How to Make a Different Kind of Valentine Card

By Grandma Sandy | January 18, 2023

I was looking for a different kind of valentine card for the grandkids to make. I was also despairing over the proliferation of empty toilet paper rolls collecting on my toilet tank.

Cardboard tubes are decorated to be the valentine cards; write a message and roll it up in the tube. — **The solution: the cardboard tubes are the valentine cards, with the message written on rolled-up paper inside.**

Those tubes have an interesting cylindrical shape, are nicely made, and they’re begging for a new life.

So, I used them to make a different kind of Valentine “card.”

Empty toilet rolls can be turned into valentine cards. — **On the top of my toilet tank, in an upside-down painted tissue box, was a collection of cardboard rolls I couldn’t bear to toss.**

The card is the decorated tube. The sentiment, like a message in a bottle, is rolled up and fitted into the tube.

You can stop here. Or you can go the extra mile and wrap the tube in cellophane, tying each end with satin ribbon to finish it off.

How to Make the Valentine Card

Cover valentines with cellophane and tie satin ribbon on both ends. — **You can wrap the valentine cards in cellophane, tying satin ribbons at each end.**

Valentine Card Materials Needed

Empty cardboard toilet paper rolls
Red, pink, and white tempera or acrylic paints
Paper doilies
Paper-punched hearts or sticker hearts in different sizes and colors (see note)
Colored paper or cardstock to cut up for decorations
Self-adhesive rhinestone stickers
Any other decorative elements you might have on hand
White school glue (Elmer’s) and glue stick (see note)
Cellophane for covering tubes (optional)
3/8-inch satin ribbon for tying (if using cellophane)
Paper to write Valentine sentiment, sized to fit into the cardboard roll

**Write a note and roll it up; put it into the decorated valentine tube.**

Materials Notes:

Stickers: I tend not to like stickers for projects like this, because the kids can be tempted to slap on stickers, willy-nilly, and call it a day. Instead, I provided heart-shaped paper punches, which require more work and thought about the design of their valentines.

Cars made with toilet paper rolls and cardstock

Glue: We had trouble getting the heart shapes (punched out from cardstock) to stick using a glue stick; the white glue worked better. However, if your paper is thin, white glue can make the paper too wet and turn it wrinkly.

Child making valentines. — **N works on his valentine design.**

Valentine Card Tools Needed

Small, sharp scissors
Paint brushes
Small plastic sauce cups to hold paint
Bottle of water to rinse paint
Heart-shaped paper punches (optional)

Preparation

Paint toilet roll tubes with tempera or acrylic paint; let dry. Then have the kids decorate them. — **Paint the cardboard rolls in advance and allow to dry.**

Paint the cardboard rolls in advance and allow to dry so the kids can get right to work decorating and writing their sentiments.

White paint may require more than one coat to cover gray cardboard rolls.

Gather the valentine decorations and organize them so kids can find what they need. I used an inexpensive plastic desk organizer so everything is sorted and ready at hand.

A good way to present the decorative materials for kids to work with is in an inexpensive plastic desk organizer. — **Materials organized: paper punches, scissors, glue sticks, paper sentiments, rhinestones, paper doilies, and rolls of satin and decorative ribbon.**

Method

Have the kids decorate the painted tubes with the decorations you’ve set aside. The glue can get messy–especially if you’re gluing doilies that are riddled with holes–so use a square of parchment paper or plastic wrap to press down on the glued-on design to hold in place until secure, without getting your hands sticky.

Two children cutting and pasting decorative elements on painted toilet paper tubes. — **Kids decorate their valentine tubes.**

Variations to the Basic Valentine Card

Come up with your own variations, such as:

Make a group valentine card. For example, one child makes the valentine for mom or dad; all the family members write their own messages and roll the messages up together in the same tube.
Sweeten your valentine by adding chocolate hearts or other candy treats in the tube; wrap with cellophane.
Insert a little toy or gift, like a Christmas cracker, into the tube; wrap with cellophane.
Use these cards to decorate a Valentine’s Day table.

A valentine is put at every place setting for a family Valentine's Day dinner. — **Turn an ordinary dinner into a Valentine’s Day dinner by setting a card at each place.**

How We’ll Use our Valentines

On our regular Friday night dinner that’s closet to Valentine’s Day, we’ll make the routine meal special by adding red napkins and setting a valentine at each person’s plate. I’ll decorate the table with red or pink flowers and hang a valentine streamer. I’ll buy everyone a small, very inexpensive present. And we’ll be sure to have a fancy dessert!

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