My son made these origami puppets called "Gabbies" and gave them out as Valentines for his friends last year. It's a fun alternative to those prefab dollar store cards. Grab a piece of paper out of your printer and follow along with our video (http://youtu.be/FFJu2C49YnU) to make one for yourself. It's easy!

Step 1: The Paper Folding Process.

First, take a rectangle shaped paper and fold it in half toward you.

Next fold it in half to find the midpoint, open it back up and and fold the top corners into the middle.

Fold the bottom remaining section upward on both sides. (If this section is connected by a fold at the bottom you did it upside down.)

Now you have a tiny paper hat. But don't stop there.

Reach in and open it wide so it forms a square. Tuck in the extra corners that stick out on either side and press it flat. You should have a square shape.

Where it opens, fold one side up to form a triangle. Do the same on the other side. Now you have a triangle.

At the top (where it's all folded) you will have two "beaks". Grab them and slowly pull them apart, easing the back of the mouth (a diamond shape) to the back.

Now you have a little puppet that fits in your hand!

Step 2: Attach the Extras.

If you don't have any extras like feathers and googly eyes and chocolate hearts, you can always draw on eyeballs and write words inside the mouth, but googly eyes and chocolate and feathers are fun, so we highly recommend them. I have taught this craft several times in my after school program and kids have gotten creative and made construction paper tongues and teeth and all sorts of add-ons. The possibilities are endless!

Helpful tip: Glue dots make this process a lot easier. Tacky glue is a close second followed by glue sticks (if you dig out little chunks of it.) We don't recommend using drippy glue or tape though.

To make a "Gabby" like the one shown above, simply attach googly eyes on both sides of the top of the head and a attach a candy heart inside the mouth.

At the pointy top of the head where all the folds come together you can pull it apart a little bit and insert a feather into the hole. Push the feather down about an inch and it will stay there with no glue needed.

That's it! You're done!

Step 3: Make One for Everyone.

Once you've figured out how to make one, make more! Make one for everyone you know! These are a great alternative to store-bought Valentines. Who wouldn't want a chocolate-filled puppet?