Fun Foam Valentine's Day Mailbox

January 28, 7:39 PMMiami Crafts ExaminerCarol Martorella

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I've loved this craft ever since I made one with my daughter when she was in Kindergarten... 

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.

Source: http://www.freekidcrafts.com