How to craft a football lover's Valentine mailbox...

This mailbox has a football field, goal posts, and even helmets!

        Some dolls like sports and this Valentine mailbox craft is for those dolls who love football. I left the helmets generic so that readers here could imagine their own favorite teams... These little helmets may be found in toy vending machines at grocery stores or pharmacies.

 Supply List:

• a small rectangular box recycled
• a second small box cut into equal halves
• decorative paper for the field, side panels
• green felt for the playing field on the top of the mailbox
• two, small, plastic football helmets (the kind you can get in a candy dispenser machine)
• hot glue gun and hot glue
• white school glue 
• bit of green paint
• chenille stems or wire (for goal posts)
• one cotton ball
  
• yellow and white acrylic paints for painting field and goal posts
• recycled, clean paper egg carton (parts) 
• masking tape
  

Step-by-Step Instructions

The boxes as they look prior to decoupage.

 

       Start this mailbox by taping together the shape seen above. You will need to find a small box the shape of a football field and an even smaller box to cut in half for the display of two plastic helmets. See also the small rounds cut from a paper egg carton and glued into position. The football helmets will eventually be mounted on top of these with hot glue.

Alternatively, you could paint the ground markings
using yellow puff paints if you prefer.

 

       Next, using white glue, paste on the green scrap paper all around the sides of the mailbox. I chose a "lawn" looking paper. Paint the egg carton mounds green as well. Then cut a piece of green felt for the field. Glue this directly onto the top of the Valentine mailbox. I cut narrow strips of masking tape to make markings on our faux field.

The American football Valentine mailbox from above.

 

       Bend yellow chenille stems or wire into tiny goal posts. Take a small pair of nail scissors and poke holes through the felt and cardboard beneath. Smear a bit of glue onto the goal post tips and insert these into your green felt football field.

• Back to the Valentine Mailbox Contest index page. 

You can cast a vote for this Valentine mailbox entry in the Comments Box Below, if you'd like. It would be interesting to see if people/kids on the internet judge our doll's Valentine mailbox competition in the same way as the children judging them in our home.