Break out the paints, pastels and pretty papers—because it’s time for a whole new round of Valentine’s box ideas. Your kiddo needs to prep for their school’s holiday party (they’re back!), and we’ve got ideas that include everything from a unicorn valentine box to heart-printed paper. So go ahead and break out the cardboard shoe boxes you’ve been saving all year, it’s time to get crafty. See our favorites below.

Wrapping Paper Unicorn

hello, Wonderful

With a printable template in hand and a roll of your kiddo’s fave patterned wrapping paper, you can create this adorable unicorn valentine box from hello, Wonderful!

R2D2

Joys of Boys

Head to your local Dollar store, pick up a white swivel-top trash can and you're halfway to making this simple R2D2 Valentine Box. Joys of Boys Blogger (and mother of FOUR boys!) Kara Lewis has the instructions here. Bonus: If your Star Wars fanatic wants to send some Force-ful Valentine cards, check out her free Star Wars Valentine printables.

Unicorn Box

Sara Albers and Melissa Fenlon via Alice & Lois

We are in love with the bright colors and adorable graphics in this whimsical unicorn Valentine's Day box created by Alice & Lois for Oriental Trading Co. The best part? All you need to do is supply the paper. 

Rubik's Cube

Peppermint Plum

Go retro and create this cute Rubik's cube box from Peppermint Plum!

Punkin Patterns

It's a little bit traditional, a little shabby chic—this Valentine Box from Punkin Patterns lets you put your own special stamp on your project by wrapping a carefully folded cereal box with whatever scrapbook paper fits your kiddo's personal style. 

Faux Flower Unicorn

A Girl and Her Glitter

Make magic with this faux flower-filled unicorn art activity. Get the full how-to steps from A Girl and Her Glitter here.

Plaid Online

Your Valentine will be ready to pack up and head out with this easy project that makes a suitcase-style Valentine box. What's more, the case is just a repurposed cereal box (with a whole lot of decorations on top). Kids will love collecting their loot and then whisking their box away by the handles when the end-of-the-day bell rings. Get the instructions at Plaid Online.

Printed Paper

Mini Monets and Mommies

Forget about the plain holiday wrapping paper everyone else uses. Your child can get creative crafting their print for a stand-out Valentine’s Day box. Celebrate the winter season and use snow-like cotton balls to paint print heart shapes onto red or pink paper. Wait for the paint to dry and wrap a reused shoebox.

Easy-to-Make Monster

One Creative Mommy

Let's be honest: Not all parents have it in them to pull off a Pinterest-worthy project every time their kids have a special occasion. For moms and dads who don't have a lot of time (or money) to prep their kids' projects, this Valentine box is uber-simple (with a free printable!) and totally adorable. Head to One Creative Mommy to get the instructions.

Feed Me Box

Small Fry

For kids who want to get noticed, this "Feed Me" Valentine box is sure to do the trick. Your little ones will love seeing their silly faces magnified for this mailbox craft that uses your kids' wide-open mouths as the letter slots. Find out more from the crafty Mamas at Small Fry Blog.

A Real Mailbox

Make and Takes

Sometimes, the best Valentine's mailbox is simply, just... a mailbox. This Little Pink Mailbox project may take a little bit of thrift-store scouring to score the perfect mini mailbox, but once you find it, all you need is a fresh coat of paint to make it Valentine-ready. Plus, this little beauty can be used all year long (because, really, any day is a good day for a love note!). Get some inspiration from Kami at Make and Takes.

Mail Box Box

Camp Clem

Your kids will love the real postal box look of this "You've Got Mail(box)" created by southern mama Gina Cleminson at Camp Clem. The faux USPS box may look complicated, but it's all made with a shoebox, some carefully cut slabs of cardboard, and a printed logo.

—Melissa Heckscher and Erica Loop

Featured image: iStock 

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Sugar and spice and everything nice! Kick off this milestone event with baby shower invitations for a girl or boy that are just as sweet as the joyous news. From delicate watercolors to woodland animals, we rounded up the sweetest baby shower invitations for an event that will leave everyone saying awwww!

As Sweet As Can Bee Baby Shower Bundle

Mad & Jules Paperie

These winsome baby shower cards are buzzing with honeycombs and bumble bee illustrations, ready to celebrate the mommy-to-bee. Simply edit the downloadable template and print these sweet baby shower invitations at home. 

Available online: $15.99 for an editable template from Etsy shop Mad & Jules Paperie

The Sweetest Bundle

Paperless Post

If the baby shower is a sip & see, there is no sweeter way to announce the party than with a beautiful image of the new baby bundle. This virtual invitation from Paperless Post can be customized in blue or pink. 

Available online: From $0.50/person for a virtual invitation from paperlesspost.com

A Golden Invitation

Swirly World Design

Go golden with a baby shower that pays tribute to one of the sweetest book collections for littles: the Golden books. This digital download package includes everything you could need for well-themed baby shower. Editable templates include baby shower invitations, baby shower favor cards, baby shower water bottle labels, a baby shower welcome sign and more. 

Available online: $9.99 for an editable template from Etsy shop Swirly World Design

Watercolor Woodland Animals

Minted

This printed card from Minted artist Lori Wemple features pastel woodland animals in a floral ring around the announcement. The mix of soft purples, pinks and blues is the perfect motif for the mom-to-be that doesn't yet know if she's having a girl or boy. This invitation set can be customized to be monochromatic so you can let your guests know ahead of time if you're celebrating a baby boy or a baby girl. 

Available online: From $0.88/postcard and $1.25/card from minted.com 

Pretty in Pink

Evite

Go paperless with an elegant invitation from Evite. This girly baby shower invitation is a premium offering; you can customize the color of the envelope, stamp and liner.

Available online: $14.99 for a premium virtual invite from evite.com

Cuddle Up to a Classic

Best Celebrations

Give a nod to one of the most beloved literary characters with this baby shower editable template featuring the adorable Winnie the Pooh. Easily customize the cards without using any special software or programs. 

Available online: $12.50 for an editable template by Etsy shop Best Celebrations

 

The Baby Elephant Parade

Tinyprints

Elephants are an enduring symbol of happiness and longevity, which make them a great motif for a baby shower! This delicate watercolor shows a baby elephant being led by its mother. 

Available online: From $1.48/card from tinyprints.com

 

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Twins

Minted

One of the sweetest surprises has to be the news that mom-to-be isn't having one baby, she's having two! Celebrate her baby twins with a printed invitation that really sparkles with glitter foil paper. 

Available online: From $1.75/printed invitation from minted.com

 

Once Upon a Sweet, Sweet Time

Greenvelope

Hear ye, hear ye! Mom-to-be has the most enchanted news in all the land. Celebrate the upcoming arrival of her new princess with these virtual baby shower invitations from Greenvelope. This winsome design features an ornate illustration of a castle, complete with a scroll border. 

Available online: Send up to 10 cards free from greenvelope.com

 

Drifting Away with a Baby Sprinkle

Shutterfly

Second-time (or third, fourth...you get the idea) moms deserve to be celebrated, too. This printed invitation set from Shutterfly is adorned with cute pastel umbrellas. Choose a pearl shimmer cardstock and you can make this sprinkle sparkle. 

Available online: From $0.91/each from shutterfly.com

featured image: Rinck Content Studio via Unsplash

 

If you’re not lucky enough to live in a state with an In-N-Out, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the goodness. The burger restaurant is floating into summer with a sweet new raft!

The Fry Boat Pool Float is the exact replica of the holder that carries those delicious, salty fries at In-N-Out. It even has the description printed on the inside!

photo: Courtesy of In-N-Out Company Store

The float measures six feet long by three feet wide, making it the perfect size for a solo float. You can grab you own fry boat only at the In-N-Out Company Store for $59.95. Order up!

––Karly Wood

 

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of several Ergobaby strollers. Certain models have buttons that can become detached and pose a choking hazard.

The affected models include the METROUS1, METROUS2 and METROUS4 Compact City Strollers and impact about 2,800 products. Keep scrolling to see all the details.

The METROUS1, METROUS2 and METROUS4 Compact City Strollers contain a black button on the middle of the buckle that releases the harness and are difficult to release. They can then break off while a child is in the stroller and be a potential choking hazard.

The recalled strollers were sold online at ErgoBaby.com, AlbeeBaby.com and Amazon.com from Jul. 2018 through Sept. 2019 for about $300.

 

To determine if your stroller is part of the recall, check the model name located on the inside of the frame, above the right-side rear wheel. The models have a black, gray, or teal blue canopy and Ergo Baby printed on the front bottom of the stroller.

If you have a recalled stroller, you should stop using it until you contact Ergobaby for instructions and a get full free replacement restraint harness with buckle. Consumers can contact the company toll-free at 888-416-4888 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, email at Support@Ergobaby.com, or online at www.ergobaby.com and click on “Safety Notifications” at the bottom of the page for more information.

Ergobaby has received 15 reports of broken buckles but no injuries at this time.

––Karly Wood

All products: Courtesy of the U.S. CPSC

 

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Spring has sprung, and the new Disney Alice in Wonderland x Janie and Jack collection is here for your garden party dreams.

The stylish collection has exclusive prints and characters from the Disney movie you won’t find anywhere else. It’s made up of dresses, tops, bottoms, accessories, shoes and even styles for baby.

Boys can get everything they need to pull off a dapper affair. Pick up penny loafers, blazers, linen shorts and even comfy shorts. Prices range from $32 to $109.

When it comes to your little ladies, get ready for sweet toile-printed swimsuits, joggers, sweatshirts, floral dresses and even more Alice-themed apparel and accessories. Baby and girl styles range from $16.50-$119.

You can shop the full collection at janieandjack.com now. But don’t be late––this is a limited edition collection.

 

––Karly Wood

All photos: Courtesy of Janie and Jack

 

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Where’s Waldo? Anywhere you go, thanks to a new book featuring the classic character!

Where’s Waldo? Awesome Adventures is a new travel-size compendium full of searches, puzzles, games and more. It’s available now to spice up your summer entertainment.

 

The 64-page book is targeted at elementary-aged children and is divided into five sections, each for a different character: Waldo, Wenda, Woof, Odlaw and Wizard Whiteboard. It’s compact and flexible, so it’s easy to slip into a pool bag or car seat to stave off boredom. Better yet, it comes with complimentary game cards and a poster, plus an elasticized closure to keep everything together.

Searching for Waldo has been a beloved family tradition for the last three decades. Martin Handford created the bespectacled, red-and-white sweater-wearing character and there are more than 75 million copies of books about Waldo printed worldwide. You can buy Where’s Waldo? Awesome Adventures for $12.99 online or at your local bookstore.

For even more Waldo fun, you can preorder Where’s Waldo? The Ultimate Watcher Collection now. The seven book set features puzzling classics with new games and searches, plus a cohesive redesign. It officially launches for hours of activity in September 2021.

—Sarah Shebek

Image courtesy of Candlewick Press

 

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The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced that Kidde is recalling several different smoke and combination alarms due to a failure to alert consumers to a fire. The alarms were sold at retailers nationwide between May 2019 and September 2020.

This recall involves Kidde TruSense Smoke Alarms and Combination Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Alarms. The model numbers are 2040, 2050, 2060 and 2070, located on the back of the alarm. Only alarms with the TruSense logo or “AMBER=FAULT” printed on the front of the alarm are included in this recall. They were sold for between $10 and $70 and about 226,000 units are involved.

No incidents or injuries have been reported. Customers should immediately contact Kidde for a replacement alarm. In the meantime, continue using the current alarm until the replacement can be installed.

—Sarah Shebek

Image courtesy of the Consumer Product Safety Commission

 

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Recall Alert: Peloton’s Tread & Tread+ May Cause Injury or Death

One of Peloton’s most popular pieces of workout equipment is under voluntary recall. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) made the announcement after Peloton received information the products have caused one death and multiple injury reports.

Two different models are involved: the Tread+ with model number T01 and the Tread with model number T02. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) advises that owners of either model immediately stop using the treadmills and contact Peloton for a full refund.

In the case of the Tread+, adult users, children, pets or objects can be pulled underneath the rear of the treadmill, potentially causing injury or death. A six-year-old child recently tragically died and Peloton has received 72 reports of incidents involving the unit. There are about 125,000 units under recall and the model number TR01 is printed on a black sticker located on the end cap in the front of the treadmill deck.

If you decide to keep your Tread+, move it to a room where children and pets cannot access it. In addition, Peloton is implementing software improvements to the product to automatically lock the Tread+ after each use and prevent unauthorized access by assigning a 4-digit passcode that will be required to unlock the Tread+.

Additionally, some Peloton Tread owners will be affected by another recall. The touchscreen on this treadmill can detach and fall, posing risk of injury to users. There have been reports of minor injuries in Canada and the United Kingdom. There are about 1,050 units under recall in the U.S. and 5,400 in Canada. The model number TR02 is printed on a black sticker located on the end cap in the front of the treadmill deck.

If you decide to keep a Tread under recall, Peloton is offering a free inspection and repair that will secure the touchscreen to the treadmill. The company has stopped sales and distribution of the Tread+ at this time.

—Sarah Shebek

Images courtesy of the Consumer Product Safety Commission

 

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Plain pancakes are so 2020. We’ve got an exciting development in the breakfast world for the unicorn lovers in your life.

It’s CucinaPro’s Mini Unicorn Pancake Pan and it deserves a spot on your kitchen shelves! Not only does the pan pump out hotcakes printed with unique hooved designs, it also cooks up to seven pancakes at once, so you can feed a crowd without breaking a sweat.

Unicorn Pancake

As a bonus, it’s nonstick, so it might even save enough time to break out on a weekday. All you have to do is prepare your favorite pancake mix and you’re in business to level up breakfast.

You can buy your own pan on Amazon for $24.95. It’s earned Amazon’s Choice for being highly rated, well-priced, and available to ship immediately. If unicorns aren’t a hit in your household, CucinaPro also offers the option for zoo animals or cars and trucks. Almost—but not quite—too cute to eat.

––Sarah Shebek

All images courtesy of Amazon 

 

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If your favorite mama-to-be is decorating her nursery with macrame, rainbows and potted plants, consider throwing her a boho chic baby shower to celebrate her soon-to-arrive baby bundle. We rounded up our favorite boho-style baby shower invitations that feature muted colors and natural themes, like rustic wreaths, hand-drawn feathers, watercolor cactuses and floral rings. Scroll down to get into the Bohemian spirit with these gorgeous printed invitations, online invitations and editable templates!

Boho Flowers

Minted

Designed by Cass Loh, this sweet ring of flowers features burnt orange, dusty pink and purple blooms. You can customize this floral invitation to feature more coral colors, red hues or even add a pop of teal so you can match your baby shower invitation to the cake and decor. 

Available online: From $1.25/ea. from Cass Loh via minted.com

Hello Baby Boho

Etsy

If mom-to-be is waiting to reveal her baby's sex, check out this gender-neutral baby shower invitation featuring a delicate illustration of macrame suspended from a single, ivy-adorned branch by Palm Paperie DIY. 

Available online: From Palm Paperie DIY,  this editable template is $9.99 via etsy.com

Boho Feathers

Zazzle

Is mom-to-be ready to nest? Celebrate her nesting instincts with this feather-adorned baby shower invitation. Hand-drawn feathers in shades of blue give this baby shower invitation an earthy feel. If you're looking to customize your cards to fit your needs, this is the invitation for you; you can choose 8 different colors, 6 shapes and 12 different paper types and finishes to give this card a personal touch. 

Available online: From $2.171/ea. by Lucky Plum Studio for zazzle.com

A Rustic Wreath

Greenvelope

Earthy mamas will rejoice with this no-print baby shower invitation option. Go completely green with an online-only invitation that lets you track guest responses. This rustic wreath features a ring of woodland berries and wild foliage. 

Available online: From $39/up to 40 people from Stacey Meacham Design LLC via greenenvelope.com

Taco 'bout a Baby

Etsy

Whether mom-to-be is experiencing taco cravings beyond Tuesday or she just loves all things cactus, these whimsical and stylish desert-themed invitations promise a baby shower that people will taco 'bout! 

Available online: From $4 for a customizable download by Hunny Prints via etsy.com

Boho Rainbow Printable Templates

Etsy

Whether mom-to-be is having a rainbow baby or just rejoices in dreamy bands of color, this rainbow-themed baby shower invitation features a boho palette of gold, mauve and dusty rose. 

Available online: $12 for a printable template from Aim Beth Designs via etsy.com

Woodland-Themed Boho Greenery

Paper & Things

This watercolor baby shower invitation features a bold wood slice surrounded by soft green foliage to lend the perfect Bohemian vibe to any boho chic baby shower. This instant download baby shower invitation can be easily personalized and printed at home. 

Available online: $14.99 for a customizable download via paperandthings.com

Boho Floral Feathers

Etsy

This jewel-tone baby shower invitation has two lovely feathers set against sprigs of grasses with delicate hand-drawn jewels and crystals adorning the corners. Customize and print invitations (and follow-up thank you notes!) for a boho-chic party from start to finish. 

Available online: From $10.75 for a customizable JPEG file from TDA Party on Paper via etsy.com

Truly Custom Llama Invites

Basic Invite

For your favorite llama mama (to be!), send a baby shower invitation illustrated with her spirit animal! Basic Invites provides a completely customizable card; pick and choose the colors of the border dots, change the tassels and pom poms, and choose an ink color for a truly personalized baby shower invitation. 

Available online:  From basicinvites.com; prices vary based on custom options. 

—Meghan Yudes Meyers

Featured image: Boris Gonzalez via Pixabay

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