Handmade Paper Valentines

By Becky Griffith, NIU STEAM Educator

Next week is Valentine’s Day, a day set aside each year to celebrate love. As a maker, I love to show my friends and family just how much they mean to me with handmade gifts that come straight from the heart. This year, try making your own paper Valentine from scraps you find lying around your house.

Handmade Paper Valentines:

 Materials needed:

• 3 bins or bowls.
• 1 cup water.
• Approximately 5 sheets of paper, torn into small pieces or shreds.
• Tempera Paint, powdered spices, coffee, powdered makeup, or crushed pastels.
• Old nylon stockings.
• Picture frame with glass removed.
• Heart shaped cookie cutter or stencil.
• 2 cotton towels or t-shirts.
• Spatula (optional).
• Pen or marker.

Before you get started, you’ll want to prep your space. Set out your three bins: one for your scraps, one for your pulp, and one for draining. Prep your bin for draining by covering it in a nylon stocking. Make sure it’s tight enough that you can push down with some resistance. Then, prepare a space to dry your paper.

Begin by placing about 1 cup of water in your pulp bin. (Note: If you begin with too much water, you’ll need to add more paper.) Next, add your torn pieces of paper to the water in your pulp bin. Let the paper soak in the water for about 10 minutes. Then, mix, tear and mash the paper, turning it into a pulp. Making the pulp can take some time, so be patient. A tip for making this go faster is to use a blender!

If you would like to dye your paper, mix in some tempera paint, powdered spices, coffee, powdered makeup, or crushed pastels until you reach the desired color.

Cover your picture frame with the nylon by inserting the frame into the nylon stocking. (You could also use a flat metal strainer for this part, it you have one.) Set your frame on top of the draining bin. The holes in the nylon will allow for the water to drain into the bin below. Place the heart shaped cookie cutter or stencil on top of the nylon covering the picture frame.

Scoop up the pulp and put it inside of the cookie cutter. (When doing this step, resist the impulse to squeeze the water out of the pulp. If the pulp becomes too dry at this step, it will be hard to get the pulp to lie down flat.)

Once all the pulp is in the cookie cutter, gently pat down on it to press out the excess water and set the pulp into the shape. Use a cotton towel or old t-shirt to continue to gently pat out the excess water.

Carefully remove the cookie cutter from the pulp, trying to not disturb the shape. Then, pick up the frame and flip it upside down onto your drying cloth. (If you have a spatula, you can use it for this step.) Using your palm, gently pat down on the back of the nylon to drain more water out. Carefully remove the frame, taking caution to ensure your paper remains on the drying towel and doesn’t break. Continue to gently press out the water with your cotton cloth.

Set your paper aside for several hours or overnight to allow time to dry. Once your paper is dry, write your Valentine message and share with someone special!

Check out this video to see Becky’s papermaking process, as well as another Valentine’s Day craft featuring printmaking.