Valentine's Pin

Description

Make this Valentine's Pin to look like Candy Conversation Hearts using foam hearts and letter beads. Makes a great gift for teachers. Also an easy class project as a Valentine's Day gift for parents. You could even tailor it to other holidays with the same materials simply by changing the shape and colors of the foam to suit the holiday or occasion.
Free Printable directions: Conversation Heart Pin

Materials to Make a Valentine's Pin

• Foam Hearts (found at most craft stores in containers or small packages. Or you can buy a foam sheet and cut your own hearts out.
• Alphabet Beads
• Bag of Conversation Candy Hearts for inspiration.
• Small Container to sort through candies for the children to pick.
• Aleene's Non Toxic Glue or Fabric-Tac. Craft glue is necessary because Elmer's won't hold the beads down securely.
• Tray or Paper Plate to sort and place selected beads.
• Pencil and Post It Notes (recommended), post its are handy because they can stick to their table or tray and helps keep children organized. If not small pieces of paper for each child works too.
• Glitter Glue (optional)
• Pin Backs with Latches

Printable Hearts

• Here are some Printable Heart Pages if you want to use these instead of actual candies. One is blank and one has a sayings on them as suggestions.
• Free Printable Blank Hearts
• Free Printable Conversation Heart Sayings

Steps

• Select your foam hearts or cut your hearts out of a foam sheet.
• Have children select their candy message and write the message on a post it note.
• Once the message is written, find the beads matching the letters.
• Have them line up the beads in order to be placed.
• Place glue on foam, adhere beads and let dry.
• Embellish surface with glitter glue.
• Glue pin or small magnet to the back.

Tips and Suggestions

• I collected styrofoam meat trays to use for kids to work on. Beads which can roll stay in the tray or keeps glitter from getting all over the tables.
• If you prefer not to use actual candies for inspiration, you could make construction paper hearts with sayings on them for the kids to copy.
• Have a small bag or box of conversation hearts for each child to take home so they don't eat the "sample candies."

Other Ideas

• Glue other scrapbook embellishments to make a Heart Collage Pin.
• Wrap Pin in tissue printed with Foam Hearts and tempera.

Make a Pin for any Holiday