
Like most holidays, Valentine’s Day presents us with the opportunity to craft a little something special for those we love. For your consideration I’ve designed a little party favor, but truth be told you need not throw a party to make one. You and your kiddo can craft a kangaroo for her teacher, place a joey next to Junior’s juice at breakfast, surprise a co-worker with a kangaroo on their keyboard or fill the ‘pouch’ with something decidedly more adult (say, a champagne truffle) for your beau.
My merry marsupial is inspired by the random pairing of old school parties where every place setting included a decorated nut cup and those stylized Dakin Dream Pets that were so popular when I was a kid. Hoping it’ll inspire you to tell someone how much you love them!

Materials & Tools:
copy paper and a printer
colored card stock
spray adhesive, glue, scissors
paper cup
candy/snacks
Step 1:
Click on the image below to download and print out the Valentine Kangaroo pattern and adhere it to a piece of colored card stock. I used a piece of red Plastisheen paper I had on hand, but standard issue construction paper works just as well.
In a well-ventilated space spray the back of the print-out with an adhesive like Spray Mount. Allow to dry for 30 seconds and then place on the card stock, gently smoothing with your hand to remove any air bubbles. You can use a thin layer of white craft glue, but this may warp your paper.

Step 2:
Cut out your kangaroo following the dark yellow outline. You may find it easier to navigate around arms and ears with smaller scissors.

Step 3:
Once cut, refer to the diagram in the lower right hand corner of the print-out. Following the red fold lines, fold the legs, arms, neck and ears using a bone folder (or the back of a spoon) for crisp edges. It can be useful to score your fold lines first using a bone folder and ruler.

Step 4:
Using colored scrap paper, design a face for your kangaroo. Cut out eyes and a nose and any other features you want to include and lay them out on your work surface. When you’re happy with the proportions and arrangement, glue them onto the kangaroo’s head.

Step 5:
Cut a paper heart for your kangaroo to hold. I used paper punches from the craft store, but you can cut one just as easily freehand - you know the old trick of folding a piece of paper in two and cutting half the heart along the fold to create perfectly symmetrical hearts. Cut two vertical snips in the upper edge of the heart, inserting one of the kangaroo’s paws into each slit as shown in the photograph below.

Step 6:
Create the kangaroo’s pouch by placing a paper cup between the legs - a small drinking cup, nut/party cup or cupcake baking cup would work well. Glue the cup in place if you’d like to make it stationary/secure, or leave it loose so that it can be switched out for multiple snack times.
Now fill the pouch with treats! I used cinnamon hearts, but you might also consider conversation hearts, grapes, pretzels, M&Ms, Goldfish crackers. If you’re going to be transporting your Valentine Kangaroo wrap the treats in a napkin, piece of tissue paper or plastic food wrap and tie it with a bow before placing it in the pouch - this will avoid spill.
Your cutesy-poo ‘roo is now ready to hop into the heart of some lucky little (or big) kid!

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