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This is one of my most favorite Valentine’s Day crafts that we’ve ever done… a Valentine Mailbox that actually looks like a mailbox when it’s done!
When we finished this project, my son (who was about five at the time) thought we could just take off our old mailbox and replace it with this one. He said our new pink one was prettier than our plain black one and the mailman might bring us more packages if we used this one instead.
Oh if only it were that easy!
By the way, this is a project for older kids or groups with lots of grown-up involvement. Younger kids won’t be able to make this project by themselves.
What You’ll Need:
- 2 Sheets Pink Fun Foam (12 x 18 inch)
- Dark Pink Fun Foam
- Brown Fun Foam
- Self adhesive foam hearts
- Scissors
- Cardboard box (See Step 1)
- Hot Glue Gun
- Exacto Knife (Optional)
What to Do:
1. The first thing you need to do is cut your cardboard box in the shape below. We use one of those large cereal boxes that you get at a warehouse store like Sam’s Club. You can make a smaller mailbox by using a shoebox, or tape pieces of cardboard together to make the shape below in the size you want.
Do not make your cut out any taller than 7 inches or any longer that 11 inches. Anything taller or longer will require you to piece together pieces of foam to cover the box and it won’t look as good.
We used an exacto knife to cut the cardboard. It allows you more control over your cutting and a more exact shape.
2. Choose one end of the cardboard cut out to have the door. Cut the door in that end by creating an arch that matches the curve of the box about an inch from the edge. The cut will look like a horseshoe. Refer to the red line in the image below.
3. Put hot glue on one end of the mailbox and then lay it on one sheet of pink foam. Let cool then cut off the excess foam. Do the same with the other end of the mailbox. Be sure to cover both ends with just one sheet of foam (You need the other sheet for step 4).
Cut on the line for the door. Lightly score the cardboard on the bottom of the door so that it will open easier.
4. Put hot glue on one of the long sides of the box and then lay it on the short side of a whole piece of pink foam. Wrap the foam up over the top of the box and secure with hot glue on the other long side of the box. Cut a small piece of foam and hot glue it to the door to make a handle.
5. Cut a strip of brown foam and wrap one end with a long piece of dark pink foam. This will make the flag. Hot glue the flag to the mailbox as shown in the example.
Don’t make the flag “pole” part too long or the flag too big — the foam isn’t ridged enough to hold it. You can replace the brown foam with a large craft stick to make it more stiff if you want.
6. Decorate the mailbox with the self adhesive foam hearts and the scraps of dark pink foam you have left over.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
This is really nice. Thank you for posting this craft.
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you like it!
this mailbox is awesome and I plan to use it with the sunday school class I have
Love this idea Chris! I’m going to make my first valentines mailbox for my son. He is in kindergarten. I am going to make it blue or green with white trim bees and hearts. I will email you a picture when complete. If all goes well I’ll make the pink version for my 2 year old daughter.