If some of the Juniors wish to surprise their friends, or the inmates of their pet charitable institutions, with kind thoughts in the form of valentines, those made by themselves are sure to be most acceptable; and then, too, it is such fun to make them!

The materials needed are white and colored paper, including gilt and silver paper, also paste and scissors. One has first to cut the colored paper into squares, which may then be folded into quarters and the quarters into triangles; then cut these into all kinds of intricate tracery, and they will be pretty when unfolded, for the repetition gives beauty to the most awkward cutting. Next paste them on a background of white, and decorate them with mottoes or with tiny doves and hearts, in gold.

One little girl even attempted to cut out a Cupid for a very special valentine, to be given to her grandma; and, although the Cupid was a little lop-sided, it was still quite imposing. Another wee girl, the little sister of one of the Juniors, made good use of her kindergarten skill by sewing a valentine! Her sister prepared it for her by cutting a heart about three inches across, from a piece of folded paper; using this as a pattern, she marked around it on a piece of cardboard, made a small oblong in the centre, for a picture-frame, and pricked the outline for the five-year-old to sew with blue silk. This was accomplished with much delight, and with a stamp picture of the giver pasted in the centre of the oblong was as pretty a valentine as need be.

One favorite kind, the “window” valentine, was made by taking a square of paper, doubling it and cutting one straight slit half-way across from centre to the outside; then folding it once the other way—into quarters—and cutting off the corner so as, when unfolded, to make a square opening in the centre, with its corners opposite the sides of the larger square. While the paper was folded in quarters, a third slit was cut, parallel with the last one. When unfolded, this brought strips each side, which were folded back on the outside of the valentine; a picture was pasted back of the opening, and the valentine looked like this:

Another was made to represent the front of a house, with a “Welcome” door-mat and a door that opened and disclosed a photograph of the giver. On the door was inscribed,

Still another represented a dainty lady on horseback just ready to jump through a paper hoop held by a clown. Underneath was the verse,

The paper in the hoop concealed a photograph. Of course it should be explained to the children that valentines containing photographs are supposed to be for relatives.

One of the prettiest surprises of all on the occasion of which I am speaking, was a wonder-box, made from a piece of heavy paper six inches across. Fastened securely in a most mysterious way, and with bits of candy rattling tantalizingly inside, it was a delightful, but not an easy, task, to open it, even to those who knew how.

The diagram shows by dotted lines exactly where the paper squares must be folded, and the heavy lines show where it must be cut. The holes are for the corners, folded small, to be put through, and then straightened out again.

This is the way the wonder-box looks when done:

It would be as good for a Christmas present as for a valentine.