Valentine’s Day has always kicked up a variety of memories for me. Some good, some, well, not so good.
Not so good: I’m in seventh grade. Kids are exchanging Valentine’s gifts with their sweethearts. My then-boyfriend passes me a box of candy. I pass him a note saying “I think we should break up.”  I think it’s fair to say, I was a terrible girlfriend.
Good: The guy I had been dating for seven years, surprises me with a trip to NY. The next week, we’re at the top of the Empire State Building. He gets down on bended knee and asks me to marry him. I say yes and the rest, is history.
Each year, in an effort to stack the good memory deck for my kidlets (and probably as penance for 7th grade), I try to do something fun for the family on Valentine’s Day. Nothing huge, just a little something sweet that says, hey! let’s celebrate a day of love.
This year, I got the kids involved. Together, we made edible Valentine’s Day centerpieces. I’m not lying when I say, we had a ton o’ fun with this one! Having candy involved didn’t hurt. Here’s what we did:

For this project you’ll need:

strips of tissue paper (I recommend roughly 2 inches high)
scissors
tape
lollipops
clear plastic tumbler, drinking glass or short vase
loose candy like sweethearts

Step 1
Accordion fold the tissue paper. This just means you’ll fold it back and forth like a fan.

Step 2
Grab your scissors and either make 1 inch cuts into one end of the paper (if you want to make an aster/chrysanthemum  type flower) or cut a rounded edge (for the  rose option).

Step 3
Unfold the tissue paper.

Step 4
Attach one end of the length of tissue paper to the base of the lollipop with tape. How much tape should you use? My rule of thumb: use an amount somewhere between “tape miser” and  “I’d like to see anyone open up this lollipop now.”

Step 5
Start wrapping the tissue paper around the base of the lollipop. I won’t lie—this is the tricky bit. You’ll need to pinch and hold as you go or else it’ll end up looking like you were going for a mummy-pop. Mental note: jot that down for future Halloween project.

Step 6
You’re almost done. Okay, now all you need to do is take another piece of tape and affix it so the flower/tissue paper doesn’t unravel.

Step 7
Success.

Step 8
Fill a clear plastic (or if you’re brave a glass) tumbler with sweethearts or festive M&Ms. Now arrange the lollipop flowers.

Stand back. Admire your work. Feel the love.

Wishing you a Valentine’s Day filled with Xs and Os.