My twins recently brought home some coffee filters that they had painted at their daycare. I found the colors beautiful the way the paint bled together. I couldn’t bear to throw them out. But they were coffee filters, so if I hung them up, well, they would look like coffee filters on my wall or door. So I created this Valentine’s Day craft instead. This is an easy project to do with all ages of kids, as the painting can be as elaborate or as simple as the artist wants it to be.
The first step is to paint the coffee filters. You should use a water based paint (watercolors work the best) and the paint should be pretty thin. Once they are completely dry, either fold them in half or stack them together so that you can cut hearts that are the same size. Draw them free hand, or create a heart stencil, and cut out as many hearts as you want. I cut mine in different sizes, but you can cut them all the same if that is what you prefer. If you have older kids doing this craft then they can help cut out the hearts too.
Next, cut some yarn or ribbon to use for hanging the hearts. I cut all the pieces of yarn the same size at first. Then glue the hearts together with the string in the middle of the heart. I used a glue stick which was sticky enough but didn’t get the coffee filter paper too soggy.
Once they are glued together, cut a long piece of yarn or twine the length of the banner. You can lay it down on the floor or table, but I found that it was easier to hang it and then tie the hearts. (That was mainly to avoid either our family dog or cat eating, playing, or laying down on the project while I was trying to work). Tie the hearts in whatever pattern and at whatever length suits you. Snip off the extra yarn when you are finished.
I remember how my mom do this kind of stuff with us when me and my sister are still kids every valentines day. I miss my mom, I’ll probably visit her this valentines day!