Thinking Outside the (Valentine) Box

7:00pm It was time for baths and bed in the Penny Pinscher home. The youngest child in the household picked that inopportune moment to inform his mother that he needed a Valentine box... by tomorrow.

At first the mother tried to take the tough love approach, informing him that orders for weekend craft projects needed to be turned in on the Friday before. The youngest child turned on the baby blues, and the mother could feel her resolve waver.

She tried to turn the tables by informing the pint size con artiste that she had just been to the craft store yesterday and could have bought glitter and stickers, but now had nothing, not even a shoebox. On went the waterworks, and mom caved in. Clearly her son expected a miracle.

7:15pm A quick search of the immediate surroundings turned up some interesting leads, but nothing solid. So far mom had managed to gather one empty oatmeal box, a piece of corrugated cardboard, some red metallic ribbon bought on clearance, an empty snack box, leftover Mardi gras beads and markers. How was this pile of junk going to turn into a Valentine box that would break hearts? Then inspiration hit like Cupid in a Mac truck.

7:20pm Quickly the mom pulled the wrapper off the oatmeal container and flipped it over, revealing a clean, white piece of paper on the flip side of the label. Her miniature Romeo got to work decorating the paper with his name and a series of hearts. The marker had no sooner dried on the paper when he was told to hit the sack. Mom was taking it from here.

7:25pm Working quickly, she succeeded in covering up any evidence of this container's true, humble origins. She quickly heated up the glue gun, ready to take care of business. Permanently.

The Mardi gras beads were trimmed to fit around the top and bottom of the container, creating a glamorous border that few of junior’s peers would suspect had recently been tossed from a moving float. Some cheap, metallic ribbon was added to spritz up the glitz. A miniature Valentine was made from the inside of the snack box and added; along with a half dozen corrugated cardboard hearts which gave the box the masculine touch it needed.

Finally, with a pair of sharp scissors, mom stabbed the plastic lid, carving a heart shaped opening. More Mardi gras beads were fused around the opening and a snip of a satin ribbon was added as a bow. The deception was complete. Now junior had a Valentine box he could be proud of, one that didn't look like it was made in the few minutes it took (mom hopes) and cost nothing. Mom was pleased. Another emergency project completed. Case closed.

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