Valentine Tissue Box

You can use your empty tissue boxes to create some really memorable crafts. Why settle for a boring Valentine box when you can create your own personalized holder for all of those Valentines.
Valentine Tissue box-This colorful character will liven up your Valentine’s Day celebration.

What you will need:
Empty tissue box
Scraps of construction paper
Pencil
Markers or crayons
White glue
Scissors
Utility knife (optional)
Crayons or markers for final decorating
Instructions for the project: It is important to choose a tissue box which has a central opening on the top rather than the type which opens on the top and side. Keep in mind that this opening will be your character’s mouth. An adult should make a lid on one end of the box by cutting on three sides. If necessary, you can tear away the plastic film inside the box near the opening. You can now decide what type of character your Valentine box will be (animal or person) and what type of expression they will have on their face (yawning, smiling, singing etc.). Create a mouth eyes, ears and a nose. To make the mouth, cut a scrap of red or pink construction paper large enough to fit the box’s opening. You can glue this inside, and, if you want, make lips and glue them around the opening. You may also want to make teeth, and if you are creating a person, consider adding hair, eyebrows, glasses, earrings, or maybe even a mustache and a hat. A great nose can be heart that is placed upside down on the container just above the mouth. To make ears cut two large hearts and glue one-half of the heart against the side of the box, and open the other half out to make the ear. Keep in mind that while the paper you work with is flat, by cutting it and using paper sculpture techniques, you can make it three-dimensional. Your character will be much more interesting and fun to create if you use these methods to make the hair and the facial features. Feel free to add more decoration using crayons and markers as well.
Some other techniques you can use to decorate your Valentine tissue box are:
1. Fringing: Start by making successive cuts all across a scrap of paper. The size and shape of the paper is determined by what purpose it will serve, but this works well for beards, mustaches, and hair. You can also layer fringed pieces to add interest and bulk.
2. Curling: You can do this by wrapping a long strip of paper around a pencil, or curl the paper by winding it around your finger. This method is also very good for making hair.
3. Pleating: Start by folding a scrap back and forth in an accordion pleat till you come to the end of the paper. You can also make a fan shape by gluing one end. You will want to use this for decorative trim or earrings.
4. Scoring: This is done when you open your scissors wide and use one blade like a knife by drawing or pulling it across the paper in a straight line or an arc. Since paper has a grain, scoring can also help to make the paper bend easier.
5. Spiral: Starting on the outside edge of a circle, you should make a small cut into the shape. Then you can cut around and around slowly moving into the center. When you are done, extend the shape by gently pulling out on the center. You can glue eye balls on these or use lots of smaller ones for curly hair.
6. Chains: Start by gluing a short strip of paper into a circle or loop. Put another strip through the first circle and glue it to itself. Then you can continue adding strips and gluing till you make the chain as long as needed. Small chains can be used for necklaces or parts of earrings.