Contributing Writer: Kelly Griglione from the Notable Nest
Have less than an hour to get together a set of Valentines, yet want them to be cute and unique? Well you’re in the right place! I’ve got just the craft for you, plus a free printable to make it that much easier.
A couple weeks ago I made some really cute “Be Mine” wrappers for a Nerds box and was excited to have our valentines ready ahead of time. Then we got a reminder that no candy is allowed to be passed out for Valentine’s Day at the school. Time for Plan B. Trying to think of an original, candy-free idea for Valentines, I walked up and down the aisles of Walmart. In the sporting goods section, I found the perfect item … a set of 15 practice golf balls for only $2. Surely, I could make something with these. A cute little saying to go with them, and we have some original, handmade valentines to pass out.
Here’s what you will need:
A set of practice golf balls with the holes in them, thread/ribbon, a needle, a hole punch and this free printable.
Let’s get started!
1) Download and print the free printable on cardstock. Cut out the tags.
2) Cut off the top corners, and punch a hole in the top middle of each tag.
3) Thread your needle with a very long piece of thread/ribbon and pass it through 2 holes that are close together on the golf ball.
4) Cut the thread/ribbon after approximately 12 inches (6 inches coming out of either hole in the golf ball) and tie ends together
5) Pass one end of the thread/ribbon through the hole in your tag and tie a bow. Done!
After making 20 of these (in only 25 minutes!) I have a few tips to share with you. If you have a paper trimmer, you can cut multiple sheets at once, making this go even quicker. When you’re cutting the corners off the top, also grab a couple of layers at a time. If you’re making a lot, like for a classroom, you may want to find a fancier yarn or thread to use instead of ribbon. Especially if they’re for kids who probably don’t care you used your nice ribbon on them. I got this red yarn about 5 years ago in a large skein for only $4 and I’m sure it will last me a lifetime.
Also, note that even though I made these for a kid’s valentine, you can absolutely use them for an adult’s valentine. There’s nothing kiddie about them, plus they involve GOLF so they would be fun for adult males. I showed them to my 3rd grader today and he was so excited to give them to his friends. It’s not mushy, plus it involved sporting equipment, so he loved it.
I sure hope you give these a try. If you’ve already made all the valentines you need for this year, you might want to keep this in mind for next year.
Thanks so much for looking!
-Kelly