Thrifty Scissors: "Apple Of My Eye" Valentines

The "Apple of My Eye Valentine" card.

On top you see three white apple shaped interior pages and two red
exterior apple shaped pages. Below, left, half of the apple is glued on
to the other, leaving a section open to insert the interior white apple
pages that have been previously folded.

This little tutorial for Valentine's Day was created for those of you who still like to handcraft your own cards and letters. If you are looking for a special Valentine pattern for your classroom teacher, this is a classic prototype. I have also included here the origins of the first "apple of my eye" references as well. Also view a few vintage versions of similar cards (below) from American publishers over fifty years ago.

Materials You Will Need:

white glue
scissors
red, brown, green, and white construction paper
black pen (preferably permanent ink)
pattern
heavy cardboard
a stapler
googly eyes (tiny)

Step-by-step Directions for the Apple of My Eye Valentine Card:

Download and print the pattern for the "Apple of My Eye Valentine."
Cut the pattern shapes out and trace these onto heavy cardboard.
Trace around the smaller apple shape three times. Cut out at least three white pages for the interior of the card. Fold these in half and set them aside.
Cut two larger apple shapes in red, yellow, or green for the exterior of the apple card.
Glue the two red shapes front to back on only one half of the apple. see picture, right.
Now take the folded white interior apple pages and staple these together along their outside edge to form a kind of a pamphlet.
Then glue the outside pages of this little pamphlet into the open leaves of the red apple card. You may like to write a message on these. I have chosen to write mine on the outside of the card.
Now trace and cut out the worm shapes from green paper.
Glue the worm's head on the outside of the front part of your Valentine. Glue the backside of the paper worm to the lower outside, back half of the Valentine card.
Now look carefully at the interior white pages and approximate where it would be best for the worm's body to be threaded through in order for both ends to appear as though they are attached. Cut a hole through all of your Valentine's white interior pages at this point.
Now you will need to weave together to strips of paper that are cut to an approximate width similar to the that of the worm pattern. You will only need about five inch lengths of two colors. One strip should be green and the other white or pale pink.
This art teacher, Mr. Lundgren, demonstrates the accordion ribbon fold technique in his video, that I used in my card. He has made several excellent videos for art students and visitors may access them here.
Now glue the accordion folded ribbon into place after threading it through the hole. Hold the two ends firmly in place until the white glue becomes a bit tacky.
I have also drawn on the pattern sheet a stem and an apple leaf for you to trace and cut. Glue these onto the outside of your card at it's top.
Add details to the worm, leaves, and stem with a thin tipped, black permanent ink marker along with an expression: "You are the apple of my eye," or "An apple for the teacher," or a scripture, all of which are listed below. I also glued tiny googly eyes to my worm for character.


I have cut a hole, left, large enough to insert my accordion folded ribbon. I will "guesstimate" where to glue this in order to make the interior ribbon look as though it is a natural extension of the worm's body.

Here you can see that I have inserted an accordion woven ribbon through the worm hole and glued it in place. The worm now looks as though it has eaten through the pages of my Valentine apple card. Below it a link to an art teacher who demonstrates this simple accordion paper folding technique in a video.

Pattern for the "Apple of My Eye" Valentine Card.
Click on image to download the largest file.

Where does the expression "Apple of My Eye" come from? The phrase "Apple of My Eye" comes from the Bible. It is first mentioned in Deut. 32:10 “He found him in a desert land and in the waste howling wilderness; He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye,"and then Psalm 17:8 "Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings. . . Proverbs 7:2 also includes the expression, "Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye," and lastly in Zech. 2:8 "For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye."

More Apple Inspired Valentines:

Vintage Apple Themed Valentines: