Need a Quick and Easy Valentine's Day Card?

Do you find yourself in need of a quick fix of a Valentine's Day Card?  If so, keep in mind that you don't need a lot of supplies or a lot of time – it's all about the sentiment.  And you don't even have to have that if you have a “magic pen”.

I started out with a patterned paper – I went with blue rather than a traditional red or pink.  I had it on hand and loved the polka dots on it.  I cut it to 4-1/2″ x 2″ and slapped it right onto my Crumb Cake card base (4-1/4″ x 11″).  After the patterned paper was on, it was time to go with the sentiment.

For the sentiment, I went with the Animal Love stamp set from Taylored Expressions.  I liked this particular sentiment, but it was the handwriting font that really got me.  But, if you don't have the right sentiment on hand, and you need to make this now, let's talk about the “magic pen” idea.

I rarely get mad when companies discontinue something, but I will admit that I was MAD when Stampin' Up! retired this product from their catalog, especially since the company that makes it didn't discontinue it.  I know that you can find this pen at craft stores.

It's a Versa-Marker.  It's the same ink that is in your VersaMark ink pad, just in a pen form.  Simply write out your sentiment and then heat emboss it with white embossing powder.

When you see one, grab two!  But if you can't find it or don't have time, reach for your VersaMark refill and a thin stylus to spell it out if you have a steady hand.

I can hear some of you already saying, “But Meg (in three syllables), I don't like my handwriting….”.

Never fear.  Start with your word processor and find a font that you like.  Then you can print out your sentiment onto your Crumb Cake card stock, just use a very light gray color ink.  Then trace with your Versa-Marker and heat emboss with white embossing powder.  And admit it, it doesn't matter if you are heat embossing for the first time or for the 400th time, it is magic in itself!

Back to the Quick and Easy Valentine's Day card…

I wrapped White Organza ribbon around it and tied it in a double knot.

And then the project stalled out for a bit.  It was unbalanced.  And since the card was for a guy, I really didn't want to bling it up.

To tackle the unbalance with my Chalk Marker and did faux stitching under the patterned paper.  So following the rules of three and counting White as an element, I had it at the top, the middle and bottom of the layers.

One last little touch was by using the corner rounder punch on my Envelope Punch Board to round the bottom corners.

Seriously ridiculously simple.

I hope that this card not only gives you a quick and easy Valentine's day card, but it also gives you some work arounds for your sentiment!