Hot Air Balloon and Rubik’s Cube Valentine Boxes!

Wow.  I don’t even know what to say after being gone for so long.  Other than, I miss this.  And I miss you all.  I was in my craft room last week and was sewing up a few things for a friend who was having a baby…..and my mind went to all of the things I’ve been wanting to make, but just haven’t been able to.  I feel like I’m truly my best self, when I include a healthy dose of creating stuff.  But, without going into too much detail (hopefully at one point I will), I’ve been on a sort of health journey….and have needed to focus on a few things that my body has been yelling at me to fix. ;) I am happy to say though, that I feel like I have turned a major corner and am making progress.  And am so excited to dig back into my favorite space —> my craft space!

Anyway, today’s project is one I whipped up with my two oldest (Ellie and Connor)….because they needed Valentine’s Day Boxes to take to school for their class parties!  (And I know this doesn’t give you all much time to use these ideas this year…but maybe some of you will be putting something together tonight?!  Otherwise, maybe this will help you for next year!)

Both Ellie (who’s 11) and Connor (who’s 9) both wanted something kinda fun and unique to bring with them to school.  So for Ellie, we made this Hot Air Balloon Valentine Holder…

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And really, that cute little hot air balloon didn’t take much time at all!  The basket is a little oversized (proportionally), but it needed to be big enough to hold all of her Valentine’s from her school friends!  She was absolutely thrilled with how it turned out…..so it was a success!!!

And for Connor, we made a very simple Rubik’s Cube Valentine’s Box…..

Connor is a big Rubik’s Cube fan…..so he was SO excited about this!  All it takes is a little scrap cardboard and some sheets of foam.  Simple and DONE!!!

Want to make one too?

Let’s start with the Hot Air Balloon Valentine Holder…

Hot Air Balloon supplies:

• Paper Lantern
• Wicker Basket (I found this at Michaels for $2.50 with my 40% off coupon and removed the handle.)
• 4 Wood BBQ skewers
• red and pink trim and decorations (anything will do….get creative)
• hot glue gun

First, attach a wooden skewer to all four corners of your basket.  Use hot glue to hold in place.

I weaved my skewer through the basket because it fit.  Otherwise I would have just glued it to the inside of the basket.

Then, turn the basket upside down as well as the paper lantern and then poke each of the skewers through the paper, centered around the hole.

Hot glue each of the skewers in place on the lantern.

Then, add your trimmings, whatever you want….as little or as much as you (or your little helper) wants. :)

I found these little pre-made yarn pom-poms and added them to some string and hung them from the bottom side of the lantern.

And that’s it…..a little Hot Air Balloon Valentine Holder!!! :)

Now, onto the Rubik’s cube.  Cut 6 square pieces of cardboard, all the same size.  We made ours 8.5 inches by 8.5 inches (because that’s as big as our scrap box was….but any size would work!  Glue 5 of the pieces together into a cube shape.

With the 6th side, cut a hole that’s large enough for Valentine’s to fit inside.  (This hole is 4×4 inches.)  Then glue it onto your cube to complete it.

Spray paint your cardboard black.

Then, cut pieces of foam that will fit together in sets of 9 and will be slightly smaller than each side of the box….so that the black paint shows through around all edges.  (Each of my colored squares are 2.5 inches.)  Hot glue the squares to each side of the box.

For the side with the hole, overlap the squares onto the hole….

….then cut off the excess foam with some scissors.

And that’s it…..a fun little Rubik’s Cube Valentine’s box!!!

Enjoy!

-Ashley