6 Books to Celebrate Valentines Day

6 Books to warm your child's heart is the days leading up to Valentine's Day!

Mamma, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Jones. Set in the arctic, a little girl tests the boundaries to see just how much her mother really loves her... and it's a love without end or limits.

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. Can you measure how much you love someone? It can be hard to do... even harder to put into words as this father and son rabbit discover.

Happy Valentines Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff. Mouse is busy at work making valentines to share with each of his friends to tell them exactly why he loves them.

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. The classic tale of a little stuffed rabbit who dreams of nothing else but to be real. He learns though that becoming real is a process that requires a great deal of love, and sometimes love brings heartache... but equally, joy!

The Valentines Bears by Eve Bunting. This bear couple cut their hibernation season short to celebrate Valentine's day with each other, a jar of honey saved from summer, and other surprises for each other. (Update: see how we used this book in our classroom to practice making inferences here.)

How Raggedy Ann Got Her Candy Heart by Johnny Gruelle. After a disastrous flight high up on a kite, Raggedy Ann gets a thorough cleaning up, and a special gift of a candy heart.

I'll Be Your Valentine

I'll Be Your Valentine

I took some paper, pen and ink,
And tried so hard to make
A pretty one and write on it
"For your own dear, sweet sake."
But soon I found that drawing things
Is clearly not my line,
But if you think I'll do for one
I'll be your valentine.

Perhaps I should have bought you one
But cents I had but few,
And really nothing they would get
Was good enough for yon.
I asked Mamma. "Why send such things
She said : "They are love's sign."
So, if I can mean that to you,
I'll be your valentine.

Of course you may get heaps of 'em:
I fear, tho', 'cause you're old,
That folks will think you know their love
Without a-being told.
So to make sure you will get one
That's extra nice and fine,
Why Grandma, if I'll fill the bill,
I'll be your valentine.

May's Valentine

MAY'S VALENTINE

"It's up we'll get!"
Cried Nurse Jeannette,
"To feel the sun a- warming.
St. Valentine
Will feast and dine,
And bring you something charming.'
Then dressed they fast
In ruffles vast
This best of little creatures
But at the pane
She watched in vain,
And ah, the sorry features!

His laughter done,
The sober sun
Behind a cloud went straying.
A heavy snow
Began to blow;
The boys ran in from playing.
"Twill be here yet,"
Said Nurse Jeannette,
"Perhaps at noon, my deary,"
The postman passed,
In snow and blast,
And May's blue eyes were teary.
"It's dark and wet,"
Said Nurse Jeannette,
" St. Valentine is groping;
So May, my dear,
Wipe off that tear,
And don't you give up hoping!"

When twilight came,
The little dame
Still peeped from out the curtain.
The sleet came pelt!
She was, she felt,
Forgotten now, for certain.
But candleshine
Brought Valentine -
A valentine so rosy!
Nor dreamed the miss
T would look like this,
Surpassing song or posy.
She jumped for joy:
A baby boy
Lay blinking up to greet her.
A brother! May,
You darling, say
What valentine were sweeter ?

Agnes Lee.

To My Daugher

TO MY DAUGHTER

Her kiss is warm upon my cheek,
She is not coy nor shy;
Her arms were clinging round my neck
When she bade me good-bye.

She whispers soft her love for me,
And I tell her of mine;
Sweetheart, no other maid could be
So dear a Valentine.

She loves me more than all the world;
Yet sadly I foresee,
As time rolls on, some other swain
May be preferred to me.

Were she sixteen, instead of three,
This little Daughter mine,
Another's vows might prove more dear
Than Papa's Valentine.

Walter Learned.

Mamma's Valentine

MAMMA'S VALENTINE

Baby came toddling up to my knee,
His chubby features all aglow,
" Dess I 'se doin' to be 'oor beau,
See what oo' dot from me!"
A valentine from my baby boy!
A crumpled sheet and a homely scrawl,
In a baby hand - that was all -
Yet it filled my heart with joy.

Broken my heart and white my hair,
And my mother's eyes are used to weep;
My little boy is fast asleep
In the churchyard over there.
What shall be mamma's valentine? -
The spirit touch of the baby hand,
A baby voice from the spirit land
Singing a song divine.

Eugene Field.

An Elizabethan Valentine

An Elizabethan Valentine
In an old Album dated 1583

When Slumber first undoudes my brain,
And thoughte is free
And Sense refreshed renews her reigne,
I thinke of Thee.

When next in prayer to God above
I bende my knee,
Then when I pray for those I love,
I pray for Thee.

And when the duties of the day
Demande of mee
To rise and journey on life's way,
I work for Thee.

Or if perchance I sing some lay,
Whate'eritbee;
All that the idle verses say,
They say of Thee.

For if an eye whose liquid lighte
Gleams like the sea,
They sing, or tresses browne and brighte, 
They sing of Thee.

And if a wearie mood, or sad,
Possesses mee,
One thought can all times make mee glad, 

The thoughte of Thee.

And when once more upon my bed,
Full wearily,
In sweet repose I lay my head,
I dream of Thee.

In short, one only wish I have
To live for Thee;
Or gladly if one pang 't would save
I 'd die for Thee.

A Funny Valentine

A Funny Valentine

by Frank H. Sweet

Did you ever find a valentine

Beside you in your bed

When you heard your papa saying:

"Wake up, my sleepy head!

Wake up, wake up! Your eyes will

shine

To see your funny valentine?"

Did you ever have a valentine, 

All soft and warm and sweet,

With a little rolly poly head

And mites of hand and feet,

Wrapped up in a flannel, oh, so tight,

And 'fraid of one wee bit of light?

Did you ever have a valentine

(My sakes, I want to laugh!)

So heavy that they said it weighed

Just nine pounds and a half,

Without a tooth to bite its bread

Nor any hair upon its head?

I had one just this morning,

And 'twas such a sweet surprise

To hear my papa saying,

"Wake up, dear sleepy eyes!"

That funny little valentine

Is mamma's baby- yours and mine!

A Rejected Valentine

A Rejected Valentine

Georgie, dressed up spick

and fine,

Presented himself as a valentine

To little Polly, who tossed her

head,

Turned up her nose, and pertly 

said:

"My goodness me! Why, don't 

you know

You're not a card, with a ribbon

bow,

You're just a boy-not a valen-

tine!"

Then George blushed and meekly

said:

"To you by Cupid I was led:

And my love for you, so very

true,

Is tied about by ribbon blue."

But Polly laughed in a teasing

way,

And said: "I'll bid you a good

day.

Some other girl may not decline

To take you as her valentine."

Design and Craft a Sailor's Valentine

My "hybrid" sailor's Valentine craft for young students includes both real
 and drawn seashells. I needed to develop a method for producing this
craft on a very limited budget for my classroom. This is the solution that
I came up with for next year's ocean unit.

      A sailor's valentine is a form of shellcraft, a type of mostly antique souvenir, or sentimental gift made using large numbers of small seashells. These were originally made between 1830 and 1890 and they were designed to be brought home from a sailor's voyage at sea and given to the sailor's loved one or loved ones. Sailor valentines are typically octagonal, glass fronted, hinged wooden boxes ranging from 8" to 15" in width, displaying intricate symmetrical designs composed entirely of small sea shells of various colors glued onto a backing. Patterns often feature a centerpiece such as a compass rose or a heart design, hence the name, and in some cases the small shells are used to spell out a sentimental message.

      Although the name seems to suggest that the sailors themselves made these objects, a large number of them originated in the island of Barbados, which was an important seaport during this period. Historians believe that the women there made the valentines using local shells, or in some cases using shells imported from Indonesia, and then the finished products were sold to the sailors.

      In his book Sailors' Valentines, John Fondas concludes that the primary source for sailors' valentines was the New Curiosity Shop, located in McGregor Street, Bridgetown, Barbados, and a popular shop where sailors would purchase souvenirs. The shop was owned by the English brothers B.H. and George Belgrave. Fondas' research tells of a sailors' valentine reconstruction, during which the reconstructing artist found pieces of a Barbados newspaper inside the backing.

      Today, antique sailors' valentines are collectibles, valued for their beauty and unusual qualities. Collector interest has sparked a resurgence in sailors' valentines as an art form, and shell kits and patterns are now sold at craft shops. Many sailors' valentines, both new and old, can be found on Nantucket, Massachusetts. Wikipedia

      I adapted this paper sailor's valentine project for very young students by printing small black and white shells in advance for them to cut, color and then glue down into a pattern of their own choosing during our craft time for next year. My budget is very limited; I estimate that I will spend approximately 5 cents per student on this craft by the time it is finished. Teachers may, of course, glue real seashells to heavy weight paper plate alternatives if they live in areas where seashells are free and plentiful. I will glue a handful of scallop shells that I collected during a beach vacation to the middle of each child's plate to give them something from the sea to touch and view.
      If your students are much older than my own, first, second, third or even fourth; you may teach a similar project using larger paper plates, more real shells and a chart displaying types of seashells. In fact, this would be a nice project to incorporate into a unit about sea life/ oceans in a regular classroom. My teacher's sample on this post was drawn free hand. Students in fourth grade would certainly be able to create this kind of "doodle" challenge without the aid of cut and pasted design elements.

Craft Supplies:

• small white paper plates
• one real scallop shell per project
• tacky white glue
• a variety of magic markers
• sheet of black and white seashells and scissors for young students (optional and included below)

My teacher's sample Sailor's Valentine drawn in black and white prior to coloring.

Left, I pasted a scallop shell down with white tacky glue before drawing my seashell design. I've estimated that I will not have more than twenty children to teach this project to next year, so I have already completed this step in advance for my own resources. Center, I drew my shell design first in black ink. Right, I then used pastel colored magic markers to color the shell design.

A few close up shots of the completed paper Sailor's Valentines. I will staple a black ribbon to the back side of the paper plate in order to hang this project on the wall.

Small seashells for pattern making. I will print and cut these out in bulk for my preschool
students to paste into their Sailor's Valentines. Teachers may wish to do likewise for
their younger students.

View More Sailor's Valentines:

• A Showcase for Seashell Art
• Sailor's Valentines and Shell Art Pinboard by Sharon Pollard
• Sailor's Valentines and Some Good Competition

"You Take The Cake!" Valentine

      I have included below four little cupcake templates that teachers and students may work with in order to craft some sweet enticing valentines. Two of the patterns are designed to fold and tuck beneath the top half of the iced cupcake. Therefore, you must paste one icing cap on top of another but leave approximately 1/2 inch of the cupcake top free of glue. 

      The bottom two patterns simple fold in half and open as a typical card. The third card pattern illustrated shows that the lower half of the cupcake card folds in half and on the fourth option, the entire card top and bottom fold in half. 

      When assigning cupcake cards to older students, 3rd - 5th grade, include all of the steps involved with the card craft. This would include the cutting and tracing of the stencils as well. For students younger than second grade, teachers may wish to cut and paste the cards together in advance so that the children will only need to decorate the cards and write their own sentiments.

The Valentine cupcake on the left is trimmed with a red lace doily and the one on the right is cut from fancy paper. Teachers may wish to use this little assignment to emphasize shading while encouraging students to color their icing caps.

Left, the cupcake cards are open to show how these will look when the bottom half of the card is unfolded. Right a close up of the doily used to trim the cupcake Valentine.

Cupcake pattern with a very exaggerated, fluffy icing for young students to decorate.

   In this version of my cupcake Valentine cards, I have decided to decorate the extra fluffy icing with a variety of rhinestones, glitter, textured papers, shading and an oreo cookie.

      This cupcake pattern also requires that an additional fluffy icing top be pasted down to the front side of the card, leaving approximately 1/2 inch of the icing cap unglued at the bottom edge. 

      Below you can see that what the card looks like when it is open. 

      Students love to use all kinds of scrap papers for this project: comics, wallpaper, wrapping paper, fuzzy or furry fabrics, stickers, lace etc... Let their imaginations run wild!

      My third pattern includes a strawberry ready to topple over the side of the large icing cap. I've included both a strawberry and a heart shaped cherry on the pattern sheets for young students to incorporate in their own interpretations of this Valentine project. On the left, I have used a figured scrap paper for the cupcake liner instead of drawing and shading the liner shown on the right. This card craft may be modified according to the abilities of those students you are working with.

General Supply List:

• markers and colored pencils
• construction papers: browns, white, pink, red and green
• decorative Valentine papers
• white school glue
• scissors
• glitter
• a variety of textured papers

On the left, decorative paper was selected for the liner of the cupcake Valentine. I selected construction papers both in a dark, chocolately brown shade and in tan, to mimic caramel, to trace and cut the cupcake tops from. Don't forget to add the seeds to your strawberries with a fine line black permanent marker.

This little Valentine cupcake card is the simplest of them all. It opens from side to side.  It also include a heart shaped cherry on top!

Above, First sheet of two, four cupcake Valentine templates by Kathy Grimm.
 Below, Second sheet of two, four cupcake Valentine templates by Kathy Grimm.

Bakery Crafts & Art Projects for Your Valentine:

• Ceramic Lesson Plans: Cupcakes
• Ceramic Lesson Plans: "All American Berry Pie"

Vintage Cake Valentines: 

"Hello Sugar, You're Sweet Be My Valentine" card

The Lovable Child

The Lovable Child

Frisky as a lambkin,

Busy as a bee--

That's the kind of little girl

People like to see.

Modest as a violet,

As a rosebud sweet-

That's the kind of little girl

People like to meet.

Bright as is a diamond

Pure as any pearl--

Every one rejoices in 

Such a little girl.

Happy as a robin,

Gentle as a dove--

That's the kind of little girl

Every one will love.

Fly away and seek her, little song of mine,

For I choose that very girl as my Valentine.

A Conversational Heart Bulletin Board

 

      This bulletin board hung in the front hall corridor of the school I worked in during 2012 - 13. I love finding ways to incorporate ordinary things into life long lessons. Conversation heart shaped candies have been produced by Necco since 1866 and sold in drug stores and grocery stores all over America during the month of February for Valentine's Day. This teacher took an ordinary cultural artifact and used it in her classroom to teach character. Get it, character lessons based upon conversational hearts? Oh, well, maybe her students will remember the ideas taught with this little object lesson whenever they pick up a box of conversational hearts.

More Lessons Taught with Conversational Heart Shaped Candy:

• Designing graphs with conversational heart shaped candies
• Conversation Hearts Lesson from teachers.net
• 12 Fun Ways to Use Conversational Candy Hearts
• God's Conversation Hearts Bulletin Board
• Upper and Lowercase Letters: Heart Matching
• DIY: Scripture Conversation Hearts 

Teaching Kids About Character:

• Kids of Integrity
• goodcharacter.com
• Ways to Build Character in Children
• Character at KIPP

I love this Valentine door decoration! It was hung on the door of our teacher's lounge at the school where I work.
The teachers posted their pictures inside of the cupcake liners in order to fill the giant box of chocolates.

 Many More Links to Additional Valentine Bulletin Board Ideas:

• A sweetheart train by Mrs. Mead and Loads of Love
• Take a peek to see who's sweet
• How sweet it is to be loved by you!
• Sweethearts - true love Valentine bulletin board
• A school filled with love - fish Valentine bulletin board
• A candy kiss Valentine bulletin board
• We Toad-A-Ly Love Preschool
• I Love You This Much - for a Christian Elementary School
• Love themed bulletin board using scripture
• "Bee" My Valentine Bulletin Board
• Everything Grows With Love Bulletin Board
• Post Your Valentines Bulletin Board
• "All You Need Is Love" for a music classroom
• "Love to give a helping hand" Valentine Bulletin Board
• "Love Your Library" very cool Valentine Bulletin Board
• 100 Reasons to Love Bulletin Board

These big and beautifully painted Valentines were created by first graders in our school.
Their teacher decorated a large bulletin board hanging just outside her classroom with them.

"You're Sodalicious Valentine!"

The phrase used on the ice cream Valentine above, ""You're the cream
of the crop," My little cherry on top!"

      Fourth and fifth grade students will be sure to delight in these ice cream treats! I've included a few of my free patterns below for teachers to download, print, trace and craft these valentine cards.

      Teachers may adapt the processes in producing these cards according to the abilities of their students and the availability of supplies. For example: the waffle pattern on the cones may be colored by hand, as I have done, or students could find a similar surface pattern and do crayon rubbings on top of construction paper in order to mimic the cone's surface. Students could also use combs or brayers to apply dark brown paint to a lighter shade of tan paper in order to create an interesting 'waffle' design as well.

      I chose to hand color some of my the ice cream but it would look just as nice with layered and torn papers. Perhaps even glitter would lend a nice effect for the final finish to these fun ice cream cone Valentines? Use your imagination and have fun!

These ice cream, waffle cones are hand colored to look
like actual waffle patterns.

Additional Sodas and Ice Cream Valentine Cards:

• Cas Sweet Ice Cream Valentine
• Ice Cream Monster Valentine's Pop-Up Card
• Pop-Up Happy Birthday Ice Cream Card with Bakers Twine - Switch out greeting with "Valentine" word
• "You make my heart melt!" 
• "I'm lovin' you like candy!"
• Valentine fudge pops card
• Scratch and Sniff Valentines
• Valentines for Kids Peaceable Kingdom {Review}
• Valentine ice cream cones with heart shaped sprinkles
• My love . . . Ice Cream
• Ice Cream Shop Card - Valentine Card 
• Valentine's Soda Pop Treat Hanger {template}
• Valentines Pop Box Treats
• Day 11: "I've got a crush on you."
• Valentine candy bouquet in a soda pop glass

More Ice Cream Heart Cards for Kids To Make:

• Kids Ice Cream Card from Artsy Craftsy Mom
• Kids Valentine card: Ice cream cone heart

This ice cream valentine reads, "You Melt My Heart, Valentine." Both Valentines open up to reveal large, bright red hearts.

Two variations of patterns for ice cream cone Valentines. Cut multiple scoops of ice cream according to tastes
and two hearts per student: one in brown paper, the second in red or pink. The dashed line indicates a "fold"
 on the heart shaped waffles. Look to the photos above for assembly.

The above ice cream looks as though it has come from a pump, unlike the ice cream above that has been
scooped. Some folks prefer 'soft served' ice cream and some prefer their ice cream hard. No matter which
you desire, these little ice cream patterns are sure to please!

Sodas and Ice Cream Valentine Treats:

• The Big List of Old Fashioned Soda Fountain Drink Recipes
• In Soda Revival, Fizzy Taste Bubbles Up From The Past

Vintage Soda Fountain Themed Valentines: 

"Mmm - You're 'Sweet' Be My Valentine Please!" ice cream cone
 Valentine card

"Need a Valentine? Soda" card

"Gee Whiz Valentine You 'Melt' Me, Please Be Mine" ice cream cone card

"To My Valentine, Oh You 'Smoothie' Let's Be 'Sundae Dates!" ice cream in a dish Valentine.

"Valentine It Will Be The Last Straw - If You Don't Say Yes!" card

"You're the Sweetest Thing I Know! Be Mine" Valentine Card.

"Meaning No 'Monkey-Shines," Valentine! I offer you choice of peach or vanilla and
 that oughta prove I ain't no "Gorilla"!" Valentine.

Craft a Welsh Corgi Valentine Mailbox

       One of my favorite breeds inspired this Valentine mail box. Download the pattern below, print it out, trace it onto construction paper and start crafting! I used a wrapped cereal box for this version. Add layers of shredded brown, black, and white paper to make the hair. I also cut a slit into the side of the box to insert the tail. Both the mask and tail were backed with corrugated cardboard before the dog's body was assembled. The tongue was cut from pink paper and shaped by hand after I shaded it's center with a red and pink pencils. 

A close up of a paper dog valentine mailbox.

I used a cereal box to make this sample mail box. I colored the feet of my dog directly
onto the white paper wrapped around the cereal box.

I curled and fringed brown, black and white papers to make the fake fur.

This paper dog has a curled, 3D tongue.

A side view of the valentine mailbox.

Layer the paper fringe down the front of the wrapped cereal box.

The dog's tail was backed with corrugated cardboard and then wrapped with
construction paper. I then glued more fringe to the outside part of his tail.

My free Welsh Corgi pattern for a Valentine Mail Box.

Craft a Paper Candy Posy for Your Valentine

         Make a variety of chocolate candy posies with these pretty little paper valentine blooms. All you need is:

• white glue
• a variety of decorative papers
• chocolate candy kisses and chocolate candy hearts
• green markers and green construction paper for the leaves
• scissors 
• patterns for cutting and tracing

      Cut these patterns, and trace around them onto red, pink, and white papers. Then paste them together in layers to make the blooms. Glue the blossoms to wooden dowels. Use the green markers to color the dowels and then cut and paste on green paper leaves.

These little paper flowers with chocolate candy kisses were made from a variety of cut paper designs. Layer one on top
of the other and paste them together!

Posy patterns for the project; click on the image to
download the largest version.

The chocolates were pasted to the paper hearts. The stems are made separately from corrugated cardboard hearts and
wooden dowels that were glued inside of the ditches of the corrugated shapes. I can slip these Valentines on and off
of the stems if I choose, instead of giving away the entire floral stem.

Far left, chocolate hearts pasted on Valentines and mounted on 'stems.' Middle, stems for posies before these were painted
 and the leafs applied. Right, some of the chocolate hearts can be removed from their stems, some of them can be taken
 along with the stems.

Finished candy kiss flowers with decorative stems.

More Paper Posy Valentines:

• Valentine Book Page Tutorial
• A paper spiral rose flower tutorial
• Baking Cup Flower Valentines
• cut a newsprint rose with ruffled edging
• Origami rose and here is a visual diagram of this same rose pattern
• Origami Magic Rose Cube by Valerie Vann (video tutorial) 
• Rose designed by Jo Nakashima 
• Craft chocolate candy kiss rose and carnation bouquets

More Floral Valentines Project Ideas:

• Valentines Day Art Project from Deep Space Sparkle
• Valentine's Day Celery Flower Stamp Craft

"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:

1. Download and print the pattern for the "Apple of My Eye Valentine."
2. Cut the pattern shapes out and trace these onto heavy cardboard.
3. 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.
4. Cut two larger apple shapes in red, yellow, or green for the exterior of the apple card.
5. Glue the two red shapes front to back on only one half of the apple. see  picture, right.
6. Now take the folded white interior apple pages and staple these together along their outside edge to form a kind of a pamphlet. 
7. 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.
8. Now trace and cut out the worm shapes from green paper. 
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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. 
14. 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.
15. 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."

• Read more about these scriptures and what the meaning behind the phrase is here.
• "James Re: Who is the apple of God's eye?"
• Apple of God's Eye

More Apple Inspired Valentines:

• DIY Apple of My Eye Printed Valentine's Day Cards
• Share the Love {You're the Apple of my Eye}
• Apple sweet teacher's treat for Valentine's Day!
• Printable Sandwich Bag that may be used for apple candies on Valentine's Day
• Digital Costume Stamps Perfect for "Apple of My Eye" Valentine Cards
• Bridget's Paper Blessings: "You're the apple of my eye" card idea perfect as a valentine
• Apple of My Eye Card from Create with Expression

Visit My Apple Themed Early Learning Center Activity Pinboard 

Vintage Apple Themed Valentines: 

"Of Core-se You Know You're the Apple of My Eye!"

 

"You're the "Apple" of my eye Dear Valentine!"

"You're the APPLE of my eye . . . Please be my Valentine! card