
This year Olivia and I made really fun, unique, recyclable Valentine's for her friends. And we had a LOVEly time working side-by-side making them, too.
We made Valentine Candy Poppers. They're different from a party popper. They are still a great deal of fun, but they are edible (the contents that is), less messy, and very inexpensive to create.
We started with bathroom tissue paper rolls (we save these for crafts throughout the year) and then collected Mod Podge, a sponge brush, scissors, a pencil, and Valentine paper.
To begin, we stood a bathroom tissue paper roll up onto the Valentine paper. We traced around the tube to form a circle.
Next, we cut a rough circle out-larger than the circle we drew. Then, we cut slits inward, up to the pencil markings (like a sunshine).

Using a sponge brush we applied Mod Podge around the top of the roll and began pressing down the cut edges of the circle.

When complete, the roll had a cover on one end.

After drying completely, we turned the roll over and filled with candies. We chose pink and silver wrapped Hershey's extra creamy chocolate hearts.

Then, we cut another circle out the same way in which we had before and glued it on the open end.
Laying out the Valentine paper on a flat surface, we then cut a rectangular piece of paper out to roll around the tube.

Again we used our sponge brush and Mod Podge to slowly work the paper around the tube adhering it until we covered the entire bathroom tissue paper roll.

Voila! We had a Valentine Candy Popper.
Lastly, I tied some ribbon around the tube and finished it off with a bow and tag (heart shaped, of course :) )

To get inside and reveal the Valentine sweets, the recipient can either pop the tube by squeezing the sides or by popping the end with their finger.
Happy Valentine Candy Popping!

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Shhhhhhh...don't say anything, but I am making larger versions of these with paper towel rolls to give to Olivia, Isaac, and Joshua on Valentine's Day. I am filling them with Valentine chocolates, as well as other small treasures.