You're Sweet Like Bubble Gum Valentine's Day Photo Card (DYI)

Tomorrow is Valentine's day and you all know I'm a little crazy and have to do DYI instead of store bought anything. I'm on a bit of a budget right now, so I found an inexpensive way to make photo Valentine cards for Caden's class. Cole being "too old for this mom" is out of my cool mom vibe .. ugh.

I found this idea for a Bubble Gum Card on Project Denneler it was simple to do with supplies I had on hand and what I could pick up at the Dollar Tree.

What you Need:
Photo Paper (or send out / I had a 20pk from previous purchase at Dollar Tree)
Pink Balloons (Dollar Tree / 15pk)
Bubble Gum (Dollar Tree / 1pk has around 15 pieces)
Clear Treat Bags (40pk Dollar Tree)
Scissors
Stapler

Take a photo of your kid like they are blowing a bubble. Upload to PicMonkey this is my favorite photo editor site. It's a FREE site for most templates, they have a royal package also. I then took Caden's photo lightened it up, added a heart and then the words "You're Sweet Like Bubble Gum! Caden". I also added a little heart in front of Caden's name. When you like what you did print OR send to your local 1 hour photo place. I happened one time to find Polaroid 4x6 photo sheets (20pk) at Dollar Tree. YUP I so loaded up on that $1 a pack is hard to beat. I bought so much I still have more to use and it's been several years ... lol!

Next you set up your station to get these rolled out. I had 26 to make for Caden's class.

First take a pair of scissors to cut a whole on the mouth area. I found it was easier to put the deflated balloon in first, then blow just a LITTLE and tie a knot to secure it. I bought 8 bags of bubble gum giving me about 5 pieces per each card. I added the gum to the clear bags I bought. I then took a stapler to attach the bag to the photo. I stapled right below the slot for the balloon that way the staple is hidden. Caden had a blast blowing the balloon's up. I had a bug card picked out but he really wanted to do another photo card (we've done a few over the years).

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Valentine Cookies Made ... Lips

I couldn't resist making lips to match the Valentine Kiss card I made for Caden's class. Now I know homemade cookies are usually no no's BUT I bake as a side job SOOO I'm a business on the side and I hired myself to make cookies .. yup my story and I'm sticking too it! 

What you Need:

Lip Cookie Cutter (I found a Valentine 3 pack w/ the lips at Hobby Lobby)

Red Food Gel Color

Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing (Recipe at the bottom of post)

 

I made sugar cookies using my favorite sugar cookie recipe. After they cooled I frosted them with red royal icing (using AmeriColor food color gel). I'm working on my piping skills, but I must say I was happy with how they turned out.

See my Amazon Prime Shopping comes in handy!

GREAT boxes to send to school!

For Royal Icing:

Royal Icing what you need:

2 lbs Powdered Sugar

1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar

5 Large Egg Whites (or equivalent) 

Flavor to Taste

Gel Icing Color

Mix powder sugar and cream of tartar in your mixer, just to make sure it is incorporated in. Slowly add egg whites, then whip start of slow then go to very high speed. She says around 2 minutes, my friend had an older mixer so it took almost 10 minutes. You want stiff peaks that hold on and won't fall off the spoon. Add in your flavor, I would suggest you use a clear flavoring.  This would be the glue texture great for ginger bread houses etc.

Take 1 cup of royal icing in a smaller bowl then add your coloring, lightly mix so you don't get air into the the icing. I'm like her and like the gel coloring. 

For Top Coating - Add 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 tsp Water (This is if you don't want to outline and flood)

For Outlining - Add 1/2 to 3/4 tsp Water

For Flooding  - Add 2 to 3 tsp Water

WATCH her video on How to Top-Coat, Outline, and Flood Cookies. YES it is around 7 minutes BUT if you have never done this technique it's a MUST she explains it perfectly.

Valentine Kisses Photo Card

I love to make gifts the kids give to others, valentine's are my favorite to do. We've done so many different versions but on to Google I went and found a photo card to make! I love this Valentine Kiss Photo idea on My Insanity.

 

What you Need:

Photo of kid (Close up is best, not full body)

Valentine Kiss Chocolates (Found mine at Winco in Bulk section)

Hot Glue Gun

 

I took the photo of Caden and uploaded to PicMonkey (they are a free photo editing site, I use it to put my blog name on all the pics I upload). I then added the heart and lips and fonts, you can use their font's or whatever font is loaded on your computer by clicking on your font. 

 

When my photo was all fixed up I sent them to Walgreen's one hour photo. NOW I didn't pay attention when I uploaded and some of my font was cut off, pay attention when you upload. I printed a few that we'll send to family from my home computer. Take your hot glue gun and glue the lips onto the photo. 

 

Happy Valentines Day!

I Like You a "Latte" Teacher Card

Last year I made Eighteen25's Thank you Latte card last year and this year I found she had a Valentine card that worked perfect to go in the I'm tickled pink teacher gift I posted yesterday! These cards are so simple to make and take less than 5 minutes and it's so thoughtful.

What you Need:
White Card Stock
Coffee Sleeve
Ribbon (I used some red sparkle pipe cleaners)
Coffee Gift Card
Hot Glue Gun

On white card stock (thicker paper) print the free template off Eighteen25's site, she has it set up 2 per sheet works perfect so I can do one for each of the boys teachers. Cut out one of the cards, take a coffee sleeve and cut in half.  Take a glue gun to attach the coffee sleeve to the card (I did like she did and left the ripple side out on the card). REMEMBER you need to use as an envelope to put the gift card in so don't GLUE all the sides leave the top open. I didn't have think ribbon or twin to wrap around the card so I used 2 sparkle red pipe cleaners to give a little bling.  I slide the GC in and you're done!!!

Any Valentine gift Ideas you have planned?

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Super Hero Valentines

For Caden being in 2nd Grade I could still do something fun for him and not have to be more grown up like Cole's. I found these fun Super Hero Valentines on The Dairy of Dave's Wife.  Now she is awesome sewed them and all, I'm usually running around like my head is cut off so I went with the glue method.  Her's also looked a lot cleaner but when you have to make 30 of them your's tend not to be as clean .. lol.

What You Need:

Felt (I bought a package at Dollar Tree)

Craft Glue or Sewing Machine

Elastic Band

Card Stock

Print out the free template she has for the mask. I printed and then took a sharpie to outline on the felt. The felt I bought at the Dollar Tree was thinner then the kind I've bought before at the craft store. But I also knew that most of the kids would not keep them so I didn't want to spend a ton of money. If I was doing a super hero party I would use the thick felt. 

Once I had the out line on the felt I cut out the felt mask. The Dollar Tree sheet allowed me to fold over and make 2 shapes per sheet which would make one mask. I glued the felt together with craft glue. I added the strap by tying it on to two holes I made using my hole punch. She sewed her's into the side of the mask.  She also made a free printable that could hang on to the mask as the valentine card!  

The cutting is the longest part of this job!

Any Valentine gift Ideas you have planned?

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

iPod Valentine Candy Gifts

The year is already flying by! Valentine's day lands on Saturday this year so I class party will be on Friday.  I was trying to do this a week ago but I did get this done the weekend before! This was a super easy one to make and perfect for Cole being in the 5th grade. I know this will my last year with him doing this for him so I wanted to find something fun but age appropriate.  I found several versions on pinterest, Delightful Order had a free printable for the iPod Valentine Candy.

What you Need:

Conversation Heart Box (I found a 5 pack mini's for $1 at Walmart)

Kisses or mini pb cups

White Card Stock

Ribbon (I used crafting string I had left over)

Glue Gun

Print the Free Template Delightful Order has on to card stock is best but plain paper would to. It has 3 per page, cut one out to glue to the conversation box.  Mine were mini so the box was smaller and the paper wrapped around more then it was suppose to but it still worked! I glued the string on the back under the paper and then cut a smaller piece to glue together like how a speaker wire looks like. I glued a kiss at the end of each of the string to be like the ear buds.  You can do this with ribbon and then just tie a 2nd smaller ribbon on to make the Y like the wires also. I'm a use what you have on hand type of girl.

Any Valentine gift Ideas you have planned?

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.