DIY a basketball fan's dream Valentine mailbox!

The slot for the Valentines is located on the floor of this basket-
ball mailbox. Students may also access their delivered mail from
the end of the box opposite the hoop.

       Sporty girl or boy 18'' dolls will love this example of a Valentine mailbox for their February 14th classroom contest!

Supply List:

• small rectangular box (for the basketball court)
  
• back, white solid color paper, one sheet each
• faux 'wood grain' decorative paper
• black permanent ink marker
• scrap cardboard
• recycled plastic netting bag for garlic cloves
• small Styrofoam ball
• orange and black acrylic paints 
• chenille stem(1) or wire
• Mod Podge
• white school glue
• masking tape
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1.  Cut a slot big enough for doll sized Valentines to fit inside of a rectangular small box.
2. Cut out a basketball backboard and pole from the extra cardboard and glue this to the end of the court/Valentine mailbox.
3. Then cover the court with faux wooden floor paper using white school glue.
4. Mark the court using a permanent black ink pen.
5. Cover the sides of the box and the pole with black paper, or you could paint these areas using acrylic paints.
6. Cover the backboard with white paper and mark it using the same black magic marker that was used to mark the court.
7. Next make the basket by bending a white chenille stem into a ring. 
8. Then sew the netting from recycled net used to package garlic cloves around the ring.
9. I painted a Styrofoam ball orange to represent the small basketball caught inside the basket.

Left, the basic cardboard assembly of the basketball court
Valentine mailbox. Right the finished sporty mailbox.

Left and center the details of the mini basket before I attached this to the backboard. Right, the 
basket attached to the backboard.

• 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.