppliers and stores such as Wal-Mart
Tempera or acrylic paint
New pencils with erasers, to be used as stamps — you will want one for each paint color
Pencils to lightly pre-draw designs
Valentine’s or Easter-themed cookie cutters
Table cover and smocks/aprons
Scrap paper for practice
Directions:
- Cover work space to protect it from paint. Cover clothes with smocks or aprons.
- VERY lightly draw a simple shape on the card (think hearts for Valentine’s Day, eggs and bunny shapes for Easter). You may also have cookie cutters that will make good outlines. It’s important to draw so lightly that it can be easily erased later, or at east hidden after the stamping is done.
- Make “stamp pads” by pouring a small amount of desired paint on scrap paper. This should be either writing paper or cardstock, and NOT absorbent material such as newspaper.
- Using the eraser ends of the new pencils, practice stamping circles on a scrap of paper. You may find that you need to stamp scrap first to remove excess paint, THEN stamp the good paper in order to get a good clean stamping. You may also want to use those cookie cutters we mentioned earlier, not just as patterns, but as stamps. If you are using them as outlines, use the pencil’s eraser and stamp a series of “dots” following the outline. As soon as you have a good picture for the front of your card, put it aside and allow it to dry completely.
- When the cards are finished, you may want to put a tiny design on each envelope.
- When all the paint is dry — probably on the next day — you or your child may want to letter a simple greeting on the front and/or inside. Also, now that the paint is dry, carefully erase any of the lines that are still showing.
- Last, but not least, you may want to write notes on the inside of the cards. Tell the special recipient of the card how you feel. It’s a great way for kids to show appreciation for the important people in their lives.
