Make your special Valentine a giftable card – something they can keep forever!

The tradition of giving out handmade Valentine’s Day cards, for many of us, starts in school. Remember the construction paper hearts and the Elmer’s paste? Good times (maybe). I wanted to make a handmade Valentine that was a card but also could be kept so my intended would always know how I feel about them. I came up with this design and I have to say, it was MUCH easier to make than it looks with a couple of little tricks. Let me show you.

To make this Valentine I used the Rectangle Combo OPC #3, Flower Stems and the brand new  new Tiny Flowers #2.  The sentiment is from the Kittie Says #1 clear set.

Card Base, Sentiment and Frame Layers

• Use white cardstock to cut an A2 sized card base and one set of the Rectangle Combo OPC #3.  
• Cut a second set of the rectangle frames using red cardstock.
• Place the white frames face down on the work table, remove the white scallop rectangle and the oval eyelet scallop layer and replace them with the red counterparts.
• Use double stick tape to attach each frame layer together to create one solid frame.  
• Secure the card base and sentiment stamp in the MISTI, stamp the sentiment from the Kittie Says Phrases #1 using Versa and heat emboss using gold embossing powder.
• Apply strips of mounting tape around the back borders of the frame and small pieces around the corners of the oval frame opening.  Pro Tip:  Placing small pieces of mounting around the oval frame opening will keep the frame from collapsing on the card base.  

Floral Bouquet

• Cut a few sets of the Flower Stems using green cardstock and the Tiny Flowers #2 using red and white cardstock.
• Place the flowers face up on the molding pad and form them by pushing down in the center of each flower using a small tipped stylus.
• Attach four flowers to each flower stem using glossy accents.  Pro Tip: For this bouquet I attached the same colored four flowers on each flower stem.  If I had to do it over again I would put two red and two white on the stems to create a more balanced mixture of color.
• Arrange and attach the flower stems together using glossy accents.  Pro Tip:  Check out my Hot to Make Paper Flowers Step by Step Video Two to see the steps for arranging a paper flower bouquet.
• Apply a generous amount of glossy accents to the back of the bouquet and attach it to the frame base.
• Create a pretty white organza Multi Loop Bow and attach it to the bouquet using glue dots. 

I love making cards that represent the colors and theme of Valentine but like to keep the theme subtle.  Check out my Valentine Category to see more pretty cards for inspiration.

5218D Rectangle Combo OPC #3 Die Cut [ RBB ] 5422-03D Tinny Flowers #2 Die [ RBB ] Flower Stems Die 5147-05D [ RBB ] 3308 Kittie Says Phrases #1 [ RBB ]

The Color Catalog by Sarah Renae Clark [ SRH ] New MISTI Stamping Tool – The Most… [ SBC | ELH ] Sizzix – Paper Sculpting Kit [ SBC | BLIC ] Paper Blossom Tool Kit 4/Pkg [ RBB ] Paper Blossoms Molding Mat [ RBB ] Mirror Gold Embossing Powder [ RBB ] Sizzix – Making Essentials Collection… [ SBC ] VersaMark Watermark Stamp Pad [ RBB ] Scotch Advanced Tape Glider & Tape [ RBB ] Amazon.com : Dahle 550 Professional… [ AMZUS ] Crossover II Fabric & Paper Cutting… [ RBB ] Mini Glossy Accents, Ranger Accents [ ELH ] Amazon.com: 1000 Pieces Foam Sticky… [ AMZUS ] Amazon.com: Mini Foam Dots… [ AMZUS ] Amazon.com: Scotch 1/2-Inch by… [ AMZUS ] Teflon Bone Folder, Essentials by Ellen [ ELH ] Scor-Pal Measuring & Scoring Board 12×12 [ ELH ] Glue Dots, Mini (3/16″) [ ELH ] Amazon.com : Accent Opaque White 8.5”… [ AMZUS ]

Now here’s a fun twist. This idea was created to share handmade Valentines Day cards that could be gifts in themselves BUT you can change the color story to anything you love, swap out the greeting and still have something giftable, meaningful and from your heart to theirs.