Making Valentine Cards ❤

Valentine’s Day is coming soon….so I have a craft for you! 😉
Today I’ll show you two Valentine cards…one is a very simple design, the second one is a Pop-Up card. Both cards use the same dimensions: 11″ x 4 “.   That way they will fit inside a business envelope.

A SIMPLE, FOLDED IN HALF....CARD.

THESE ARE POP-UP CARDS....also easy!

Materials you’ll need for both cards:
1. scrapbook paper: solid color, or with a faint pattern~or~ construction paper.  Both can be purchased at dollar stores, or discount stores.
2. scissors
3. glue….any glue is fine.
4. markers, pens, colored pencils or crayons
5. sentences/headline words from newspapers, comics, other colored paper, wrapping paper, old notecards
6. free downloads, print paper and cut to fit  (I’ve given you the links below)
7. Optional: stickers, glitter, Happy Tape**, stamping supplies, doilies
**Happy Tape is a decorative tape used for scrapbooking, cards, invitations, etc.  click here for the site.  Or you may be able to find specialty tape in stores.  It’s optional.

LINKS for Free downloads… these links are from creative commons’ sites. They are free for your own personal use, however you cannot sell them. (commercial use).
Magnets for the Eiffel Tower
Vintage photos, letters, newspaper, postcards
Vintage Valentines
Modern Heart clip art

Card A…..the Simple card.
♥ Choose your paper and cut it to size (11″ x 4 “).
Fold your paper in half.
♥ Use prints from the download links I gave you above.  Cut them to fit, turn them at an angle, cut part of one out, put another color paper behind the print..you choose!  If you print them in B&W, use them that way or use colored pencils or crayons to give them color. ~OR~
♥ Use scrap paper, sentences/headline words from newspapers, wrapping paper, solid colored paper, comics to decorate
♥ Think about the inside too….write the words you want, glue decorations inside the card.
♥ You can decorate the left side of the envelope too, as long as it doesn’t make it too thick, or sticky.

Card B…..The POP-UP Card.
*Cut your paper the same as Card A…11″ x 4″.
*This time you will also cut an 8″ x 4″ section for the Pop Up.  Use the same or different color paper for the pop up part.
* Fold the 11″ x 4″ paper in half.
* Fold the 8″ x 4″ section in half, then in half again…it should be folded into 4 equal parts.  See my photo below.

YOUR CARD SHOULD BE FOLDED INTO 4 SECTIONS LIKE THIS.

PUT GLUE ON THE TWO OUTSIDE SECTIONS ONLY. LINE UP THE GLUED SECTIONS TOGETHER AT THE FOLD OF THE LARGER PAPER. I'VE DONE ONE SIDE ABOVE. THE SECOND SIDE WILL COME DOWN AND MEET AT THE FOLD.

THIS IS THE WAY IT SHOULD LOOK WITH BOTH END SECTIONS GLUED DOWN. WHEN YOU FOLD YOUR CARD, YOU MAY HAVE TO USE SCISSORS TO TRIM UNEVEN EDGES.

Now you are ready to decorate the outside and inside of your card (same as Card A).
There is just one important rule about Pop-Up cards!
When you glue your chosen item on the Pop-up section….remember to glue it on the part that faces the person when they open the card.  Do not glue it across the fold of the pop up.  Just glue it on the left side and let it “hang over” the fold.  See my photo below.

HERE’S THE INSIDE JOB!!  THE SIMPLE CARDS are in the foreground.  THE POP-UP CARDS are in the back. Note the placement of items on the Pop -Up sections.  Glue them on the left side of the Pop-Up, but do not glue them ON THE FOLD of the Pop-Up.  They can overhang the folded edge.
Have fun!  If you have children or grandchildren, get them to help you!

Do something good!
If you get really industrious and you want to share your Valentines (homemade or purchased), here are a couple of ideas:
 ❤Share Your Love, promoted by Etsy.  Giving Valentines and hot meals through City-Meals-on-Wheels to the elderly of NYC.  Click here for more information.  Valentines are due by Tues. Feb. 7.
 ❤”Valentines for Vets”, go to the US Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs site.  Find out the nearest VA hospital.  Make or purchase cards, and send or take the cards to the clinic or medical center.  This is an excellent project for children, and one my classes used to do every year.  Make sure you (or your child) write a note on the card, the Vets love them.  Click here. 

Enjoy!
Judy

All text and images are copyright © 2002-2012 and are the exclusive property of Judy Johnson (unless otherwise indicated). All Rights Reserved. All Images are protected under United States and International copyright laws. None of the images on this site are in the Public Domain.

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32 thoughts on “Making Valentine Cards ❤

  1. Judy, I LOVE this! I can’t wait to make some and the pop up card gave me excellent ideas for my 9-year-old son that love pop up books. I can make him little pop-up books the size of these cards with these instructions by sticking the cards together. Thank you for this wonderful share.

  2. I love such creative, handmade things. And you have made some really beautiful cards. Right now I too am making some cards and was looking for ideas – this post will surely help. Thank you, Judy!

    • Hi Fergimoto…Thank you! Actually an ad for a department store came to the house and it had a pop-up section! That’s where I got the idea! 😉

  3. I’ve been thinking of you and your blog about the sweet homemade Valentine’s Day cards, and a light bulb went off in my head (sometimes it takes longer than others!) I am a Meals on Wheels volunteer and deliver meals to the elderly. Your cards will be a ray of sunshine to the wonderful clients on my route. I am so looking forward to this Valentine’s project, thank you for the inspiration!

    • Hi Elise….that’s one of the things I love about blogging! Taking my post, putting your own spin on it and coming up with a new idea! Great! My husband and I sub for our Mobile Meal program here. It’s a very rewarding experience.

  4. Hi Judy,

    Great blog. I dont know how you manage the time to do all this.
    I will let my “boss”, “my better half”, Doreen see this and perhaps she will give/make me one for the 14th. I think I will buy one for her.

I'd love to hear from you~

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