I'm not sure how it really started....I think I will blame Pinterest. Valentine's Day has become a BIG DEAL for my kids. Long gone are the days of pre-made cards and maybe a single chocolate. We have entered the realm of handmade cards, goody bags, and other cute items to the nines! Next to Christmas morning, they get super excited for the planning and creating process.
I am a creative person. I was an art history major. I own a wedding business. So naturally, I am a creative and somewhat crafty person. For some reason, Valentine's drives me like no other holiday to outdo myself and make the most treasurable Valentine's ever!
As I brainstormed ideas for Valentine crafts, I came up with a cute idea for Valentine garland. It was based on some dough I made that was meant for handmade Christmas ornaments. But I thought it would transcend well to a Valentine theme.
So, to make this cute garland, you need to make this very simple "dough" (note: not to be eaten, strictly for making cute shapes for the garland). Here is the ingredient list, inspired by this recipe:
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup baking soda
3/4 cup water
Combine these ingredients and "cook" over medium heat in a small saucepan, stirring constantly. Keep stirring until the mixture resembles mashed potatoes (see photo below). Remove from pan, form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and cool in the fridge until completely cold.
Then, transfer to a board sprinkled with corn starch. I found it easier to knead the dough in my hands. I just kept rolling it and molding it like a baseball until it got super soft. It is important to knead this dough like crazy until it is very soft. Then, transfer to the board (sprinkled with corn starch) and roll out to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Be sure you have rolled it out evenly, uniformly, and with no cracks.
Choose your desired cookie cutters to make your shapes. I bought inexpensive Valentine-themed cutters at the dollar store. They worked great! Cut out your shapes. Place on wax paper and place on a cookie sheet. Use a straw to poke holes in each cut-out. Bake at 175 degrees for one hour (turning halfway through). Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Prepare some acrylic paints in shades of pink and red. Paint away! Add glitter if you like. Allow to dry completely. I added my children's names in permanent marker once the paint had dried. You could also use these as cute gift tags or ornaments for friends. Then, once dry, coat with mod podge. Once that has dried completely, string your desired ribbon through the shapes to create your garland. Or string individually to create gift tags or ornaments.
For my kids' closest friends, we are doing personalized ornaments and tags. They'll be part of goody bags with other treats. I will be sure to post photos of the final Valentine projects this year!
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