Heart-Shaped Frames: From Plain To Pencil Stained!

As the classroom mom of Lilah and Jaxon's class, I have the privilege of planning the yearly parties for those cute 5/6 year olds.  Valentine's Day is my FAVORITE holiday, besides the obvious two holidays that are focused on my Savior.  It's just fun, colorful, positive, happy, and lovely.  The parents this year are incredible. Super quick to sign up and overly willing/eager to volunteer their time and money!  I designed the entire party around the [heart] shape.  Only makes sense right?!?!

I was asked to plan for a snack and a craft. If you are a regular blog reader, you've already seen the FIRST craft I planned, LOVE MACHINES. I know it seems a tad overboard to have two crafts, but originally, I thought the kids would assemble the machines and then fill them. Most of the machine's assembly is not been kid friendly because it involves hot glue. so I fully assembled the machines before arriving (minus filling them).  Filling them would take NO time, so I had to create another craft that would take up more of the party's time slot.  

When I walked into Michael's Crafts, facing me were wooden frames of all types.  I told the parents that I might do a frame project, but my original idea was to have the kids glue conversation hearts all over the frame. I didn't like that idea since the bubble gum machine also contained conversation hearts.  Eventually, as I walked Michael's, I came up with the idea to pencil eraser paint the top of the frame. Confused?  I'll show you below.  

First, pick yourself up any type of wooden frame.  Of course I was thrilled to find a [heart] shaped frame.  The coolest part about these frames is that they were only $1.00 each.  That is incredible to believe.  I also had a 25% off coupon, off my total order, so really, these frames were .75 cents each.  Yahoo!!!!!!

I bought 22 of these frames.  21 for the students and 1 for myself so I could prepare an example.  My finished frame would be a gift to Ms. Dixon.

 The front of the frame. 

The back of the frame: the frame came with a wooden peg, which helps prop the frame up.

Then, choose the color paint you want.  I chose cherry red, hot pink, purple, white, sparkle silver, and black.  I chose these colors because they are Valentiney and girly/boyish.

You will need pencils because the erasers will act as your paint brush! I picked up a bag of Valentine pencils for the kids to use.

I thought it would create less of a mess if I purchase little paint pallets.  Each student received their own dish of paint. The "dishes" came (6) to a pack and I believe they were $1.99.

Then get to work painting.  I completely forgot that I didn't paint my frame, the night before the party, so at Midnight I got to work painting. I was pretty tired, so I just quickly squeezed some paint out onto a piece of printer paper.  This is good to know, anyway, for those who do NOT want to buy the paint dishes, OR you can just use a paper plate.  

All you do is dip your pencil's eraser into the paint color of your choice and gently push down onto the frame.  I chose to do one color at a time and then once the frame seemed full, I went back and filled in the areas that seemed to be lacking a particular color.  Anyone who choose to alternate colors, THIS is what the kindergartners wanted to do, just keep a baby wipe close by and wipe off your eraser before dipping your eraser into a new color.  

 The end result!

Insert picture! I brought my camera to the school party and snapped a photo of each student.  I told Ms. Dixon I would print each photo and send them in to school.  The students' frames remained at school, to dry, on Friday, and will not go home with them until I send in their individual photo.  

Before the bus arrived on Friday, I took a picture of Lilah and Jax, all decked out in their Valentine outfits. Right before I left for the party, I printed it and inserted it into the frame.

Had it not been midnight, I would have totally filled up the frame with MORE paint, covering more of the wood, but I was wiped out! I still LOVE how it turned out.  Be on the look out for a post of the students doing theirs.  

***OH.... so while Ms. Dixon and I filled the paint dishes, the kids filled their bubble gum machines with their conversation hearts.  It was a great distraction and it kept them quiet.***