Recycled Valentine's Day Crafts

After reading Recycled Holiday Crafts by D. Miller I was inspired to come up with some of my own homemade recycled Valentine's Day crafts that used everyday leftover household materials. I love reusing existing materials that might normally end up in the garbage. There is something satisfying about turning these materials into great household crafts that fit the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday. You can spend time with your family making these crafts and even teach the kids about that waste not want not thing.

1. Foil Pan Valentine's Day Heart Frame I love cutting up those foil cookie and pie pans to make craft projects. Simply use scissors to cut out your heart shape from the middle of the pan. Be sure to make this at least about three inches wide and three inches long. You can use an old photo, piece of art your kids made, or even a photocopy of a photo to put in the frame. Glue it in place behind t heart cut out on the back of the pan. Be sure to glue on sequins, glitter, beads and more to decorate the Valentine's Day heart frame. You could also paint this Valentine's Day heart frame with acrylic paint and them roll it in glitter.

2. Coffee Cans and Nails

I love to use nails to poke through coffee cans. You can create any kind of Valentine's Day design you want. This is called pinpoint light art. Paint the can with some primer and pastel acrylic paint. Then, set some sand in the coffee can and a candle. You can place these great Valentine's Day candleholders on the fireplace mantle or the dining table.

3. Old Soup Cans

Be sure to wash out the old soup cans thoroughly before you make this Valentine's Day craft project. Cut out a piece of Valentine's Day wrapping paper that is about 6 inches longer than you soup can is tall. It needs to be wide enough to wrap around the soups can. Roil the soups can wrapping it in the paper. Leave three inches of paper hanging out on the topside. Tape the paper down like a package. Use some ribbon to tie off each end of the can in a bow. Now, set an empty drinking glass in each can. You can fill the glass with water, then Valentine's Day flowers, and use them as a vase, centerpiece, and general decoration around the home!

4. Grocery Bags

Leftover brown paper grocery bags are the perfect shape to use for some simple Valentine's Day recycled crafts as well. You can make Valentine's Day cards out of them easily. You could also make a string of Valentine's Day hearts and decorate those as well. The brown paper bags are free and you can use paints, markers, and crayons to decorate the gingerbread men.

5. Valentine's Day Pillow Case Slip Cover

Recycle old pillowcases into a simple Valentine's Day slipcover for you dining room or even your kitchen chairs. Most pillowcases should easily slide over the back of any chair. I like to lay the pillow case flat on a table and use things like felt, fabric glue, no sew, fabric paint, puff paint, and even markers to decorate them in a Valentine's Day theme. Most crafters or parents will have a lot of these materials around the house already.