5 minute Valentine's Day Card

Here's a quick card for you to make for Valentine's Day.  Really it can be for any occasion given the design that you choose.  It uses 3 sheets of scrapbook paper (one vellum, one dark color, and one light color), stacked and tied together with a ribbon.

Making them is super easy.  Using a paper trimmer makes it all the more easier. Stack all the papers, choose the height of the card you want, and trim the stack. Fold the stack.

Using an hobby knife, make 2 small slits through all 3 sheets, where the ribbon would go. As long as each slit is equidistant away from the top or bottom.  Slip the ribbon in the slits so both ends of the ribbon are on the outside (vellum side) of the card, and tie a bow.  Trim the excess ribbon and that's it.

You can put whatever you want on the inside of the card, or even just find a nice quotation that you like.

Here's the quote I wrote in this card:

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart
--Helen Keller

I got this idea from the Michael's Book of Arts and Crafts.

Folded Paper Heart Note

 
I learned how to fold these heart notes in high school.  Tho, I never gave them to anyone, I always liked knowing how to fold them.  Anyway, I ran into a folded heart a few days ago, and decided to share a tutorial of how to fold them to you guys as a last minute Valentine's day craft.

I took pictures to do the majority of the talking.

Here goes:

 

1. Start out with a piece of paper.  Fold in half lengthwise, and then again, so you have the paper folded in quarters.
2. Open up the last fold, and fold top corners to the center line.
3.  Open up the whole paper, and refold with a squash fold technique.
4. Fold up one of the edges that do not fall in the main triangle area (see picture for details)
5. Open up the sheet again, and invert the folded edge into the triangle.

 

6.  Refold the squashed triangle.  Turn over the paper.
7.  Fold in the top side edges of the paper to the center line.
8.  Fold down the top of the triangle, into the area voided by the side folds.
9.  Turn over the paper.
10.  Fold up the triangle leaves, turn the paper back over.
11.  Fold up the bottom corners of the paper.

12. Slip the folded bottom corner into the center triangle of the heart, repeat for the other bottom corner.
13.  Fold down the top leaves in a bit of an angle so it forms the top portion of the heart.
14. Fold and Slip in the tips of those leaves into the center triangle of the heart.

I repeated the pictures for these last steps, with some lines drawn on the edges for a clearer view.  

That's it.  Now you have a heart.  You can re-open it up, write your note, and refold it.  Makes a perfect homemade special valentine's note.  (The picture on the very top of this post is the back side of the folded heart.)

For information on the nylon flower in the picture at the very top of this post, there is a helpful video to show you how to make the tulip.  The one pictured is using the same technique but on a smaller scale.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. Have a wonderful weekend.

Candy Cane Hearts

Happy Early Valentine's Day folks. 

I had extra little candy canes from this past Christmas of which I like eating them, generally, but I always end up with more than enough (even with my occasional snacking). This is one way to transform them into Valentine candy cane hearts instead of old Christmas candy canes (same candy, yet, it sounds better.)

Oh, as a side note, and as a shout out to my cousin... it's Valentine's Day not Valentime's Day in case there was any confusion there.  :)

Let's get started:

Materials:

 - Mini Candy Canes
 - Cookie Sheet and parchment paper or silicone mat.

How To:

1.  Open up the candy canes.

2. On the cookie sheet (and parchment paper or silicone mat), stack them so that they form a heart, and their ends lay on top of each other.

3.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees F
 

4. Place the cookie sheet and candy canes in the oven for about 8 minutes. 

The candy canes should be soft enough to adhere to each other, but not heated thru enough to melt all the way. If pressing the candy canes together are not adhering well... stick in oven for an additional minute or two. The candy canes are hot at this point. 

5. Pressing the ends together can cause a bit of a burn.  If you want, you can try pushing them together with a chopstick or something.  They should just smoosh together easily.  When you have the perfectly shaped hearts, set aside or stick in the freezer for a minute or two (best to keep them on the cookie sheet during this process).  The candy cane will go back to it's previous candy like state and you have Candy Cane hearts. 

Enjoy the tasty candy cane hearts, and Happy Valentine's Day.