These Valentines are the cat’s meow. This handsome kitty looks very dapper in his Elizabethan ruffle-y collar. A clothespin secures whatever treats you want to pass out. You could use stickers, popcorn, crayons – or even one or two chocolate chip cookies. A Shakespeare sonnet seems very appropriate right about now, doesn’t it?! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Materials needed: pink, black, white and red cardstock, white or pink crepe paper, black thread, hole punch, scissors, pinking shears, fine black pen, cellophane bags (I used 8” x 3”), Valentine’s candies, clothespins, string, craft glue.

Step 1: Cut out a 3″ x 3″ square of pink card stock.
Step 2: Cut off the bottom two corners in a curved line to create the bottom of the face.
Step 3: From the topside, cut out a shape to create the cat’s ears.
Step 4: Cut out two 1/2″ almonds out of white cardstock.
Step 5: With a hole punch, punch two dots out of black card stock.
Step 6: Glue the black dots on the white almonds. Then glue the completed eyes onto the cat’s face.
Step 7: Cut out a small upside down 1/4″ triangle out of pink card stock for the nose. Glue onto face.
Step 8: Using black pen, draw the cat’s mouth coming down from the nose. Think of the letter “J” and a backwards letter “J.”
Step 9: Cut approx. 12 inches of black thread. Fold in half and fold in half again cut three-quarter inch lengths of the quadrupled thread.
Step 10: Apply a dab of glue to the right side of the nose and the left side of the nose. Gently place the whiskers on the glue dots. (You could also simply draw on whiskers with the black pen).
Step 11: Cut out a 4″ x 3″ rectangle of crêpe paper.
Step 12: Cut the short edges of the rectangle with the pinking shears.
Step 13: Accordion fold the crêpe paper down the center, and insert into the clothespin.
Step 14: Fill a bag with candies, fold over the top several times, and close with the clothespin.
Step 15: Glue the cat to the top of the clothespin. Add a little pink heart button where the head meets the clothespin.

Photography by Tim Gibson