Make a Valentines (or Anytime) Mailbox!

We will be filming a brand new Valentine's Day Musical Nightlight Webcast tomorrow, and what better time than to create a Magical Mailbox for all those lovely Valentine's Day letters?!

Fun mailboxes are great for the whole family - Make one for the whole family, or create a different one for each family member.  Then, leave each other special notes and little goodies to say "I love you" or "I'm thinking about you!"

What you'll need:

• Several pieces of craft foam - These usually come in packs of 6 or more, but you can get individual sheets.  Your mailbox will be the size of one sheet of foam folded into a "U" shape. We used several colors.
• Foam glue
• Foam Glue gun (these are very cheap, but you'll need a grownup to do the gluing - you can use other kinds of glue, but the project will take longer)
• Decorative foam pieces or scrapbooking supplies (to decorate the outside of the mailbox)
• Stick-on letter - to write your name, etc
• One brad (the little metal things you stick through paper)
• A marker or pen

Step 1: Cut your shapes

See the shapes in the picture above. This is less complicated than it sound if you follow the photos, we promise!

You will need the following:

• One piece of solid craft foam for the "body" of the mailbox (purple) - cut a slit it it for mail to go in!
• 
• 2 "U-shaped" pieces - make these by tracing the outline of the large piece folded into the mailbox body shape.  Trace the second from the first.
• 2 1/2" strips to go around the U-shaped pieces
• A "flag" - you can make this any way you want!
• The bottom of the mailbox - the width of the body and the length of the bottom of the U-shaped pieces

Step 2: Glue together

You will need to glue the pieces together to make the body

1) Glue the 1/2" strips (yellow in our mailbox) to the U-shaped pieces (aqua) so they form a "lip"

2) Glue one of the U-shaped pieces to the bottom piece (aqua/aqua)

3) Place the body piece (purple) on your U-shaped/bottom piece and be sure it fits - trim if necessary, and then glue the sides down, forming the entire mailbox except for the last U-shaped/lip

4) Glue the bottom of the U-shaped piece to the end of the mailbox, making sure it fits - trim if necessary

5) Glue the back U-shaped piece to the body so it is completely shut (in smaller mailboxes, you can skip this step - this is to keep the shape from flopping)

Step 3: Decorate it!

• Add trim to cover up any rough patches (red in ours)
• If yours feels floppy, cut a few 1/2" strips of foam or cardboard and glue to the inside, forming "struts"
• Use your brad to attach your flag to the side of the mailbox
• Add letters, color, or glue shapes.  Most craft stores sell fun foam cut outs, or you can use your scraps and make your own!

Step 4: Deliver your letters!

Now, write fun letters or draw pictures, and place them in the mailbox for your friends and family!  Make sure you put the flag up when you put mail inside so everyone knows a letter is awaiting them!

And... stay tuned for our Valentine's Day Musical Nightlight on our website on  February 10th, where the Magical Mailbox will make it's first appearance, filled with FAN MAIL for Laurie to read!