Secret Message Valentine

 

Today's project is brought to you courtesy of my breakfast oat pot - the tear-strip to remove the outer packaging for recyling sparked the idea. I thought it would be fun to do a card with a tear strip - secret message revealed underneath. So - here it is. Interactive, with amusement value!

Here are your free printables:
SecretMessageValentine1of2.pdf 
SecretMessageValentine2of2.pdf

SecretMessageValentine1of2.svg 
SecretMessageValentine2of2.svg 

Of course, it is preferable to make this card on a digital cutting machine (with the .svg file). The tear strip perforations are pretty fiddly to cut out with a craft knife. Aside from cutting the tear strip, making the card is a doddle. The front cover is fixed onto the card blank like so, using strategically-placed strips of d/s tape:

Remember to remove the little piece of paper to the left of the tab on the tear-strip (shown above). Print the card liner on thinner paper - cheap-o photocopier paper will do (the card itself is made from 160gsm photocopier card). When presenting the card, I like to raise the tab just a smidge as a prompt.

And of course, you can edit the text to customize your secret message.
Have fun!
 

Valentine Cards - last-minute printables!

Screen-style pop-up.

Fold panels back and stick down for a conventional-open card.

Clock the presentation pocket!

There's a simple-fold card with a liner, too.

Also with a presentation pocket.

Option A: simple pop-up.

Option B: flat with liner.

Some last-minute Valentine cards for you today. Simple to make - print and cut - not much sticking. There are two styles to choose from: a pop-up screen-style (as in furniture, not as in computer) card, and a conventional-open card with a patterned liner. Both cards have presentation pockets instead of sealed envelopes - the likelihood being that there will be no need to mail the card to your nearest and dearest!

The floral print on the cards is inspired by Love Hearts candy. (If you look closely at the flowers,  you will see that each petal is adorned with a Love Heart and phrase.)

Here are your printables:
LoveHeartPop-Up.pdf 
LoveHeartPop-UpPocket.pdf 

LoveHeartValentine.pdf 
LoveHeartValentineLiner.pdf 
LoveHeartValentinePocketFront.pdf 

LoveHeartValentinePocketBack.pdf 

How-Tos:
Pop-UP

To make the pop-up, print out the card and cut it out. With a craft knife, cut the two arcs on either side of the flower circle (pic above). Score the fold lines indicated. Make sure you score the centre fold across the centre of the big flower. To fold the card, accordion it, folding the flower circle as a mountain fold, and the areas above and below the flower circle as valley folds. 

This type of simple one-sheet-of-paper pop-up is the subject of a genius new book by Paul Jackson, papercraft guru extraordinaire:

(I'll be featuring more about this amazing new book, soon.)

The pocket for the pop-up is of one-piece construction. Cut it out, score the centre, bottom and side folds. Tuck bottom and side flaps under and stick them down. Finished: slip in the card. 

Love Heart Valentine

To make this card, print, then cut, the card and liner. You only need to secure the top of the liner to the inside of the card blank. Use a bit of d/s tape or a glue stick. The liner looks classy in translucent paper - like lightweight parchment.

The pocket for this card comes in two pieces, due to the size of the card. Cut out the pocket front and fold the flaps on three sides. Cut out the pocket back. Stick the folds onto the back piece. Your choice as to whether you put the printed side on the card back facing frontwards or to the back. Finished: slip the card in.

No sweets as props for this photoshoot - holding out for Valentine's Day for anticipated non-prop sweet treat!

Have a great Valentine's Day.

Crazy Patchwork Valentine Gift Set

Today's project is a co-ordinated Valentine pop-up card and gift matchbox. The pop-up is engineered to fit the top of the matchbox perfectly. 

There are two different card styles, three different matchbox wraps, and three different drawer styles, too - so you can mix and match the patterns to your heart's content (see what I did there).

Here are your free downloads. (A tut follows - but everything's easy as pie!)
CrazyPatchworkPopUpA.pdf 
CrazyPatchworkPopUpB.pdf

ValentineMatchboxWrapA.pdf 
ValentineMatchboxWrapB.pdf 
ValentineMatchboxWrapCandTags.pdf 

ValentineMatchboxDrawer1.pdf 
ValentineMatchboxDrawer2.pdf 
ValentineMatchboxDrawer3.pdf 

Crazy Patchwork Valentine Gift Set Tutorial
The Card

1 Above, the card creased but unfinished. As you can see, the card is divided into thirds - the cover folds back to conceal the pop-up mechanism. The important thing to remember is this:

 
Crease the card centre fold - to either side of the heart pop-up - before
you cut the card out from the paper.

At the same time, mark all the other fold lines with an embossing tool held against a small metal ruler. Folds at the base of the heart, at the top and bottom ends of the two heart strips, and also mark the foldline across the base of the card front.

2 Cut out the card and the pop-up sections as require. Fold the pop-up - gently pull the heart outwards and upwards. On the back of the card, apply d/s tape as shown above.

3 Press the cover down onto the tape and smooth it down. Your card is now finished!:

Valentine Matchbox

1 Fold the drawer and the wrap as shown. The design lines guide your folds. You must fold the long sides of the matchbox drawer in half lengthwise, inwards. Punch the brad holes with a 1/8in circle hand punch.

2 On the right side of the drawer, apply d/s tape to the right sides of the short tabs. On the wrong side of the drawer, apply d/s tape to the outer edges of the long and short sides.

3 To assemble the drawer, fold up the drawer sides and join side tabs to their adjacent sides; then fold down and stick the long and short sides.
Insert the brads, spread their wings. 

4 To assemble the matchbox wrap, crease the folds and overlap the long side on one side of the box. The top long side is a smidge longer than the bottom one: this side belongs on top. Slid the drawer into the wrap. It's a wrap!: your matchbox is now finished:

You can fix the pop-up to the box top with sticky dots, or simply tie it on with ribbon (the preferred option). I like to make a stack of matchboxes with a card on top. Go wild!

There are gift tags, too - so you have the option of giving a gift box without the pop-up card.
Enjoy.