Family Flowers for Valentine’s Day

By Srs. Maria Grace Dateno and Emi Matsui Bratt, FSP

You probably give valentines to your friends, classmates, and teachers. But what about your family? Here’s a fun decoration for Valentine’s Day that can also remind you to pray for all those you love. If you use tissue paper you have saved from gifts, it is also mostly made from recycled items!

Here’s what you need:

• Pieces of colored tissue paper (whatever colors you like or have)
• a tree branch
• construction paper
• twist ties (that come with sandwich bags)
• paper clip (to poke holes)
• scissors
• thread
• markers
• vase, jar, or glass
• small rocks or some sand

Here’s what to do:

1. Cut three circles out of the tissue paper and one smaller circle out of another color tissue paper, according to how big you want your flower to be. (The smaller circle will be the center of the flower.)

2. Stack the smaller circle on top of the other three circles. Use the paper clip to poke a hole through the center of them.

3. Cut a twist tie in half. Poke it through the tissue paper circles and fold the top end of the twist tie down so that the circles don’t come off. (See the photo.)

4. Scrunch the circles together into a flower shape and use the twist tie to attach the flower to the branch. Make flowers of different sizes and colors to fill the branch.

5. Cut heart shapes out of the construction paper. Write the names of your loved ones on them. Let them know you love them and pray for them! Cut a hole at the top of each heart and poke a piece of thread through the hole. Hang the hearts from the branches using the thread.

6. Put the branch in the vase or glass and fill it with rocks or sand to hold up the branch.