One of my favorite quotes is
“Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.”
We give meaning to “love” by creating cards for the special people in our lives.
A handmade greeting is treasured by all who receive it.
They know the time and love that went into creating it.
Do you save the handmade cards your children made for you? I sure do.
- I love their handwriting,
- their misspelled words,
- and their art.
One of my favorite cards my daughter made for me is her drawing of me as a giant circle with my eyes, mouth, arms and legs coming out of the circle. I framed it.
She is thirteen now and asks me why do I still have that hanging in my studio. It is a simple answer -- “I love it because you made it with your heart!”
Valentine’s Day is approaching and it is time to express how much we love our family and friends.
What a better way to do this than to make a handmade card.
In my head I was trying to think of an affordable way I could make many cards. I like assembly line card production when I need to make many cards.
So I started with a card sketch.
By using simple lines and shapes, I can use different accents to highlight my message on each card.
I wanted to create my own accents so I went to my punch collection and pulled out a heart, of course!
Then the creative wheels started spinning in my head, and I thought Valentine’s Day is on February 14.
Why not 14 ways to use my one punch to make 14 cards?
I am sure there are many more ways than what I am thinking. I bet you have some great ideas using this punch to share.
Let’s get punching!
1. Punch Holes Heart --
Simply punch holes in heart shape using a small circle punch or office punch. (I have seen the office type punches for $1 in my dollar stores.)
2. Stitched Heart --
Write a message or an initial with your pencil and simply stitch it. A tip is to poke your needle through the paper and make a hole for you to go back and stitch through. This helps me keep my stitches even.
3. Stamped Heart --
Grab your favorite background stamp and make designs on your punched heart. Scrolls, polka dots, or floral designs work well.
4. Flocked Heart --
Create a rich design using flocking. It gives your image a soft, velvet like feel. I stamp my image first and then apply the flocking to the stamp.
.jpg "flkheart")
5. Glittered Heart --
Punch your heart from glitter paper or cover your punched piece with glue and add glitter. Once your heart is dry, it will sparkle.
.jpg "sprkheart")
6. Dimensional Heart --
Punch 4 of the same image and fold it in half.
Glue together as shown to create a dimensional heart.
The nice part of this project is it will lay flat in your envelope.
7. Photo Heart --
Find a favorite photo and punch out the image.
It may be a picture of scenery from a great beach vacation or a picture of a beloved pet.
8. Woven Heart --
Cut slits in your heart and weave pretty papers through it.
9. Rub-on Leftover Alphabet Heart --
I always have random letter rub-ons left over from projects and alphabet stickers.
Arrange those leftovers on a heart to create word art. You could spell a name or place an initial.
My goal was to use up my leftovers.
10. Book and Magazine Page Heart --
For a “tween” in your life, punch a magazine page; or to create a vintage heart, try punching a heart in an old book or sheet music.
I buy old books at my thrift store.
Sometimes I find piano music or old hymnal books for my crafts.
.jpg "mag2heart")
11. Negative Space Heart --
Punch a heart in your card.
Place paper inside the card so it highlights the heart you just punched.
Add a transparency to the inside flap of the cards. It makes a window to display your punched heart.
12. Punched Piece Heart --
Punch your heart from cardstock, cut it in half, and create a mouse.
Bonus: You can get 2 mice from one punched heart! I have also seen beautiful punched flowers using a heart punch as the petals. You may want to give it a whirl.
13. Border Hearts --
Punch a favorite border and layer it onto your heart. It will create texture and design.
14. Stencil Heart --
Punch a heart from cardstock.
Your cards are ready to embellish.
Using the negative punched image that remains in the cardstock,
chalk, paint,or ink the inside of the image to create a softer look to your heart.
Use the sketch to guide your designs.
.jpg "sketch heart2")
Once all your cards are made, “All you need is love” -- as John Lennon and Paul McCartney once sang.
I wanted to also give you a few money saving tips:
- By cards in bulk. I found these for $4.99 at my craft store in the wedding section. I purchased them with a 40% off coupon. I know they say "Thank You" but I can cover that up with scraps of patterned paper. Cardstock can be costly when making cards.
- Patterned Paper is your best friend. Use the lines in the paper to create borders on your cards. Look how many different ones you can get from one sheet of paper!
- Titles are plentiful on patterned paper. 41 usable tickets on one sheet.
- Stickers that repeat save money. Look for sticker sheets with a repeating image when you have to make dozens of cards.
- Punches make the card making process quick and painless.
Get your punches out and get started!
.jpg "pun1")
How about a contest in honor of all this “Love” we are expressing?
Would you love to win a punch to make your own projects?
Simply leave a comment or share a tip using punches, and your name will be entered in our drawing.
Be sure to enter by Friday, February 11, 2011. Winners will be announced on Valentine’s Day, Monday, February 14, 2011.
Thanks for taking a moment with Miss Nifty Thrifty.
Have fun creating!
Love, Happiness and Crafting!
~Miss Nifty Thrifty (Studio Pink)
Kara Ward