H E A R T S  'N  C R A F T S

 

Here, suggested materials and ideas for showing those who you're (happily) linked with that you love 'em.  Retrieve your scissors and glue sticks and let's get to it! These handmade Valentines also make excellent cards to accompany a perfect (and perhaps slightly more luxurious) gift—shop our Valentines Gift Guide here!

 

T H E   S T O N E S  A N D  M E T A L 

• Sharp scissors (bonus points for scissors that cut designs and zig zag lines into paper)
• Colored and patterend papers
• Leftover wrapping paper (like our SK Valentines wrapping, by Red Cap Cards, which is hand illustrated), or our signature constellation wrapping
• Glitter! Glitter glue! More glitter...It's not a row of pavé diamonds, but it's still good
• Good pens and or/ markers (your handwriting is likely more beautiful than it was in elementary school, and this is an ideal opportunity to show it off)
• Ribbon
• Collage materials (magazines, photographs, etc)
• String, twine, cord, embroidery thread
• Stamps and ink
• Packets of floral seeds
• Puzzle pieces (cool looking pre-made puns)
• Origami paper
• Paint (tempra, watercolor, acrylic, finger paints—why not?)
• Hole puncher (you can find hole punchers that create stars, hearts, etc!)
• Seashells (which can also serve as vacation hints)
• Playing cards—vintage or new
• Keys—also vintage or new
• Googly eyes

  

Well, the trick here is to let your heart  imagination and hands run wild—but here are a few ideas

 

Scroll through, valentine!

 

Write coupons (dinner at a favorite restaurant, back massage, whatever) on strips of paper and put them in a (beautiful) envelope, along with cut-out hearts

 

Trace your hand on paper and cut it out, then draw, write, or paint on it

 

Weave ribbon through the linked metal of an SK Valentine, and attach to the card

Make "flower petals" of paper or foil, assemble them, and include a packet of flower or plant seeds in the envelope (sweet pea? Bleeding hearts?)

 

Cut out small hearts, birds, spirals, letters, musical notes, planets, and other designs. Using a hole puncher, string the shapes onto a piece of string or twine to make a garland—or literal heartstring. These can also be worn as necklaces. Your Valentine might like these necklaces more, though. 

 

Insert a small piece of cardboard or paper behind shapes of a paper or photographs to create a 3D pop up card. These make for good desk decorations.

 

Using scissors, curl strips of paper (as you would with ribbon), then glue the curls into words or designs onto the card. 

Braid ribbon, then glue onto cards in shapes or words

 

Make friendship bracelets (using string or embroidery threads) and attach them to the Valentine (or place them in the envelope). These can also serve as friendship bracelets, for those who you reallllllyyyyy adore.

 

Create a scavenger hunt that leads to more paper Valentines, yourself, a Valentines friend date or romantic dinner, or, eh hem, an SK Valentine.

 

Make a collage that has images, drawings, or the real-life versions of their favorite things (cats? Travel? Margaritas? Jewelry? Mid-century design? Family? Cashmere? We all like things...)

 

Copy a poem by a poet who they love, or passage from their favorite book, and slip it into the envelope

Slip confetti (hearts?) into the envelope! You should do these regardless of what kind of Valentine you make—it'll create a beautiful mess

 

Using a hole puncher, attach balloon strings (yes, with balloons) to the Valentine

 

Remember making paper snowflakes? You can go through a similar process to make a Papel Picado-esque Valentine, using just scissors and paper!