Looking for a cute and easy Valentine's Day card box? This quick DIY Gnome Valentine Box is perfect for helping kids collect classroom Valentines.
Valentine boxes are a fun tradition that makes the classroom exchange feel extra special. DIY Valentine boxes stand out from the store-bought ones (without the store-bought price), and your little one gets a chance to show off their creativity and own personal style.
This Valentine’s Day craft is perfect for a last-minute project on a budget. It costs less than $15, takes under 10 minutes, and is easy enough for busy parents to pull off even on a hectic weeknight.
Kids will love helping design their gnome and picking the decorative accents, choosing the hat "scarf," and adding the finishing touches. The gnome theme is cute, trendy, and guaranteed to get compliments from classmates.
Bonus idea: Give out these Valentine’s Day Coloring Cards for a thoughtful alternative to store-bought cards!
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Supplies Needed
To create your DIY Gnome Valentine Box, you'll need:
- 1 box
- 1 piece of craft fur (for the beard)
- 1 Valentine-themed scarf or bandana
- 1 pom-pom
- 1 wooden knob or wooden bead (for the nose)
- 1 pack of felt hearts or other decorative accents
Budget tip: A lot of these supplies are easy to find at Dollar Tree. I grabbed the bandana, felt hearts, and a pom-pom there. The craft fur came from JoAnn (and it was 50% off), so it's worth watching for sales or using a coupon because fur can be pricey at full price. The small piece I used was still under $5.
Easy Supply Swaps (Use What You Have!)
This is one of those crafts where you can totally make it work with what's already at home:
- I used a white Valentine box from Hobby Lobby (on sale), but you can use a shoebox, cereal box, gift box, or whatever you've got.
- If you don’t use a premade box, you will have to cut your own slot.
- Although not pictured, my slot is on the back of the box. There is also room at the top back of the box, behind the bandana, for you to add one.
- No bandana? Use fabric or felt for the hat.
- Swap felt hearts for glitter stickers, mini pom-poms, sequins, or foam shapes.
- No pom-pom? Make a big yarn pom-pom to save money. I love this pom-pom maker!
Instructions to Make the Gnome Valentine Box
- Measure your box and cut a piece of craft fur to fit around it. You can cover the whole box with fur or just the front panel if you want to use less.
- Wrap the fur around the box and hot glue it in place. Parents will need to do the hot gluing, but you can substitute the hot glue for glue dots or double-sided tape for the other decorative accents so the kids can help out, too.
- Fold the bandana in half (triangle-style), then wrap it around the top of the box like a gnome hat. Glue the ends on the back.
- Glue on the nose and pom-pom (wood bead/knob for the nose, pom-pom for the top of the hat).
- Add felt hearts to decorate the hat and then customize it however you want. That's the fun part!
DIY Gnome Valentine Box for Kids
Equipment
- 1 pair of fabric scissors
- 1 hot glue gun
- 1 glue stick
- marker
Materials
- 1 box
- 1 piece craft fur for the beard size will depend on the size of your box
- scarf, scrap fabric, etc. for the hat Mine is a Dollar Tree bandana
- pom pom for hat accessory
- 1 wooden knob or wooden bead for the nose
- felt hearts for hat decorations You can get these at the Dollar Tree
Instructions
- Measure the size of your box, trace an outline of that size on the back of your craft fur with a marker, and cut it out. I made my gnome's beard about ½ of the box's height, but you can do more or less to suit your preferences.
- If you're not using a pre-made Valentine box, cut a slot before decorating (about 4-6 inches long and ½ inch wide). Place it on the top back behind the hat or on the back of the box.
- Hot glue the fur onto the box, adding a thick line along the top edge and pressing for about 10 seconds until it sets. You can wrap the whole box or just cover the front to use less fur.
- If you are using a bandana for the gnome's hat like I am, then fold it in half to make a triangle and wrap the two bottom ends around the top half of the box. Use hot glue to glue the scarf in place at the back of the box.
- Glue on your pom-pom of choice to the top of the hat.
- Attach felt heart stickers or other embellishments to the hat for decoration.
- Glue the wooden knob or bead to the center of the gnome just below the hat.
Quick Troubleshooting
- Fur won't stick: Use more glue and press down for 10-15 seconds.
- Nose keeps falling off: Use a bigger glue blob or slightly sand the bead for grip.
- Slot gets covered by hat/fur: Trim around the opening with scissors once everything is dry.
More Valentine’s Day Fun for Kids
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