I took the leap...and it went well!

My first Pinterest project completed! Well...technically my second. I made that vinegar and dish soap bath tub cleaner this weekend but I didn't measure and I didn't follow directions and it didn't work. I will revisit that one in the future and discuss it more then.

I realized that I hadn't done anything for Valentines Day. Nothing for my husband, my kids, grandparents, no one. Normally I would go out and buy gifts that no one really cares about but not this time. I left my career when our third son was born in October so now I am a girl trying to learn how to budget. Then I thought about Pinterest. I remember pinning some cute Valentines stuff but I wanted something I could do immediately. I didn't want to drag my 2 year old and 4 month old out on a cold day to find pipe cleaners or some other random crafty type item.  I looked at my board and found the perfect thing. Toilet paper roll stamper Valentines from a blog called Rust & Sunshine. I will lure Logan away from Nick Jr. for a few minutes with the promise of making a mess and make some Valentines that people are sure to love.

Let me tell you that this was such an easy project. I loved it. Of course, Monday is our trash day so I didn't have any empty toilet paper rolls handy. I had to unroll the last few feet off of a roll in order to use it. One thing I noticed is to get a full heart shape you really have to apply light pressure at the center peak of the heart or else it doesn't touch the paper enough to transfer the paint. I had to stop obsessing and enjoy the fact that Logan was having fun and the cards were coming out very cute.

I did go a step further and glue the finished cards to black construction paper just to frame it up and make it look more complete.  I would have loved to add a little ribbon bow to the top but I didn't have any colors on hand that matched. You could also fold the card stock in half and make a more traditional style card and write on the inside. I kept thinking some cute little poem would be great. I did write the artists information on the back. Logan's name and age :-)

I loved this project. First of all, I had all the supplies--card stock, red washable tempera paint, black construction paper and a glue stick. Second, it was quick. We could have mass produced these babies the way Logan was cranking them out! Third, relatively contained mess. The "stamper" holds the paint  so it is not everywhere. Granted I wouldn't have walked away or I would have a kitchen counter full of red hearts right now, but I knew what I was getting in to. Hence the washable paint from Elmers. I have all the colors in huge squeeze bottles that I bought at Sam's Club a few years ago. They last for-ev-er. I buy white card stock sheets there as well. They sell it by the ream and it is much less expensive than buying it in the crafting world.