Also the age I will be turning this year, but I digress.
Back to the subject at hand (or heart?)-Valentines!
Saturday is Valentines Day and I was invited to a swap party by the Author of:
The Creative Entrepreneur
A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real
I have never been to a Valentine swap but it is reminiscent of school days when you brought Valentines to school for everyone in your class and maybe a special one for the teacher and a certain someone...
So I was told to bring:
A decorated shoe box with my name on the end
and to wear red or pink shoes!
And the count was just over 30 so I decided I would make 40, then I would have enough for my non-crafty friends too.
This is what I came up with:
Outside back.
Outside front.
Inside.
I went with a kind of snarky rebus
"A rebus (Latin: "by things") is a kind of word puzzle that uses pictures to represent words or parts of words."
Here is how I did it:
First I made a big a** mess. No really, I made a few prototypes out of scrap paper (the yellow and pink paper in the middle) and then the one out of red paper that I worked out the other elements.
I gathered all my stamps, inks and some other Valentin-ie elements from around the craft stash to play with.
These are the ones I landed on:
The top one that I used for the "I" or "eye" is Judikins Soul Windows #3 and the "U" or "you" is #3991 F. and the others were in my stash.
It's a bit hard to see but I stamped the real heart on a pink square of paper and embossed it with red embossing powder.
I inked the edges of the Valentine and the edge of the little foam pink heart sticker.
Now what do I "heart"? I "heart" my new Pink Comfort Grip X-Acto knife! It made cutting all the labels out dreamy!!!
And if you want to make some of these here is the folded envelope heart template:
But wait! there's more.
I didn't want to lose my Valentine so I thought I'd keep one for posterity and what better place than my altered journal book.
So here is what I did:
I marked a page in my book to allow plenty of room for the thickness of the card to easily slide through and then cut the slits with my tiny cutting mat under the page.
Then I simply slid my envelope Valentine in from the back. If you missed the post about the opposite page seen here pop on back to this post, it's a fun Silhouette Figure Study technique from:
True Vision
Authentic Art Journaling
By L.K. Ludwig
And now you can see both sides and easily remove it to read the inside.
Today's question:
What is your most memorable Valentine experience?
Mine: When I was little my mom threw me a Valentine party and made a post office out of a big refrigerator box. There was a window with doors that opened. It was so cool!
Leave a note in the comment section and you'll be entered to win a free book, just 'cause we love to hear from you!
I love the idea of keeping cards in altered books; I'm thinking of making one to keep favorite birthday?other occasion cards. Thanks for this!
Posted by: Claudia Jane Cooper | February 10, 2009 at 11:40 AM
My grade 3 teacher made every student make valentines for everyone else in the class. She made a bix "post box" where everyone could deposit their valentines to be handed out on the 14th. My most memorable is the one I received from a boy that read: "You've got the key to my heart" on the outside with a nice heart. The inside read: "but I used a combination lock".
Posted by: Janet | February 10, 2009 at 11:41 AM
Thanks for this wonderful and useful lesson!!!
The most memorable valentine is the one my husband gave me....3 years in a row!!!
Posted by: Peggy Gatto | February 10, 2009 at 01:40 PM
My most memorable Valentine's was the year my "boyfriend" gave me a box of chocolates at school, and then my arch-nemesis (who was very jealous) stole it from me. Of course, we were grade school, so . . .
Your card turned out great - very cool idea with the folding!
Posted by: wendy m. | February 10, 2009 at 07:00 PM
thakyou for the wonderful tutorial
my most memorable valentine was when my Husband found the cutest stuffed monkey that danced and sang and he put a rose in the monkeys arms Hes always finding me such fun and unique gifts
Posted by: carolyn | February 10, 2009 at 07:19 PM
No memorable things to mention, just wanted to comment! I love those valentine's that you made, and what a great swap idea! I may have to initiate one next year myself.... I'll be turning 40 this year, too.. that's an ambitious # of cards to make!
Posted by: Tammy | February 11, 2009 at 06:23 AM
Stef!
I can't wait to see you this Sunday at the Valentine Tea -- it is sure to rank as one of your most memorable valentine experiences.
Wondering if you would bring the journal along that you show here. Would love to take a peek in person. Looks like a great project.
My most memorable valentine experience: last Sunday Carol Parks hosted a small Valentine art salon. She made up giant valises full of valentine ephemera for us to play with.
I sat there for an hour just watching everyone's expressions as they opened and unpacked their treasures. That was pure magic and delight!
Posted a few pics on my blog, here:
http://creativeentrepreneur.biz/blog.html?fb_4721967_anch=5481577
http://creativeentrepreneur.biz/blog.html?fb_4721967_anch=5472790
Posted by: Lisa Sonora Beam | February 11, 2009 at 08:24 AM
My first valentine exchange in grade school. We all decorated a shoe box with a slot on top and set them on a table where others could insert their valentine deliveries. The idea of putting the card in the altered book is stellar.
Posted by: julie m | February 11, 2009 at 08:41 AM
One of my most memorable Valentine's Day was when I was in grade school and we would decorate our boxes with ribbon, buttons, glitter, drawings, magazine pictures or whatever we had around the house. I looked forward to it each year during my grade school years. And hated it when my Grandsons didn't did it at their school.
Love the idea of saving cards in an altered book....
Posted by: BrendaLea | February 11, 2009 at 12:01 PM
In first grade I had a very strict teacher and a major crush on a boy named Jon. Another John in the class didn't bathe regularly.
A note was sent home with Valentine distribution instructions. We all made construction paper heart pockets, which were lined up against the blackboard in completely random order. You were to sign your name only and drop one Valentine in a pocket, and NO ONE was allowed to give an individual Valentine, not even to the teacher.
In my packet of Valentine's was one with a little girl in the bathtub, and I told my mom that maybe if I gave it to the dirty kid, he'd get the idea. And, of course, I had to have a special one for my "boyfriend." My mom told me it was a bad idea, but I was determined.
On Valentine's Day, my heart was pounding as I twice retraced my steps to deliver the special Valentine's. Don't even know how I knew where were the specials since they couldn't have anything written on the outside. All of a sudden, the teacher came up to me and said, "You wouldn't be giving special Valentine's, would you?"
GULP!
"Um, no." I don't know why she believed me; I'm sure I looked guiltier than Bernie Madoff, but she let it go and I kept walking down the line....
Posted by: Tamara | February 11, 2009 at 04:15 PM