Twilight: Valentine For My Vampire

Laugh if you will, but I get as giddy as 13-year-old cheerleader when the release date for the next Twilight movie is announced (November 18, 2011). Though I love the storyline, the real reason for my adoration of the series is that I have witnessed my students go from despising books to devouring them. It excites me see my students making reading hip again, and the Twilight series played a big role in that. Therefore, this little Valentine's Day craft holds a special place in my vampire loving heart.

Time: 1 hour (plus drying time)

Supplies:
Cardboard
An upcycled book (preferably unreadable anymore)
Scrap fishnet
Mod Podge
Scissors
All purpose glue
Perfume sample page from a magazine
Markers

Steps:

1. Choose book. As a disclaimer to all who would cringe at me tearing up a perfectly good book for this, I must tell you why this book is unusable for reading purposes. As the naive person I am, I joined one of those online "Book Clubs" to get free books for my classroom (you know, buy 1 get 5 free), and this is what came in the mail for me. As you can see, it is half the size of a "normal" Twilight book, but the font is the same. Long story short, my students were turned off by the look of the books and would not read them for fear that parts were left out (which I'm almost certain they were). So, do not fret, this book was unreadable.

2. Rip pages from the book

3. Mod Podge the backs of pages and smooth onto cardboard

4. Once you get the pages how you want them, cover in Mod Podge and let dry

5. Glue on decorations (pictures, hearts, fangs etc,) then wrap in ribbon or fishnet

6. Tear out a perfume sample page from a magazine (I thought this one would be vampire sexy)

7. Cut to size and insert card stock

8. Mod Podge some white paper over the inside of  the "book" and write a message

Cute right?

And it smells good!

Sweetheart Sweater Wreath

Looks like someone is getting in the Valentine's day mood a little early *hearts* :)
I really like how this little craft turned out because not only did I get to use up an old sweater, but I also got to try out my new pom-pom making skills!

Time: 1 hour

Supplies:
An old sweater (red or pink)
Scraps of white fabric
Wire clothes hanger
Craft wire
Scissors
Yarn

Steps:

1. Cut sleeves off of sweater and save them for another project (that to come later)

2. Cut other parts of the sweater into little squares and stack up in squares of 3
3. Cut white fabric into larger squares

 4. Slide fabric through end of wire to form this:

It's best to start in the middle and work your way up both ends

5. Gather in the middle and secure with craft wire

6. Puncture sweater pieces through clothes hanger on both sides of "flower"

7. Repeat pattern until you get to the end. Then, secure clothes hanger with craft wire.

8. Lastly, make two adorable pom-poms. I learned how to do this at Sweetie Pie Bakery. Follow link for simple instructions.

I used yarn for my hanger, but ribbon my look nicer