Want to make someone feel special this Valentine’s Day?  Chocolates are a lovely; flowers are elegant.  However, a homemade gift created by the kids will warm the heart and last for years to come.   Nancy, our crafting friend, has some terrific suggestions.

If you have young children, check out these do-it-yourself wonders for Valentine’s Day.

•  Thumbprint cards  All you need is card stock and a washable red ink pad!  It’s really that simple.  Once you have cut the card stock to whatever size you would like it to be, have your child place his thumb in the ink and then place the thumb on the card stock twice, making little heart shapes.  Later, add some decorative touches.
• Stick with me hearts Grab some laminate paper and all of the red objects you can find!  Cut the laminate paper into heart shapes, peel the paper so that the sticky side is up and help your toddler fill the paper with red objects.

Have a crafty teen in the household?  Here are two more suggestions.

•  Valentine’s shadow box: Ask your teen to cut red paper into tiny hearts and fold some of them in half.  Then, provide a piece of matte board in a frame — and some glue.  Thisis a lovely way for your teenager to show someone how much they care.
• Sequin heart bookmark:  All you need are some heart-shaped sequins, string and a hole puncher.  Ask your teen to assemble some sequins, punch holes in them at the top of the heart and run the string through the hole.  You have an amazing bookmark!