Randel McGee - Paper Crafts for Valentines Day

CUPID! HEARTS! FLOWERS!

Do you want to make your own heart sculpture? How about making your own pop-up puppet? Follow storyteller Randel McGee as he explores Valentines Day in Paper Crafts for Valentines Day. Learn to make a cupid figure, a lacy heart card, heart flowers, and more!

Although not an official holiday, Valentines Day is widely celebrated around the world. Read a brief introduction to this most romantic of days and then create your own special Valentines Day favors.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Randel McGee is a storyteller, puppeteer, ventriloquist, and paper-cutting artist. He performs all over the world, sharing his paper-cutting stories with children and adults. This is his first series with Enslow Publishers, Inc.

I want to especially acknowledge the late Duke Kraus, puppeteer and humorist, who came up with the idea for pop-up puppets; a sample of one is in this book. Duke showed the idea to Rob DArc, puppeteer, showman, mentor, and friend, who improved the design and then showed them to me.

Many years ago, Emperor Claudius II of Rome wanted to create an army of soldiers that cared only about serving him. However, his married soldiers cared more about their wives and families than about their emperor. The emperor made it against the law for young people to get married. A Christian priest named Valentine saw how unfair this law was. Going against the emperors orders, Valentine secretly married young couples in love. When the emperor found out, he had Valentine thrown in prison. Valentine became close friends with the jailer and his daughter. February 14 was the day he was going to die for disobeying the emperor. On the way to his death, Valentine plucked a flower for the jailers daughter and sent it to her with a little note that said: From your Valentine.

When Christianity grew, the church leaders declared February 14 as a holiday to remember Valentine and his caring deeds. The old Roman Lupercalia traditions continued with boys and girls choosing partners for the day. All this is what lead to celebrating Valentines Day as a day of friendship and love.

The celebration of Valentines Day spread throughout France during the thousand years after Valentines death. The first known Valentines Day love letter was written in 1415 by a Frenchman named Charles, duke of Orleans. He wrote the letter to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. By the 1600s, Valentines Day became a popular holiday in England. In old England, children would dress up as adults on Valentines Day and parade around their neighborhoods.

In the 1700s, the English and French began sending small gifts and handwritten letters of affection to loved ones and friends. The English colonies of the United States, Canada, and Australia also joined in the celebrations of the day. In the middle 1800s, printed valentine cards became a popular way to send love and greetings on this day. Get ready for Valentines Day with the cards, decorations, party favors, and gifts described in this book. These crafts are sure to please those special people in your life.

Cupid was the god of love in ancient Roman mythology. He was born with the wings of a dove on his back and started flying around almost at birth. In the myths, Cupid flew around with a bow and arrows dipped in a strong love potion. The invisible arrows were to make people fall in love, sometimes when they least expected it. Cupid is a popular symbol for Valentines Day. Here is a hanging version of Cupid that you can make.

1. Use tracing paper and a pencil to transfer the pattern on to the card stock.

2. Decorate and color the figure with the markers or crayons as you wish. Cut out the pattern.

3. Fold the figure along the lines shown.

4. Glue the extensions of the wings to the back of the cupid figure. Glue the hands together. Let dry.

5. Use two small pieces of clear tape to fasten a 14-inch piece of string to the back of the figure.

6. Ask an adult to help you hang the figure from the ceiling or a window frame.

The valentine heart is one of the most popular symbols on valentine cards and decorations. It is a symbol of love and devotion. In ancient times, the heart was thought to be the center of strong feelings, like love. How the red, round humps that taper to a point became the symbol for the heart and love is not really known, because it does not look a lot like an actual human heart. However, it is a popular symbol on Valentines Day and is used in all types of decorations. You can create a decorative sculpture with this project.

1. You will be making six hearts. Use tracing paper and a pencil to transfer the patterns from to the poster board. Cut out the patterns. Cut the slits as marked on the patterns. Decorate the hearts with markers or crayons.

2. Connect four hearts by sliding them together along the slits. Two hearts will be upside down and two will be right side up (See A). Use clear tape to hold the hearts in place. Make a square with the hearts and tape the ends together (See B).

3. Connect two hearts by sliding the slits together (See C). Attach these two hearts to the heart square.