Valentine's Day Tissue Paper Heart

Items Needed:
*Two pieces of construction paper (pink or red ideal for Valentines Day but color is your choice)
* Tissue paper (more crumpled the better; colors optional)
* Laminating pouches (or something similar)
* Glue Stick
* Scissors
* Pencil
* Stapler
* Tape or stickers (optional)
Age recommended: ideal for 4 years and older but some 3-year-olds could do with extra help

If you're like me you might just be getting around to putting away your Christmas decorations and miscellaneous related items such as leftover gift wrapping. Well, I have a use for any crumpled tissue paper you might be thinking of tossing as you pack things away.

Take your two pieces of construction paper and place one on top of the other. Then fold them in half.

Draw half a heart on the folded paper (parents would need to help younger kids), starting at the top of the fold and curving to the bottom (see first of the photos below). Be sure to leave a little space at the top and bottom of the heart.

Use your scissors to cut along the heart you've drawn (parents need to do this for younger children; see second photo below). Set aside the cut-out hearts. You can use them for another craft.

Tear up and crumple your tissue paper. Your kids will love this part.

If you haven't done so already, open your paper to reveal your full heart. Place a laminating pouch on top of the heart (so you can see the heart shape through the plastic) and lift the top of the pouch (like opening a book).

Use the glue stick to glue a section of the pouch within the heart shape and then put the tissue paper on it. Continue until the area of the heart is as filled as you want it to be. Then place the top of the pouch over the tissue paper - your tissue paper is now sandwiched between both plastic pieces of the pouch.

Place a heavy book or two (or three) on top of the laminating pouch to flatten the tissue paper as much as possible. If you have really crumpled tissue paper, it shouldn't take much to flatten it. If your tissue paper is in better shape, it might take a few hours to really pack it down.

Once the paper is as flat as you'd like it, remove the books and now place the laminating pouch (filled with tissue paper) between the two pieces of construction paper. Use your stapler to attach all the pieces (parent should help younger children).

If you don't want to use staples, you can use tape but staples really do hold it together better, especially near the cut out of the heart. If you don't like the look of the staples, your child can place decorative stickers over them.

Now you have a great holiday decoration or gift for Mom or Dad or a grandparent!

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Draw and cut your heart on your construction paper. Remember to cut both pieces of paper at the same time so your hearts are the same size